The moving process is no party. It’s usually quite a time-consuming, stressful, and exhausting endeavor. But guess what? It’s the only way to get you to your new place, and it will be worth it in the end.
Ensuring your upcoming move is a positive experience depends on the steps that you take now to get yourself organized and find an experienced moving company to help you. We’ve seen just about everything and have our own recipe for finding the right moving partner. Follow these five simple steps to finding a legit moving company that will have your back and offers top-notch service.
1. Don’t Skip the Online Reviews
Google is a great starting place to begin your moving company searches, and they do a fantastic job of including each business’s evaluations when you search. Simply search for the service you require, such as “best long-distance moving companies in Utah” or “short-distance movers near me.” Then click on some companies that pop up and look at their reviews. This is a great way to weed out the shoddy companies that left people less than thrilled with their service. What in the world did we do before Google?
2. Do Your Homework
Call some of the top contenders and ask them about their estimating, scheduling, and moving processes. After speaking with a moving company, do a little leg work to verify the information they provided you. There are actual online organizations that help people avoid moving scams. It’s sad that we need them, but it’s great that we have them. Look into free websites that will assist you with your verification process.
3. Ask the Right Questions
Hiring a moving company is a big deal. You’re using your hard-earned money to entrust strangers with your belongings – that can be scary. But just like you would ask questions in a job interview to hire someone, you should ask some fundamental questions before hiring your moving company. Here are some examples:
- Do you work as a broker and hire subcontractors?
- Are you adequately licensed?
- What kind of liability coverage options does your company provide?
- Do you specify arrival times?
- How long will the entire relocation process take?
- Do you offer packing and unpacking services as well?
Make sure to ask the above questions and any other questions pertinent to your specific needs. You don’t know if you don’t ask, and reputable moving companies will have no problem answering all of these questions plus more. They will gladly give you details of their insurance and any other papers and proof you would like. Stay away from moving companies who fail to answer your questions, appear defensive, or cannot provide insurance information.
4. Make Sure You Understand Their Quotes
Scam artists will do anything to entice you with too-good-to-be-true pricing and low-ball estimates that are way lower than any other moving companies in your area. Please read the fine print and understand your quote before signing a contract with them. There are some different types of moving quotes you should understand.
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- Non-Binding: A non-binding estimate is based on your estimated weight of belongings. You may want to avoid this type of contract since the cost of your move will more than likely be significantly higher once the movers weigh your belongings.
- Guaranteed Not-to-Exceed: This is a standard estimate for those traveling locally or interstate. This contract gives you a quoted price, and even if your stuff weighs more than the estimate, you won’t have to pay more than the quote.
- Binding Estimate: A company may offer a fixed-price estimate based on the expected weight of your stuff. This is known as a binding estimate. Your cost will not go over the quote. You may even wind up paying less if your stuff weighs less than the original estimate, but you will never pay more with a binding estimate.
- Flat Rates: A moving company may charge a flat rate per hour. This is an ideal contract as it doesn’t matter how much your stuff weighs; it only depends on how long the move takes. A moving company can tell you a ballpark of how long your move will take and the total cost if they charge an hourly rate. People tend to like flat hourly rates because it’s up-front, easy to understand, and easy to calculate.
5. Trust Your Gut
Follow your intuition when choosing which moving company to hire. If you’re feeling apprehensive about a company but don’t know why, follow your instincts and find a different one. In order to avoid moving scams, pay attention to every red flag, and be wise. Follow your gut and don’t take risks. It is not worth it, especially when there’s no shortage of moving companies. When in doubt, move on to a new one.
Moving can be quite a stress-filled and exhausting experience, but if you hire a good moving company, it will set the tone for the rest of your move and lay the first puzzle piece for your successful relocation. When searching for a moving company in Utah, read reviews, do your research, ask questions, read up on their quote types, trust your gut and keep us in mind. We take pride in offering transparent pricing and will happily answer any questions. Happy moving!
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Moving is not something to celebrate. Usually, it’s a very time-consuming and difficult task. But you can only go to your new home this way, and it will be worthwhile in the long run. Find a reputable moving company that will look out for you by following these easy steps.
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