Moving is, of course, intimately linked with prolonged preparations, seeking a good mover, packing, loading, and unloading. Throughout the moving process, all these activities tend to stress the mind and exhaust the body. Why, then, should an individual carry the burden of moving an entire house alone? From this perspective, the questions that confront individuals planning to move are not just related to stress and chaos.
Many of them have to do with the safety of the belongings you have collected over the past few years. For instance, a family heirloom, antique furniture that sits in your living room, or a painting you adore. These valuables will not be safe if packed and moved with carelessness.
If I, as a mover, choose a moving company like movers NYC or some different company altogether, do I need to worry about breaking valuables or packing material? Definitely not, because it’s a professional duty to take care of the moving business. And, of course, you are not a professional. However, if you choose to hire a mover here are a few things you have to take into consideration.
Get references and recommendations
Don’t Google immediately. First ask friends, relatives, and colleagues. Personal references are always the best because you can judge from their experiences whether your move will be good or not. If you don’t find any personal references then the next step is to look for moving companies online. But you have to be careful about three things to save you from online forgeries.
First and foremost, look for the company’s physical address. An online registered company will definitely have a physically located office. Second, call the moving company and ask them if they will come home and take the estimate of all their belongings. A good and professional moving company will survey your home before forming an estimate. Third, don’t trust companies who ask you to pay money before the process of moving has even started. So, this way you will know which company to choose from.
Call at least 2-3 moving companies for an in-home estimate
Once you are thorough with the background check. Make a list of at least two to three companies. Call them over for an in-house estimate and ask them to give an estimate in writing. This will help you pay a guaranteed sum of money at the end of the move. You also have to keep in mind that there will be two types of estimates – binding and non-binding. A binding estimate is good for individuals moving cross country and non-binding will work good in case of a local move. In addition to this you also have to keep in mind that according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the final cost will always exceed in a non-binding estimate. So, the choice will rest on the customer after the moving professionals have weighed, measured and taken note of belongings that need to be moved.
Review the estimates
After you are over with the estimation process and you have two to three estimations in hand. Compare them all and see which one fits your budget. The estimate will be a document containing all the crucial papers. From the final bill to the list of inventories. If in case you need anything extra, or you are not sure about something in the estimate, call the moving company immediately.
Make sure your moving company has insurance and license
Yes, there are moving companies who work without a license and insurance. Such companies are not good for your move. So, please beware and follow the steps mentioned in the first point of this post. To check whether the hired company has an insurance policy or not. The next step is to ask them what kind of insurance do they have. This will help you know how much insurance do they have and what things can be covered.
As far as the license is concerned. To check that you can either ask them politely to show their license or perhaps visit safersys.org. This is the website of the Federal Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Here you have to enter the name of the company and soon after entering the details the site will show you the company’s details. From the company’s name, phone numbers. address, to the license no. You will get detailed information about the company.
Select a mover and get a copy of the inventory
Everything is finalized. From the cost to the company and safety. It’s time to choose the company and sign on the agreement. Call the chosen company and tell them you would like to hire them for your move. They will give you a signer order for service and a bill of landing. Not only this but hiring a professional will help you stay stress-free throughout the move. However, don’t forget to take a copy of the inventory list from the movers. This way you will stay in touch with a company while they are on the road and you can even give them direction when needed.
The bottom line
Moving is a tedious task and you have to be fully prepared for it. Weeks of packing, shifting utilities, moving heavy furniture, preparing the kids and pets. Everything about a move is humongous and we can all agree on this. However, the decision of hiring a mover rests on you. If you hire a good moving company you will definitely have a safe move and all your belongings will reach safely to your new home. Whereas if you take the task on your own shoulders you might end up with scratches on the furniture, broken china dishes, or damaged electronics. So, make sure you do the right thing and decide wisely. Happy Moving!