If you have moved before you probably know moving could be a bit of a pickle. Is starts dreamy, you are all excited and full of enthusiasm. But in the next moment, you are having a panic attack, because there are so many tasks and so little time. Let’s skip this part and help ourselves. If you have already decided to hire a professional moving company you are halfway there. But how to choose the right local moving company? The bigger offer is, the harder the choice is. Here are some tips on how to compare local moving companies and find the one that suits you best.
Are they viral?
It may seem like an obvious thing, but it actually isn’t. A reliable moving company in Manhattan will want as many people to know about it as possible. Nowadays, if you don’t have a website, it’s like you don’t even exist in the business world. The detailed website is a sign that the moving company isn’t hiding anything. You should be able to see their name, address, phone numbers, and other contact details. Of course, websites are mostly covered with positive feedback from customers, which is ok. As long as you can find other information too. Services they offer and packing materials they provide should be reachable online too. A scammer company wouldn’t usually have a website. Companies that wish to show they are worth hiring will do their best to convince you through their website. So for the start, compare the websites of several companies and exclude the suspicious ones or the ones without a website.
The USDOT number
Checking the USDOT number is very important when you compare local moving companies. This will give you information about how they do their business. Therefore, before we ask you to compare moving quotes, check the numbers in the system of the FMCSA. The USDOT number puts light on a number of accidents, number of available trucks and drivers, general reliability assessment, etc.
At your service
Once you contact a moving company, you should expect helpful and kind behavior. They should be ready to answer every question you have. Hence, if you wish to see their office and the moving trucks, you will be welcome. A scammer company wouldn’t have an office at all. Most noteworthy, a reliable mover would be happy to show you their office and where your household goods will be uploaded. The best way to grow confidence in the moving company is to see it with your own eyes. Not being able to see it should be a red flag of warning. This will help you compare local moving companies.
That’s the staff
Most importantly, moving locally in NYC requires experienced and trained staff. If the personnel is new, how and when did they got their training? This is a question you should ask. Usually, moving companies provide regular training to their staff. But those people are going to enter your home and handle belongings. It is your right to ask and to make sure they will do a good job.
Read the reviews
There are actually plenty of websites that have done this for you. Reviews are an amazing guide when you want to compare moving options. There is always some bad review, that is perfectly normal. But if bad reviews beat the good ones, that should be a warning. Since reviews are written by people who have moved, they will also provide you with the inside view of their services. If the majority of the reviews are positive, you have probably found the right movers for yourself.
Compare moving estimates
This is the final and most important step when you compare local moving companies. Compare the prices and everything they include. Make sure you provide your potential movers with all the mandatory information about the services you need. Inform them how big your household is and do you want to include packing or storage services as well. Estimates are a great way to compare local moving companies. Most importantly, they give you information about the expected cost of your move. While comparing the quotes, you separate the affordable ones from the expensive ones. Just be careful and beware of low-ball estimates. Seems that scammers tend to give very low quotes. Once you sign the moving contract with them, a bunch of extra fees comes up unexpectedly. Compare and study the quotes carefully before you make any choice. Consequently, you will avoid an unpleasant situation and losing your money or worse.
Few simple questions
The best way to compare local moving companies is to aks the few simple questions. Check out our checklist.
- What are the prices and fees? Total price, with all the taxes and all the fees. Most importantly, beware the hidden costs. Carefully read all the fine print and ask them for extra fees.
- Another important question is which equipment they have and who are their workers. Do they hire college students with little moving experience, or do they have an experienced moving team? Do they have the equipment to move your heavy furniture and transport it safely to your new location?
- If you want to make some extra space at your new home, ask for storage service. Location and price of the storage will help you compare local moving companies.
- Are you available on my moving date? This is very important information. There are many people moving in the Big Apple and it can easily happen that some company is booked on the date you requested.
- Are you offering packing services? Room by room packing is just the thing for people moving on short notice. Or for the ones that just hate packing. So better check if your movers pack as well.
Compare local moving companies with friends
An ideal time for this kind of research would be month or two before moving. If your moving day is very close, try to find some friend who had positive experience lately. When you compare local moving companies, personal recommendation is the best shortcut.