So, you’ve confirmed the beginnings of you and your family’s journey toward some new horizons. Now all that’s left to do is begin reaching out to movers and, ideally, hit the road with the ones that you find to be the best fit. When it comes time for you to kick off the first steps of your moving process, you will want to factor in every important potential perk, risk factor, and more that you can think of. After all, every move tends to make for its own unique challenge, and you will want to make sure that you’re rolling out with a mover that is able to cover all of the ins and outs of any specific needs your family’s move may incur along the way (and do so with a level of professional service that doesn’t leave anything to be desired).
Below, we’ve put together a comprehensive rundown of some of the most relevant (and even unexpected) things to work into your list of questions when shopping around for the best mover for your job. Read ahead, and use these points to add to your own personal list of questions you will want to have covered by a professional moving agent when attempting to get things off the ground.
Getting Started
Among the most important questions you can ask your mover when looking for that perfect fit, many of the most significant will often have to do with the preliminary phase of your move—finding out what works best, balancing your own personal budget, etc. These questions can often serve as the most important of all, due to the fact that they will need to be squared away first and foremost before everything else.
- How set in stone is your quote? One of the first things you may want to look into will be how exactly the quoting process will work with the moving company that you are in talks with. While many moving companies pride themselves on offering up tempting offers when it comes to estimated quotes during preliminary talks, it is important to note that many of these quotes serve only as a rough estimate and may not come with any guarantees that you’ll be paying a price as low as they’ve pitched to you once you are actually signing all the paperwork.
- Are any of my goods shipped or transferred outside of your movers? It can be easy to assume the best when it comes to the operational perks of a moving company that will work for your schedule. However, you should keep in mind that it is important to find out the specifics on how exactly your goods and furniture will be transported along the way. Some movers will often utilize shipping methods through outside companies, and in turn may not consider themselves liable in the event that any damages to your goods or similar occur along the way.
- What kind of insurance programs, etc. can I expect to utilize with you? Regardless of how safe of risk free you might feel that your move is, you will still want to make sure that you are utilizing an appropriate amount of insurance in the event that any accidents or unpreventable circumstances arise along the way. If the mover you are considering does not offer decent insurance options for your transition, you can generally assume that they will be a bad overall pick.
- Are there any extra charges (or extra services) that I may need? Does the base level of services provided by your mover truly cover everything that you or your family will need? In the event that you require any additional resources or moving packages, it will be important to find out what they are on the front end. Additional costs can quickly add up, amounting to a vastly different total payment than your original estimated quote.
- Will I have a reliable point of contact for any issues that might arise during or after the move? Is the mover you’re looking into good with communication during and after your move, as well as before? When it comes to your belongings, believe us when we say that you won’t want to be left in the dark without a point of contact regarding their status. Ask about any pipelines of communication they offer during the transition.
- Research and Development Once you’ve covered the preliminary aspects of your move’s needs, it can be a good idea to delve into the more intricate aspects of everything. Trust us when we say that you’ll be glad to cover the needed amounts of research leading into your move before actually hitting the road.
- Do your moving services cover the area I’ll be traveling to? Many cross-country movers can often lack experience in specific areas, despite appearing to be all-inclusive. It’s important to clarify how experienced a mover is with the area of your destination, as well as the town you currently reside in.
- How long has your moving company been in operation? While experience isn’t always everything, it’s still important to note that your moving company is more than just a fly by night experience when it comes to a cross country effort. Be sure to ask them how long they have been in operation in your local area, as well as the area of your destination.
- Are you a member of the American Moving and Storage Association? Being a reputable moving company means that an organization will generally hold certifications and licenses in the important areas. However, it is also important for moving companies to hold themselves to a high standard in regards to any organizations they may be a member of.
- Will your baseline equipment cover the needs of my specific move? While the standard issue resources provided by a mover will often be enough to accommodate your household, it’s still important to ask—especially if you own any particular appliances or hobby equipment that would require special attention during its transport.
- Does your company offer any opportunities for storage? Moving long distance and utilizing storage often go hand in hand. When you touch down in your new town, you will not want to be scrambling to find a reputable storage company at the last minute. Ask your mover if they know (or are partnered with) any.
- What sort of time frame can I expect for my move? It’s not worth wasting time beating around the bush when it comes to your move’s time frame. If you need to be moved in (or moved out) by a certain day, you should talk to your mover on the front end and ensure that they can guarantee your transition by that date.
- Do you have a track record of positive customer service? How does your potential mover fare in regards to their reputation? Look into your mover’s user reviews, etc. in addition to consulting your moving agent on their track record of customer service.
Making Sure of Things
When it comes time to confirm things, it’s important to avoid forgetting anything at the last minute. Making sure that you have all your bases covered will remain just as important as kicking things off.
Does my estimated quote include any additional services I might require? Were you provided with a quote on the front end? If so, you should request a breakdown of the goods and services being paid for in order to ensure that everything that might come up is accounted for by your personal moving budget.
- Do you currently offer any promotional opportunities or coupon codes? It’s always a good idea to ask, regardless of whether or not your moving agent may have cited some deals to begin with. You never know what sort of current promotions or specials might apply to your move that can be easy to accidentally skim over!
- Can you guarantee an exact date for my move in? It’s always important to go beyond a simple estimate when it comes to dates surrounding your move. After all, you’ll be planning your own transportation and accommodations around these, so it’s a good idea to have them squared away as soon as possible.