There are times when one needs to move from one place to another. At such times, you have to hire a moving company to help you move with your possessions to your new location. A company that helps people move their possessions from one place to another is known as a moving company. These companies can also be referred to as removal firms, movers, public movers, removal companies, and so on. You can learn more about moving companies on SFgate.com website.
As we are aware, hiring a moving company is a great way to make the moving process easy and stress-free. The ease of logistics and the convenience of having your property and items moved safely is what you want. As such, when hiring a moving company, there are many factors that one needs to consider.
In this article, we shall discuss some of the tips that can help you find the best moving companies. Here are 4 factors you should consider when hiring a moving company:
1. Consider recommendations from family and friends
If you have never moved from one place to another, it may not be easy for you to choose a moving company. You may also not get the best moving companies from a Google search. You may also not quite trust the reviews found online about the various movers in your area. As such, you may consider asking your friends and family about the various moving companies in your area. Are there friends and family members who have had a good or a bad experience with a moving company? Are there people you know who may have had a bad experience with a highly reputed moving company? What was the case? Are there people who have had a good experience with a moving company? Well, if you can consult people who have had experience with moving companies, these are the right people to guide you. There are many insights that you can glean from these people. It is better to learn about the best or the worst moving companies from those who have dealt with them.
2. Good reviews and track record
Once you have been informed of the various moving companies from friends, relatives, or after your research, think about the online reviews available about the companies. When people have had a good or a bad experience with moving companies, they leave reviews. Go through these reviews about a few companies that you will have selected. From such reviews, you will get to know about many variables about the movers. A good track record also goes with good reviews. Even if a company has good reviews but has not had a good track record, you may not want to consider it. The best thing is to choose those movers that are competent in their work and have been in operation for a long time.
3. License and insurance
This is another very important factor one needs to consider. A mover that is not licensed and insured is not the right one to engage with. For you to be sure your property is protected, you need to ensure your mover is licensed and insured. The purpose of insurance is to make sure that you will be compensated in case your property is lost or damaged during transit. For interstate movers, check that they have a unique USDOT number. By searching the database available at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, you can tell if a mover is licensed and insured. You can also search the American Trucking Associations’ list of movers. Here, you will find a list of all licensed and vetted movers in all states. This is the right guide to help you choose a suitable company.
4. Transparent rates
The mover will give you rates based on the number of movers and the number of hours you will have with them. This however is the base rate and it does not include things like packing materials or any add-ons that one may require to move their items. As such, before you choose any specific mover, be sure to inquire about their rates. Ensure that such rates are transparent and that they can be verified. In case of extra fees that you need to pay, inquire about it. If the company is not transparent about such fees, then ignore it and move on to another one.
Other than the above tips, you should also beware of the kind of trucks the company uses for their moving service. Ensure that your items can be moved and that delicate or fragile items are taken care of.