What Should You Ask When You Decide to Hire A Moving Company? 

Hire A Moving Company
Hire A Moving Company

From choosing the best supplies to selecting the ideal date to move, moving house requires making many choices within a short span of time, and the list of things to check off your to-do list can be very overwhelming. Guess what, hiring the right moving company is also an important and necessary item on your list, yet it is one of the hardest decisions.  

 Thankfully, you will not run out of options picking out your ideal moving company since there are so many moving companies to choose from out there. In order to search for the right company which best fits your needs, you have to ask a few important questions. Below are a few questions to ask any moving company before you decide on hiring them eventually.  

  1. Do you have experience with my specific type of move?

Before hiring any moving company, you should check with them whether they have any prior experience in handling your type of move. You might be moving to a big city, a family home in a town with either two stories or higher, or to a high-rise apartment building, thus ensuring that your moving company has sufficient experience with different types of moves that will make the moving process safer and more efficient.  

  1. Are you properly licensed?

Any interstate moving company should be licensed by the United States Department of Transportation (USDT), and if they are, they will have their own license number. To ensure a safe and legal move, always remember to ask whether your moving company has a proper license. You can check their complaint history and license number online on the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) website.  

Local companies that work only within a single state and are responsible for customers that only relocate within their state will hold a state license as they are managed by the state instead of the USDT. 

 

  1. What kind of liability coverage does your company provide?

Will you entrust your personal belongings to strangers or people not from your own household? The most likely answer is no. Thus, before you hand over your belongings and items to the moving company, ensure that they are insured and liable for damages.   

Your company should be able to offer you a wide range of liability coverage options. The costs of protection and coverage vary by movers. As defined by the FMCSA, there are two main types of liability options that interstate licensed movers must offer their customers:  

1-Full Value Protection: the movers will be responsible and liable for the replacement value of every damaged or missing item in your total shipment

2-Released Value Protection: the movers assume liability for no more than 60 cents per pound per article 

Clearly, full value protection is more comprehensive in terms of the protection available for your belongings while released value protection is the more economical protection option available. Besides these two liability options, you can also choose to buy additional moving insurance from an unaffiliated insurance company. Before doing so, it would be good to double-check your homeowner’s insurance policy to ensure that you don’t already have coverage. Additionally, every trustworthy moving company should have their own proof of insurance and be willing and able to produce it upon request. You should ask to see it before making your choice.    

  1. Can I see your references?

An important job you have to do before hiring a moving company is to search the web for recommendations and also online ratings or reviews of moving companies. If you are unsure of where to start, you can check out moving company directories that compile customer reviews of moving companies nationwide. You can even ask your family, friends, or even neighbors, for suggestions. These kinds of referrals are very effective and useful ways to find trustworthy movers quickly. Also, if the moving company is able to reply quickly and concisely to the questions we’ve listed in this article, it’s a good sign that they are reliable and efficient movers. 

Most importantly, before deciding on the moving company that you want, ask for references. Satisfied customers are a notable indication of a company’s reliability and high quality. A representative of the company should be able to provide you with all the details you need when prompted for references. If you are in Boise, ID, movers boise is a reliable and efficient moving company. 

  1. Can you guarantee a not-to-exceed estimate or provide a binding quote?

Hiring a moving company that offers a binding estimate, which means that the price estimated for your move is fixed and cannot be arbitrarily changed, is the option that you should go for when deciding on which company you should hire. This is because many moving companies offer non-binding estimates which can end up as a bad decision if your move necessitates more man-hours than you originally estimated, and your bill will be much more expensive. As such, if you prefer a sense of certainty and would like to know the exact amount you are going to have to pay, it is best to inquire whether the moving company offers a binding quote. This quote should also include additional services like travel time, flight charges, parking, and fuel charges. 

Other questions you can also ask: 

  • How can I contact your driver when you are conducting the move? 
  • Can you guarantee pickup and delivery dates? 
  • How will you handle my items? 
  • How long does it take to complete the move? 
  • Do you have any restrictions on the number and size of boxes I can use? 
  • Are there restrictions on how I should pack my items? 
  • Are you willing to pack specialty furniture like electronics and television? 
  • Do you use a third party to transfer my items? How can you ensure their reliability? 
  • Are there potential charges? Will I be paying for additional moving supplies? 
  • What payment methods do you accept? 
  • Is there any cancellation policy?

Choosing a moving company can be tricky, especially if it is your first time doing so. However, ensuring that you have done all your homework and asking the right questions will allow you to gain the required knowledge to select the best professional moving company, helping to make the relocation process as smooth and efficient as possible.