Tips for hiring professional moving and storage service experts!
Are you planning to move houses, offices, shops, or apartments? Or planning to hire professional moving and storage service experts? Let me help you with how to choose the best movers as per your requirements. Because choosing the right and best movers company can be hard work. On average in 2012, there were 7700 approximately complaints filed about moving & storage companies in the United States. Complaints were about mostly lost, damaged property, overcharging, late arrival, and not honoring the commitments and estimates those were listed and agreed upon. Moving is hard and moving day is so stressful because you are planning to move your properties, and arrive safely and without any hidden charges or surprise bills. To avoid it, vet the process and make a list of the best movers companies and choose the best one accordingly. It only takes a little extra time but saves a bunch of hassle. With millions of moves every year in the USA just. It’s a minor miracle; many of them go smoothly. Hiring the Best Mover is a must of course.
But even with many smooth moves, Shoddy practices or scams do occur.
- Referrals
When you are planning to search for the best mover, you mostly and usually start searching on the internet, browsing a phonebook but it’s daunting, instead of this start asking your family members, friends, and coworkers to see if they can help you in choosing the best mover. If you are already working with agents; like real estate, construction, etc. You may ask them for referrals.
- Rule of Five
While you are searching for the best mover or storage company don’t settle for the first estimate you received. Instead, ask at least five companies for quotations, since the best mover will only give you an estimation after seeing your stuff.
- Red flags
During the process of choosing the best mover according to your needs; keep an eye on red flags. For example, advance payments, reputable best movers won’t ask you for advance payments, or cash deposits, before you move really. If it seems or shows to you that the moving company is so hungry to get your money upfront, it’s a red flag and might not be a legit company. Also while your estimating process keeps observing how professional or unprofessional they look. If they show up late, are unsure about their availability, can’t explain to you their abilities, or can’t answer your questions, it’s a red flag; look for another best mover that is not for you.
- Inventory
The best mover company will surely take inventory of all of your stuff, belongings, and property. Will determine the bulk and weight of your move either it’s through a physical visit or virtual survey. It’s a good practice that your mover should go through and check everything in your storage and places such as cupboards, drawers, garages, and bookcases. A major part of the estimate; is based on the weight of stuff and space your belongings taken up in the truck. Be sure that you can understand the estimation given to you by any best mover to check its accuracy. A good estimator will ask you a lot of questions; about your plan to take from an old place to a new place. So, be sure and prepare for it to tell the estimator what you don’t want and want on the truck, the thing you give away, donate to charity, sell in the yard sale, or maybe leave behind for a new owner.
- Licensed & Insured
Make sure you choose the best mover who is certified and gives you the facility of insurance for your property. In the USA, the Department of transportation of the federal motor carrier safety administration issued a US Dot. Number of licensed inter-state movers. So keep it added to your checklist especially, in case you move out of state because later on; you will need it if you file a complaint against the company later on.
- BBB
You may check the company you choose for moving from a better business bureau – BBB. You may check their track record; you may check this free of cost online. Stick with the company or choose the one which is BBB accredited or at least has a good rating out there on the website. Try to choose the only mover which is listed in BBB in case not listed there you should choose another one.
- Certification
Trade associations, Registration Firms, and Unions vet companies before giving them a membership or approved seal, registration number, and logo. While choosing the best mover, Professional Moving and Storage Services always looks for a moving company carrying “The American Moving & Storage Association’s Pro-Mover LOGO”. You may choose directly from the website for approved companies from American Moving and Storage Association.
- Address & Location
Ask for a business card always while your estimation process, pull up the website of the mover given in detail. Check the details especially, the listed address online or through the phone book. Make sure before you choose that moving company and its address is listed and register the company names. Be suspicious of any address listed under a domestic/residential name. and hire only professionals!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David cates
