How to Hire Bargain Movers
Published by Chris Townsend
If you’ve considered hiring a professional moving company for your upcoming move but are hesitant because of the high cost involved, we’re here to help adjust your way of thinking. While moving is often a pretty pricey undertaking, it is possible to keep your costs down to a minimum, stick to a budget, and find bargain movers without compromising on quality.
Here’s our step-by-step guide to hiring bargain movers:
1. Determine your moving budget.
Of course, you cannot relieve your financial concerns if you don’t know exactly how much you’re willing to spend on your move. While this may take some time and effort, looking into your own finances is a crucial step to determine how much money you can put towards your move.
2. Gather recommendations.
There are a ton of online review websites that you can use to find great movers, including Yelp, BBB, Angie’s List, and more. Although these are certainly going to come in handy on your hunt for the best bargain movers, you should also ask for recommendations from people you trust the most. Speak with you family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Even if they haven’t moved recently, they likely know someone that has and may be able to recommend a quality, bargain moving company. Or, if anything, you may learn about some companies to avoid.
3. Rule out the services you don’t need.
If you’re sticking to a strict budget, you likely want to forgo hiring full-service movers. Instead, opt for movers that are only going to complete the physical act of moving – including the loading and unloading of your belongings. Don’t select any additional services, such as packing and unpacking, disassembly and reassembly of furniture, and custom crating. Doing the packing and unpacking yourself will significantly lower the overall cost of your move right off the bat.
4. Be flexible with your moving day.
If there isn’t a specific day that you need to be out of your old place and into your new one, try to choose a day that will save you the most money. When you have a flexible schedule, it’ll be much easier for your movers to fit you in and you may even get a discount. Overall, the most affordable days to move are on a weekday, in the middle of the month, and during off-peak season.
So, if possible, try to move mid-month, mid-week, and between late September to April. Demand for movers is relatively low during these time frames, which makes moving rates lower as well.
5. Compare moving companies.
Not only does gathering quotes from multiple companies help you avoid getting scammed, it also lets you leverage estimates to get the best deal possible. Keep in mind that you aren’t going to know exactly how much your move will cost until you have an in-home inspection done or you submit an inventory of your belongings to be moved. A ballpark estimate, however, can give you a rough estimate of costs so you can budget accordingly.
Never settle with a mover solely based on price. In comparing quotes, if you notice one that seems too good to be true, it probably is. This could indicate that the moving company is hiding extra fees and services, or, even worse, they’re trying to scam you.
6. Ask all the right questions
Although asking a moving company how much they charge per hour is a great place to start, you’ll want to be more comprehensive with your questions. If your goal is to find bargain movers, you need to go into more detail:
- How long do you expect my move to take?
- How many movers will my move need?
- Is the cost of the moving truck included in the total price?
- What services does the estimate include?
- Do you require a deposit?
- Is there a cancellation fee?
- Can you provide me with a detailed breakdown of all the costs involved?
- Does the estimate include liability insurance?
- Is this a binding estimate? Or, what happens when the movers go well above the initial quote?
7. Negotiate with your movers
One of the best ways to ensure that you hire bargain movers is to negotiate. Start by simply asking if they’re willing to offer a lower price. In some cases, moving companies have discounts or special offers that they are running. If you’re upfront, they may give you one. After all, it doesn’t hurt to ask! Even if you don’t qualify for any specific promotions, it’s not uncommon for movers to make exceptions to gain your business.
Another method of negotiation is to mention the competition. Once you’ve gathered multiple quotes and done plenty of research on the companies, you likely already know what your top choice is. However, if they aren’t giving you the lowest price, you can negotiate with them by telling them about the lowest quote you received from another company.
Then, ask them if they are willing to match or possibly offer a better price. Oftentimes, if it means that they are winning you over as a customer, they may agree.
If you have more questions about hiring bargain movers, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of the experts at Three Movers. Contact us today at (888) 202-0036 to receive your free, no-obligation moving estimate and find out how you could save up to 20% when you choose Three Movers as your bargain movers.
