Moving to a new place comes with both excitement and some anxiety. First, it’s the positive excitement of having a fresh start and discovering new things. On the other hand, it’s anxiety from planning and organizing the entire journey. However, there is one thing that, despite all the efforts, can definitely ruin your moving day – picking the wrong moving company.
To avoid all the troubles that can come out of it, you need to learn the proper way about how to choose a moving company.
Here are the 7 steps you should follow when choosing your movers:
- Plan your moving budget
- Ask people to recommend a company
- Check online reviews, ratings, and verify other information
- Select a couple of top candidates
- Ask them questions
- Get estimates from top candidates
- Always get everything in writing
- Plan your moving budget
It’s important to know how much money you need to spend on moving. It will depend on many factors, but relocation distance and the number of items are significant.
For example, if you are moving locally in Florida, it’s better to call a crew from the area to assist you. And if you have a large household, it can’t be as cheap as a small one. This is crucial to realize because many people make a mistake and aim for unrealistically low prices, which makes them perfect victims for shady dealers.
- Ask people to recommend a company
Once you are familiar with prices and your budget, it’s time to hunt for a moving company. Ask people you know if they can recommend you one. Some of your friends, family members, coworkers, or close neighbors might have had a particularly positive experience.
- Check online reviews, ratings, and verify information
Just like recommendations, online reviews and ratings can provide information about some company’s business. Today, it’s easy to share information and previous experiences online. There are various websites and portals where you can find plenty of information about previous experiences. If the company you are checking has plenty of positive reviews and answers its customers, it’s a good sign.
Besides reviews, you should also check the validity of other information. Better Business Bureau and DOT are good places to check credentials, experience, complaints, insurance, licensing, and other information.
- Select a couple of top candidates
After all the checking, you probably have a few potential candidates on your list. Once you have your favorites, you will have to get in touch to discuss other details.
- Ask them questions
Here is a couple of things you should ask each moving company:
- What type of relocation they provide
- Is there an additional service you can count on, like packing and storage
- If you need, ask them if they handle delicate items like instruments and artwork
- What type of insurance they offer
- Also, don’t hesitate to ask if there offer any discounts
Make sure to ask is for references, and if you can check them and how. If everything seems alright, you can schedule in-house estimates.
- Get estimates from top candidates
Online estimates are good only in the early stage of planning, but for the real price, you need to always ask for in-house estimates. If the company doesn’t offer free estimates, that is a definite red flag. Meanwhile, make a list of everything you plan to move. Observe the level of professionalism once they are at your place, and feel free to ask additional questions.
- Always get everything in writing
Once they are complete with estimates, if they are valid, they will provide everything in writing. Just don’t sign anything until you compare all the offers. The costs, the number of items, weight, special services, and everything else should be on that document.
With a little patience and effort, you will be able to easily choose a moving company. Just remember, it never hurts to be cautious. With so many companies on the market, you never know who you are dealing with. But, if you follow these guidelines closely, you shouldn’t have any problems finding the right movers for you.
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