What Every Homeowner And Renter Should Look For In Their Moving Company

By Author: Lindsey Allen
Total Articles: 15
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Most people hate moving, even if the move is for the better. For some reason, the act of having to pack everything up, load it onto a big truck, and unload it at the new house or apartment just has a way of ruining a person's outlook on their move. While there is no way to avoid this part of a move, there are ways that a person can lower the stress involved with it.

Much of the stress involved with making a move can be reduced by picking the right moving company. There are several things that a homeowner/renter can look for in a moving company to make their move as smooth as possible. Those things are:

Necessary Licenses: Make sure that the business is legitimate and authorized to act as a moving company in the state they are based out of. Also make sure that all drivers are licensed, especially on trips where the moving truck will be traveling alone to the new home. It would be terrible if the driver was caught driving without a license and was forced to abandon the truck on the side of a highway while a new driver was tracked down.

Insurance: Is the company insured? Will somebody pay to replace household ...
... goods if the moving truck is damaged or burglarized? With the ease of access to Internet classified sites, many people who happen to own trucks are running unlicensed moving businesses on weekends. These individuals are unregulated and increase the risk of insurance hassles if anything happens to the payload while in transport.

Experience: Everybody has to learn somewhere, but nobody wants their personal belongings to turn into the guinea pig. Always go with a reputable company that has been in the business for at least five years. Don't be afraid to verify that experience, either. Ask for a list of references, run an Internet search, and generally do what you can to verify that the company is one that can be trusted.

Type of Moving Company: Every industry is full of specialties, and the moving industry is no different. Some movers solely specialize as in-town movers, others are international, and others are do it yourself movers, allowing the client to pack their household goods and/or drive to the destination on their own. It is important to understand what kind of mover one is hiring because hiring a mover outside of their specialty can be more expensive than hiring one from within.

Availability: This is especially important if a client of a moving company has to be in possession of their household goods by a certain date and time, such as would be the case with small business owners and company employees who work out of a home office. The client should make sure that their moving company provides a firm date and time for when they will be available to move the household goods so as to avoid any conflicts with the schedule of the person moving.

Cost: Is it possible to find a good mover at a reasonable price? Yes. One should shop around for a mover in their price range. But remember the axiom: you usually get what you pay for.

Estimate: Online estimates and telephone estimates are never guaranteed, so look for a mover who is willing to provide a free in-person estimate, and don't be afraid to have more than one company provide an estimate. This will also give the potential client a good indication of which companies are honest and which ones are price gougers.

Written Contract: Legitimate companies will offer a written contract to the client outlining the responsibilities of both parties. Clients should ensure that they understand the contract and read it fully so that there are no surprises should anything go wrong with the move.

The author has several years of experience in the moving industry. She has been involved with every stage of commercial and residential relocation services.