How to Choose a Moving Company

Everyone can agree that moving is stressful. You must prepare for weeks!

Before the moving day you need to ensure you notify the landlord, inform your loved ones, and change your mailing addresses, among other things. And this is just the easy part.

Next, you have to spend more weeks sorting your belongings, packing, and most importantly, choosing a reputable moving company to move belongings to our new locations. Finding a company that can help make the process seamless requires a lot of research and patience.

The first thing to look for when choosing a moving company is transparency. A transparent company will be open about everything but especially their prices. They should offer you a free quote and shouldn’t introduce other hidden fees after you pay a deposit or sign an agreement.

But that isn’t the only thing to look out for; this article discusses all the steps you should take when choosing a moving company.

Make Sure the Moving Company is Licenced

The moving industry is filled with all sorts of scammers. The only way to differentiate the legit companies from the scam ones is to check if they are appropriately licensed. 

All professional movers are adequately licensed, and they will publicly display their credentials on their websites. They will also not hesitate to produce those documents when you ask to verify them.

There are several ways to confirm the legitimacy of licenses a moving company shows you. The easiest method is searching for the company’s name or business number on the Federal Corporation database. It lists all federally incorporated and licensed companies that do business nationwide.

Thoroughly Research the Moving Company

Before entrusting all your belongings to a moving company, the least you can do is perform some background search. Researching a company before using them can save you time and money.

• Talk to your friends and family and get their opinions and recommendations. If their experience with a moving company was terrible, for example, they were late and arrogant; you might want to avoid that company. 
• You should also check their online reviews. A reputable moving company will have a solid online presence and is listed on multiple review sites like Google, Facebook, HomeStars, and Trust Pilot. The firm you pick should be highly rated across different platforms. 
• You should also stay clear of companies with a perfect score of 10/10 or 100. The reviews might be bogus, or the company is new and doesn’t have enough industry experience.

Check If the Moving Company is Insured 

While being vigilant and heedful when moving is always encouraged, the process can be hectic. Excitement and hurriedness can lead to accidents and damage or loss of properties, which is why you should always pick an insured company when moving.

All the top moving companies will provide real liability insurance for your cargo when moving.

• Discuss the insurance terms and the deadline for claiming after the insurance with the moving companies.
• Create a list of all your possessions and their value, present it to the movers and have them double-check everything before signing a contract. 
• Most movers will provide special packaging for your expensive possessions when you choose to have them insured. And to cut down on the risk of damage, they will do the packing.
• The moving company can also offers you Replacement Value Protection.

Ensure the Moving Company Have a Local Physical Address

Many companies online claim to offer moving services; it can be hard to tell which company is genuine and which isn’t. To remove any doubt, you should narrow your search to a local moving company with an address you can visit. Always ask yourself, “are there moving companies near me?”

Working with local firms will help you in many ways, including

• They can send representatives to do onsite inspections and provide a more accurate cost estimate.
• The company can easily walk you through all the requirements.
• The company will provide you with physical contracts you can sign.
• Provide peace of mind knowing you can follow up with them anytime.
• You can confirm if the storage facilities they provide meet your standards.
• You can ensure they offer all the services you require.

Interstate moving companies will have offices and storage facilities in every state they operate in. This guarantees smooth delivery of service. When making a decision, it is also vital that you go with a company that has multiple locations across different cities and countries.

Make Sure Moving Company Do Not Subcontract

If you want to save yourself from the headaches, canceled appointments, exorbitant prices, and lack of professionalism, ensure you hire a reliable moving company.

When hiring quality movers, ensure they check all these boxes:

• Have permanent Employees: Some moving companies don’t have reliable movers. They hurriedly hire unqualified people every time they receive work. Always choose movers with permanent and well-trained staff.
• Use Their Fleet: When choosing a moving company, ensure they have their own branded vehicles. You will find that after hiring them, some companies will come with a hired truck that is unbranded. The best moving companies own tractors, trailers, tracks, and their entire fleet of vehicles.
• Have  Storage Facilities: To ensure that the security of your possessions is guaranteed when a mover has to store them, confirm that they own storage facilities. Some companies might subcontract storage needs to third parties who may damage, mishandle or misplace your goods.

An example of a reliable company that has established itself in the market for 10 years is High Stream Moving.

Look at the Moving Company Track Record/Experience

The competition in the moving industry is tough. New companies are always coming up every day. Companies with bad ratings always rebrand to escape their bad rep, but they rarely step up their game. 

To save yourself from potential losses, always assess the track record of the moving coming you choose by looking at their experience. Here are some characteristics of an experienced moving company.

• Longevity -The best way to measure the experience of a company is to look at how long it has existed. Established companies will have 10+ years of experience in the moving industry.
• Offer a wide range of services - Experienced companies will offer many services associated with moving like packing and moving storage.
• Recognized - A moving company with a good track record will be recognized by industry leaders and be awarded trophies and awards over its long history.

Conclusions 

The process of choosing the best movers can be tedious and time-consuming. But how you choose a moving company will decide the kind of service you receive. Always ensure you pick the movers with the best experience and have their fleet of vehicles, permanent employees, and moving companies near you.

Call High Stream Moving on (800) 430-1537 to experience quality service from the best moving company around.