Finding the best moving company can turn a nightmare move into a pleasant dream. The problem is knowing how to choose the right company for your move. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the options, there are some steps you can try to narrow down your options and find the best company.
1. Licensing And Insurance
One of the first things you need to check when looking for a moving company is their license and insurance. Working with a company that is not properly licensed and insured will put your belongings at risk. Fortunately, reputable companies will have information about their license and insurance on their website.
If you cannot find this information on the home page of their website, it will often be listed in the about section. This is particularly important if you are looking for a long distance movers or interstate moving company. To operate legally, these companies must have a DoT license number. If you have any suspicions, but still want to consider the company, you should ask them for proof of their insurance or license number.
2. Consider The Services Offered
The moving company that works for one person may not work for another because everyone has different moving needs. Someone else might want to do most of the moving work themselves while you do not have the time for it. This is why you have to consider the moving services on offer.
The services of the company should match your needs. If you do not have time to pack everything in your home, you should look for a full-service moving company. These companies will take care of everything from packing your items, loading them, transporting them, and unpacking them.
While this is an excellent service, it is not right for everyone. If you feel more comfortable packing everything yourself, you need to look for a moving company that offers transportation only. These companies will pick up your boxes and drop them off at your new home.
If you have a gap between the date you move out and the date you can move into your new home, you should look for movers that offer storage services as well. These movers will pick up your boxes and other items on the date you need to move out and store them for you until they can be delivered to your new home.
When looking at services, you also need to consider if you have any special items that need to be moved. This includes pool tables, hot tubs, and pianos. These items may need special equipment to transport them, or you might need to hire specialist movers.
3. Check The Service Area
Another point to consider and look into is the moving company’s service area. There is no point in choosing a company that has good reviews and the service you need if you fall outside their service area. Fortunately, most moving companies will state their service area on their website.
This is particularly important if you are looking for local movers. Larger national moving companies will have larger service areas, and you might not have any issues obtaining their service. Local movers are more restricted, and you need to consider this.
4. Get An Estimate
Cost is something that you need to consider, but it should not be the only factor you look at. Before you consider any moving companies, you need to figure out what your moving budget is. This is the amount you can comfortably pay for the move, and it will affect the moving company you choose.
If you have a small budget, you may not be able to get a full-service company. In these cases, you will be able to get the normal moving service without the perks of someone else handling the packing. Full-service movers will cost a lot more than basic movers.
Once you have your budget and narrowed down your options, you have to get an estimate from at least three moving companies. This gives you a good range for comparison. If you are moving long distance, the company should conduct an in-home estimate. You may want to reconsider working with any long distance moving company that does not do this.
For local moves, an online estimate or phone estimate will work. However, it would help if you got this in writing as proof of the costs. Never accept a verbal estimate because this can easily be changed, and you will have no recourse should this happen.
After getting the estimates, you need to compare them and choose the best company. You should not choose the cheapest if they are a lot cheaper than the others. This is a red flag and could be a sign that they are not as legitimate as they appear.
Finding the best moving company can be hard, but there are some steps you can take to make this easier. You need to understand the services you want and check their license and moving insurance. You also need to get an estimate from at least three companies before you make a decision.