Most people have heard, or worse yet experienced, moving horror stories in which things get damaged, disappear, or end up stuck in a warehouse for months on end. When you are ready to move, whether it’s just around the block or across the country, one of the first decisions you will make is selecting a mover to do the work. Finding a reliable company you can trust can be hard.
If you don’t choose your moving company with care, you can easily find yourself in a troublesome situation. The tips below will help you to make a good choice when it comes to selecting the best mover for your individual situation.
Request References
One of the best ways to get a degree of confidence that the mover that you are considering will provide reliable service is to ask your family and friends for References. If someone you know had a good experience with a particular mover, you might expect to have a similarly good experience. It is just as true that if you hear that you should avoid a particular company, you will be very wise to heed their warning.
Choose a Moving Company With a National Name
A big company with a widely-respected name is your best choice if the move is over a long distance. Although a local Livermore company that is highly well-recommended might be good for moving across town, you have to be careful when you send your property across state lines. If you are going to send everything you own from Maine to Colorado there should be a corporate office that you can deal with in the event that you need help with a problem.
Read the Fine Print
Read the contract agreement very carefully. As with all contracts, it is necessary that you thoroughly understand the terms of the agreement. Don’t take anything for granted. Be certain that you know everything that the movers are obligated to do according to the contract. Many movers will show a binding maximum, but sometimes it may only appear so. If it is not based on a fairly detailed onsite estimate, ask about exceptions that may be in the contract, possibly written in phrases that are not very clear.
If, as in most situations, you aren’t planning on unloading the truck yourself, make sure that the contract specifies that the movers will perform that task for you. Additionally, make especially sure that you know the company’s limits of responsibility in safeguarding your possessions from damage during transit and the procedures for getting reimbursed if a loss should occur.
Get an Accurate Estimate From the Moving Company
The quoted price should be based on good information, not just a guess over the phone based on your number of rooms. The best companies will offer to come out to your home to accurately determine the size of your move before quoting a price. Beware of any moving company that just quotes you a standard price for a home with whatever number of bedrooms. Three bedroom homes vary widely, and there can be great variability among the number of possessions and amount of furniture even in homes that have the identical number of bedrooms. If a mover doesn’t actually look at your home before giving you an estimate, you should be cautioned that the price might change when it’s all done.
Be Knowledgeable About Insurance Coverage
Make sure that you know the extent of the insurance on your possessions while they are in transit. Don’t just assume the insurance that the mover provides will be sufficient to replace your belongings in the event of an accident . You may have to buy additional insurance.
