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Long-Distance Moving 2021

Are you searching for long distance moving? Well we are almost done with one of the most surprising years ever and lots of families, millennials, singles who are ready to mingle, get x-ers and baby boomers, and everyone else seems to be heading to a new state. Perhaps it’s because we have been unable to leave our homes for the past 9 months? Regardless with lots of long distance moving comes many scams and new ways rogue movers have found to rip you off! Don’t be a victim to a moving scam in 2021 – take our advice and you will have a stress-free move!

Are you looking for long distance moving companies near me for a long distance move? You are not alone! This year looks to be very busy for those moving more than 100 miles. Moving to a new place can be very stressful especially if you don’t have any contacts in your new area. When hiring long distance movers near me – there are a few major things to keep in mind: size of your shipment, dates you need it there by, moving costs, quality of your moving company, moving scams and long distance moving costs in 2021.

Long Distance Moving Costs

Demand for long distance moving is going to be very high in 2021. Low prices and bartering with companies will not be as easy as you think. One thing to remember is that if it seems to good to be true theres a 75% chance your movers won’t show up. There are so many long distance moving scams so we can help you determine the best value for your move.

  • Cost to Rent a Moving Truck
    • $150 (small truck, local move) to $4,500 (large truck, long-distance move) Uhaul rates were above $4800 for a move from CA to TX
  • Cost to Hire a Long Distance Moving Company
    • Long-Distance: $2,000 to $5,000 per load
  • Cost to Hire a Full-Service Long Distance Moving Company
    • $2,000 to $10,000
  • Cost to Rent a Moving Container
    • $4,500/container – about 2 bedroom apartment (large container, cross-country move)

The average cost for a local move typically ranges anywhere from $2500 for a one-bedroom apartment to $7400 for a four-bedroom house.

These are estimates only for a guaranteed, not to exceed moving quote you will need to provide more information.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire Long Distance Movers?

Long-Distance Moving Costs 2021

Okay, now let’s see what costs look like if you’re moving beyond 100 miles—including the same state The factors that could make your long distance moving costs fluctuate:

  • Distance You Are Moving From and To
  • Weight of Items Being Moved
  • Dates You Need to Be In and Out
  • Specialty Services: Pianos, Packing, Storage, etc
  • If Your Long Distance Moving Company Charges Extra Fees
  • Quality of Your Long Distance Movers

Full Service Long Distance Moving Costs 2021

Hiring a full service long distance movers in 2021 is going to be the best option for most people. Eliminating the stress of coordinating an entire move is exhausting and it usually ends up costing the same amount or even less than a DIY move or a moving container.

Full service moving costs will vary depending on how far you are moving and the size of your move along with other add-ons. However, the average long distance moving companies costs are:

$1500-$2000 for a one bedroom move about 150-400 miles

$2000-$3000 for a two bedroom move about 150-400 miles

$3000-$4000 for a three bedroom move about 150-400 miles

$2000-$3000 for a one bedroom move about 500-900 miles

$3000-$4000 for a two to three bedroom move about 500-900 miles

$3000-$5000 for a one bedroom 1000+ miles

$5000-$6000 for a two to three bedroom 1000+ miles

$5000-$6000 for a four bedroom 1000+ miles

Of course these are just averages, in order to get a binding, guaranteed not-to-exceed quote you can start with this moving calculator that will provide you with an option to fill out an inventory or provide pictures.

Long Distance Moving Companies Near Me

How Much Are Moving Containers?

What if you don’t want to run the risk of movers mishandling your stuff or deal with the hassle of driving a moving truck yourself? Then you’ll probably want to use moving containers. It’s kind of like having the back of a moving truck dropped off at your house. You load all your stuff into the container on your own time, then you schedule a date for the container company to pick it up. They drop it off at your new location for you to unpack. Moving containers are about 25% more expensive than hiring an actual mover plus you have to pay someone to load and unload unless you have some good friends. Expect to pay $4500/container which a 3-4 bedroom house will need at least 2 so at $9000 this is not a less expensive option plus labor to load and unload can be over $12,000. Do your due diligence if using moving containers for a long distance move – the reviews are horrendous. What’s more, they have become notorious for thefts. There are viral videos of robbers cutting the containers with a small pocket knife and making out with peoples stuff.

Can I Deduct Moving Expenses?

Taxes are the last thing you want to think about when you’re moving! But if you’re banking on a tax deduction to reimburse your moving expenses, we want to warn you—it won’t. There is a misconception that you can deduct moving expenses but that was eliminated in 2018.

Long Distance Moving Scams 2021

It would be a complete lie if we said moving scams have disappeared. The end of 2020 has been ripe with moving scams and 2021 looks to be no different. As the economy is filled with uncertainty van lines and brokers have been scamming customers more than usual. Here are some very important things to look for when moving long distance in 2021 so you can avoid being scammed:

  • Van Lines have been underbidding long distance moves and don’t have the support to do all of the moves leaving customers stranded on their day of the move resulting in hiring another moving company at top dollar because they don’t have time to start over and look for a new company. Avoid van lines at all costs in 2021.
  • Because van lines and brokers don’t have the support to handle all of their moves they have been sending moving companies that are uninsured, unlicensed, unexperienced, untrained and without background checks. Read reviews people and know that consumer affairs reviews are owned by van lines – they are not real reviews. It is best to hire flat rate private moving companies for any long distance move in 2021.
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Long Distance Moving Companies Near Me

Most families only make 2 long distance moves in their entire lifetime, so it’s understandably challenging to understand all of intricacies involved in a long distance move. Below are the most important considerations and questions to have answered when hiring long distance movers.

https://moversnearme.com/long-distance-moving/

If you have spent days searching for “long distance moving companies near me,” you may feel very overwhelmed with all of the seemingly trustworthy information on the internet about long distance movers which we all know can be manipulated. There is a list a mile of long of moving companies with unfair prices, unsafe services, and even fraudulent business practices. It is up to you to navigate through this information and find the best long distance moving company for you!

You can avoid hiring untrustworthy long distance movers by getting key questions answered before you waste time only to find out the movers you have chosen are not a good fit. You can usually get answers by talking with a customer service representative over the phone, reading customer reviews, perusing a company’s website.

Questions To Ask Your Long Distance Moving Companies

Here are a few questions to help you determine if you should go forward and get a moving estimate for your long distance move:

1. Is this company licensed and insured

This is just obvious. If your long distance moving company isn’t licensed or insured do not even continue the conversation. If any of the movers get injured in your home they can sue you personally and this will be an expensive headache for you.

PRO TIP: It is extremely important to understand many movers on Uhaul sites, craigslist and other misc. websites are not licensed or insured. You should be able to go on a company website and see their license number clearly stated and long distance moving companies cannot be licensed without insurance.

2. Is this company a broker or a carrier?

All moving companies fall into one of three categories:

  • Brokers
  • Carriers/Van Lines
  • Private Long Distance Moving Companies

For one, a crew from a different company than the one you talked to will actually show up to load and drive your belongings to your new home. It’s possible that this crew never even spoke to the broker. This can result in miscommunication and even additional costs and fees on moving day, not to mention lost items and even “lost shipments.” Also when things go wrong the broker isn’t responsible and the so-called long distance movers they sold your move to could be long gone, from another state, or simply impossible to reach.

Choosing Long Distance Moving Companies Near Me

Carriers are glorified moving brokers that have a little more responsibility with your shipment. A carrier manages a lot of local long distance moving companies that after many complaints can be simply removed from the list – of course until the van line has a last minute need and may hire the carrier that they just removed. Van lines are usually much more expensive as carriers are required to submit 30% of a move cost plus fees to the management. These long distance moving companies also must pay a fee for advertising and have almost complete control over the internet despite thousands of poor reviews, bankruptcy and yes even government bail-out! It is important to know that van lines own moving sites that seem to have real information about moving while really it is just pushing their brand. Many van lines are owned by the same entity but they pretend to compete against each other which drives up prices and pushes out your best bet for long distance movers – a private long distance mover.

Long Distance Moving – Best Choice

A private long distance mover is a moving company that performs all of their own moves with full time labor. They do not sell moves, barter, trade, give your information to other van lines, etc. These long distance moving companies generally charge 20-25% less than van lines as they do not have to pay a middle man.

3. What coverage options does this company offer?

Why you should ask this:

Moving coverage is an insurance-like service that covers the cost of your items if they break or go missing during transit. Unfortunately this is much more common during long distance moving than local moving. Your long distance movers should offer full replacement coverage and we have found a company where it is included for free – Movers Near Me.

All moving companies are required to provide basic liability coverage free of charge. This coverage insures your items for $0.30 per pound for intrastate moves and $0.60 per pound for interstate moves.

Long Distance Moving Insurance

Imagine you’re paying a company to move a 100-pound table If your table falls out of the moving truck on the freeway and breaks your long distance movers would be responsible for $.60 x 100 lbs or $60. Again, another reason to use movers that offer full replacement coverage for free

That’s probably not enough to buy a new sofa. Luckily, some companies offer additional coverage options.

Full Coverage is not considered insurance per say but it covers your items for their current market value. If you have FVP and your sofa falls off the moving truck en route, you’d be reimbursed enough to repair it or buy a replacement of equal value. You will find the best long distance moving companies will include full coverage for free. I would trust any movers offering full coverage without a charge as you know they will have complete confidence in their service

4. Can this company do everything I need?

All long distance moving companies are not created equal. Each individual moving company will possess a unique niche. For example you have probably heard of PODS for portable storage, Monster Movers for guaranteed date long distance moves, and Old Dominion for commercial moves. You will need to make sure the long distance movers you are considering are the best match for you. Here are a few of our favorites and their “best of”

Below are just a few of the services that a moving company might offer:

  • Long Distance Movers – Monster Movers
  • Local Movers – Movers Near Me
  • Portable Storage – Pack Rat
  • Motor Vehicle Shipping – Reliable Car Shipping
  • Personal Storage – EZ Mini Storage
  • Cleaning services – Maids.com

If any of these services are crucial for your move, you should make sure that service is provided by any company you might hire.

5. How Doest the Estimate Process Work?

Many long distance moving companies may give you an estimate based on an “average” for the size of your residence.These prices are do not reflect the actual price that your long distance move could cost. Unless that estimate is binding, the company could very well increase your price later on. Some moving companies are notorious for increasing their prices after your shipment has been loaded. The best way to avoid this is to choose long distance movers that guarantee their prices. Here is a long distance moving calculator that gives guaranteed rate based on your inventory. There is also an option to upload pictures.

6. Does this company have any hidden fees?

Why you should ask this:

Many long distance moving companies will try to increase prices on moving day by enabling the use of “hidden fees.” These fees are either buried under mountains of legal-speak in your contract, misrepresented, or undisclosed before they show up on your final bill. These fees can include

  • Shuttle Fees ( to get from a highway to a tight city like Boston or NYC)
  • Stair Fees
  • Gas/Fuel Surcharge
  • Packing Materials
  • Elevator Fees
  • Environmental Fees
  • Taxes
  • Tolls

Instead, we recommend checking customer reviews to see if a company regularly charges surprise fees. Of course, you should always take customer reviews with a grain of salt. Most of the time, they aren’t fact-checked, and they might be written by embittered customers who had a bad day or another moving company trying to hurt competition

7. Does your long distance mover offer guaranteed delivery dates?

All moving companies give estimates of when your stuff is likely to arrive, but unless they guarantee their delivery dates, they could very well be late without owing you anything.

Of course, things happen, and sometimes trucks are late even if you have a guaranteed delivery date. If this happens, your mover should reimburse you for part of your payment. This doesn’t get your furniture to you sooner, but it’s hard to beat a discounted move, even if it’s a little late.

8. Do Your Long Distance Movers Offer Cancellation Reimbursement?

Some companies will let you cancel your move free of charge as long as you do so far enough ahead of schedule, and a few will even let you cancel the day before your move without a penalty.

Most, however, will keep all or part of your deposit if you cancel within a certain amount of time before your move, and there might even be extra fees for cancellation.

If there’s even a sliver of a chance that you won’t actually be moving, ask about your moving company’s cancellation policy before you sign any contracts.

9. What payments will be accepted?

Long Distance Moving Companies are expensive, so you may end up needing to use your credit card to pay for it. Unfortunately, not all moving companies accept credit as payment. I suggest hiring long distance movers that offer multiple types – especially credit. Think of all of those points you lose if you have to pay by check or cash

Another consideration is how much of a deposit you will need. If you lose your deposit because of a home sale falling through or some unforeseen accident – you need to make sure you are only paying 20% or less as a deposit.

Long Distance Moving, Movers Near Me, Moving Help

LONG DISTANCE MOVERS NEARBY

The savvy consumer should be aware of the types of long distance movers nearby before making an educated decision on which long distance movers near you to hire. When researching long distance movers nearby, residents should also ask specific questions – don’t just assume that because you found a long distance mover near you online that they are licensed, insured or even located the US!

Long Distance Movers Nearby

TYPES OF LONG DISTANCE MOVERS

Moving Broker – Moving brokers do not actually perform any moves. They are essentially booking a move for whatever they can and then selling your move to the lowest possible bidder which is usually un un-qualified mover who may or may not show up. Moving brokers charge between 25-40% as a booking fee. So, as you can imagine, the service is going to be much lower hiring a broker.  See, a lot of these rogue movers will “claim” moves from the moving broker and if they are in the area at the time of pick-up they will get the shipment.  If they aren’t they will either show up really late or not at all.  You will get your deposit back from a MB one way or another but you may be out of luck getting your long distance move done in a timely manner.

Van Line – A van line, to me, is a glorified moving broker.  Essentially, the van line – Mayflower, United, etc. will book a move and give the move to a local agent that is affiliated with the van line less a 30% deposit.  Van line movers will have to adhere to van line standards, which, 20-25 years ago used to be much, much higher. Now, being an agent for a van line isn’t as wonderful as it was – mainly because the van line corporate offices take more and mover money from their agents. So, the quality of a van line agent has gone down – therefore the quality of move suffers. Again, service is compromised for long distance moves because of this. Van lines have copious amounts of damage from loading/unloading, etc. Most van lines have gone though bankruptcy to dissolve debts.  The ones who haven’t have merged with failing companies.  Van lines are highly inefficient for a long distance move and can cost you a ton of money.  Van line long distance movers generally use a local agent to pick up a shipment and then it is brought to a storage facility, then picked up by another agent, taken to another storage facility, offloaded/reloaded, repeat.  It can take 2 weeks to get a shipment from Connecticut to Florida.  All the while, you are sitting in a hotel room racking up bills waiting for your shipment.  

Private Moving Company – This is the new age of long distance moving.  A private moving company can pack, load, and unload a shipment from CT to FL in 3-4 days.  There are new logistics tools/schdulers/bio-fuel trucks that make private moving companies the most efficient and cost-effective way to move long distance.  In the past 5 years or so, many more of these private long distance movers have raised the bar in long distance moving. A few that we recommend:

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR LONG DISTANCE MOVERS NEARBY

There are so many long distance moving companies near me advertising long distance movers that aren’t even located in your country. For example, many of long distance movers in the US have foreign ownership which means when you have issues with your move or concerns you will not be able to find out who to bring to council if needed. So, the most important question for long distance movers near you is:

“Who is the owner”

Yes, that’s right – asking who the owner of your potential long distance movers will help you to:

  • Research the owner – where are they located
  • Research any pending or past court cases
  • Know the owners name in case of any issues during or after your move

Residents are expected to fill out massive amounts of paperwork when using a broker or van line. Of course you will be signing this at the load when you have no time to reconsider who you’ve hired. There are companies out there with vague names like “cross country movers” and “long distance movers” that don’t actually own any moving company at all. Other important questions to ask any long distance movers near me that you are considering:

  • Are you licensed and insured?
  • How long have you been in business?
  • Are you movers full time crews hired by your company?
  • Do you have your own trucks or are your trucks leased by your company?
  • What is included in the estimate?
  • Is the long distance moving estimate guaranteed not to exceed?
Long Distance Moving, Movers, Movers Near Me

Long Distance Movers Near Me

Your Long Distance Moving Company Guide 2020

Long Distance Movers Near Me

Read about long distance movers below to make your move stress-free.

Choosing Long Distance Movers

Searching for long distance movers near me? You wouldn’t hire just anyone off the internet to move your household items across the state or country – you’re clear on that much — but how exactly does one find the best long distance movers near me amidst the thousands of movers advertised online. A lot of moving companies will claim to be the best but how can you really tell if you are hiring a crew of long distance movers who will make your move an enjoyable process. Some questions you should ask the long distance movers near you:

Finding the Best Long Distance Movers

The best long distance movers near me didn’t get that way overnight – they have spent years fine-tuning their logistics, training their staff, and getting established by providing a stellar service. Crossing state lines requires an additional license, paperwork, and requirements. Your belongings also have further to travel, so the company must be certain that everything is well secured and stable for the haul. Don’t leave your move up to movers that have been in business less than 10 years. Usually a mover will start out as a local mover then by year 5-6 start doing long distance moves. By the tenth year, they should have fixed all of the mistakes along the way.

Long Distance Moving Licenses and Insurance

This should be a no-brainer, but the best long distance moving companies should be able to quickly and easily provide proof of their licensure and insurance with zero runaround. Look up a mover’s license on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website, but you shouldn’t need to do that research yourself. Ideally, the company has their FMCSA license number displayed in plain sight and offers you a full explanation of their insurance coverage options.

Long Distance Moving Estimates

A verbal estimate holds no legal weight; so when comparing the costs associated with each long distance moving company, make sure you know that you’re comparing apples to apples. The best-rated long distance movers near me are clear and transparent about what your move will cost and provide a line by line breakdown of what they are quoting. If your movers want to just give you a number without emailing you what it includes – that is a major red flag. You can use this long distance moving calculator to find out what your long distance move should cost.

Long Distance Moving Reviews

Good service inspires good reviews, so look for long distance movers near you that has a good track record according to their customers. Keep in mind that no company can escape a bad review or two because we all know there are some people you cannot please. We suggest checking customer lobby for long distance moving company reviews. The reviews have to be verified.

Long Distance Moving Scams

Long Distance Moving doesn’t seem like it should be so complicated, but unfortunately, there are those who would take advantage of your logistical needs to scam you. Be wary of any company that requires a cash or an unusually large deposit prior to the move, particularly if they ask it to be wired online. Steer clear of companies that don’t have an accessible record of business, show up in a rental truck or unmarked vehicle, or who insist on doing all planning and business over the phone. Make sure all communications, commitments, and payments can be easily tracked. It is very important that your long distance moves use only their own trained moving crew. Random day labor or temp employees assisting with you move especially if this is their “first day on the job” is never a good feeling.

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Long Distance Movers 2020

Basics of Long Distance Moving in 2020

Most movers define a long distance move to be a move that is over 100 miles from your old home to your new place. This might mean long distance movers will judge your move by distance, not type.  The first step is obtaining a long distance moving estimate that

Long Distance Movers Fees

Many movers who determine that you’re moving a long distance will  bill you based on weight rather than volume or time required to move you out and into your new home. If your move is based on weight, then you’ll need to ensure you throw out anything you don’t want – why pay for things that you really don’t want/need in your new home.

Related Posts:

How do long distance movers estimate weight and costs of your long distance move.

What is the average cost of long distance movers near me?

Some movers may charge you based on the time required to conduct your move then add on a plethora of additional moving fees to cover mileage and fuel charges. While this is less common, you may find movers who suggest this type of estimate. Ask the mover to estimate the number of hours required and what the extra charges will be and make sure you get the estimate in writing before you hire.

HINT: Go with a long distance mover that charges by weight, not time and distance. 

Moving Broker or Third Party Movers

Just don’t – that is our best advice for anyone using a moving broker or a third party mover. The rates will increase 30% or more to pay for the middle man or worse the quality could decrease – either one will happen using this type of mover. Some long distance movers will use a third party mover to conduct part of the move as a representative of the larger moving company. This means that the truck that picks up your stuff might not be the same truck that delivers it. Ask the company before you hire. You should be told of any third party movers involved in your move so you can research the third party company in addition to the larger mover. Often the smaller mover is a local company that the moving company contracts with to deliver within a certain territory. The broker can switch the smaller mover at any time if they find a better deal so be careful! One broker we can endorse for their extensive insurance, licensing and background checks is Long Distance Moving CO

POPULAR LONG DISTANCE MOVING LOCATIONS

Movers Boston to Florida
Movers MA to FL
Movers Boston to California
Movers MA to CA
movers boston to NYC

Movers BOSTON TO NYC
Movers Boston to DC
Movers BOSTON to DC
Movers Boston to Dallas
Movers MA to TX
Movers Boston to North Carolina
Movers MA to NC

Why Monster Movers are the best long distance movers?

• Their movers pickup and deliver all long distance moves with a trained, professional crew of Monster Movers – no day labor here!

• The company owns and operates our own fleet of 26 FT 2018 or newer moving box trucks ensuring we won’t be putting your shipment on with a bunch of others on a huge tractor trailer where things are loaded/offloaded/moved along the way

• Monster Movers will take the care to ensure a safe and smooth long distance moving experience for you and your possessions

• We have seen them tackle long distance moves small and large, with any level of complexity

• Company mantra states to aim to be the best long distance movers in the business, backing up our services with a 100% guarantee

• Monster Movers has been in business since 1999 and have more moving awards than any other long distance moving company

long distance moving companies
Best Long Distance Movers Near Me

Long Distance Moving Considerations

They offer any moving service needed – from packing, unpacking, storage, and other moving services to customers and can assist with in-house moving, such as assembling beds and arranging furniture as desired at your new home.

From a Monster Movers representative: “Long distance moving can be complicated. That doesn’t mean it should be stressful. At Monster Movers, we have designed a  formula for stress-free long distance moving, nothing makes us more proud than putting it to work for our clients.”

“We take our direction from your needs, circumstances and schedule. We work up a plan based on your particular situation and our extensive experience, and we see it through ourselves down to every last detail. When you trust move to Monster Movers long distance movers, you’ll be happy you hired us. Please find our long distance moving reviews.”

Monster Movers offers a full range of moving services across the nation and between our regional offices that includes property and household goods move management. Monster Movers absolutely does not brokerage moving services and does not swap or sell your move.

With more than 10 locations, each home to a full-time team of highly trained professional movers, they keep the travel time charges to a minimum.

Long Distance Movers Near Me have offices all around the country and know the best routes with the least complications for your cross country move! 

Long Distance Movers
Long Distance Moving

How to Find the Best Cross Country Moving Companies

How to Find the Best Cross Country Moving Companies

Whether you’re moving across the country for a new job opportunity or you’re moving back to your parents house, there are many factors to consider when choosing a  cross country moving company —and finding the best moving companies cross country can be a challenge.  Mover-Help.com is chock full of  research, verified user reviews, and over 100 years of moving company industry knowledge help make your choice easy.

If you’re looking to find the best interstate mover near you, check out our Movers Near Me tool.

Cross Country Movers
Cross Country Movers

What determines the best moving companies for cross country moves?

Types of Cross Country Moving Services Offered

There are many different types of cross country moving services – your cross country mover should offer all of these in the case of an emergency:

  • Overnight, Short Term and Long Term Storage – you never know when a closing issue can occur
  • Packing Services – so you don’t feel out of control or pressured to get all of the packing done
  • Full Replacement Coverage – your homeowner’s insurance may cover moving but your cross country moving company should also offer this
  • Guaranteed Pick-Up AND Delivery Dates

Quality customer service

Excellent customer service is a must in a top-tier moving company. It affects your experience during your moving estimate, on moving day, and every time you need to get on the phone to ask your mover a question.

Customer service is the most important thing to consider when moving cross country so we place a lot of weight on quality and ease of getting a long distance moving company estimate – you can find a moving calculator and get a free moving estimate here:

Long Distance Movers
Long Distance Movers

PROS

  • Over-the-phone moving estimates
  • Transparent pricing and price-matching program
  • Wide variety of moving kits, boxes, and supplies
  • Excellent customer service

Our #1 Pick for Cross Country Movers

Monster Moving and Storage earned the top spot for a few different reasons.

long distance moving companies
long distance moving companies

Reason #1: We like the approach it takes to moving estimates

Unlike many of the other interstate moving companies on our list, Monster Movers conducts its moving estimates over the phone and with a

We preferred the over-the-phone estimate over the in-home estimate that many other long distance movers in the industry offer because it puts your comfort and convenience first.

When you schedule an in-home estimate, you generally have to take time off work and make sure the house is somewhat presentable when the relocation consultant comes to conduct the estimate. During an over-the-phone estimate, you can go through each step in the process whether you’re sitting at your desk at work or you’re sitting in your house, surrounded by the clutter and empty takeout boxes that make it feel like home.

Monster Moving and Storage also claims that conducting over-the-phone moving estimates saves you money in the long run. Since it doesn’t have to pay someone to drive out to your home and conduct an in-home estimate, it can pass those savings along to you.

Reason #2: We like its transparent pricing

We aren’t focusing on price too much for our interstate moving company comparison since it varies so much from one moving scenario to the next, but Monster Movers pricing presentation deserves mentioning.

Of all of the moving companies we reviewed, Monster Movers had the most transparent pricing structure. Our relocation specialist emailed us our quote and explained each item while we were still on the phone during our over-the-phone estimate.

We enjoyed how this gave us an immediate opportunity to understand what we’d be signing up for and allowed us to ask questions about pricing.

The Monster Movers representative we worked with even encouraged us multiple times throughout our over-the-phone estimate to call other movers to see if we could get a better estimate.

Of all of the moving companies we reviewed, Monster Movers had the most transparent pricing structure.

interstate moving companies
interstate moving companies

Reason #3: We love its excellent customer service

Monster Movers was by far the most responsive customer service experience we had while going through the moving estimate.

We reached out to Monster Movers by phone and through online chat through google to ask questions and follow up on our estimate, and its representatives were quick to respond through both channels in just a few minutes. Not only were they quick to respond, they were incredibly thoughtful and thorough in their responses too.

Our Monster Movers representative also called to follow up with our estimate a few times to make sure all of our questions were answered and to ask if there was anything she could do to help us make our decision. Normally, this would feel like a badgering sales call, but our representative was kind and helpful, and they came across as having our best interest at heart.

Long Distance Moving Service Offerings

  • Long-distance moving
  • Business and commercial moving
  • Corporate relocation
  • Over-the-phone estimates
  • Moving kits, boxes, and supplies
  • Packing and unpacking
  • Furniture disassembly and reassembly
  • Loading and unloading
  • Custom crating
  • Piano transport
  • Auto transport
  • Basic liability coverage
  • Full-valuation coverage
  • Temporary storage and storage in transit
  • Assistance setting up home services and utilities

Monster Movers is a full-service moving company that maintains one of the largest moving networks in the world. Not only does it partner with plenty of agents (local moving companies) to meet your needs, it provides stellar service, too.

In-home moving estimates are a pretty similar experience from one moving company to another. Thirty minutes before the estimate even began, Monster Movers relocation assistant gave us a call to confirm we’d still be available to meet with them and to see if we’d like any questions answered before our appointment. We liked this opportunity to ask any last-minute questions and we appreciated knowing about how long after the phone call we could expect them to arrive.

Once the in-home estimate was underway, it was evident that Monster Movers relocation assistant had our best interest at heart—achieving a comfortable, affordable move.

We never felt like we were being sold anything during the process, which was a welcome experience. In fact, our relocation specialist even advocated for not using certain services because he didn’t believe they were worth the money for our move.

interstate movers
interstate movers

Reason #4: It has responsive customer service representatives

If we didn’t make it clear enough in reason number one, we’ll make it clear here—we were very impressed with  Monster Movers’ customer service during each and every one of our interactions.

The in-home estimate was just the tip of the iceberg. Each time we reached out to Monster Movers’s representatives to ask questions about our move, they responded quickly and thoroughly. It didn’t matter if we were giving them a phone call or sending them an email, each response was prompt and they didn’t make us feel like we were burdening them with our requests.

If customer service is important to you, you likely won’t go wrong with scheduling your move with Monster Movers.

Reason#5: Service Offerings

  • Local, national, and international moving services
  • Corporate relocation
  • Full-service packaging
  • Fragile-only packing
  • Unpacking and debris removal
  • Moving boxes and supplies
  • Loading and unloading
  • Furniture disassembly and reassembly
  • Appliance disconnection and reconnection, including hot tubs and pools
  • Custom crafting
  • Auto and boat transportation
  • Storage-in-transit and permanent storage options
  • Basic liability coverage
  • Full-valuation coverage

Reason #5: It has great customer service

Monster Movers has a wealth of online resources on its website to help out in each stage of the moving process. They offer packing tips, handy moving checklists, and is the only cross country moving company to offer an instant cross country moving estimate all completely done online from the comfort of your own home.

We believe a mover’s online resources should be a quick reference for the information you need without bogging you down and distracting you from all the other important tasks of moving.

Service offerings

  • Local, national, and international moving services
  • Corporate relocation
  • Full-service packing
  • Fragile-only packing
  • Moving boxes and supplies
  • Appliance disconnection and reconnection
  • Furniture disassembly and reassembly
  • Custom crating
  • Loading and unloading
  • Crane vans for large items
  • Storage
  • Satellite tracking
  • Auto transport
  • Basic liability coverage
  • Full-valuation coverage
  • Online checklists and moving tips

Things to consider when choosing your interstate mover

Free vs. paid moving services

When you’re researching full-service long distance movers, you’ll notice that some services are included in the cost of your move while others cost extra. Some of the included services you should expect to see from a good interstate moving company include the following:

  • Loading and unloading the truck
  • Furniture assembly and disassembly
  • Basic liability insurance
  • Shipment tracking

Paid services will vary from mover to mover, both in cost and the type of service offered, but these are the most common paid services you’ll come across:

  • Packing and unpacking your belongings
  • Boxes and moving supplies
  • Appliance disconnection and connection
  • Customer crate assembly
  • Storage
  • Auto and vehicle transport
  • Full valuation insurance coverage

Many interstate moving companies offer additional services as well. If there’s something you feel would make your move easier—like cleaning debris from your old house or setting up utilities in your new one—be sure to choose a mover that can take care of your specific needs.

best long distance movers
best long distance movers

Is hiring a professional mover worth the cost for your long-distance move?

Everyone’s situation is different, but for a long-distance move, you likely won’t regret hiring a professional moving company. 

Renting a truck and doing everything yourself seems like a good idea on the surface. Advertised truck rental costs are fairly low, and a lot of people feel like their belongings are in good hands when they’re behind the wheel.

The fact is, DIY moving costs add up and a lot can happen in the back of that truck if things aren’t packed properly.

Here are a few things to consider when doing the math and deciding between a professional or DIY move.

  • Time: Your time isn’t free, you know.
  • Materials: Buying boxes and packing materials yourself can add up.
  • Gas: Big moving trucks aren’t the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road.
  • Food: Purchasing meals on the journey between your old and new homes gets expensive, especially if you don’t plan on surviving off of gas station food.
  • Lodging: If you’re moving a long distance, you’ll likely have to break your trip up over multiple days and find a hotel or two along the way.
  • Insurance: Carefully loading your belongings onto the truck will only get you so far. If your things aren’t packed properly, some may break during the trip. You’ll want to buy moving insurance to make sure you’re covered in the event of a loss.

After you add up the extra costs associated with a DIY move, going with a professional moving company ends up costing about the same (and sometimes less) than a DIY move, andyou save yourself the trouble of loading and driving the truck. Your pocketbook and your back will thank you.

Check that they are properly licensed and insured

Before a cross country move, I highly suggest checking to see if the professional moving company is properly licensed and insured. Otherwise, you could end up engrossed in the drama that accompanies moving scams. Thankfully, this is easy to avoid.

Check to see that the moving company offers proper insurance is also important. After all, moving mishaps do happen – even with the best of movers. So it’s important that you’re prepared. Licensed interstate movers are required to offer two types of liability options: Full Value Protection and Released Value.

  • Full Value Protection: “your mover is liable for the replacement value of lost or damaged goods in your entire shipment…This is the more comprehensive plan available for the protection of your belongings.” The cost of Full Value Protection varies by mover.
  • Released Value Protection: The most economical protection available is Released Value, since it is offered at no additional charge. However, the protection is minimal. Under this option, the mover assumes liability for no more than 60 cents per pound per article.

Of course, if you select a long distance moving company from the vast network of cross country movers, you won’t have to bother asking this question. Every professional long distance movers that Moving.com works with is required to be licensed and insured.

Read reviews

In addition to checking the moving company’s complaint history on the U.S. DOT’s database, I recommend researching and reading as many reviews as possible. Check the moving company’s online reviews and ratings on their website as well as on various review sites. I highly recommend looking at moving reviews through customer lobby – the reviews are guaranteed by bill of lading.

Ask friends and neighbors

Of course, word-of-mouth is still a great way to discover quality movers in your area. So don’t hesitate to reach out to friends and neighbors for recommendations and suggestions. Most people are happy to share their good experiences – and even happier to tell stories about their bad ones. If you don’t know many people in the neighborhood, try Nextdoor.com – a social network for your neighborhood community. Remember: it doesn’t hurt to ask! While a mover may look good on paper, someone’s personal experience could prove otherwise.

Be honest with your inventory

Before hiring a cross country moving company, make sure they perform either an in-person inspection or a video survey of your belongings before giving you a quote for the cross-country move. You’ll know the moving company isn’t legitimate if they offer to give you a quote over the phone or internet (read: red flag!), based on your own account of the inventory. The company should survey your things themselves to give you as accurate a quote a possible. Once the inspection is complete, the mover’s estimate should be sent to you in writing and include all possible costs.

Keep in mind that an interstate move means the majority of the cost will be based on the weight of your belongings. So the less stuff you have to move, the cheaper. With this in mind, make sure the mover knows exactly what is coming with you. If you plan to leave large furniture behind, such as a bed or couch, inform the mover during the inspection.

Make sure you are hiring a moving company and not a broker or sub-contractor

Before hiring a interstate moving company for an interstate move, make sure to ask whether the moving company will be picking up, transporting and delivering all of the belongings themselves – or subcontracting part of the move out to a different party. Many professional cross country moving companies use moving subcontractors. These subcontractors are not employees of the moving company, and therefore may not be subject to the same standards as the moving company you originally hired. If you’re comfortable with subcontractors handling part of your move then be sure to ask whether they are insured. If you’re uncomfortable with another party handling part of your move, I suggest finding a moving company that does not subcontract.

How to Find Professional Cross Country Movers

How professional did the cross country moving company seem? Do they have a good reputation? Do they have a brick-and-mortar office and a professional moving truck? Do they have business cards and a professional website? Did the mover arrive in a timely fashion and answer all questions before, during and after the inspection? Did they provide you with an official Bill of Lading? Did something just feel off? Ask yourself these types of questions before hiring a moving company.

Also, be sure to quiz the mover about his or her experiences with your particular kind of move. For instance, if you’re moving to a high-rise apartment building, a townhome with lots of steps, a house with a small doorway or a busy street, you should inquire whether the moving company has experience with the type of move. An experienced mover will be well-prepared to handle a move with steep stairs, elevators, parking limitations and more.

Review your estimate

I recommend choosing the moving company that gives you an estimate you’re comfortable with, and provides information about any and all additional charges. Remember: you don’t want any unwelcome surprises at the end of your stressful and exhausting move.

The most common type of interstate moving estimate is the “non-binding estimate.” This estimate is the mover’s estimated cost based on the overall weight of your things combined with labor costs (i.e. loading, unloading, packing, etc). However, these estimates are “non-binding,” which means the final charge will be based on the actual weight of your belongings and any extra add-ons you require that are not listed in the estimate. When choosing a moving company, I suggest obtaining a non-binding not-to-exceed estimate. This ensures that the customer won’t have to pay more than the original estimate.

Movers

How Much Does it Cost to Move to Canada

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How Much Does it Cost to Move to Canada

 

Were you one of the people that vowed to move to Canada if Trump was elected president?  Well, it’s not your imagination – it really happened.  Now the real questions about finding movers and how much it actually costs to move to Canada.

Cost to Move to Canada
Cost of Long Distance Moving

 

Canada is a huuuuge country.  It’s true.  The moving costs to move from Boston to British Columbia Canada will be much different than moving from Seattle to BC.  Even BC is a large area so whether you are moving to southern BC or northern BC – this makes a big difference.  Essentially, moving from the United States to Canada is charged per pound.  The rates per pound will range from $.50 ( Seattle to Vancouver) to $2.00 per pound ( Los Angeles to Montreal). To make things easier – I have picked the most popular moving destinations in Canada: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Winnipeg to give you an idea of cost of moving to Canada:

Moving to Boston to Vancouver  $1.70-$2.05/pound

Moving from Los Angeles to Vancouver  $.90-$1.20/pound

Moving Boston to Toronto $.90-$1.15/pound

Moving Boston to Montreal $.60-$.90/lb

Moving Boston to Calgary $1.50-$2.00/lb

Moving Boston to Winnipeg $1.15-$1.55/lb

Factors that will effect the overall moving costs to Canada are:

  • time of year of move
  • availability of long distance moving companies
  • flexibility of moving dates
  • actual weight you are moving ( generally the weight per pound and cost per pound have a direct relationship – the more you move the less per pound it will cost)
  • quality of service

Another helpful article regarding long distance moving in general is our Not So Quick Long Distance Moving Tips which includes the pertinent questions to ask your US to Canada Movers.

Costs to Move to Canada
Long Distance Moving To Canada

When researching long distance moving companies to move you to Canada – you need to make sure they don’t have any additional international fees on top of their rate per pound – this can increase your move by hundreds or even thousands of dollars.  Some larger van lines charge interstate rates up to $.40 more per pound – so make sure all fees and costs are in writing!  A good place to start is finding an online long distance moving estimate  to get an idea of your shipment weight.

Other Minor Details of moving to Canada will be outlined in the Canadian immigration website or http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp .

 

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Long Distance Moving – What you Need to Know

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Long Distance Moving – What You Need to Know

Long Distance Moving Help
Long Distance Moving Help

Pricing 

How does a long distance moving provider price moves?  This is a loaded question so I will throughly explain this.   Legally, a long distance mover must weigh your move.  Period.  There are movers who claim they don’t “weigh” customers’ shipments and they will provide a total based on square footage that the long distance moving truck after it is loaded.  I suggest not using movers who go by “square foot, here’s why:

1.  If you hire a long distance moving company going by square foot, they may not load your shipment “high and tight” instead they can essentially load the shipment to take up more space if they need to fill a truck…  I am sure you understand this concept.

2.  It is really quite hard to estimate a shipment that is charged by square foot simply because of whoever is loading your shipment.  Remember that Atari game from the 80’s called Tetris.  Some people have a good eye for seeing empty spots and some don’t.  When your shipment is priced by weight, it is an indisputable number.  There is no confusion whether or not the people loading the truck did a good job or not.

Guaranteed Dates for Long Distance Move Delivery

At this time there are only a handful of movers that can actually guarantee delivery dates.  These are the best movers to use.  This means they have great logistics and services.  Find one of these movers near you.

Laws, Rules Regulations for Long Distance Movers

Long distance  moving companies must cooperate with DOT regulations and laws regarding licensing and weigh stations.You see, when a moving company is traveling across state lines/past weigh stations, they have to make sure the truck isn’t overweight ( or there are huge fines enforced).  Good long distance moving companies will have their licensing numbers clearly on the door of their truck.  Their drivers also need health forms and log books at all times.  I suggest making sure your long distance mover has full time labor and drivers that stay with the shipment.  The last thing you want is a poor crew on the offload of your shipment in your new home.  Make sure your mover has full time labor and experienced drivers.

Coverage aka. Insurance for Long Distance Moving

There are no moving companies that provide insurance.  They only provide coverage which is bound by their insurance company.  Please, make sure your mover is insured – ask them to provide proof of insurance.  I love to support mom and pop businesses but, honestly – this is not the industry that I would suggest trusting anything anyone says over the phone.  Ask for proof, ask for paperwork.  If they want your business this should be easy to provide.  Here’s how long distance moving company coverage works –  every moving company, by law must cover good for $.60/lb/article.  I always chuckle when movers add “basic coverage included” in their estimates – it’s required by law and movers cannot charge an additional fee for this basic coverage.  Some, great movers offer full replacement value coverage.  Choose a long distance mover who does.  Even if you don’t opt for the full replacement which is always an additional fee – you know they have quality movers that will do a great job. The additional fee for full replacement coverage for long distance moves is based on weight.  Some moving companies charge an exorbitant amount for full replacement coverage.  Also, some have a deductible.  Get all of these fees in writing.  Some movers make you choose this coverage before the move.  I kind of steer clear of movers who do this unless you plan on taking the coverage.  It’s kind of like saying okay – if you pay extra, we’ll send you a good crew.  I would suggest movers that let you choose on the day of the move.

Long Distance Moving Resources to Make it an Easy Move:

Long Distance Moving with Kids

Long Distance Moving with Pets

Long Distance Moving Checklist

Long Distance Moving Packing and Unpacking

Long Distance Moving for Senior Citizens

Flat Rate Long Distance Movers

Compare Long Distance Movers

Long Distance Moving Estimate