Moving to a new home means making a lot of decisions in a very short amount of time. From selecting the best supplies to choosing the right move date, the number of to-dos can become downright overwhelming. The most important relocation decision also happens to be the hardest: choosing the right moving company. With thousands of local and interstate moving companies located throughout the country, there’s no shortage of choices vying for your business.
However, in other to experience a stress free moving operation, here are questions you should ask the moving company:
1. Are you a licensed moving company?
There are more scams out there than you’d think! Make sure to talk with the moving companies that you’re considering and ensure they’re properly licensed. When in doubt, you can always look up the specific regulations and license requirements in your state, and you can turn to review sites to see what other people have to say about their experience with the company.
2. Do you have any references?
References and referrals are pivotal when it comes to questions to ask a moving company. Consider that you likely rely on other peoples’ opinions when purchasing a car or finding a new dentist. The same logic applies when you’re shopping around for a moving company. Before you’re willing to hand over all of your items to a company, you’ll want to double-check that other people have good things to say about their experience.
Simply Googling the name of the company will populate additional information about whether or not the company can be trusted. Online reviews and ratings speak volumes about what the true experience of working with a moving company is like. The choice of whether or not you do your research is up to you!
3. Do you have experience with my specific type of move?
Be sure to ask the moving company whether they have ample experience handling your specific type of move. For instance, if you’re moving to a high-rise apartment building, a townhome with multiple stories (and steps), or to a big city, you should inquire whether the moving company has any experience with this type of move. Movers should be well-prepared to handle anything that comes their way, including parking restrictions, steep stairs, lack of elevators, and small doorways.
4. Do you do long-distance moves?
Just because you’ve been searching for “moving companies near me,” it doesn’t mean you’re moving to a new home anywhere nearby. Before hiring a moving company, ask them if they handle long-distance moves. You need to make sure they can go the distance with your belongings, regardless of how far that distance is. Look for long-distance moving companies if you’re move is taking you out of town or out of state.
5. Are the quotes binding?
Far too many people think they’re getting an amazing deal on their move only to be hit with hidden fees from the moving company later. This can often be prevented by simply asking if a quote is binding.
Moving companies will sometimes provide preliminary quotes over the phone, but since the company has yet to see what they’re up against, these quotes aren’t necessarily binding.
Additionally, brokers cannot provide binding estimates, so it’s important to inquire whether the person you’re talking to is a broker.
