What to Expect from Professional Movers – Professionalism at Its Best

When you think about it, the moving process seems rather chaotic –  with so many decisions to make, tasks to complete, items to pack and paperwork to take care of when preparing for a house move, it seems inevitable that chaos will ensue. There are a lot of moving checklists, timelines, apps, planners, and various other organizational tools that are meant to help bring order to the moving chaos, yet it’s still difficult to streamline the process and ensure a smooth and hassle-free relocation.

That’s what professional movers excel in – they not only provide the muscle-power and means of transportation needed for a house move, but also bring order and efficiency to the relocation process. When using the services of a reputable moving company, you can rest assured that your move will go like clockwork – smoothly, effectively, and successfully.

But how do movers achieve that? What do moving companies do to ensure a trouble-free relocation? How does Moving day work?

To have a peace of mind as the Big day approaches, you need to know what to expect when hiring movers – in terms of services, costs, moving day procedures, valuation protection, delivery practices, etc.

What to Expect When You Hire Movers

When hiring a professional moving company, you should expect professional integrity and professional attitude:

• Legitimacy – Professional movers need to be properly licensed, bonded, and insured in order to operate legally. Expect your mover to have a valid USDOT number issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (for an interstate moving company) or a state license with the State Department of Transportation or Bureau of Consumer Affairs (for an intrastate moving company);
• Reliability – Good professionals are skillful, careful, and dedicated in their work. Expect your movers to have plenty of positive online moving reviews, a high rating with the BBB, a few awards or accolades of services, references and letters of recommendation, etc. – undeniable proofs of their trustworthiness and professionalism;
• Competence – Good movers have the rich experience, expert skills, and professional know-how required to perform a safe and smooth relocation. Expect your moving company to have an excellent track record, long history of business, and properly trained, background-checked, full-time employees – as well as state-of-the-art moving equipment that will help them do a really good job;
• Insurance – The basic liability protection you get for free when hiring professional movers covers only $0,60 per pound per item and does not allow punitive damage claims, but a reputable moving company will offer full value protection as well – it incurs an extra charge but the movers will be liable for the full cost of the replacement or repairs of any item that gets lost or damaged while in their custody. Expect your moving company to provide you with Full Value and Released Value Protection plans to choose from;
• Accurate cost estimates – Professional movers offer free moving estimates, so you know how much your move is going to cost you and can plan your finances. Keep in mind though that estimates given online or over the phone can never be accurate – expect the movers to provide you with an on-site, binding price estimate (a representative of the moving company will come to perform a visual survey of your home, see how many items you have for moving, estimate their weight, take note of any specialty items that may require specialized moving services, asses possible difficulties, discuss any necessary or desired extra services with you, ask about any special requirements you may have, and provide you with an accurate price estimate);

  

• Good communication – Good professionals communicate openly with customers. Expect your movers to answer the phone immediately, reply to e-mails promptly and thoroughly, answer all your questions, provide detailed explanations, offer useful tips and advice, stay in touch throughout the entire relocation process, and talk to you in a polite, friendly, and respectful manner.

See also: What to look for in a moving company

Now that you know what to expect from a moving company, be careful not to hire movers who fail to meet these expectations – this may be a red flag of incompetent or rogue movers and you need licensed, experienced, and trustworthy moving partners to ensure the successful outcome of your relocation endeavor. (Related: How to protect your move)

What to Expect When Movers Come

So, you’ve chosen the best movers for you and planned your relocation as best you can. Yet, you may still worry how Moving day will go and whether your relocation adventure will come to a successful end. With professional movers though, you have nothing to worry about – they know their stuff and will take good care of your move.

Here is what to expect from professional movers on the Big day:

Timely Arrival

Wizards are never late, but movers sometimes are – good professionals will do their best to show up on time, but circumstances beyond their control (traffic jams, road accidents, adverse weather conditions, delayed previous jobs, etc.) may cause them to be late. If so, however, the moving company will contact you to explain the reasons for the delay and assure you that the moving crew will arrive as soon as possible. (Related: What to do if movers are late)

In the usual case, the movers will arrive at the pre-agreed date and time in a moving truck that is clearly marked with the company name. The vehicle will be equipped with all the necessary moving equipment and will be large enough to accommodate all your items. Keep in mind that it is your responsibility to reserve a convenient parking place for the big vehicle close to the entrance of your home – if the movers need to park at a distance and carry your items for more than 50 feet between your residence and the moving truck, you’ll have to pay a long-carry fee. (See also: How to save on additional moving services)

When the movers arrive, the driver (who is usually the supervisor of the moving crew) will introduce the team and will provide you with the required moving documentation – order of service, valuation addendum, etc. (the movers must give you all the necessary paperwork before they start loading your items on the truck). Read the documents very carefully to confirm that the details of your move are correctly and clearly stated and make sure you understand and agree with all the clauses and conditions in your moving contract. (See also: Understanding the moving companies’ paperwork)

When you’ve reviewed the paperwork and confirmed that everything is as previously agreed, the movers will get down to work. But how do movers work?

Walk-Through of Your Home

The first thing your movers will do is conduct a walk-through of your home and prepare a written inventory of the items you have for moving. You may have already made a moving inventory and sent it to the company when getting a quote, but the movers will want to confirm with you which items should be put on the truck – you may have changed your mind about some of your belongings.

Be clear and specific during the walkthrough:

• Indicate the items that are not to be loaded on the moving truck – things you will be taking with you (your essentials box, valuables, crucial electronic devices, etc.) and things you’re leaving behind;
• Point out special items (very delicate, unusually large, extremely sensitive, or highly valuable items) that require extra care;
• Discuss with the movers which furniture pieces need to be disassembled for the move;
• Go over the extra services (both desired and necessitated) that the movers will perform for you.

During the walkthrough, the movers will assess the condition of every item that will be loaded on the moving truck and assign it an inventory number. You need to confirm that the condition of your belongings is stated correctly – this will help you if you need to file a claim against your movers, but will also guard against false damage claims made on previous damage.

Check the movers’ inventory to make sure that all the items you want to take to your new home are included in the list and don’t forget to request a copy for yourself.

Property Protection

Next, the pros will take precautions to protect your belongings and your home from damage during the move and to prevent accidents and injuries on the Big day. They’ll use plywood sheets, carpet protectors, corner guards, and moving blankets to:

• Protect floors and carpets, walls and hallways, stairways and banisters, etc. from scratches, dings, and dirt;
• Create an even, non-slip surface that will reduce the risk of tripping and falling while carrying heavy items around;
• Minimize the chance of your items being damaged during the loading process.

The moving crew will bring specialized tools and supplies – loading ramps, moving dollies, carrying straps, ropes, furniture pads, floor runners, etc. – to make loading and unloading safer, faster, and easier. They will also supply quality packing materials (brand new cardboard boxes, specialized moving boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, packing tape, furniture blankets, plastic wrap, etc.) to ensure the best possible protection to your items during transit.

Safe and Efficient Packing

When it comes to packing, there are several different scenarios:

1) If you’ve requested packing services or opted for a full-service move, the movers will pack all your items for you.

What to expect when movers pack for you? The pros will split into different rooms – one person will start packing the kitchen, another will deal with the bedroom, etc. They will work quickly and systematically and will use proven packing techniques to ensure optimal protection to your belongings and optimize the space in the moving boxes. When labeling the boxes though, the packers won’t mark the individual items in the carton – only the room where the box comes from. Besides, if they finish packing a room and the last box is not completely full, they’ll put items from another room in it to properly fill the carton to its capacity.

When the movers are done, you need to check for forgotten items – walk through your home with the leader of the moving crew and ensure that every item you want to relocate to your new place is packed and ready to go.

2) If you’ve chosen to pack most of your belongings yourself, but left some larger pieces and more delicate items to the pros, the movers will pack only those special items for you (they will perform partial packing services).

The experts will take good care of your unusually bulky or heavy items (large furniture, pool tables, hot tubs, etc.), extremely delicate items (pianos, sensitive electronics, glass items, grandfather clocks, etc.), and very valuable items (antiques, family heirlooms, collectibles, artwork, etc.) and will prepare them for shipment in the safest and most efficient way possible. Every item will be padded and wrapped in several layers of protective packing materials so it stays in excellent condition throughout the move. If necessary, the pros may disassemble some of the pieces, crate breakables, etc.

3) If you’ve packed everything you want to relocate to your new home yourself, the movers will start loading your items on the moving truck straightaway. Keep in mind though that the moving company won’t assume liability for the items you packed yourself.

Furniture Disassembly

Some of your larger furniture pieces may need to be disassembled before the move to make them safer and easier to relocate (if they don’t fit through the doors and hallways of your home, have fragile parts that can be easily damaged, etc.). This is a job best left to the professionals – they have the appropriate disassembly tools, specialized moving equipment, and expert skills required to dismantle your furniture, wrap the pieces in protective materials, and load them on the moving truck safely and efficiently.

Upon delivery, the movers will reassemble any furniture pieces that they disassembled at your old home.

Appliances and other large household items will also be carefully wrapped and provided with adequate protection before being loaded onto the moving truck.

Proper and Careful Loading

When all your belongings are properly packed and wrapped, the movers will start loading them onto the truck (make sure you set aside anything you don’t want to go into the truck – personal items and high-value pieces that will travel with you and items that should be left behind in your old home).

The pros will determine the order in which to load the truck, will optimize the available space, and will secure your things in the vehicle so they don’t shift, come in contact with one another, or topple over during transportation:

• The movers will distribute the weight of your items evenly throughout the truck, so that everything is balanced;
• The truck will be tightly packed from floor to roof, both to maximize space and prevent shifting;
• The pros will start with your largest and heaviest items and load the truck in rows from floor to ceiling, making sure every layer is independently secured. Heavier items will be tied down with the help of special moving straps, clamps, and locks for maximum safety. All items and boxes will be positioned in such a way that they won’t fall or move around and bump against each other during transportation.

While preparing your items for shipment and loading them on the moving truck, the movers will perform any specialized services (crating, furniture disassembly, appliance servicing, hoisting, etc.) that are needed to provide proper protection to your belongings, safely take them out of the house, and put them onto the moving vehicle without any troubles or accidents. This is what to expect when using a moving company – skill, experience, and care that result in efficiency and safety.

Departing for Your New Home

After all your items have been loaded and secured into the moving truck, you will need to do a final walkthrough of your home to make sure nothing has been left behind.

The movers will remove all the tools, protective materials, and anything else they brought with them and the driver will present you with a bill that lays out the conditions of your move and states the performed services and their rates, your chosen insurance plan, the expected date and time of delivery, your final moving cost, and the method of payment. Read that bill – the so called Bill of Lading that serves as a contract between you and the moving company – very carefully and make sure you understand and agree with everything written in it. You need to sign the document before the movers can depart with your items.

Before the movers set off for your new home, you’ll want to:

• Tip them for their good work, if you’re happy with their services;
• Get the driver’s name and phone number and provide him/her with your contact information and exact new address;
• Ask the driver to call you as early as possible about any changes to the delivery schedule, so you can adjust your plans accordingly and be at your new home when your shipment arrives.

When everything is ready, the moving truck will depart – if it’s a local move, your items will likely reach your new house or apartment within several hours; if it’s a long-distance move, you can expect your movers to keep in touch with you so you know what’s happening with your stuff at all times.

What to Expect from Movers upon Delivery

Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, professional movers will ensure the safe transportation of your goods – they know the safest and shortest routes to your final destination and will drive the large moving truck with skill and care. Unless delayed by unforeseen circumstances (adverse weather conditions, road accidents, etc.), the movers will arrive at your new home within the delivery window stated in the moving contract.

You need to be there to accept the shipment – if you can’t meet the movers at the agreed time or your new home is not ready yet, the movers will take your belongings to storage. Expect to be charged for the time your items are kept at the mover’s storage facility.

Good to know: Despite the extra fee, storage-in-transit can be a convenient solution – your items will be safely stored in a secure, properly-equipped warehouse until you’re ready to receive them. Most reputable movers provide affordable storage services in addition to their moving services, so customers can rest assured that their items are safe and sound while they’re making repairs and renovations, moving to temporary housing, etc.

Keep in mind though that your items may also be placed in storage – at your expense – if a conflict or disagreement arises between you and the movers. In such situations, you need to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. (See also: How to file a complaint against movers)

If you’re there to receive your items when the moving truck arrives at your new home, the movers will unload your goods in a safe and speedy manner. It will be your responsibility to check your belongings against the inventory list and make sure nothing is missing or damaged.

Then, the movers will take your items to the rooms where they belong, taking the necessary precautions to protect flooring, walls, stairs, doorframes, etc. from scrapes and dents. The pros will arrange the larger household items within the rooms according to your preferences, will reassemble furniture and reconnect appliances, and will assist in organizing your new home if you wish so.

Related: How to unpack after moving

Professional movers can also unpack boxes and dispose of packing materials upon request.

It’s up to you to decide what moving services you’d like to use and you can expect your movers to complete every requested task with care and skill.

So, to sum it up – what to expect from professional movers? Expert skills, rich experience, and genuine concern for your move. The pros can be expected to:

• streamline the moving process
• provide the best possible protection to your items
• work in a quick and efficient manner
• find effective solutions to any relocation challenges you may encounter
• take the hassle and stress out of your move
• ensure a smooth, safe, and successful relocation

When hiring a professional moving company, you should expect professionalism, of course. And professionalism means safety, efficiency, and success.

Also Read

How to Protect Stairs When Moving: Stair Protection Tips and Tricks

Highlights Stairs are very vulnerable to damage during a house move, so they need to be well protected on... Read More

Common Moving Injuries – Types, Causes, and Prevention Methods

Moving injuries can happen in split seconds. Moving is difficult - especially so when moving without... Read More

Moving Dolly – A Man’s Best Friend During a House Move

Highlights The moving dolly is the most crucial equipment to have on moving day. It can help you move... Read More