Did you know a successful move starts long before the moving truck parks near your home? Starting from the planning phase to settling in the new house, there are several stages of a move. Each of them is equally demanding but one single factor that impacts the entire process is your choice of moving professionals.
Once you have decided that you need to hire a professional moving company for your assistance, the next step is to find the right one. Every year, hundreds of homeowners become a victim of scams and shoddy moving companies. If you do not want to be among the affected ones, you must know the right way to hire a reliable moving company.
Here are the top tips to find the best local movers in your area. Whether you live in California or Nebraska, the practices to find the best movers remain the same!
Understand Your Moving Needs
If you need same-day movers or plan to move after a few months, the first step is to determine your moving needs. Different moving companies have different levels of expertise and their moving services vary greatly.
The distance, size, and type of move will help you determine the kind of moving company you need. Know if you need a full-service moving company that offers packing and storage services or whether you are seeking a few extra hands to assist you. Write down these details if you need to and keep this information close when you are communicating with the prospective moving companies for the first time.
Check With Reviews And References
A smart way to get in touch with the best local moving professionals is to ask for references. Talk to your friends, family members, neighbors, or local real estate professionals to know about the moving companies they trust. Reach out to the people who have recently moved to your area and ask about their recommended moving companies. If you are too shy to go out and ask or need to limit the physical contact, check with online reviews left by the previous customers.
Be it same-day movers or not, you should not hire a moving company unless you have checked their BBB ratings.
Verify USDOT Number Of The Moving Company
After you have a few reliable names on your hand, it’s time to verify their legal compliance. The most trusted way is to check using a USDOT number. According to FMSCA rules, a licensed local moving company must register its USDOT numbers. An interstate USDOT number is a unique identifier that allows the governing authorities to check audits, inspections, compliance, and crash investigations. You can verify the safety information of the company using this unique number.
The Mover Must Provide Thorough Estimates
The best residential moving companies start by making inventories and offer thorough estimates. They determine the weight and bulk of your move to provide you accurate estimates. These surveys were always done in person but most companies prefer virtual surveys to keep their workers and customers safe during the pandemic.
During a virtual survey, the mover will ask you to show all the storage places such as drawers, closets, garages, and attics. In fact, if a moving professional is not getting into details before sending you the estimates, it is a red flag.
Avoid Companies That Demand Large Deposits
Many residential moving companies demand some deposits, especially in the case of a large move. That’s because they need to tie up multiple resources and moving days to complete the move. If yours is among the regular-sized moves, you should not be asked for deposits.
If the company demands a small deposit to secure the moving dates for you, that’s okay. When a local mover is asking you to deposit a hefty sum before the moving day, reconsider your choice.
Get Price Quotes from Different Moving Companies
Same-day movers will offer their services at higher costs. Similarly, you can expect to pay heavy bills during busy months of the year. A major part of your hunt is to find out a company that offers its services at reasonable rates.
Request price quotes from at least three moving companies. This is important for two reasons. The first thing is that you get to see their practices on how they provide quotes and secondly you can compare the service packages of different local moving companies.
Be Cautious For The Red Flags
Unfortunately, a lot of moving businesses may try to swindle you. Thus, it is extremely important to keep an eye out for the red flags. Some of the most common ones are listed below.
- A price quote that is significantly lower than the market rates.
- A moving company that cannot prove its legal compliance.
- The company representative asks you to sign a blank moving contract.
- A moving company with 100% positive reviews online. You may be surprised to see this in the red flags. We all know that even the best of service providers are not able to win all of their customers. So, if you are finding stellar reviews with five-star ratings and zero negative reviews, you are looking at a dubious company.
Know Who to Talk to When Things Go Wrong
Residential moving is not a simple process and things can go wrong. You must know who to contact when anything does not go as planned. Excellent customer service is what distinguishes an average moving company from the best ones.
