Tips on How To Choose a Reliable Moving Company

Moving is an incredibly stressful experience, and in a way it has become a major rite of passage for many families. With jobs now concentrated in a select number of states, moving cross country is pretty much a necessity at this point. With the number of moves occurring in any given year, it's incredible that most happen without a hitch – although of course, some can be rocky and many people fall victim to shady practices by different companies.

Choosing a long distance moving company is harder than it seems; with such a variety of options out there it can be tough to know who can genuinely help you, and which moving company is bleeding you dry. The difference between some movers and services can be in the thousands, especially with hidden costs that you only find about much later. Here some tips to help you avoid these pratfalls, and following them can ensure that you avoid being ripped off.

Find the Best Quote

When you're preparing yourself for a move, make sure that you grab as many quotes from different companies as possible. Talk at length with the estimators, explain your needs, and have them send you a detailed breakdown of the costs. Make sure that the estimator is the type who asks you a lot of detailed questions – if he or she is representing a good company, they will be asking you about every tiny detail, what you would like to take and what you'd keep in storage, and so on. Don't be shy to share information with them, this is a good indicator that they are trying to give you the most realistic quote possible. Also, their interest in knowing how to organize a thorough move within your budget means that they will be less likely to incorporate sudden and hidden costs at the end, once they've shipped everything out for you.

Beware Of Large Deposits

A good moving company would almost never require that you pay anything upfront before the move happens. This is poor practice and almost always leads to fraud, so keep your eyes peeled for any strange requests to front money.

Find Good References

Hiring reliable removers are sort of like hiring a new employee for your office: you do want to speak with people who've worked with them before, or check the reviews online to learn more about them. If you're moving south of the border, looking into moving companies in Texas online could help a great deal, especially if you want to know the nitty gritty of any fees or details of how moving in different states can affect your timeline and budget. In this digital era in which everyone is able to find information online right away, due diligence when hiring a good moving company is not just necessary, but also a lot simpler than you'd think.

Take Inventory

A super reliable moving company would offer to take a full inventory of your belongings, not just for safety's sake, but to also make sure that they are weighing every item properly. This is not just super professional, but it also spares you the pain of paying extra when you don't really have to. Any company that offers this service and incorporates that into their costs is aces in our book.

Research Makes Perfect

At the end of the day, doing some research and making a lot of phone calls is necessary to ensure that you're doing your best to find efficient and reliable movers. Leaving and uprooting your family is already a tough and traumatic experience; the one area where all should definitely go well is the practical side of the move itself.