What to Look For When Hiring a Moving Company

What to look for in a moving company | Hercules Movers, Inc

It is finally time for you to move after all your packing and planning. If you have opted to use professional movers instead of engaging your friends and family to help you move your properties, then you’ve made a good choice. It is a good choice because moving companies are professionals in loading, transporting, and unloading items and so will ensure the safety of your properties.

Millions of moves going on in the country every year. A lot of people use moving companies for their move. It doesn’t always go as planned because a lot of shady things such as scams and missing items happen to people. All the wrong things that could happen during a move make it important for you to hire a quality moving company when moving.

To hire a good moving company, there are certain things you have to look out for to make the right decision. The below paragraphs will highlight a few things to look for when hiring a moving company.

Due Diligence

You will need to do a due diligence search on the available companies and avoid any company that doesn’t meet up. Moving company scams are very common. Check the company name and address and find out about the owners. Avoid companies that have changed their names a few times. Some companies do this after being assessed and found unfit, after a bad recommendation or even a lawsuit.

Ensure that the company has been around for a while and there has a registered business place office you can go to when the need arises. Check out the office to ensure that they actually d business there.  Check if they have an alias with which they do business and of course find out if they are properly licensed.

This is important because you don’t want to entrust your properties to a company you will not be able to trace if anything goes wrong during the move.

Check with People Who Have Moved Recently

You can ask family and friends for recommendations of companies that have helped them move. If they don’t have you can check the company’s website to see their recommendations. Check for movers association and ask for a recommendation for the best movers. You can also check with your neighbors who recently moved in or former neighbors who recently moved out and ask for their recommendation and experience. The moving company you decide to use needs to have good reviews from past customers.

Get an Estimate

When you have done your due diligence and you’ve gotten recommendations from other customers, then you can request an estimate from your selected few. To get an estimate, be prepared to answer questions about the location you are moving from and to and items to be put in the truck. This information helps the moving company in calculating the cost of your move. When you get a different estimate, depending on your budget, you can begin to eliminate companies from your list. Do not base your decision solely on the price. However, ensure that you get value for your money. Moving can be very expensive and so try to avoid a company that over-charges.

Moving Inventory

A moving inventory is a list of items to be moved. A good moving company will take a stock of the items to be moved before moving them. Moving inventory is very important. It helps the company to be accountable for the items it is moving. Even though it is advisable for you to have your personal inventory to compare, you should avoid companies that do not take inventory of the items. It shows that they lack accountability.

Avoid Companies That Request for a Large Deposit

Agreed, most companies will ask for a deposit. However, you should avoid companies that request for a large deposit. The ideal thing should be paid upon delivery of the items to your new home. A good moving company will not demand for a large sum as a deposit.

Moving Contract

Every good moving company should have standard moving contracts. Ensure however that it is adjusted to suit your specific need. Do not sign a blank contract. Standard things such as the cost of the move, the date for the pick-up and delivery, liability for damages to your properties, and a list of items to be moved should be stated in the contract.  Avoid any company that does not allow you to input necessary things into the contract. If things go south, you might not be able to enforce some things where they are not expressly stated in the contract.

Extra Charges

Some companies give you a cheap estimate and somehow find a way to give you extra charges at the end of the transaction. Beware of this type of moving company. Find out from the company and former customers if there will be extra charges and when they will arise if any. Make sure that their rates are as transparent as possible.

Value of Insurance Coverage

Moving companies assume the liability of items while in transit. However, there are different levels of coverage. There is a comprehensive – full replacement – coverage and there is an alternative where the movers only cover a certain percentage of damages. Find out the type of coverage the company offers and ensure that it suits your budget and adequately protects your properties.

Number of Staff Members

When comparing companies, ensure to confirm the number of movers each moving company has. The more the movers, the faster you loading and unloading will be. Moving consumes time and so it is important to maximize as much time as you possibly can. If the movers are few and take longer, this can also increase the hourly rate you’ll have to pay for the move.

Size of Trucks

This is very important. Consider the properties you have and ensure that the moving company has a truck that will fit your items. You don’t want to find out when they arrive on a moving day that the truck is too small and you’ll have to do multiple trips.

When you have done all this, then you can be sure to end up choosing a good moving company and be confident in their services.

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