It’s that time isn’t it? That time where you find yourself looking to move into your new place. To make that transition into your new home as hassle-free as possible, we have compiled a list of things that you should be looking for when hiring a moving company.
Before we jump into what qualities you should look for in moving companies, let’s cover the basics and discuss why you would need to hire a moving company in the first place. To be quite honest, hiring the right movers can make your life so easy and simple. Professional movers will do all the heavy lifting and have the right tools, techniques to ensure that it goes without a hitch. With the right mover, they can wrap your delicate items, pack them into the truck carefully and make sure that nothing gets damaged. But more importantly hiring movers means that you can trust them to move & transport your most valuable items safety to your new home. It might take a couple of hours, but this will relieve you of all the stress, physical exhaustion and allow you to focus on things such as finalizing any paperwork, getting your keys or taking care of the kids or family pet. All of this allows you to settle into your new home sooner rather than later.
Now that we got the “why even hire a moving company” question out of the way, we can dive into the 5 things to look for when hiring the right moving company for you.
Research ahead of time
Doing your research ahead of time ensures that you hire the best moving company for your move. This gives you a chance to read all the reviews and validate what other customers have experienced. Most people will leave positive and negative reviews on companies depending on their experience. You can easily read the reviews of any moving company in your neighborhood on muves.com. Reading the experiences of other customers is pivotal because it gives you an idea of what to expect, what the moving company strengths or shortcomings may be. Doing this ahead of time also ensures that you will be booked for the day with the requested mover.
Insurance & licensing
A good rule of thumb is to hire a reputable & trustworthy moving company. Some movers may not be licensed, which might also mean they may not be insured. If licensing is important to you, then look for the green badge icon under the heading “Licenses & Certification” on the movers profile page on Muves.com. If insurance coverage is important, look for the blue shield icon too. On muves.com, we make sure you find out everything you need to know about any mover in your local area. Be sure to look for those badges depending on your needs. This step is important to make sure your property is in good hands. This may come in handy if there are any disputes for damages and replacements.
Know what you are paying for
Make certain that you know exactly what you are paying for. We have heard horror stories of people getting charged an insane amount of money to moving companies. We would hate for that to happen to you, so always make sure you know your tab. Sometimes movers will bundle their prices in a confusing manner that is designed to distract you. On Muves.com, we’ve listed easy to understand hourly rates. There is no bundling, no special promos. We’ve deliberately listed hourly prices to ensure that there is complete transparency and no room for shenanigans by the movers. On a side note, if you have a larger home (3+ bedrooms or more), you may request an in person estimate and a do-not exceed price. Quotes can only be generated with an itemized list or an in-person visit, so check for the details in advanced.
Don’t pay a large deposit
It is absolutely customary for moving companies to request a deposit to secure your move date. However, you should never pay more than 50% of the estimated total cost. If possible, try paying for the deposit with a credit card in order to track the charges. At Muves.com, the deposit is always $50 with any mover and will be applied directly to your move. At the end of the move, you will pay your mover directly with cash or credit (note that credit card fees might be different) and your deposit will be deducted from the final bill. There are no hidden fees and since we’ve done all of the negotiating on your behalf with the moving companies, we guarantee the hourly rates you’ve selected. Note: The hourly rates do not include double drive time which is designed to protect you.
Compare Prices
Great! So now that you have followed all of the steps above, you can narrowed your list to about 3-4 movers. The final step is to compare their prices and rates. If the prices vary significantly, here are a few reasons why. Some may include full or comprehensive replacement insurance coverage, while others offer the minimal basic insurance. Others may offer attractive discounted rates due to bad ratings.
Additionally, you may wonder if you should hire 2 or 3 guys. A common misconception is that hiring 3 guys will make the move go faster. However, if your home has narrow hallways/doors or heavy items, note that they may have limited mobility within that space when there are too many people involved. That will cause congestion and will make your move take longer than expected. Consider the size of your home, items being moved and decide accordingly.
You want a moving company that is reliable, has a proven track record, and has attractive rates. We know that finding the right movers is lots of work, but the more effort you put into selecting the right one, it’ll be less frustrating when transitioning into your new home.
In conclusion, Muves.com is setup to help you succeed when it comes to moving. We’ve done all of the homework, research and legwork it takes to helping you compare and book the right mover for your home. The website allows you to easily compare moving company licenses, reviews and rates. Understandably moving can be stressful and exhausting, but our team is here to help you make this process more simple so that you can focus on settling smoothly into your new home. Have questions? Feel free to ask us questions at support@muves.com or visit our Frequently Asked Questions.