Top 10 Questions to Ask When Hiring Movers
Published by Chris Townsend
Moving is a big part of life. A part that many people cannot avoid. This is why every year approximately 10 percent of the American population changes where they leave.
Out of the roughly 32 million people moving each year, 20 percent use professional moving services. That means 6.4 million people hire movers to transport their items.
The reason for the choice of moving is very personal. For some, it is a financial decision. They feel they will get the best deal out of moving if they load their SUV with the belongings that can fit and drive to a new location. Others are afraid of being scammed or having their possession stolen by false movers.
On the other side, people choose professional movers because they don’t want the hassle of moving.
Some fears come with hiring a moving company. One of the fears is of losing your possessions. Another fear is damage to what you own.
Hiring a professional mover might come with doubts. That is why you will need to know certain things about the mover you are interested in if you want to let go of those doubts.
Why Should You Hire a Mover?
There are many reasons why you should hire a mover. It comes with a lot of advantages that might not be obvious at first but once you notice, cannot be unnoticed.
One major advantage of hiring a mover is convenience. Hiring a mover means you don’t need to drive with all you own to a new location. If you pay for a full-service, you won’t even have to pack your stuff yourself. The company will do that for you. DIYs don’t give you that.
If you hire a mover, you can hold the company accountable for any damage or loss of property. This is a major advantage because if you move, there is no one to take responsibility for damage but yourself.
Another advantage of hiring a mover is speed. Professionals are the ones moving your stuff. They are experienced and will do it better than you would. This is why corporations use moving services.
10 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Mover
There are many things you might not know about your move. There are things you don’t know about the company you intend to hire.
This is why you need to ask questions. You might be wondering what questions. Well, below are 10 important questions you should ask a mover you want to hire.
Question 1 – Is the Company Licensed?
The first and most important question to ask is if the company you intend to hire has a license. The importance of asking this is that licensed companies are almost certainly not going to scam you.
Licensing means they are under a regulatory body. The most important regulatory body in the United States Department of Transportation. Ask the company if they have the USDOT number and verify on the USDOT website.
Also, confirm if the company is licensed with the state regulatory body where applicable.
Question 2 – Do You Have Coverage?
This question might not seem important at first but by the time you need it, if you don’t have it, it will be too late. Always ask if a company has a form of insurance.
Insurance is vital because moving is very complex so, accidents can occur. While these accidents and mistakes are very uncommon among professionals, they do occur.
When they do, insurance will be the only thing standing between you and paying full price to replace your lost or damaged items.
If the company has insurance, pay for it. It will be worth the peace of mind it gives.
Question 3 – Can You Provide the Service I Need?
Moving is as unique as the items you own. It differs from situation to situation. You might require certain services that most people won’t require.
For example, you might need to bring your grand piano down 3 flights of stairs. That is an item many people don’t own and bringing it down so many stairs is a situation that isn’t common.
This is why you should ask if the company can meet your specific moving needs.
Question 4 – Do You Have Binding Estimates?
Companies might attract you to choose their services with their low prices and moving rates. However, if this estimate isn’t binding and not signed, it might be increased later in the moving process.
Read the fine prints of the estimate and see if it is subject to change. If it is, ask for a binding estimate.
A binding estimate is an estimate that is sure under the existing terms of negotiation. So, unless you add to your inventory, or change the destination, the price of moving remains the same.
Most times, binding estimates come in writing after a physical inspection of what you intend to move. It isn’t given online.
Question 5 – Do You Have Packing or Storage Services?
Moving is very stressful and complex. You might need help getting your things into moving boxes and organizing the moving boxes.
This is where packing services come in. Not all moving companies offer services that will help you pack your things. So, you should ask if they have such.
The same applies to storage. If your move will be long-distance, there is a chance you might need storage services. To make the process easier and cheaper for you, it is always best if the company moving your things stores them as well.
Question 6 – How Do You Calculate the Cost of a Move?
Many moving companies have different ways in which they calculate the cost of a move.
Some might use the weight of the items to be shipped while others will use distance. Some may decide to use time. They will calculate the total time it will take to complete a move and then fix a price.
It is important you know how the cost is calculated so you figure out if there is a way you can reduce the cost.
Question 7 – Can Your Employees Be Trusted?
No matter how nice and well-spoken a manager or the CEO of a moving company is, they won’t be ones to show up and move your items on moving day.
Some companies conduct background checks on their employees to ensure they can be trusted with other people’s items.
You should ask if the company you want to hire has background information on their staff and if they can be trusted.
This will give you peace of mind as you let the crew into your home to pick your items.
Question 8 – Are There Hidden Costs?
Certain companies have costs that aren’t visible in the estimate until it is time to move or after the move has been made.
They are additional charges that you should discuss with the company. They include things like the cost of moving your items up a flight of stairs because the elevator isn’t working. Or driving the moving truck to a street with poor access.
These additional costs can make the move very expensive and give you a bad experience overall.
In-person inspection of the items to be shipped and the destination where they will be taken to will reduce the chances of surprise costs.
Question 9 – A You A Broker?
This question is important because you might be dealing with a broker without knowing it. Companies can be broker companies, carrier companies, or a hybrid of both.
Broker companies will outsource the whole move to another company while negotiating with you and settling the company.
Carriers will conduct the whole move themselves with their staff and their facilities. Carriers generally cost more.
Hybrid broker/carrier companies will offer basic moving services but outsource special services like packing and storage.
Question 10 – Do You Offer Tracking Services?
Waiting for things like your furniture and electronics to arrive at the destination can be an anxious affair. It is especially true in a long-distance move where you use a flight and arrive before the company transporting your items.
More and more companies are offering tracking services to their clients to assure them that their stuff is on schedule and on its way to them.
Ask if the company you want to hire has such a service if the move is long-distance. It might put your mind at ease.
Roundup
Relocating to a new place might be a new experience for you and the scope of what you need to know might be unknown to you. This is why these questions are very important.
The answers the moving company gives will provide a picture of what to expect if you hire them. It will also tell you if you should hire them or not.
Our managers at Three Movers are always happy to answer your questions about using our moving services. We provide a wide variety of services that will tackle moving under various conditions.
You can contact us on our website or call 855-476-4913.
