Moving can be quite tedious, especially if you own a lot of stuff. Packing up all of your things, renting a truck, loading the truck, driving to the new place, and unloading everything… This is all very time-consuming. Consequently, many people choose to hire a moving company to accomplish all or section of it.
Unfortunately, although hiring a moving company can save you lots of time and stress, hiring the wrong moving company can truly add to it. To safeguard yourself and your belongings, you need to know how to choose a moving company.
Here are a few points to consider when looking for a good moving company.
1) Just how much of the move would you like the moving company to handle?
麻雀檯 saying is you could hire someone to do almost anything for you – for a cost. This is certainly true in cases like this. Many people choose to box up all their belongings themselves, and hire movers to load/unload the truck and transport everything. Some individuals, particularly if they’re moving cross-country, might rent a truck and hire movers to box everything up and pack the truck, then do the driving themselves. Others hire movers to do absolutely everything, from packing the boxes to unloading it all into the proper rooms in the brand new house.
2) How much are you budgeting for the move?
Of course, precisely what you have the moving company do will add to your bill. In case you are on a tight budget, you may need to balance quality and convenience against cost. Because of this you might have to do some of the work yourself, and hire movers who’ll just do the most difficult parts – usually loading and driving the truck. Compare prices between moving companies, and decide that will best suit your needs.
3) How far away are you moving?
Long-distance moves affect two things when choosing a moving company: the price of the move, and the moving companies you have to pick from. Some local companies may not be able to move you across state lines. Also, for long-distance moves you will want to hire a moving company enough beforehand to ensure that they will have availability.
4) Does the moving company insure your belongings against damage or loss?
You have a large amount of capital invested in your belongings. Think how much cash it would take to replace some or everything if something were to occur during the move. Would you even be able to?
Many moving companies is only going to reimburse a fraction of the value of one’s belongings if something happens in their mind. Ask a moving company just how much they pay for lost or damaged belongings, and become sure to get a copy of this policy in writing. If the moving company’s policy doesn’t provide enough coverage, you may want to look into additional insurance.
5) Which kind of reputation does the moving company have?
We’ve all heard the horror stories of things arriving missing or broken following the movers have unpacked the truck and left. In the same way you want your belongings protected from damage or loss, additionally you need to find out whether a moving company has a reputation for breaking or stealing things.
One method to research a moving company’s reputation is to search for their name online. Look for both complaints and follow-ups, since the way the company handled the complaint reaches least as important as the complaint itself. It’s also advisable to check to see if the business is a member of the Better Business Bureau. Although the BBB will attempt to mediate a conflict even though the moving company isn’t a member, there is less incentive for a non-member to work toward a resolution.