10 Things You Must Ask a Moving Company
Choosing the Best Moving Company
- Are you a licensed, bonded, and insured moving company?
When looking for movers, this question is the most essential. If you hire a moving company that is not licensed nor insured, you run many risks such as: them not showing up (which happens all the time), breaking items, theft, etc. Before moving, do your homework. Research the movers. Call around and investigate. - Is there a number I can call to reach a moving coordinator at any point throughout the moving process to address any question or concern?
This is always good to have. You want to have a point of contact in case your movers are running late, you want to make a change, or if you just have a question. You will feel more at ease knowing you have someone you can contact directly for anything related to your move. - How long have you been active in the moving business?
How long a moving company has been in business is a direct reflection of their expertise. This question will be more relevant depending on the size and complexity of your move. Other questions that can help you hire the right movers. 2 College Brothers is going on 5+ strong years in the business. - Will you come out to my property to look at my items for a moving quote?
When moving locally or long distance, this is probably one of the most important questions to ask. About 80% of miscommunication between movers and clients would have to be on the conditions of the move. If your mover says they can’t make it out to you, or simply want to give you a moving quote over the phone, this should raise an eyebrow. 2 College Brothers will come out to your property free of charge and perform a complimentary in-house estimate to avoid any confusion down the road. - Do you ask for a deposit? If so, how much?
There is nothing wrong with a moving company asking for a deposit to reserve the date and time. Busy moving companies have a lot of moves and movers all over the place. The moving company wants to make sure you are serious in your decision and putting your move into the schedule. The thing to look out for is if the moving company asks you for a large deposit. 50% is a large deposit. At that point you may need to step back and research a little more. A fair deposit for your move can be anywhere in the ballpark of 5% to 15% of your moving job. So if your move costs $400, anywhere between $20-$60 is a fair deposit. - What happens if something were to break during the move?
This is a question many movers don’t like to hear or will avoid. But when hiring a moving company, make sure to have this answer beforehand. Hopefully nothing will go wrong, but at the end of the day movers are just people and accidents do happen. Ask your movers about their insurance policy, and if it’s possible to purchase extra insurance. - What happens if the movers arrive late, or simply don’t arrive to the move?
Make sure you have a time frame for when to expect your movers to arrive at the site. If your movers don’t arrive at all, you should ask to speak to the moving company’s upper level management. If you’re being toyed with over the phone, call the county and report a complaint. Of course, this shouldn’t happen if your mover is licensed and insured. - How do you charge? Hourly or flat-rate? Are there extra fees or surcharges?
It’s always good to know exactly what your mover will charge you. If it’s a flat-rate, make sure its binding agreement, meaning it cannot go over the calculated moving quote. If given an hourly moving quote, make sure the moving estimate is the final one, and that it will not be altered for any reason. Ask your moving company if they charge extra for stairs, longer hallways, fuel, travel time, etc. Other questions to ask: Do you provide moving pads or blankets, shrink wrap, and other protective materials to accomplish the move? - You provide me with a written document stating all prices, details, inclusions, and exclusions?
This is highly important for a consumer. You want to make sure that everything about the move is stated on black and white: moving quote, date and time, fees, materials, amount of movers, etc. Require your moving company to provide you with a written estimate with all the details of your move. - What can I do, as a client, to make this move as smooth as possible?
A moving company’s favorite question. There are many simple yet effective and time efficient things you can do to make it a smooth and affordable move. For example, rather than having clothes scattered all over the place, have your stuff ready to go in plastic bags or wardrobe boxes. This will reduce the labor time and in some cases reduce your final cost. Disassemble items if that’s what is necessary to move them through narrow doors or hallways. The biggest thing is to have everything packed and ready to go so that when the movers arrive they can quickly load the moving truck and be on their merry way.
Before making any costly choices with an inexperienced moving company make sure to give our moving company a shout!
