When most people hire a moving company for the first time, the deciding factor is usually to hire a moving company that offers the lowest prices. This action usually results in a sub-par move or being scammed. We want to help consumers choose the best moving company whether its their first or fifth move. So, if you are looking for moving company recommendations, this guide will be the most helpful article you will read.
STEP 1: SEARCHING FOR MOVERS
Most people search google for “Movers Near Me” or other common searches only to find ads by lead generation sites which sell your info to 4-10 moving companies that may not even be licensed. Its best to search for a recommended moving company through word of mouth or sites like quora that offer great advice from real experts. It is best to find movers nearby that will not sell your information, are private movers and have high consumer ratings.
STEP 2: DO YOUR HOMEWORK
It’s highly suggested to use a moving company that has been in business for 10+ years and is active in the community. Many fly by night movers will be in and out and if anything goes wrong it will be very hard to recoup any loss. There are many, many moving companies that constantly change names and operate multiple moving companies that are hard to track down. A few moving companies that are highly recommended in that they operate small, locally-owned moving companies in major cities like Boston, NYC, Raleigh, Philadelphia, and Miami are Monster Movers, Gentle Giant, and Movers Near Me . These companies have all been in business for over 15 years, consistently give back to their local communities, and have consistent high ratings in forums and online.
Then check online forums for moving company recommendations. One or two bad reviews are probably outliers, but if there’s a pattern of complaints, move on. If you’re moving long distance, look for a company that specializes in that. Some local moving companies subcontract out long-distance moves, and quality may suffer.
STEP 3: CHECK ADDITIONAL MOVING FEES
Once you’ve narrowed the field, have the top contenders come to your house to look at your things and provide an estimate. While they’re there ask whether they’ll charge additional fees for things like stairs, specialty packing, or disassembling and assembling furniture. Untrustworthy movers typically rush the sale and plan on charging you for the small things on moving day and charge for everything. A quick list of additional moving fees you should be wary of:
- taxes
- tolls
- reassembly/disassembly fee
- shrink wrap
- tape
- moving blankets
- long walk
- shuttle fee
- stair fee
- elevator fee
- materials
If a moving company wants to give you a quote over the phone without visually inspecting your home and things, take it off your list.
STEP 4: MAKING SURE YOUR MOVING QUOTE IS ACCURATE
Make sure you get any agreements in writing from your moving company, and that all fields have been filled out when you sign the contract.
STEP 5: CONSIDER MOVING INSURANCE
Interstate movers must include minimum basic insurance protection for 60 cents per pound per item. “That’s not great coverage if you’ve got a big screen TV that’s very heavy and also very breakable,” says Katherine Hutt, a spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau.
Protect your pricey items by buying an additional policy that will provide the replacement value for your belongings, should they be damaged in transit, but you’ll need to specifically declare high-value items. For local moves, check with your homeowners insurance to see whether it provides coverage for your things during a move. Move small valuables like jewelry, coins, and important paperwork on your own.
When you buy a product, you want it to be the best in its category. When you pay for a service, you want it to be provided by the best professionals in the field. So, when hiring movers for your relocation, you’ll, of course, want to choose among the most recommended moving companies in the country.
But how can you find the most reliable and highly experienced professionals in a competitive industry where everyone claims to be the best? How can you be sure that you’ll make the right choice and hire competent, trustworthy movers who will take good care of your items and will bring your relocation to a successful end?
The fail-safe way to ensure that you’ll be working with skilled, dependable moving professionals is to get recommendations on movers – references and testimonials from previous customers, ratings from consumer reports, online reviews of moving companies, professional organization credentials, etc. A mover who has an excellent track record, largely positive moving reviews, and high ratings is very likely to do a good job with your relocation – recommended movers are a safe and wise choice.
Researching your options and getting recommendations will help you stay away from incompetent movers, avoid moving scams, and ensure a smooth and successful relocation. The only remaining question is how to find reliable references.
Here are some of the best ways to get recommendations for movers:
Look for Personal References
The best recommendations for movers you can get is by word of mouth or various moving recommendation forums like reddit, facebook or quora. There is no better way to find unbiased opinions and genuine feedback about moving companies than talking to people who have recently used professional moving services – they will be more than glad to share their experiences and vent their frustration, anger, or satisfaction with the movers they worked with.
CONSIDERATIONS WHEN YOU ARE COMPARING RECOMMENDED MOVING COMPANIES
What kind of estimate the movers provided
What kind of insurance they offered
Did they require a deposit
How efficiently they worked;
How careful they were when handling household items and personal possessions
What extra services the movers provided
How they handled difficulties and unforeseen obstacles;
How soon was the shipment delivered;
Were all the goods in good condition;
Was the final moving cost the same as stated in the initial quote
Were there any problems or disputes with the movers and how did they resolve the issue