Moving is all about decisions and a quest for a better home that will fit your needs best. At the same time, if you want to have alliances in your moving company, it is vital to prepare questions to ask movers before the moving begins. You need to know what you can expect from a moving company, and if they fail to provide answers then it is time to find another moving company. We will present you with the set of the most important questions so that eventually you are absolutely certain in your choice of a reliable moving company. In the meantime, you can ask yourself a question as well, such as what you should do before your movers arrive.
If they have a proper license is one of the great questions to ask movers
This is the first question that you should ask your movers. It should be a deal-breaker for you if they do not have a proper license. Unlicensed companies may cost less due to this. However, you should think about whether you want to entrust your belongings to a company that does not meet all the conditions to be licensed. If your moving company has a license with the United States Department of Transportation or USDT you are safe from unpleasant surprises.
Do you have experience in this type of move?
Every moving request is unique and has its own challenges. However, some moving will require special skills that not all the moving companies have. If you are living on the fifth floor of a building, or you need to relocate a piano, motorcycle, or a car, it is important that your moving company has dealt with it in the past. There are several questions to ask movers before you relocate, and this should be among the first ones that you will ask. Do not be shy, you are paying for the service after all, and you should know that you are in great hands with the movers that you choose. Your main concern is always to avoid stress when moving to a new house and that is a fact.
Do you have a binding estimate?
There are three types of moving estimates that a moving company can offer you. Usually, it is best to use the binding estimate because you will know the exact cost of the move in the very beginning.
- A binding estimate is the type of estimate when the moving company sends an experienced worker to your house in order to assess the final cost and the services which you will need.
- A non-binding estimate is the type of estimate when the final cost depends on the weight of your items, and usually the number of hours and workers required to perform the relocation. The non-binding estimate eventually cost a lot more or a lot less than expected. On the other hand, it is much better to know the cost in advance, right?
- A binding not-to-exceed estimate is when there is a cost set in advance, but if you have more items than at the beginning, you will only pay for the shipping of those items.
Are storage units an option?
One of the great questions to ask movers when you are choosing the right moving company is this one. Most of times when your new home is not ready yet, or you are relocating to a smaller home, you need a place to store your belongings.
Therefore, it is always beneficial if your moving company offers the service of storing your items. It is always best to know these things in advance, so ask your movers everything you want to know about their storage facilities. For example, are they climate-controlled if some of your items require special temperatures, and of course how much does it cost to store items in their storage units.
What additional fees do you have?
One of the most important questions is whether there are and how much are the additional fees. Moving companies can charge you additional fees for the building that does not have an elevator, or if they need to use a specialized vehicle if there is no parking space in front of your home. Additional fees also include storing, disassembling furniture, etc. It is vital that you know in advance what they will charge you and see if there is a way to prevent this.
What insurance packages do you offer?
Even if you hire the best moving company in the world some of your items might get damaged. Having this in mind, you need to check what kind of insurance do they offer. Then you will be able to decide which one will you take. Usually, there is a full value protection package and release value protection, which is about 60 cents per pound. Depending on what belongings you are transporting you should choose the option that suits your needs best.
What is your cancellation policy?
Finally, this can happen too. There are numerous reasons why you can cancel your relocation, or on the other hand, why the moving company can cancel the relocation on their behalf. One of the questions to ask movers is whether they will give you the deposit money in full amount or just some percent and exactly under what circumstances.
Choosing a reliable moving company will define the tone of your relocation to a great extent. Make sure to remember all the questions to ask movers before you start packing. There is no need to be unpleasantly surprised because of the extra fees, or inability to perform a certain service. That is why with these questions you will be ready to seal the deal with the right moving company.