Keep the steps that will take you to your new city and your new life away from stormy waters.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, said Lao Tzu, a great philosopher and poet of ancient China, back in the 6th century BC. About 2500 year later, the indisputable truth behind his insight remains valid and conveys a valuable lesson – however intimidating an endeavor lies ahead of you, the most efficient way to conquer it is to break it into small, clear and doable tasks. Address them one at a time in a logical order and every single step will take you closer and closer to your final goal. So, the sooner you dare to begin your journey, the easier you will reach a favorable end. All you need to do is take the right steps that will lead you to a triumphant outcome.
If the disheartening experience that lies just around the corner is actually an imminent move across the country, you are strongly advised to rely on the professional assistance of movers to bring your relocation to a successful end. Even in the event of a local move, experienced help is usually the most beneficial option you have. However, you will still need to make several important decisions in order to organize a trouble-free and smooth relocation. Without a doubt, the most consequential of them is finding the best movers for you – those who will offer quality services for a reasonable price and will live up to your highest expectations.
Listed below are the right steps that will take you straight to the most suitable moving company for your relocation needs. Follow them strictly to make sure no significant detail falls through the cracks and causes a major setback.
Step 1: Define Your Needs, Requirements And Preferences
Enact the entire moving process in your mind and try to foresee any difficulties and specifics.
In order to find something, you need to know what you are looking for. So, as soon as the decision to move house becomes final, take some time to determine exactly how you envisage the moving process and what services you will need. Take into consideration the distance you are moving to and the amount of household items and personal possessions you intend to bring to your new home. Relocating specific equipment, delicate artwork or legally-regulated items, shipping your animal friends across the country or moving your garden, for example, will present additional challenges you should not forget to provide for. Also, keep in mind all the specifics, such as the due date when you have to show at work, the end of your lease agreement, the school year, the need for storage facilities or temporary housing and many other relevant factors when scheduling your move.
You need to have a clear idea as to what you need and what you want in order to start shopping around for movers. Depending on the factors described above and any other requirements, specific for your case, you will want to hire a moving company that has the right equipment and experience in dealing with similar situations.
Step 2: Ask For Recommendations, Warnings And Advice
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions – consider different points of view to reach an informed decision.
There is no substitute for experience, so ask for assistance people who have recent personal experience with moving. Contact your social circle and ask your friends, relatives, colleagues, neighbors, etc. to share their opinions, disappointments, problems – just anything related to the professional services they used. Any recommendations and warnings you can receive will be extremely valuable because of their reliable sources. There is a fair chance that the company which yielded satisfactory results when moving your friend will satisfy your requirements as well. And vice versa – the chance for an underperformer to have suddenly improved is really small. You can go a bit further and ask your friends for any insights or advice they can come up with for your forthcoming relocation as well (for packing materials or moving equipment in good condition that you can borrow or just take for free – too!).
If none of your trustworthy acquaintances can give you recommendations concerning experienced moving services, consulting several local real estate agents is worth a shot. People in this career have dealings with moving companies, so they have accurate knowledge of the points in favor and the weaknesses of many reputable movers. Reading <a “=””>online reviews is another method to get a rough idea of which companies are competent and which should be avoided.
Step 3: Screen Your Options
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Whether you got reliable recommendations or not, take advantage of the great opportunities advanced technology offers nowadays. Go online and search for movers. Go through the available options, shortlist a couple of reputable companies that seem to be just what you need and visit their websites. If you have a list of recommended movers, research their websites with priority.
First check the companies’ credentials – make sure you are not dealing with a moving broker (however convenient it may seem, working with a broker always turns out to be costlier and more problematic), check the company’s contact information (name, address, phone number) and look for a USDOT number listed somewhere on the home page – your primary concern should be to avoid moving scam. Membership in the American Moving and Storage Association is another proof of reliability and professionalism – it means that the company guarantees compliance with the federal laws and has agreed to participate in arbitration programs. Then, find all the relevant information concerning the offered services and their corresponding charges, the available equipment (trucks, storage units, etc.) and the moving crew, the insurance policies and so on. If the movers work with subcontractors, you will have to research them too in case you decide to use their services. Any company with a history of consumer complaints should be avoided, of course.
Step 4: Interview A Few Selected Movers
When interviewing a moving company, pretend to be a smart detective who will not accept pat answers.
Contact several companies via e-mail (or telephone), give them the essential information about your move and ask the questions that bother you the most. You can make important conclusions from the manner the company acts in the course of your communication – a polite and professional attitude is what you are looking for. The movers should respond to any inquiry quickly and adequately and should readily provide you with all the requested information and/or references. If the employees seem to be elusive, if they avoid using names and providing accurate data, you should raise your guard. Besides, if they appear to be too busy or too incompetent, maybe the movers just lack the professional approach you are looking for. Both scenarios indicate that you should turn your attention to another moving company.
If the initial contact is satisfactory for you, you are advised to further interview the few selected candidates. You can resort to these fundamental questions to ask before hiring a moving company. Their answers should provide you with more than sufficient information.
Step 5: Ask For On-Site Binding Estimates
Asking for on-site written binding estimates is an essential step in your moving journey.
Be sure to ask at least three to five companies to provide you with on-site written binding estimates if you are moving to another state. Movers who refuse to send their representatives over to your place and offer estimates only over the phone or online cannot be trusted because the quote you will receive could not possibly be accurate – the final moving cost will probably be much higher than what you have been offered.
Most reputable companies will perform on-site estimations for free and will give you good tips for properly preparing your move as well. Remember that when moving out of state, the company’s rates are based on the total weight of your items and the actual distance to the destination. The cost of local moves, on the other hand, depends on how long the relocation will take but many companies charge for a minimum amount of hours regardless of the actual duration of the moving process.
The company’s representative should give you a copy of the booklet “Your rights and responsibilities when you move” (you can download a copy) for cross-country moves or the valid moving-guide pamphlet in your state in the event of a local move. Read them carefully as they contain a lot of useful information and tips on how to best organize your relocation.
If you didn’t have the chance to interview the moving companies properly beforehand, get as much information as possible from their representatives (anything from how long the company has been in business and what payment methods they accept to their license numbers and names and contact information for references or subcontractors).
Step 6: Negotiate All The Details
Have in mind that it is very important to give the representatives precise information and to notify them of any specifics and obstacles.
Don’t hesitate to ask your movers about anything you don’t completely understand.
Show them everything you intend to move and ask about whatever concerns you. Find out if it will be better for you to pack your belongings by yourself, if the company will provide packing supplies and at what price, if they have any restrictions on the type and number of boxes and bags to be used, what items you should not pack, if the movers will need to verify the contents of the boxes before sealing and labeling it, who will be liable for the pieces you packed and so on. Pay special attention to valuable items and review the insurance plans offered. Ask about how your possessions will be handled and if adequate measures will be taken to prevent property damage. Find out if additional transfers will be required and what will happen if something is broken or missing. State clearly any particular requirements you might have and negotiate any special clauses before receiving the final offer.
Clarify what is considered as extra services and what their charges are in order to avoid hidden moving costs. Ask about partially dismantling larger furniture, reserving elevators and parking spots and anything else that may save you money or time. Inform the representative about any conditions both at your old property and at your new home that might complicate the moving procedures, such as steep stairs, small elevators, narrow hallways, sharp turns or greater distance from the curb to the front door. Discuss all these matters and remember to ask your movers if they charge extra for travel time to and from your house.
When an estimator leaves your place, you should have plenty of information about their company and a final offer with all the relevant conditions and requirements specified, as well as the agreed dates of your move. Keep all the offers in a special folder and let the next representative who visits your home see the previous estimates – many movers will try to beat or at least match their competitors’ prices in order to secure the job.
Step 7: Review And Compare The Estimates
The balance will tip in your favor if you follow the right steps to hiring a mover.
Make sure you understand everything written in the estimates and that they are properly formatted. “Written binding estimate” should be written at the top, as well as the company’s name, address and phone number. There should be a signature and a date at the bottom. For a cross-country move, the estimate should clearly state the type and number of household items you’re shipping, the distance to your new place, any consolidation agreements, pick-up and delivery dates, as well as any additional services and supplies the moving company is providing. For short-distance moves, you should get a written estimate stating the hourly rates and any additional costs that may be incurred. In any case, pay attention to the liability coverage provided and decide if the protection will be sufficient. If not, consider buying additional insurance, even from a third party.
Finally, compare the received offers and your overall impressions of the representatives and their companies. Mind the fact that an offer which is considerably lower than the rest could be a sign of rogue movers, so don’t let yourself get fooled by the temptation to pay less – you will probably end paying much more. If any of the offers is too high, find out the reason behind the price – it may be something you need. Then, try to negotiate the best possible rate – ask for discounts, daily deals, ongoing promotions, etc. Make sure the requested deposit is not too much and that it is refundable in case you need to cancel the move, change the date or something else goes wrong. Request guarantees about the timeframe of your move.
Step 8: Check For Further Details
Even fine print can’t outsmart you if you pay attention to the details.
Verify the legitimacy of your chosen movers one last time. Go to the website of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and research the company – just enter the USDOT number and any available data will be displayed. Be careful – the “Out of Service” field should say NO , the “Household Goods” field should say YES and the safety ranking should be at least SATISFACTORY. You can also find a lot of relevant information about the company (such as the number of trucks and movers) and the quality of their services. Mind the fact that unless the contact information displayed on the website matches the one you have received, you may be dealing with scam artists. Insurance information is also available but you can always call FMCSA for further details concerning licensing and insurance.
Call the FMCSA’s safety violation and consumer complaints hotline to ask about complaints against your chosen moving company and research the database of movingscam.com, Yelp, etc. Reputable movers should provide proper reimbursement for any damaged items and claims against them should be peacefully settled. Find out how often problems have been reported and how complaints and disputes have been resolved. Ask for references and call each of the people in person to hear details about their moving experiences.
Step 9: Select Your Mover
The best movers for you should already be obvious by the time you have reached step 9 – all you have to do is call them, confirm the details and sign a moving contract. You should be provided with the Bill of Lading and an Inventory list for your goods which are your basic moving-related documents. Remember to keep all the papers and receipts because moving costs can sometimes be deducted from your taxes at the end of the year. Check if your moving expenses are tax deductible here.
The time to move on with your life has come together with the trustworthy moving crew you have hired.
When the moving crew arrives at your home, be properly prepared and remain focused throughout the entire process. Provide clear directions for getting to your new place and unloading your household items. If your movers are late or something bothers you, contact the company immediately. Check the condition of your belongings on delivery and if you notice any problem, inform the movers and search for a mutually favorable solution.
Provided that you didn’t miss any of the important step described above when choosing your moving company, your relocation experience should be stress- and problem-free. Write a moving review to rate the services you received and to help others who will be looking for a trustworthy moving company to hire. So, you have successfully taken the last step which lead you to a new life – enjoy it!
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I have 90 bikes, about 20 hand carry tool boxes and parts bins, a medium 1 door refrigerator, 1 twin bed. Moving from 60641 to 30223.