It can be really frustrating that regardless of how much time you have until moving day – a few months, a few weeks, or a few days (!), you’re still going to have to answer a number of essential questions in order to complete the trouble-free move you want.

One of these fundamental questions is, of course, strictly related to the approximate costs of moving house: what are the average moving costs?

No matter if you’re moving out of a 1-, 2-, or 3-bedroom home, you still need to know how much you’re expected to pay on average when hiring professional moving services or organizing a move by yourself (self-moving).

It’s important to note that the move distance between the two homes – short distance (local) or long distance (cross country) will affect greatly how deeply you’ll be forced to dig into your pockets, desperately looking for more dollar bills.

So, what are the average moving costs?

Why do average moving costs matter?

The truth is that you may not get the right answers to all the pressing issues at the beginning of your preparation, but you must know the price of your incoming move in advance so that:

• you set up your moving budget the way you’re supposed to;
• you prevent any unpleasant cost-related surprises at the end of the relocation;
• you reduce the moving stress by knowing that you’re financially ready to handle the local or cross-country move ahead of you.

Thus said, remember that the only way to get an accurate estimate of the cost of your move is to have your chosen moving company perform an expert visual inspection of your home and give you a precise price quote.

Nevertheless, understanding various real-life moving scenarios and their approximate costs will help you gain a deeper knowledge of what relocation options you actually have and what to expect from your mover’s estimate.

The approximate costs of moving you’ll find in this article should serve as a useful preview of what your actual moving quote will look like. In reality, these approximated values can only be used as guidance because the real-life moving company rates will be dependent on the region where you live, your town or city, the moving company itself, and the specifics of your own local or long-distance move.

Moving company costs on average

In most cases, moving house with the help of a professional moving company is the preferred way to approach the numerous challenges of that significant period in one’s life. As a rule of thumb, turning to the pros for assistance will eliminate plenty of stressful guesswork and will make the entire relocation much faster and easier.

The only drawback is that you will have to pay for their moving services but that often proves to be a disadvantage in disguise the moment you calculate the potential risk and dangers of self-moving, add up the lost time in doing it all by yourself, and include the possible irreparable damage to your nervous system.

What’s the average cost of moving when hiring a moving company?

Average moving costs for local moves

Myth #7: Hiring professional movers is the most expensive way to move house.

Local moves never leave the state of origin and the destination point stays within approximately 50 miles.

And if you do decide to hire local movers to help you out, then the first thing you should know is that local moving companies charge by the hour.

What this means for you is that it’s the time spent on performing the move that matters the most rather than the individual move-related tasks such as packing, loading, transporting, and so on.

And as time defines the price, the factors that affect how much time your local move will last are:

• the size of your house or apartment (the bigger it is, the more items are likely to be inside it);
• the number of additional services to be performed (for example, packing your home by yourself or having it packed by the pros?);
• the number of packers and movers working on your local relocation;
• the exact distance to your new address.

Taking into account that the average moving cost per hour is roughly $80 per mover per hour:

• Studio: $480. Moving out of a studio apartment should take 2 workers about 3 hours to complete the move, which makes approximately $480 without additional fees and charges;
• 1-bed apartment: $640. Moving out of a 1-bedroom apartment should take 2 workers about 4 hours to complete the move, which makes approximately $640 without additional fees and charges;
• 2-bedroom home: $1,440. Getting out of a 2-bedroom home should be all about having 3 local movers working for about 6 hours and complete your move for roughly $1,440 excluding extra charges;
• 3-bedroom home: $2,240. moving away from a 3-bedroom home should take 4 workers about 7 hours to get the job done, which in turn should cost you approximately $2,240 with no extra fees included in the price;
• 4-bedroom home: $2,880. moving out of a 4-bedroom home should take 4 local movers about 9 hours to complete the move, costing you approximately $2,880 without additional fees and charges.

It’s important to keep in mind that unforeseen factors can and probably will influence the approximate costs of moving locally one way or the other. That is, your local move will become cheaper or more expensive depending on the concrete circumstances that surround it.

• Additional services will cost you more;

• Packing services are charged on an hourly basis as well /$80 per hour/ and usually include the price of the packing materials;

• Each additional packer or mover will cost you approximately another $80 per hour;

• Expect to be charged a travel fee as well – the time it takes the moving crew to reach your home;

• Purchasing moving insurance will add up to the approximate cost of moving house but it can be an excellent decision to protect your valuable possessions against accidental damage.

20 Simple and Easy Ways to Reduce Moving Costs

Average moving costs for cross-country moves

Moving across the country is a risky affair that’s best left to the pros. Ask movers for price calculation, and then take advantage of cost-reduction techniques.

Once your move is bound to cross state lines, it’s already classified as an interstate move and the approximate costs of moving across the country will be calculated differently.

In practice, cross-country moves are much harder to be generalized as far as preliminary expenses are concerned because of three major price-forming criteria that work at the same time: 1) move distance, 2) shipment weight, and 3) additional services.

The cost to move furniture, for example, will be calculated based on the weight, size, and nature of your home furniture. Expect to pay more if you need experienced packers and movers to handle bulky, super heavy, or antique furniture pieces.

The cost of moving furniture will also be dependent on the specific conditions in your home such as narrow corridors and staircases, smaller doorways, or unavailability of an elevator. For instance, if some of the furniture pieces have to be disassembled, the furniture moving costs will be respectively higher.

• Move distance. The move distance between the two homes remains a constant value so focus on the next two factors.
• Shipment weight. How much your shipment weighs will play a great role in determining the final relocation bill. Make an effort to reduce that weight by getting rid of any household items you don’t really plan to use in the future.
• Extra services. Choose only the moving services you do need. If you can, pack up some or all of your items by yourself to save big.

The approximate cost of moving cross country, without any extra services and additional charges, is as follows:

• 1-bedroom apartment: $2,780 – $5,800. The cost of moving out of a 1-bedroom apartment to a new home located 1,000 miles away should cost you $2,780 – $5,800.
• 2-bedroom home: $3,020 – $6,825. The average moving costs for a 2-bedroom home are roughly $3,020 – $6,825 for a move distance of 1,000 miles.
• 3-bedroom home: $4,200 – $7,250. The average moving costs for a 3-bedroom home are approximately $4,200 – $7,250 for a move distance of 1,000 miles.
• 4-bedroom home: $4,950 – $8,100. The approximate moving costs for a 4-bedroom house are roughly $4,950 – $8,100 for a move distance of 1,000 miles.

Please keep in mind that the above-mentioned average moving costs per mile and average moving costs per pound can only be used as reference values due to the case-by-case nature of residential moving. As mentioned above, approximate moving company costs can still be useful for forming a general idea of just how strong a hit your budget will take.

For much more accurate price estimation, get free quotes by filling out this Moving Cost Calculator

Average moving costs of self-moves

Some people are quick to conclude that moving on your own is always a cheaper way to move house than hiring a professional moving company.

While that can be true under specific circumstances, one should look at the bigger picture and consider a number of important factors that often end up being taken out of context.

Before you even think about performing a self-move, make sure you answer YES to all of these prerequisites to avoid a disastrous DIY move with loads of wasted time and lost money.

• You’re moving short distance or within the same town or city;
• You have a few good friends you can rely on to come to give you a hand on Moving day;
• You have moved house at least once before;
• You have confidence that you can organize the entire move by yourself.

And if you’ve got 4 positive answers, then it’s time to take a closer look at both the obvious self-moving costs and the hidden costs of moving on your own.

Are you keeping tabs on your self-moving budget?

Average moving truck rental cost

The cost of renting a moving truck can vary greatly depending on the truck rental company, the size of the moving van, the distance to be traveled, the number of days for which you need the vehicle, the time of the year, and more.

On average, a 14’’ moving truck (2-bedroom home) can cost around $20-$30 for 8 hours + $0.70-$1.10 per mile. A 24’’ rental truck (3-4 bedroom home) can cost roughly around $40-$70 per day + $0.70-$1.10 per mile.

Of course, it’s best to contact a reputable truck rental company and request an accurate quote simply because each move is different. Also, besides the truck rental insurance (approximately $150), beware of additional fees and surcharges (additional mileage fees, a cleaning fee, fuel surcharge, tolls, etc.) that could really put a damper on your self-move initiative.

Moving equipment

You will most likely need to rent a few pieces of moving equipment (a moving dolly, furniture blankets, furniture pads, and so on) if you insist on organizing and executing a safe move.

Packing materials

Most of your cardboard boxes you can find for free, or almost for free, from local businesses and friends who have recently moved, but bubble wrap and clean packing paper you do need to purchase, especially if you own too many delicate and easily breakable items.

Don’t forget quality tape and a set of color markers as well.

Hidden DIY moving costs

Finally, it’s time to say a few words about the so-called hidden DIY costs of moving by yourself that could be the turning point in your decision to hire a top-rated mover to take care of your move. Such approximate costs of moving on your own include but are not limited to moving insurance for your expensive items, road taxes, as well as food and lodging expenses while on the road.

Should personal injuries or property damage occur due to move-related inexperience or a concentration of bad luck, then the average moving cost could easily go through the roof.

How to Rent a Moving Truck

Sometimes you can hear people say that money is not everything, and they should have a good reason to believe so. Still, when it comes to the fairly complicated process of moving house, it seems like money will dictate the way your local or cross-country move unfolds.

And now that you are familiar with the approximate moving costs, we believe you will make the informed decision that will change your household move for the better.

What to Do: Hire Movers or Move by Yourself?

The post Average Moving Costs: What’s the Average Cost of Moving? appeared first on The Moving Blog.

There are many advantages of hiring professional movers when it’s time to move out of your current place. The pros will arrive on the pre-arranged day, pack up your things (if you’ve opted for the add-on service of packing), load them up safely into their truck, and transport your belongings to the new address.

When working with a full-service moving company, you won’t even have to lift a finger during the entire move – the experienced professionals will take care of each and every aspect of the relocation.

It all sounds too good to be true, right? And it is… as long as you can afford to hire one of the top-rated movers in your city.

Professional moving services are not cheap by any means. However, when you factor in all the hard work your movers will invest in the move and then think about that you would have to have done it all by yourself (or maybe together with a few good friends), then you’re likely to realize that choosing to go with a reputable and reliable moving company is still the best way to approach the upcoming house move.

And yet, you will need to find the answer to one important question before anything else: how much do movers charge?

Read on to learn the average cost of hiring movers and why you must know in advance how much movers will charge you.

Why you must know the average moving cost in advance

There are several good reasons why you should know the average cost of movers in advance, way before you pick a moving company and book their services.

Reason 1: You can be financially ready to move out

The very first reason to get a good idea about how much you’re going to have to pay your movers is all about your budget. By learning how much movers charge on average, you will be able to make some rough calculations and see where you stand from a financial point of view.

In the best-case scenario, you will have enough money to cover the inevitable moving expenses and you won’t be too stressed out about it. Or maybe you’ll almost have enough money to move out, in which case you’re going to have to use proven ways to cut moving costs.

In the worst-case scenario, you won’t be anywhere near enough the approximate moving cost, in which case you may need to postpone the move until you save more money, if that’s even an option for you.

Reason 2: You will be mentally ready to pay the price

The second reason why it’s a great idea to be aware of the average moving costs before you reach out to professional moving companies near you is that you’ll also want to be mentally ready for what’s coming.

One of your goals during a possibly stressful move is to avoid unpleasant last-minute surprises when it comes to the moving price. Basically, you’ll want to know how much your movers will charge you in the end – approximately, of course – so that you can have the peace of mind that 1) you have that amount of money, and 2) you won’t get scammed in any way.

Reason 3: You will be able to pick an affordable mover

It must be hugely satisfying to work with affordable movers who offer first-class moving services.

By knowing the average cost of movers, you will be able to figure out which moving companies are affordable and which ones are not.

Ultimately, your mission is to find an affordable moving company that offers high-quality services. The good news is that it’s easier than you think: all you need to do is get free quotes from at least 3 top-rated moving companies in your area, compare those moving estimates in terms of additional services, terms and conditions, and of course – price, and then pick the bid that’s perfectly agreeable with your relocation budget.

Reason 4: You will be able to spot any attempts at moving fraud

The average cost of movers will give you a rough idea of what to expect in terms of moving company rates. Why can this information be of any use to you?

If you do happen to get a quote that is uncharacteristically low – way lower than the rest of the estimates and even below what the average moving costs are telling you, then that could be an attempt at moving fraud from a not-so-reputable mover.

The approximate moving costs will help you stay vigilant when choosing a moving company, and thus avoid any possibility of becoming a victim of a moving scam.

How to Avoid Moving Scams

How much do movers charge for a local move?

It’s important to understand that local movers and cross-country movers charge differently.

• When moving locally (within a radius of 100 miles in the same state), a local moving company will charge you by the hour.
• When moving across the country (moving to another state), then a cross-country moving company will charge you a flat fee based on various factors such as distance, shipment weight, and add-on services.

So, how much will movers charge you when you’re moving only a short distance away?

The average cost of a local move is roughly $60 per hour per mover.

And now that you know the average cost of local movers, you can do some calculations to figure out how much you’ll need to pay (roughly) when you’re moving locally. Remember that the local moving company you’ve hired will charge you based on the hours they spend working on your move.

• Studio or 1-bedroom. When you’re moving out of a studio or a 1-bedroom apartment, then 2 movers will work roughly 4 hours to protect and load up your stuff. On average, your local movers will charge you $480 for the job.
• 2-bedroom. When you’re moving out of a 2-bedroom home, then 3 movers will work roughly 6 hours to pack up and load up your things into their truck. On average, your local movers will charge you $1,080 for the job.
• 3-bedroom. When you’re moving out of a 3-bedroom home, then 4 movers will work roughly 7 hours to pack up and load up your household items into their truck. On average, your local movers will charge you $1,680 for the job.
• 4-bedroom. When you’re moving out of a 4-bedroom home, then 4 movers will work roughly 9 hours to protect and load up your things into their moving vehicle. On average, your local movers will charge you $2,160 for the job.

5 things you should know about local moving costs

Now that you’re aware of how much local movers charge on average, let’s take a look at 5 things you should know when moving only a short distance away with the help of a local moving company.

1. 

   Remember that local movers charge by the hour.

   Local moving rates can vary significantly and will not only depend on the concrete local movers, but on your precise location as well. The state and the city you’re living in right now will affect the final price when you’re moving locally. Generally speaking, local movers in big cities tend to charge more than local movers in smaller towns.

2. Local movers will charge you by the hour no matter what they have to do to get the job done. The professionals may be packing up your stuff, taking your boxes and furniture out of the home, or loading up your things into their vehicle, you’ll still be paying for the hours your move took to complete.
3. Your local movers are likely to charge you a travel fee – the time they need to reach your home from their office location. In most cases, a travel fee equals one hour of work, so you should expect to pay roughly $60 extra.
4. Your local movers may charge you extra for going up and down multiple flights of stairs, greater distance to the moving vehicle from the front door, or for handling too heavy or too large items – bulky furniture, for example.
5. Your local movers are likely to do a great job packing, loading, and transporting your belongings. And if that’s the case, then you can think about rewarding their hard work by tipping each member of the moving crew. You’re not obliged to tip movers but it’s a good idea to do it provided that you’re really happy with their service.

20 Local Moving Tips: Local Moving Checklist

How much do movers charge for a cross-country move?

Interstate movers will not charge you on an hourly basis – instead, they will quote you a price based on a number of variables such as distance, weight, and extra services.

So, how much will state-to-state movers charge you when you’re moving across the country?

If we assume that your destination home is located roughly 1,000 miles away from your current location, then we have the following average moving costs:

• Studio or 1-bedroom. When you’re moving out of a studio or a 1-bedroom apartment (total weight of items: 1,800 lbs. – 3,500 lbs.), then you can expect to pay $1,500 – $3,200 without any extra services.
• 2-bedroom. When you’re moving out of a 2-bedroom home (total weight of items: 3,500 lbs. – 5,200 lbs.), then you can expect to pay $3,500 – $5,200 without any add-on services.
• 3-bedroom. When you’re moving out of a 3-bedroom home (total weight of items: around 9,000 lbs.), then you can expect to pay $6,300 – $7,800 without any accessorial services.
• 4-bedroom. When you’re moving out of a 4-bedroom home, then you can expect to pay roughly $8,000 or more without any additional moving services.

20 Simple and Easy Ways to Reduce Moving Costs

5 things you should know about cross-country moving costs

Now that you’re aware of how much interstate movers charge on average, let’s take a look at 5 things you should know when moving long distance across the country with the help of an out-of-state moving company.

1. 

   The best way to save on your long-distance move is to pack whatever you can by yourself.

   The distance between the two homes will affect greatly how much movers charge you in the end. However, the distance factor is a constant value and there’s nothing you can really do to change it.

2. Your interstate moving company will charge you based on the total weight of the shipment. What this means is that the more things you decide to take with you to the new place, the more money you’ll need to pay your mover. Therefore, in order to reduce the moving cost, do consider moving with the minimum number of belongings possible – just don’t take stuff you don’t particularly like and you won’t need in the new home.
3. Your cross-country movers will charge you based on the number and types of extra services you request from them. For example, the most common add-on service is packing and it usually includes the cost of all packing supplies as well. What this means, in reality, is that if you manage to pack up all or most of your items by yourself, then your movers will charge you much less money for the move.
4. Your interstate movers will charge you extra if you have any specialty items that require a much better level of protection and care during the relocation in order to arrive unscathed in the new home. Such specialty household items include but are not limited to pianos, hot tubs, pool tables, heavy safes, grandfather clocks, and so on.
5. The only way to know for sure how much movers charge is to request accurate estimates from reputable, licensed, and experienced moving companies in your city or town. Use the Moving Cost Calculator below to get in touch with the best local or cross-country movers in your area.

Moving Cost Calculator

The post How Much Do Movers Charge? appeared first on The Moving Blog.

How much does it cost to hire movers?

You are about to move to another home but you don’t really know what to expect in terms of pricing?

This can be really frustrating because when you are unsure about the cost to hire professional movers, you won’t be able to set up your moving budget accordingly.

Even worse, you don’t even know if the money you have saved up will be sufficient to cover the inevitable moving expenses.

There are just too many unanswered questions in your head that won’t let you focus on the myriad of moving tasks ahead of you.

How much does it cost to hire movers?

What is cheap and what is expensive?

You do need a good comparison base in order to know what your viable options are when seeking professional moving assistance. Moving companies provide free moving quotes, but what does the final amount tell you?

How much do movers charge?

Your house move falls into one of the two main pricing categories – Local Movers or Interstate Movers.

Read on to learn the estimated cost to hire movers so that you are better prepared for the financial aspect of your upcoming residential move.

Understand how the moving price is formed and you’ll be able to save big on your move.

How much does it cost to hire movers for a local move?

Local movers charge by the hour – this is the very first thing you need to remember when you’re moving locally.

But what does that mean for you and your budget? It means that the price estimate you receive from local moving companies should be based on an hourly cost and estimated hours to complete the move.

The average cost to hire movers for a local move is $60 per hour per mover but the precise hourly charge will depend on your exact location in the country, the season and day of the month you’re moving home, and the local moving company you’ve decided to use.

• 2 men and a truck. For hiring 2 men and a moving truck, you should expect to be charged from $90 per hour to $120 per hour. As mentioned above, the exact date of your move will have a considerable influence over the professional local movers’ rates. Move-out dates at the beginning and end of the month, especially during the summer, are more expensive.
• Studio apartment. How much does it cost to hire movers locally? Moving out of a studio apartment should take 2 movers about 4-5 hours to complete the job, which means it’ll cost you approximately $480 – $600 on average without extra services.
• 1-bedroom. When moving out of a 1-bedroom apartment, local movers should charge you about $480 – $600 on average for the work of 2 professional movers for the duration of 4-5 hours.
• 2-bedroom. When moving out of a 2-bedroom home, you should be ready to shell out more money. Let’s assume that 3 movers work for 5-6 hours to pack up and load your household items. Then, you should be ready to pay roughly $900 – $1,080 for the job, with no extra services included.
• 3-bedroom. When moving out of a 3-bedroom home and moving locally, you should expect to be charged around $1,680 – $2,160 for the work of 4 professional movers for 7-8 hours.

NOTE: Bear in mind that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, actual moving prices may be higher than the average moving costs mentioned above.

Sometimes local movers charge additional fees and you should ask in advance about those charges to make sure the estimate you get is as close to the final movers’ cost as possible. An example of such an extra charge is the travel fee – the time the movers require to get to your location and back to their base of operation. That fee is often charged as 1 additional hour of labor.

Most local movers will ask for a deposit when scheduling the move so that they can reserve the date for you. Contact your local moving company to learn more about their deposit policy.

Keep in mind that it’s important to know in advance how much local movers charge. Click here to get a free moving cost estimate by professional local movers.

How much does it cost to hire movers for a cross-country move?

Trying to calculate the long-distance moving cost on your own won’t really work.

As already mentioned above, the cost to hire movers in town and the cost to hire movers out of state will be rather different. And because of the numerous price factors that influence a house move across the country, it’s virtually impossible to calculate on your own the cost to hire movers for an interstate move.

Therefore, you will have to request cost estimates from various cross-country movers and get the company representatives to visit your home so that they can provide you with accurate moving quotes that will reflect the amount you will pay after your household items are delivered to the new home.

Nevertheless, for referential purposes, it can be useful to get familiar with the average moving costs of moving long distance. Do yourself a favor and ask reputable cross-country moving companies for in-house surveys, followed by the issuance of precise quotes.

So, how much does it cost to hire cross-country movers?

• Studio apartment. When moving out of a studio apartment, you should expect to pay an average of $1,500 – $3,200 with no extra services. In this case, the interstate moving cost is calculated for a move distance of 1,000 miles and an approximate weight of household goods of 1,800 lbs.
• 1-bedroom. When moving out of a 1-bedroom apartment, you should expect to be charged around $1,500 – $3,200 with no extra services. In this instance, the interstate moving cost is calculated for a move distance of 1,000 miles and an approximate weight of household goods of 2,200-3,200 lbs.
• 2-bedroom. When moving out of a 2-bedroom home, expect to be charged around $3,500 – $5,200 without any extra services. In this house moving case, the interstate moving cost is calculated for a move distance of 1,000 miles and an approximate weight of household goods of 5,000-6,000 lbs.
• 3-bedroom. When moving out of a 3-bedroom home, you should be ready to pay $6,300 – $7,800 without any extra moving services. In this case, the interstate moving cost is calculated for a move distance of 1,000 miles and an approximate weight of household goods of 9,000 lbs.

NOTE: Keep in mind that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, actual moving prices may be higher than the average moving costs mentioned above.

Use the moving cost estimator at the top of the page to get accurate price quotes from top-rated cross-country movers.

Should you happen to receive a moving quote for an amount that’s A LOT less than those average moving costs, you could be dealing with rogue movers who have deliberately lowered the costs just to secure your move. Beware of moving scams – click on the link below to learn how to protect your move by recognizing fraudulent techniques used by dishonest moving companies.

How to Avoid Moving Scams

What are the price factors when moving across the country?

If you’re moving to another state, be it a neighboring one, then you’re about to complete an interstate household move. And, because of that, the first thing you should know is that the price of your cross-country move will be calculated rather differently than moving locally – it’s all about the price factors and how they will influence that final moving bill.

And more importantly – why should you care? Well, the good news is that once you’re familiar with how your interstate moving cost is formed through the interconnection of the various long-distance price factors, then you will be able to find and use good cost-saving techniques to your advantage.

• 

  Moving across the country is no joke, and neither is the price.

  Home size + shipment weight. Generally speaking, the larger your home is, the more items it will hold, and therefore – the heavier the shipment will become. In contrast to the local movers price /calculated on an hour basis/, the cost of all interstate moves /state-to state-moves/ are determined by the weight of the items to be shipped.

• Special items. The general cost to hire movers will suddenly go up if you own an upright piano, for example, and you decide to take it with you to the new home. The same is true for other types of specialty items as well – a pool table, a hot tub, a big metal safe, antique furniture, and so on. Make sure you show your moving company everything that you plan to move to the new house or apartment.
• Extra services. In order to have your price calculated with a higher degree of accuracy, you will need to inform beforehand your cross-country mover whether you will require any additional moving services – packing, unpacking, temporary storage, disassembly and reassembly of furniture, custom crating for extremely valuable items, and so on. Only then will your long-distance moving company be able to give you an accurate price estimate. And only then will you have the peace of mind that you won’t run into any bad surprises when it’s time to pay the moving company at the end of the move itself.
• Move distance. Of course, the actual distance between the two homes will affect the cross-country moving cost. However, that factor is not something you should really worry about because you don’t have any direct control over it.

Extra Moving Services Explained

How much does it cost to hire movers? The extra charges

As you can see from the example moving company costs above, this question can have very different answers depending on your move parameters such as location, type of move (local or interstate), and the professional moving company itself.

Here are some additional and often unexpected fees and charges that come into play when calculating the average cost to hire movers:

• 

  Expect to be charged extra if the professional movers are unable to use an elevator on moving day.

  Charges for handling bulky items – this category includes pianos, organs, canoes, and other items with either extraordinary dimensions that take a lot of space or very heavy items that weigh more than most items for the same volume. Some companies have a flat fee for moving pianos and organs. It is very important that the company knows about these items in advance as the movers may be unable to move them if they come unprepared on moving day.

• Long carry fee usually applies due to the impossibility to park near the door to your building or because the walking distance from your apartment to the moving truck is very long. Having too much distance will prolong the move significantly and movers may charge you more. If possible, try to reserve a parking spot or arrange a parking permit to reserve the best parking spot prior to the move.
• Cancellation fee might be charged if you cancel your move after having booked it already. Sometimes that could apply also when you want to change the moving date and the mover cannot accommodate you on that new date. This fee is usually equal to or less than the deposit amount you have with your mover to book the date.
• Storage fee usually applies when you request delayed delivery of your items. In such cases, moving companies will have to store your belongings for a specific period of time. Depending on the moving company, this fee could be a significant charge.

There are also some uncommon charges that you should be aware of. The best practice would be to ask your moving company about them and try to negotiate better terms in advance.

• Express delivery charge or Exact delivery date charge – this usually applies when you want a fast delivery with a state-to-state move or when you request an exact delivery date for your cross-country move.
• Disposal fee (environmental charge) usually applies when you request unpacking of your belongings and the moving company will have to dispose of the used moving boxes and additional packing materials left from the relocation.
• Extra stop charge usually occurs with local moves, when you pick up or drop off furniture from multiple locations. This will cause the movers to drive additional distances and spend more time.

This is why you are strongly advised to get estimates from multiple moving companies as every company has its own set of parameters when estimating the move cost. Also, negotiating a discount in advance is another option worth exploring.

How to bring down the moving price: Top 3 cost-saving methods

As you can see from the average moving costs mentioned above, moving house is an expensive affair.

The good news is that you can use proven cost-saving techniques to cut moving costs. In fact, not only can you do it, but you should definitely do everything in your power to reduce the final moving price – after all, why pay more when you can pay less?

As soon as you learn how much your movers will charge you, you should use these top 3 methods to save money on your move:

1. Pare down your possessions

Move ONLY the household items you do intend to use in the future (practical stuff) and the things that you love (sentimental stuff). By moving fewer items with you, you’ll pay less money in the end simply because the interstate moving cost is calculated on the basis of your shipment weight.

Don’t hesitate to get rid of all unwanted items by giving them away to friends, donating them to charitable organizations, selling them online or at a moving sale, or throwing them away for proper recycling.

Remember: the less stuff you’re hauling, the more money you’ll be able to save.

How to Get Rid of Stuff When Moving

2. Pack up your things by yourself

Pack up your things by yourself to save money.

Requesting the extra service of packing from your full-service moving company will cost you additional money – anywhere from around $300-$450 for packing a 1-bedroom apartment to $600-$750 for packing a 3-bedroom home. And those packing costs don’t usually include the price of the packing materials.

Therefore, one excellent way to cut moving costs is to make an effort to pack up whatever you can by yourself. Provided that you have enough time until Moving day, you should be able to safely wrap up and box most of your possessions.

Leave any specialty items to professional packers to minimize the risk of damage or personal injuries.

Packing Checklist: Packing Timeline For Moving

3. Negotiate a better deal with your movers

One unusual way to pay less for your move is to try to negotiate a lower price with your moving company.

The thing to remember here is that moving company prices are not set in stone and there’s nothing to lose and only to gain if you choose to put your negotiating skills to good use.

Ask your movers about any ongoing promotions, deals, or discounts that you can take advantage of. Also, claiming that a competitor of theirs has offered you a better deal may work in your favor and convince your moving company to revise their estimate in order to secure your job.

20 Simple and Easy Ways to Reduce Moving Costs

The post How Much Does It Cost to Hire Movers? appeared first on The Moving Blog.

Usually, it’s the lack of a good plan that can make things even more complicated than they need to be in the first place. The uncertainty of what to do next, combined with move-related inexperience, are usually the major reasons for people to feel really stressed out and possibly to make costly mistakes down the road.

If you happen to be moving soon, underestimation can be your greatest enemy – thinking that you can manage the move on your own until you finally realize that that particular task is way over your head.

Ultimately, you may also realize that you’ve wasted valuable time reassuring yourself that you’ve got the situation under control. And now, for a change, it’ll cost you twice the efforts to make up for the lost hours, days, or possibly even weeks.

You need to find the best movers near you, and you need to find them right now. The success of your move is now dependent on how fast you manage to secure a top-rated and affordable moving company to help you transport all your household items to another home.

Do you really need to hire the best local movers near you?

If you’re hesitant whether you need to hire professional moving services near you, then the following brief checklist will help you decide what’s best for you, your family, and your prized possessions.

• Are you moving to another city in the same state? If yes, then pay attention to the move distance – when it exceeds 100 miles, you will most likely need professional movers.
• Are you moving to another state? If yes, then you’d be better off hiring an interstate moving company with years of experience and a solid reputation.
• Are you moving coast to coast? If yes, then you will definitely need to contact an experienced coast-to-coast mover.
• Do you own expensive and valuable household items such as antique furniture? If yes, then nobody will take better care of your high-value items than a team of well-trained packers and movers.
• Is your home full of specialty items such as a piano or a pool table? If yes, then, instead of endangering your health and damaging your property with a risky self-move, you should be asking yourself, Are there specialty piano movers near me? And what about pool table movers near me?
• Does it seem unlikely that your friends will help you move? If yes, then it seems like you’re out of good options because no residential move is meant to be a one-man affair.
• Is this the very first time you’re moving house? If yes, then you’d better do the sensible thing and have professional movers near you do what they do best. It’s good to know that insufficient moving experience on your part could ruin your chances of having a smooth and stress-free relocation during a transitional period where elevated levels of stress are definitely not welcome.

Hire Movers or Move by Yourself?

How to find the best movers near you

Finding top-rated yet affordable movers in the big city is easier than ever – you just need to know where to start.

One thing is certain – there are great furniture movers near your location but before you can take advantage of their excellent services, you will have to find who those professionals are.

Some moving companies are good, others are much better, and then come the top-rated moving companies that continuously do an outstanding job for their valued customers.

Regrettably, there are also some not-so-great movers in the mix – moving companies that often use dishonest methods to secure moving jobs and can go as far as cheating their potential clients. The worst of them, also known as rogue movers, could definitely turn a household move into a nightmare.

Step 1. Get recommendations you can trust

Without a doubt, one of the best ways to secure top-rated moving companies near you is to get recommendations about great movers from people you can actually trust.

Don’t hesitate to ask friends, neighbors, and colleagues if any of them has used a good moving company lately. The reason this method of finding the best movers in your area works well is that your friends won’t gain anything from lying to you or deceiving you in any way.

In fact, you will soon find out that when it comes to professional moving services, your pals can be brutally honest and will urge you to stay away from a bad mover they’ve used or recommend strongly a moving company they’ve worked with recently.

But how do you get the movers’ recommendations you so desperately need? It’s simple: use your preferred social network and ask your friends there is they can honestly recommend a good mover to you.

Bear in mind that this initial step of gathering valuable information will present you with more house moving options and can actually help you locate the best local movers near you who will work just fine for you.

Step 2. Have your moving price estimated

Going with recommended movers is always the easiest way to secure top-rated moving services. However, if none of your pals can come up with a good moving company in the area, then you’re going to have to find one yourself.

The first step is to get cost estimates from various top-rated movers near you. This is a crucial stage because you do need to know how much local movers in your area will charge you for the upcoming house move. But how exactly are you supposed to get in touch with such reputable moving companies?

It’s easier than you think – simply use our Moving Cost Calculator to get the best-rated movers near you to contact you for moving cost estimation. That’s right – you need to have accurate price estimates in front of you so that the house moving picture can get a bit clearer.

Step 3. Request home surveys from movers

Remember to request a home survey from top-rated movers near you for accurate cost calculation.

Before you can compare the estimates you have received from the top-rated moving companies near you, you need to have those quotes in your hands first, right?

To get accurate quotes that will best reflect what you pay in the end, request that the moving experts visit your home in person in order to assess the situation and quote you an accurate price. Under normal circumstances, you shouldn’t agree to online estimates or estimates done over the phone because their accuracy is highly questionable.

The moving company representatives will be able to take a closer look at all the things you want to move to the new home. Also, they will look for any possible moving day obstacles and difficulties such as tight corners, narrow corridors, small doorways, or multiple flights of stairs.

Once the home survey is over, you should have your binding estimates with all the details you need to make an informed decision.

Step 4. Compare movers’ reputation

In most cases, you will end up with 2-3 moving cost estimates supplied to you by the best-rated movers near you. Now your priority task is to pick the offer that’s best for you and your family in terms of price and conditions. How do you do it?

Compare the movers who have visited your home in person and have issued you with binding cost estimates. Check out what genuine customer reviews have to say about the best movers in your area. Access trustworthy websites such as MyMovingReviews.com and Yelp.com to read consumer reviews and compare the overall ratings of local or interstate movers.

Online reputation is built up by satisfied or dissatisfied customers so it should, in most cases, be a good indicator of what you are to expect if you choose one specific mover over another one.

Read on to learn other must-do ways to compare movers so that you pick the best moving company for you.

5 Foolproof Ways to Compare Moving Companies

How to analyze and compare movers near you

You have successfully connected with the best furniture movers in your area but now comes the bit trickier part – which of the few moving companies to select as your partner.

You should always try to pay as little as possible for your move so that the low-cost bids supplied to you by the cheapest movers near you will inevitably look more attractive. However, be warned that you shouldn’t base your choice on the price alone as there are other factors that might hurt your budget unexpectedly.

Your mission is to analyze and compare the moving quotes you have now in your hands.

Step 1. Check their legal status

If you don’t have any special recommendations or references concerning any of the movers you are now reviewing, then it’s time to learn more about them by doing a little research.

Visit the official page of the regulatory body of all interstate moving companies (U.S. Department of Transportation) and check the movers’ legal status there. They must be properly licensed to operate by the Department of Transportation (their USDOT number is the proof for that) and must be adequately insured as well.

Step 2. Read customer reviews

As mentioned above, taking the time to read customer reviews about the movers you’re thinking about hiring will give you a general idea of what their online reputation is.

In addition to checking trustworthy moving reviews websites such as MyMovingReviews and Yelp, you are advised to also take a look at the movers’ BBB ratings. Good ratings from the Better Business Bureau will give you extra peace of mind that you are leaving your possessions in abled hands.

Step 3. Compare the quotes

You get an A+ for doing your homework right.

Provided that the residential moving companies near you have passed the background check with flying colors, it’s time for you to concentrate on the actual written estimates you got.

The things to be cautious about are exactly what moving services you will receive and what their respective rates will be. For example, packing is the extra service that will make a huge difference in the end, including the potential price of the required packing materials. Do take your time to compare the quotes and refrain from making hasty decisions based purely on intuition.

Again, don’t just look at the bottom price alone but take into account every aspect of the relocation offer. In other words, see what exactly you are getting in exchange for your hard-earned money. Are there any add-on services included, and if yes, what are they?

Protect Your Move: Smart Ways To Avoid Moving Scams

Step 4. Follow the crystal clear approach

The final step before you say YES to an offer made by a house mover near you is to double-check if you understand everything that is laid out in the binding estimates.

If you happen to come across something that you’re not sure you comprehend, then don’t hesitate to contact the corresponding company and ask for clarification. It can be anything – from a vague clause to fine print that is too fine to read. How could you entrust all your valuable items to a moving company if you don’t even understand completely their relocation offer?

Once you’re 100% sure that you have managed to find the best moving company near you (thanks to the moving tips above, of course), it’s time to hire their services. This is actually the sweetest moment of your house move because you just know how much work, effort, and headaches the pros will save you during the relocation process. And besides, it feels great to know you’ve done your homework right and things will be just fine.

Additional Moving Services: What You Must Know

Step 5. Book the movers ASAP

Choosing the best-rated movers near you should guarantee you a problem-free move from start to finish. If you opt to pay for the professional packing service offered by a full-service mover as well, then you won’t need to lift a finger at all as the pros will take care of everything for you.

One thing you may not realize, however, is that the moment you pick a great moving company near you, you should book their services right away for a number of reasons:

• The sooner you book a top-rated mover, the higher your chances are of securing their quality services. This is especially true during the height of the moving season (May-September);
• Your movers may give you a discount from the price for early booking which is always a welcoming bonus, particularly when you’re moving on a tight budget;
• The sooner you book top-rated professional moving services, the sooner you will be able to check that essential task as marked, thus concentrating on other equally important pre-move tasks.

Good luck with your move!

Guide to Moving to Another State: Checklist and Tips

The post How to Find the Best Movers Near You appeared first on The Moving Blog.

Most people are well familiar that moving house is an expensive affair – one that usually ends up being costlier than what the initial calculations showed. And whenever hard-earned money is put on the line, then all efforts should be invested in lowering the moving costs – as low as they can go.

Speaking of cost-reduction techniques when moving home, finding cheap local movers or hiring cheap cross-country movers is the best option you have to move to another home for less money.

That’s right, cheap moving companies do exist – cheap as in affordable, of course, not as in low-quality, and your ultimate mission is to locate, research, and hire the services of such a low-cost yet reliable moving company.

The 10 simple steps below will show you how to find cheap movers around you – inexpensive moving companies that will move your belongings to a new home for a price you can actually afford.

1. Start your hunt for cheap movers ASAP

The idea, of course, is to get in touch with cheap and quality movers that will offer the services you need at a reasonable price. And, as you can imagine, such moving companies will be in great demand even before the official start of the moving season. And while that’s perfectly understandable and highly logical, it does bring forward the sense of urgency in finding cheap state-to-state movers before they get booked out.

You need to act quickly here – as soon as your house move has been confirmed, time becomes a precious commodity you should definitely use to your advantage. The sooner you get down to looking for cheap movers, the better your chances will be of hiring a perfectly affordable full-service moving company.

The ideal head-start is a few months before the actual move-out date but you should be fine with less time as long as you follow the steps below.

It’s simple, really – more time will give you more choices when it comes to choosing a professional moving company, and you will have more flexibility when it comes to selecting and sticking to a move-out date that’s most convenient for you. More importantly, though, you may be able to get a price discount for early booking – exactly the thing you’re after, right?

2. Ask around for reliable recommendations

One of the major issues when looking for cheap local moving companies is that you just don’t know which one will be both affordable and reliable. Each moving company pledges that their services are the best and their prices are the lowest ones out there – something that is clearly impossible.

Which moving company should you trust with your prized possessions? If only someone could point you in the right direction…

Ask around your circle of friends, co-workers, and neighbors if they know of a good mover with reasonable moving rates. In fact, there’s a good chance that someone you know may have moved house recently – take that opportunity to explore your cheap moving options even further. Request more information about the name of the company they used and what their overall impression and experience were like. The two things that interest you the most are affordability and quality of service.

The best way to find cheap furniture movers is through personal recommendations from people you can trust because they’ve been there and done that. Besides, your friends won’t try to trick you into hiring an overly expensive moving company in the first place. Would you recommend a bad or pricey mover to your pals? Of course not.

Unfortunately, finding cheap movers and packers through personal recommendation won’t always work so you’ll have to rely on other proven methods of securing a low-cost relocation partner as well. The next best thing?

How to Find the Best Movers Near You

3. Request in-home price estimates

In-home surveys by professional moving companies are more important than you think.

Ask several moving companies for price calculation and compare the received offers to choose the one that will agree with your tight budget. It all sounds easy enough but the price estimation process does have its specifics.

Whenever possible, avoid trusting price estimates received over the phone or via e-mail as they can never be as accurate as you need them to be. Instead, request in-home surveys from several top-rated movers – the scenarios where moving experts come to your home personally and take a closer look at everything you want to have it packed and moved to the new location.

Furthermore, the company representatives will take a good look at any potentially difficult situations or dangers (long flight of stairs, lack of an elevator, tight corridors or corners, specialty items that require extra packing or transportation care, etc.) so that there are no unpleasant surprises come Moving day.

Keep in mind that asking for in-house price estimates is the guarantee that the moving price you get quoted won’t drastically change later on when your household items get loaded into the moving vehicle.

CLICK HERE to request in-house surveys from top-rated movers near you.

4. Compare the various moving estimates

The moment of truth has arrived: once you’ve received several price quotes from various friend-recommended or customer-rated moving companies, it’s time to compare their offers in order to pick the winning bid.

Naturally, your first impulse will be to look at the bottom line where the final price should be stated. And that’s okay – after all, you’re trying to move house by spending as little money as possible. The price on the moving estimates should not be the only thing you pay attention to.

Finding the cheapest moving company near you comes down to completing an effective comparison analysis among the received cost estimates. Pay special attention to the additional services and their corresponding rates – any extra service that is required to get the job done – from packing, unpacking, temporary storage, and furniture disassembly to more specialized ones such as crating, hoisting, or shuttle services.

Either way, speak with your potential house moving partners if you fail to understand any of the conditions or how the prices on their quotes have been calculated.

5. Know the average moving costs

Of course, your ultimate goal should be to find the cheapest movers in your area. However, how do you what’s cheap and what’s expensive if you’re not familiar with the average moving cost – the average cost that movers charge for the job.

How much do local movers cost?

Local moving companies charge by the hour. Thus said, the average cost to hire local movers is $50 per mover per hour. However, the exact hourly rate will depend on the local moving company itself, the season and day of the month in which you’re moving, and your location in the country.

• Hiring 2 men and a truck for a local move should cost you between $90 and $120 per hour.
• Moving out of a studio apartment should cost you roughly $300-$4
• Moving out of a 1-bed apartment will be approximately $400-$500.
• Moving out of a 2-bedroom home should cost you $750-$900 on average.
• Moving out of a 3-bedroom home should cost around $1,400-$1,600.

The above average moving costs do not include the price of extra services.

How much do long-distance movers cost?

Cross-country movers charge a flat fee based on the weight of the items to be moved, the distance between the two locations, and the extra services required for the job. There are also a number of extra charges that can inflate the final bill.

On average, you should expect to pay the following approximate costs when moving across the country:

• Moving out of a studio apartment should cost around $1,000.
• Moving out of a 1-bedroom apartment should cost you approximately $1,400-$2,100.
• Moving out of a 2-bedroom home should cost roughly $3,400-$4,100.
• Moving out of a 3-bedroom home should cost about $6,200.

The above average moving costs are calculated for a move distance of 1,000 miles and do not include the price of extra services.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire Movers?

6. Watch out for low-ball estimates

You wish you had researched your movers more thoroughly, right?

Looking for the cheapest movers near you could get you into trouble if you’re not careful enough.

Here’s the thing: if you happen to get a quote that is way lower than the rest, then you must be extra cautious as it may be a fraudulent one. There are some dishonest movers out there (aka rogue movers) that would love to scam people out of their money. However, you would never let this happen simply because you’ve already been warned in advance.

Low-ball estimates are price quotes that are uncharacteristically low and have that too-good-to-be-true feel to them. Rogue movers use such fraudulent estimates to lure unaware customers and then increase the price drastically after they’ve loaded up their stuff into the moving truck.

Don’t get lured by cheap promises. Instead, try to figure out why the quoted price is so low, and if you fail to do so, then contact the respective moving company for extra information and clarification. If you don’t get a satisfactory answer (in most cases you won’t), then simply reject the offer and move on to an honest moving company that offers affordable moving rates.

How to Avoid Moving Scams

7. Check the legal status of the movers

The steps above show you how to find cheap movers – or more specifically, an affordable moving company that will take care of your upcoming household move in style.

And yet, before you are ready to pick up the winning bid, you’re strongly advised to do your homework to save yourself from potential trouble. That homework, of course, is to research the candidate companies a bit more to make sure they are 100% licensed, insured, and reputable.

How do you check if you’re dealing with some of the best residential movers near you?

• U.S. Department of Transportation. Interstate movers must be licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to operate legally within the country. Each qualified moving company possesses a special USDOT number issued by the Department as proof that they are licensed and insured. Visit the Department’s website to check the licensing information of the affordable moving companies you’ve shortlisted.
• American Trucking Association. Visit the ATA’s website to check if the movers under consideration are proud members of the most prestigious association in the moving and storage industry. If they are (usually marked as ProMovers), then you can rest assured that your household things will be in good hands.
• Movers’ Websites. Finally, visit the movers’ websites to make sure everything looks okay. They should have their USDOT numbers (for interstate movers) or MC numbers (for intrastate movers) visible on their Internet pages too.

How to Choose a Long-Distance Mover

8. Read genuine customer reviews

If none of your friends and colleagues at work can recommend an inexpensive moving company that offers high-quality moving services, then your best bet is to access customer reviews and read what other people had to say about the movers they had hired to move their belongings from Point A to Point B.

Moving reviews usually come in the form of overall performance ratings left by customers, plus a concise narrative of what the pros did right and what they did wrong. The idea behind consulting the online reputation of professional movers is that hiring a reputable moving company will keep you away from possible scam scenarios where a dishonest mover will offer a very low price to lure unaware customers and then will increase that same price drastically after the household items are in their possession.

Remember that while you’re searching for cheap moving services, you still want the professionals to do a good job from start to finish. Ideally, browsing through moving reviews will help you find the balance between affordability and the high quality of the moving services offered.

Start your hunt for cheap interstate movers by visiting three of the best moving reviews websites: MyMovingReviews, Yelp, and Better Business Bureau.

9. Try out your negotiation skills

When moving on a tight budget, every single penny counts.

The penultimate step to finding cheap long-distance movers, or cheap local movers if you’re only moving short distance, is to try to negotiate a better price with your candidate moving companies.

Most of the time, the moving company prices are negotiable as the final cost itself will depend on a number of important factors – variables such as the total weight of the shipment, the requested or required moving services and, of course – the selected moving company itself.

Speak with the movers to see if you’re eligible for any price discounts – a first-time customer, a student, a returning customer, early booking, ongoing promotions. Do a quick Internet search to see if you can find any discount coupons related to the moving company you intend to hire, and if you do find such coupons, use them.

If a moving estimate is a bit over what you can afford, then it’s worth contacting that respective mover and informing them you do want to use their services if they are willing to bring down the quoted price just a notch or two. Bluffing that you’ve been offered a better deal by their competitors is another strategic move that might just work fine for you.

12 Super-Important Questions to Ask Your Movers

10. See the big picture

It’s important to understand that hiring cheap movers is only one way to save money when moving to a new home. Yes, it’s one of the most effective ones but you should also combine the cost-saving technique of using an affordable moving company with other money-saving methods to really bring down the moving cost.

In addition to finding and hiring a cheap moving company, here’s what else you should do to keep your moving expenses to a minimum:

• OPTIMIZE the number of the household items you’re moving to the new home;
• GET free moving boxes from friends or local businesses to lower your packing expenses;
• USE free packing materials and alternative packing supplies to bring down the final moving cost even more;
• PACK UP your things by yourself and maybe a few good friends of yours to save the money you’d otherwise give to professional packers.

Finding really cheap movers with a good reputation and quality services is not an easy task. Hopefully, the steps above will help you do just that… and keep more of your money in the right place – your bank account.

13 Ways to Save Money When Moving

The post How to Find Cheap Movers in 10 Simple Steps appeared first on The Moving Blog.

In the very beginning, you’ll be worried about how to find the best movers in your area – reputable, licensed, insured, experienced, and of course – affordable.

A bit later, you’ll be anxious about the packing task – where to start packing, how to best protect your fragile items, where to find good packing supplies, and naturally – whether or not you’ll manage to finish packing up your home on time.

Much later, your worries will most likely shift to the eternal dilemma of how much to tip movers. Of course, before you even get to that point, you’ll have to know for sure if you should tip your movers at all.

Tipping movers is a tricky matter – you don’t wish to look stingy or ungrateful but you’re not crazy about over-tipping your hired men, especially when you consider how expensive moving is.

So, should you tip your movers at all? And if yes, how much to tip movers?

Read on to learn the answers to these important questions so that you don’t have to go through the awkward situation of not knowing what to do when your hired workers finish up their job.

Should you tip movers?

The most important thing to understand about tipping movers is that you are under no obligation whatsoever to do it. In other words, you don’t have to do it if you don’t wish to.

But it’s never that simple, is it?

Moving companies happen to fall into the service industry, and therefore tipping serves as a fair indicator of good service. Look at it this way: when you’re happy with a service provider, your initial reaction is to reward the person who’s provided that satisfactory service. Think of waiters and waitresses at bars and restaurants, or think of cab drivers or the electricians and plumbers you occasionally call to your home. You’ve tipped those service providers before, haven’t you?

Tipping your movers is a classy way of showing your personal gratitude for a job well done. What that means is that you should only tip movers when you’re really satisfied with their work, attitude, and professionalism. To put it simpler, you should tip your movers because they really deserve the praise and not because you are supposed to do it.

So, should you tip your movers? The straightforward answer is YES… unless they did a crummy job packing, moving, loading, and transporting your prized possessions OR they were rude, unfriendly, and even disrespectful with you or a family member.

Tipping movers: How to know for sure

The fact that you realize that you don’t have to tip your movers doesn’t make it any easier to help you decide whether you should do it or not. Maybe a bit easier but that’s it. You still need to figure out if your movers deserve to be tipped, and if yes, then how much you should tip them.

Read on to learn the proper amount to tip movers. Now, let’s focus on how to know for sure whether or not you should reward your movers for their work.

Ask yourself the following questions and by the time you answer all of them, you should know beyond any doubt how to best handle the situation that oftentimes proves to be too awkward for tip givers.

• 

  Observe your movers while they work and you’ll know right away whether you should tip them or not.

  Did the professional movers arrive on time? Or were they really late and never cared to apologize for the delay? Let’s assume your movers did not mix up the scheduled move-out day.

• Did your movers act in a truly professional manner ever since they arrived in your home? Or were they a bunch of random guys not really knowing what or how to do it?
• Were the movers nice, friendly, and respectful from the very start? Or were they rude, unsociable, and even disrespectful?
• Did the professionals treat your valuable possessions with care? Or did the packers just shove your things into random cardboard boxes?
  In fact, when you’re not sure if you should tip your movers or not, all you have to do is watch them work for a while and you’ll know it right away.
• Did your movers take the necessary precautionary steps to prevent property damage?
• Did the movers bring the necessary moving equipment to get the job done quickly and safely? As you probably know, a moving dolly is a mover’s best friend.
• Did the hired professionals work hard? Or were they using every presented opportunity to waste time, thus prolonging the work hours on purpose? When you’re getting charged by the hour, such shameful tactics by your local movers will definitely earn them NO TIPS, period.
• Did the movers just leave the freshly-delivered boxes randomly throughout the new house, with many KITCHEN-labeled boxes inside the bedroom?

Remember that it’s not rude not to tip movers. After all, tipping is a way to show your gratitude for a job well done, so if you’re really not satisfied with the provided service, then you really shouldn’t tip your movers at all.

On the other hand, high-quality services must always be rewarded and encouraged, so you should seriously consider tipping movers in case you’re happy with both their work and attitude.

Read on to learn how much you should tip your moving crew.

What to Look for in a Moving Company

How much to tip local movers?

As you know, cross-country movers charge their customers a flat rate while local moving companies charge on an hourly basis. Nevertheless, the tipping formulas for both types of residential moves will be calculated similarly.

First, let’s take a look at how much to tip movers when you’re moving locally.

• Bad job. If your local movers did an awful job that left you pretty disappointed, dissatisfied, and even angered, then don’t even think about tipping your moving crew. Instead, you should be thinking about complaining to the moving company at once.
• Satisfactory job. If your movers did an OK job, not great in any way but not bad either, then you should consider tipping them around $5 an hour per mover.
  Let’s do the math: if the move is done in 4 hours, then you should tip each worker roughly $20. If the local move is finished in 8 hours, then $40 per mover is believed to be a decent tip for local movers.
• Great job. If your local movers did a great job that was beyond your expectations, then you may think about rewarding their efforts by giving each mover around $7 per hour.
  Let’s do the math again: if the move is over in 4 hours, then you should tip each worker roughly $30. If the local move is finished in 8 hours, then $50 per mover is believed to be an appropriate tip for local movers.

Keep in mind that the above tipping amounts are only approximated, so feel free to tip your movers less or much more if you wish to do so and can afford it.

How much to tip long distance movers?

As a rule, it’s much more expensive to move across the country due to the greater distances, and that’s exactly why you should NOT base potential tips for long distance movers on a percentage of the final bill.

Don’t forget to prepare tipping money in advance.

When tipping long distance movers, the first thing you need to understand is that there may be two moving crews that will handle your interstate move: one moving crew to pack and load your items from your current location and another moving crew to unload and maybe even unpack your stuff at the destination.

Make sure you know beforehand how many moving crews will handle your move – one or two. Get that important piece of information by calling up your moving company. In the case of two moving crews, you may need to tip the movers on both ends of the move.

So, how much to tip movers when moving long distance?

• Bad job. If your cross-country movers did a horrible job, don’t bother tipping your movers at all. Instead, consider lodging an official complaint with the interstate moving company, explaining in detail exactly what it is that the movers did wrong and asking them for some sort of compensation, if applicable.
• Satisfactory job. If your interstate movers did an OK job, not outstanding in any way but not too bad either, then you should consider tipping each mover approximately $40.
• Great job. If your long distance movers did a great job that was beyond your expectations, then you can reward their dedication by giving each mover roughly $50, or even $60.

Needless to say, you can choose to be more generous with your tips if you feel like your movers did their job exceptionally well and definitely deserve all the praise you can afford to give them.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire Movers?

What you must know before you tip your movers

Now that you know much you should tip movers (approximately, of course), let’s turn your attention to a few very important things you should be aware of before you decide to give those tips. The idea here is to save you any awkward situations and to ensure that all parties involved in the house move end up satisfied, with no hard feelings of any kind.

Use your best judgment

Not knowing whether you should tip your movers or not can cause you to worry a bit but having no clear idea of how much to tip movers can be even more stressful than you think.

The tipping amounts mentioned above should only serve as a reference. In reality, you should feel free to tip your moving crew less or more depending on the quality of their services.

The best advice on how much to tip movers is to use your best judgment. There’s no right or wrong tipping amount here, just give your hired workers what you believe to be fair.

Tip each mover individually

The foreman – who often happens to be the truck driver himself – is in charge of the moving team. So, if you’ve got any problems, the foreman is the person you should talk to in order to find a good solution.

When it’s time to give out the tips – that’s usually when the job has been completed – do NOT give the lump sum to the foreman, assuming that he or she will distribute the money evenly and fairly to the team members. You don’t really know the person in charge, so you should not make the mistake of trusting them too much – they may or may not do what’s right.

Instead, the best way to tip movers is to tip each mover individually, thus rewarding their specific contribution to the successful house move. By following this tipping etiquette for movers, you’ll rest assured that the considerable effort of each individual mover will get appreciated.

Leave a positive moving review

Tips are always appreciated. And so are positive moving reviews.

By far, handing out cash to your hired men is the best way to thank them for their hard work. However, you can choose to add a bonus to their tips by leaving them a positive customer review at reputable moving reviews websites.

The best way to do just that is to ask the names of the guys who have worked really hard (maybe all of them?), and to mention those movers by name in your moving review.

You can be sure that such gestures won’t go unnoticed. A genuine moving review will not only help those hard-working movers keep their jobs in the future, but your honest account of what they did right may prompt the moving company they work for to give them bonuses or raise their wages.

Click here to leave a moving review about your movers.

The post How Much to Tip Movers? Tipping Movers Guide appeared first on The Moving Blog.

Oftentimes, some of your choices will prove to be bad, some of them will be good, and, inevitably, most of your house moving decisions will be somewhere in between, with a good deal of advantages and disadvantages depending on how you view the whole relocation thing.

One critical decision that will change entirely the way you prepare for your move is whether to hire a moving company or move by yourself.

For better or worse, sometimes you’ll know right away which way to go, thus eliminating the relocation drama from the start. However, at times you’ll find that the Hiring Movers vs. Moving Yourself dilemma is more difficult to resolve than you thought.

Of course, the right decision is to do what’s best for you – ultimately, it’s your house move, your rules. The only problem is that you may be unsure which house moving option will be the best one for you under the presented circumstances.

How to decide whether you should hire movers or do it yourself?

Read on to find out.

Movers vs. DIY: Move distance

The move distance between the two homes is one of the major factors that will help you resolve the dilemma of whether you should hire professional movers or move by yourself.

HIRE MOVERS when you’re moving across the country to a place that’s far away from where you are right now. State-to-state moving is the realm of interstate moving companies that have the logistical know-how and means to transport your household items safely to a new state.

Besides, driving a large rental truck hundreds or even thousands of miles can be rather dangerous for a non-professional.

MOVE BY YOURSELF if you happen to be moving only a short distance away – for example, within the same city or county, or within the boundaries of the same state. And because of the shorter distance, you’ll feel more at ease renting a moving truck or borrowing a friends’ pick-up truck to transport your stuff to the new nearby location.

In general, short-distances tend to tempt people into organizing Do-It-Yourself moves that have good endings for the people involved in the relocation story.

10 Tips for Hiring Movers

Movers vs. DIY: Number of household items

The move distance alone may not be able to answer the hiring-movers-or-do-it-yourself question. And that’s exactly why you should also look at other house moving parameters – for example, how many household items you plan to move to the new place.

Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of things you’re moving?

HIRE MOVERS if you’re moving all or almost all the items found in a large home. Think about it – the task of packing up your things can take you many days to complete while professional packers can do it all in a few hours.

The sheer number of things to pack and move can make a huge difference in how you approach the upcoming move. Hire a full-service moving company that will do it all when moving a lot of stuff with you.

MOVE BY YOURSELF if you’re only moving small loads – like the content of a single room or the things from a tiny studio apartment. In case you’re also moving locally, then organizing a self-move should be the way to go.

Nevertheless, when moving small loads over a long distance, then hiring a cross-country moving company is still the better option for you.

How to Get Rid of Stuff Before Moving

Movers vs. DIY: Specialty items

There’s a fairly quick way to check whether you should hire movers or do it yourself: are you moving any specialty items at all?

HIRE MOVERS if you’re moving specialty items that require the expert care of professional packers and movers:

• Antique furniture pieces;
• Pianos;
• Pool tables;
• Hot tubs;
• Grandfather clocks, and so on.

Let specialty movers do what they do best, eliminating the risk of damage to any of your expensive and valuable possessions.

MOVE BY YOURSELF if you don’t own any specialty items like the ones mentioned above. Keep in mind that it’s too risky, both for you and the items in question, to be moving those fragile, large, and heavy items to the new home.

Seriously, do you even know where to begin when you wish to take your piano with you to the new home? In such cases, it’s best to trust moving experts with years of experience in the field.

Moving Checklist: Interactive and Printable

Movers vs. DIY: Time until Moving day

The circumstances surrounding your house move can force you to pick one moving option over the other, which will basically make your choice much easier to make.

Just ask yourself this: how much time do you have until the move-out day?

Is your move-out date too soon to organize a DIY move?

HIRE MOVERS if you’ve got too little time to get completely ready to move out on your own. Self-moves require a lot of preparation time simply because you’re not experienced enough to be tackling your tasks as fast as professionals do.

In addition to all the organizational chores such as changing your address and transferring the utilities, you’ll have the task of all tasks to worry about – packing. Packing for a move is and will remain the most time-consuming project in all moving checklists.

MOVE BY YOURSELF if you have enough time to prepare adequately for moving out – at least 1 month (roughly 4 weeks) to organize a DIY move that will actually be successful.

Even with seemingly ample time until Moving day, you’re still going to need a good Moving Checklist to plan your time to the smallest detail.

Packing Timeline For Moving

Movers vs. DIY: Reliable friends

Even after a detailed analysis, sometimes it can be really difficult to know whether it makes more sense to hire movers or move by yourself.

In such uncertain situations, it can suffice to ask yourself whether you have good friends to rely on during the move.

HIRE MOVERS if you know that you won’t be able to rely on any of your friends to give you a hand when you need it the most. After all, moving house has never been a one-man affair, especially when you’re about to pack a house’ worth of items or move heavy items such as furniture and large boxes.

No reliable friends to the rescue almost always means going with trustworthy movers who won’t refuse to help you any way they can.

ORGANIZE A SELF-MOVE if you know your pals won’t leave you to cope with a complicated house move entirely on your own. It’s what best friends do – they help each other in times of need.

Just make sure you reach out to your buddies as early as possible, and try not to judge those of them who happen to be too busy at the time of the move.

How to Get Friends to Help You Move

Movers vs. DIY: House moving experience

Should you hire movers or move yourself? The answer to this tough question can be more obvious than you think.

Ultimately, it all boils down to this: have you move house before?

The real question is how much move-related experience do you really have.

HIRE MOVERS if you’re moving house for the very first time – for example, moving out of your parents’ house or moving after college.

Bear in mind that the lack of relocation experience will most likely cause you to make numerous moving packing and moving mistakes. Well, everybody makes mistakes, right? That’s true, but some of those errors may easily prove to be too costly in the end.

PULL OFF A SELF-MOVE if you’ve been there and done that before. Oftentimes, it’s the right amount of house moving experience that will boost your confidence just enough to make you a believer in your own abilities to do a successful DIY move.

It can be so much easier to move without hiring professional movers when you actually know what you’re doing.

10 Tips for Moving Out for the First Time

Movers vs. DIY: Safety

Still undecided? The issue of hiring a moving company vs. renting a moving truck is something that you must tackle very early in your move-out preparation.

Don’t waste precious time wondering what to do, just make up your mind keeping the safety factor in mind.

Remember that safety throughout the move should be your number one priority.

HIRE PROFESSIONAL MOVERS if you’ve never driven a large moving truck before. In reality, navigating a big moving vehicle across the country can be a risky endeavor and you may not be even aware of all the dangers of doing so.

What’s more, Moving day itself can prove to be dangerous for inexperienced non-professionals moving house for the first time. Personal injuries are never out of the question (they can happen in an instant), and property damage or ruined household items could turn a residential move into a total disaster.

DO A SELF-MOVE if you know what it takes to guarantee everyone’s safety on Moving day. Generally speaking, it requires previous house moving experience to know how to keep young children and pets out of harm’s way and how to dress properly for the Big day.

Don’t attempt to move by yourself unless you can gather your gang of loyal friends to help you out with packing boxes and moving furniture.

Safety Tips When Moving Furniture

Movers vs. DIY: Moving stress

That’s right, sometimes it can be really difficult to decide whether you should hire a moving company or move it yourself. There are too many relocation factors that can affect your decision one way or another, but one of the most critical questions to ask yourself is how well you can handle stress.

Different people handle moving stress differently.

Moving from one home to another is known to be one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. This basically means that you’ll be choosing between bearing all that moving stress on your own or transferring it to moving professionals who know how to handle it.

HIRE PROFESSIONAL MOVERS if you know that you just won’t be able to handle the stress of moving. It’s no secret that prolonged exposure to high-level stress can be detrimental to your health, so it makes perfect sense to transfer the responsibility to a full-service moving company that will do it all or almost all for you.

ORGANIZE A DIY MOVE if you enjoy tough challenges and you know that you should be fine even when the stress of moving reaches critical values. You’re confident that your friends’ timely assistance will be enough to cope with whatever your move throws at you.

10 Ways to Reduce Stress When Moving

The post Hire Movers or Move by Yourself? What Should You Do? appeared first on The Moving Blog.

You must be. Considering the fact that residential moving – safely transporting all household items from one home to another – is notoriously expensive, energy-draining, and stressful, you shouldn’t be surprised that everyone is looking to find reliable movers they can trust with their possessions.

And you should too.

Which is the most reliable moving company of them all? The next 10 steps will answer this question for you.

1. Recommendations from people you trust

The very first step to finding reliable long distance moving companies is to ask your friends if they can recommend you a trustworthy mover they may have used recently. The average American moves house every 5 years or so, so there’s a good chance that someone from your circle of friends moved to another home not long ago. And if they did, this is a great chance for you to get recommended a professional moving company that will be really good – dependable, honest, and – hopefully – affordable too.

The good news about finding dependable movers through personal recommendations from people you can trust is that if you get lucky, then you can skip most of the steps in the hunting and screening process, thus saving yourself an insane amount of time. What’s best, you can use that saved time for other important tasks, such as managing your moving budget, creating your moving checklist, and initiating the laborious job of packing up your home.

The easiest way to get more reliable information from your pals is to have a face-to-face conversation with them. However, that is not always possible, so another good way to find a trustworthy moving company is to use the power of social networks by posting a cry for help, something in the lines of “Need a good moving company ASAP, please advise.”

2. In-home surveys you need to trust

In the best-case scenario, a good friend of yours will have had a very positive experience with a professional moving company and will advise you to use their high-quality services. And if that does happen, then your hunt for trustworthy and reliable movers will be practically over – you trust your friends, so there isn’t a reason why you shouldn’t trust their honest recommendations as well.

Most of the time though, you won’t get that lucky and will have to find a reliable mover yourself. But as long as you know the right steps, it may even be the better way to do it as there are no guarantees that one person’s positive experience will automatically mean a positive experience for somebody else.

So, what’s the very first thing you should do in order to find a good moving company?

Use our free, quick, and easy quote form to get in touch with professional moving companies that service your route and can accommodate your move on the date you request. And then, once you establish that initial contact, make sure you ask them for in-home surveys so that you can get the most precise moving costs estimates possible.

After representatives of various moving companies visit your home in person, don’t forget to show them everything you intend to move to the new house or apartment. Take the opportunity to ask the moving experts any burning questions you may have. After the surveys, you should be given complete estimates in writing that reflect all the moving costs involved in the upcoming house move.

3. Comparison of movers you ought to trust

Did you know that some professional movers are more reliable than others?

Knowing how to choose a reliable moving company comes down to your ability to compare the costs estimates you have received in order to select the winning bid. Of course, your very first impulse will be to look at the final price of all the estimates and make a decision based entirely on those bottom-line figures. But think twice before doing just that.

There’s no denying that the price will be the deciding factor, but think about this: what does the price include? In other words, what extra services are you getting in exchange for your hard-earned money? Is professional packing included in the cost? What about disassembling and handling large furniture pieces? If you do own special items such as a piano or a pool table, will their safe packing and transportation be included in the price as well?

Select a reliable moving company based on their complete estimates that include all additional moving services and their corresponding rates. But be cautious while comparing those moving companies’ estimates, for you may happen to get a quote that is way lower than the rest. And if that does happen, will you think that you’re extremely lucky, or will you be extra vigilant?

Uncharacteristically low moving estimates may be a sign of moving fraud.

Protect your move: Smart ways to avoid moving scams

4. Customer reviews you could trust

Once you have a few good moving estimates on the table, it’s time to do some initial screening so that you end up with the best and most reliable moving company. This job of researching the companies that have issued you with price quotes will take time, but it’s something you must do if you really wish to trust completely your future moving service provider.

One important aspect of professional moving companies is their reputation – the more high-quality services a mover provides, the more their reputation will grow, and the more successful they will be in terms of a constant flow of customers and generated revenue. Therefore, checking the online reputation of movers will tell you a lot about the way they conduct their business.

Visit a few of the best websites for consumer reports on moving companies (like MyMovingReviews and Yelp) to check what former customers had to say about the movers you’re reviewing. Overall ratings (from 1 to 5 stars) and genuine descriptive testimonials will give you a clue of what to expect from your transportation companies. The thing is that the best-rated national moving companies understand how vital reputation can be for their pursuit of new customers, so they do attempt to offer excellent services at reasonable prices.

5. USDOT number lookup you must trust

Check all moving companies under consideration to make sure they have been licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation before hiring their moving services.

After you’ve consulted with a sufficient number of long-distance moving company reviews, it’s time to check if your movers have been properly licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation. In reality, all interstate moving companies must be registered with the DOT, for which they receive special government-approved USDOT numbers as proof of their legal status.

Strictly speaking, the USDOT number is an identification number issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) – each number is unique and lets the government track all interstate carriers of household goods. But more importantly, that USDOT identifier is a sign that all licensed moving companies comply with the strict federal regulations about safety and reliability for the ultimate protection of customers, like you.

Do not hire a long-distance moving company before you have checked their USDOT number. The USDOT number lookup is really easy – all you need to do is visit the FMCSA website and type in the name of the company in the search box. The electronic record of the company will also give you additional useful information about the current status of the mover – important details that can influence your final decision.

6. ProMover distinction you should trust

Due to the complexity of certain residential moves, you should realize by now that you don’t need just any moving company that gets in touch with you. You need to know that a professional mover is sufficiently reputable and reliable enough to hire its services. You’re about to entrust your most valuable possessions to complete strangers, so finding a trustworthy moving company should be your goal, together with finding good moving services at competitive prices.

The initial fear when starting your search is that you have no idea which company to trust – all of them say they are the best ones (impossible) and that they offer the lowest prices on the market (also impossible). However, things should be a lot clearer now – you have had professionals come to your home for accurate price estimation, you’ve compared their quotes, you’ve read moving reviews left by genuine customers, and you’ve checked their legitimacy with the U.S. Department of Transportation. So far, so good. So, what’s the next step to finding the right moving company for you?

The best moving companies are members of the American Trucking Association – ATA for short. Such membership in the most prestigious organization in the U.S. moving and storage industry is a clear sign that you can also trust all movers that have become proud ATA members (ProMovers).

Click here to check if the moving companies you’re screening have been certified by ATAas reputable, reliable, and honest.

7. BBB accreditation you can trust

Trust between professional moving companies and customers is critical. And that’s perfectly understandable as consumers will have to trust their valued possessions to individuals they don’t know at all. It comes down to the trust and belief that the packers and movers they have hired won’t damage or lose any of their household items.

It’s good to know that the most reliable moving companies will also be BBB accredited – that is, they will be accredited by the Better Business Bureau after having met their high standards and maintained the established trust between consumers of moving services and businesses that offer those services.

BBB accreditation is the final proof that you’ll be dealing with a reliable mover that won’t try to cheat you in any way – a dependable mover that will take care of your belongings like a true professional would.

8. Important questions you just have to ask your movers

It’s very important to know that you can rely on your moving company throughout the move – from the moment you first get in touch with them to the point when they deliver safely your belongings to the new address and you pay them in full for their high-quality services.

Don’t hire a moving company before you’ve gone through these 10 steps of finding reliable movers.

But before you can decide to trust a mover, you should use the opportunity to ask them several critical questions that will help you determine just how trustworthy they are. Basically, it’s not only what they tell you in reply (most of their answers will probably be rehearsed and automatic) but also how they answer you as well.

In fact, the level of customer service can tell a lot about just how dependable and reliable those professional movers are.

Here are the top 5 questions that you just have to ask your movers to decide whether you should use their services or not.

• How long has your moving company been around?
• Will you send experienced packers and movers to my home rather than inexperienced temporary helping hands?
• What specific measures will you take to prevent any type of property damage on Moving day?
• Do you have the necessary packing supplies and required moving equipment to get the job done quickly and safely?
• What’s your dispute settlement policy? In other words, what would happen if any of my items got damaged or went missing while in your possession?

12 Super-Important Questions to Ask Your Movers

9. Essential paperwork from your mover you need to understand

Every move generates a certain amount of paperwork that the moving company you pick as your relocation partner will provide to you. Trust between you and your moving company is crucial for the success of the entire move, and one of the very first steps is to understand the documents that you are given by your mover.

Before you place your signature on a document as proof that you agree with what terms and conditions that documents contain, you’ll need to make sure you understand its content. Be extra careful before you sign the Bill of Lading – the formal contract between you and your mover.

Read the entire Bill of Lading, and if there are any clauses you don’t fully understand or don’t necessarily agree with, discuss the issue with the moving company until every little detail has been straightened out.

Also, make sure you know how the cost of your move has been calculated, including the extra charges for the additional moving services you’ve requested, if any. Bear in mind that in case of a dispute with your movers, it’s the move-related paperwork that you can use to present your case.

A word of caution: Never sign any blank documents.

10. Proper moving insurance you may need to have

Without a doubt, your goal should be to find one of the best movers in the country as they will be reliable enough to get the job done in the best possible way.

Speak with your movers about getting proper insurance for your items.

And even when you do manage to find such trustworthy movers, the house moving process is highly unpredictable, so you’ll still need to know that your valuable items are properly insured in case of accidents on the road. Anything can happen during a move and that’s why getting the right coverage for your prized possessions is so important.

The moment you sign the Bill of Lading, you’ll get basic limited liability protection. Depending on what exactly you’re moving between the two homes, that basic coverage might be enough for you. However, that’s rarely the case because its liability is mere 60 cents per pound per item, which is practically nothing no matter how you look at it.

Finding reliable movers is one thing, trusting those movers with your valuables without purchasing any extra insurance is something completely different. You’re strongly advised to discuss with your moving company your insurance options and to purchase adequate coverage for your items because you just never know.

Your professional moving company should be able to offer you the right type of moving insurance, usually from a third-party insurance company they work with. Keep the insurance policy document in a safe place as proof of the extra coverage you’ve bought.

When looking for the most reliable long distance moving company (don’t settle for less), it’s also a good idea to follow your hunch before picking the mover that’s just right for you. The initial contact, in-home survey, comparison of the cost estimates, and the subsequent screening process should be more than enough to help you know beyond any doubt which professional moving company deserves to have your residential move.

The post How to Find a Reliable Moving Company: 10 Steps to Trustworthy Movers appeared first on The Moving Blog.

Good reputation is built slowly – in most cases, it’s the result of years of hard work and dedication. And that’s exactly why top-rated national movers have chosen to continue to offer quality services at fairly affordable prices – the winning formula that guarantees the success and growth of their businesses.

You’re moving soon and you wish to hire the best-rated relocation experts in your area – a shrewd decision that should play out in your favor. It can be very risky to just pick a random moving company without having researched those movers in advance. This can’t be stressed enough – invest a bit of time in checking the moving companies in question and that investment should pay off tenfold later on.

Read on to learn how to find top-rated moving companies near you.

Why reputation is so important for moving companies

Good moving companies understand how critical it is for their business to first establish an excellent reputation among their customers and then maintain that prestige by continuing to offer high-quality moving services at reasonable prices.

When a moving company manages to increase its online reputation through hard work and a professional attitude, then its clients will be happy with the relocation services provided and will most likely recommend the moving professionals to any of their friends who happen to be looking for reputable moving companies in the near future.

Interestingly enough, satisfied customers can also feel compelled to leave moving reviews about the mover they just used to move house. And when they do that on one of the best moving company reviews websites, then they will be extending their genuine recommendations about movers to everybody (complete strangers) who’s searching for reliable and trustworthy movers and not only to their closed circle of friends.

In an ideal world, checking customer reviews about a moving company should be enough to figure out whether specific movers will be worth your money and time. Unfortunately, we live in a very imperfect world and things are seldom as straightforward as we want them to be.

So, while customer reviews can help you form a general idea about which movers are good and which movers are bad, you should always use those moving reviews as guidelines only and search for other more reliable ways to compare movers. But why, you may ask? It’s simple, really – not all customer reviews can be taken at face value.

What to look for in a moving company

How to make sure you’re hiring reputable movers

Good moving companies understand just how important reputation can be for their business.

Your goal is to find a reputable moving company for your move so that you can rest assured that

• the moving price you get quoted will be competitive and comparable to the rates of the best moving companies in the country,
• the professionals will be competent and skilled at what they do, with years of relocation experience on their resumes,
• the movers will handle your valuable household items carefully and will do whatever it takes to protect them for the road ahead,
• the pros will know exactly what to do on Moving day, making sure things are running smoothly and efficiently as they are supposed to,
• the attitude from the packers and movers will be both professional and respectful, and most importantly –
• you won’t be cheated in any way, thus becoming an unfortunate victim of moving fraud orchestrated by a dishonest moving company (aka rogue movers).

So, in order to reach your goal and protect your move at the same time, there are a few important steps you must take to research the moving companies and find the top-rated movers near you.

What to expect from full-service movers

Read moving reviews

As stated above, reading customer reviews will give you the chance to learn more about the reputation of the moving companies you’re researching and can help you single out one or two movers with the idea of choosing the one that’s best suited for you.

Visit one of the best websites for moving company reviews (MyMovingReviews, Yelp, Better Business Bureau) and then look for the movers you’ve shortlisted. First, you should be able to see their overall rating that’s represented in stars (usually from 1 to 5). Then, you should read some reviews left by former customers of the company – almost always in the form of a short testimonial that will sum up what the mover did wrong (negative review) or what the mover did right (positive review).

Use the reviews about local or cross country movers only as reference points because it can often be rather confusing when you come across too positive reviews and then too negative ones about the same mover. Hopefully, you will be able to find reviews that will include both the strong points and weak points of that particular mover, giving you a general sense of what to expect from the company should you choose to hire its services.

Check movers with the BBB

In order to find top-rated moving companies near you, another must-do step is to check the movers with the Better Business Bureau. The BBB is a professional organization that helps consumers find and deal with legitimate businesses that can be trusted.

The BBB accredits moving companies that adhere strictly to the BBB Standards for Trust – 8 major principles that help create trust between businesses and customers:

• Build trust,
• Advertise honestly,
• Tell the truth,
• Be Transparent,
• Honor promises,
• Be responsive,
• Safeguard privacy, and
• Embody integrity.

Your next step to finding top-rated local movers – or top-rated cross-country movers depending on how far you’re moving – is to visit the BBB website and check if the movers you’re reviewing are BBB-accredited. Also, their website will keep records of the company in question has received any formal complaints from customers through the years

Check movers with ATA

Company reputation goes hand in hand with professionalism, so another proof that you’ll be dealing with reliable movers you can trust is when they belong to the American Trucking Association (ATA). The association has a ProMover program and any moving company that has earned the right to be called a ProMover has agreed to uphold ATA’s Code of Ethics.

Professional moving companies must go through and pass successfully a number of rigorous background checks in order to be distinguished as ProMovers. And that’s exactly why it’s important to visit ATA’s website and check if the companies you’re probing are also ProMovers – a sure sign that your valuables will be in good hands.

How to compare movers

What’s the best way to find reputable movers?

One thing you should know is that the search for top-rated movers may prove to be too confusing and may not yield satisfactory results in the end. Yes, truly reputable moving companies do exist but sometimes you just won’t be able to find them by checking their reputation through customer reviews, BBB-accreditation, or ATA membership.

HELP! I NEED REPUTABLE MOVERS.

Ultimately, one great way to secure a reputable long-distance moving company is to ask friends, co-workers, and neighbors whether they can recommend you a good mover you can trust with your prized possessions. Even if most of them haven’t used any movers recently, they may know somebody who did, so you should still be able to get several moving company recommendations.

Use the power of your preferred social media platform to reach all of your pals at once and ask them the question CAN ANYONE RECOMMEND REPUTABLE MOVERS? After all, there’s a big difference between checking moving reviews written by complete strangers (can you really trust them) and getting recommendations about movers from friends and acquaintances you actually trust – people who won’t have anything to gain by misleading or misinforming you on purpose.

And if you are lucky enough to receive multiple recommendations from friends or friends’ friends about moving companies that can be trusted, then it’s a good idea to ask why exactly they have recommended those companies. Is it only the low price? Is it the high-quality moving services offered? Is it the professional attitude? Or is it the entire package: affordable price, great services, and true professionalism?

12 Important questions to ask your movers

How to find top-rated movers near you

Reputable moving companies do exist and your mission is to find one such top-rated mover and hire their services for a problem-free house move.

So, here are the logical steps that will help you do just that:

1. GET free moving quotes from good, pre-screened moving companies in your area – either local movers or cross-country movers depending on how far you’re going.
2. GET in touch with trustworthy moving companies that serve your route. When you do, your first order of business should be to request in-house visual surveys from the professionals so that they can see in person the things you’re moving and give you a much more precise cost estimate.
3. BE firm about getting moving company representatives to visit your home in person. If a mover insists on calculating the moving price over the phone or via e-mail, then you should say NO. Remember that only visual on-site inspections can lead to accurate cost estimates that will reflect the final moving price.
4. COMPARE the estimates you have received in terms of price, services, and conditions. Beware of quotes that are too low compared the rest, for they could mean potential moving scam. In most cases, it’s not advisable to concentrate only on the offered price and thus disregard the rest of the terms.
5. TAKE a closer look at the extra moving services that you have requested specifically or that movers have included as required for the successful completion of the residential move. Will you need professional packing services? Will your household items need to be stored temporarily at the mover’s warehouse?
6. COMPARE the moving companies that have provided you with cost estimates and are now competing for your house move. This step is critical – remember that you’re looking for the top-rated movers in your area as a guarantee that your move will go as smoothly as possible.
7. 

   What’s the actual star rating of the mover you’ve hired?

   ACCESS the most reputable and trustworthy movers reviews websites and check customer reviews written about the companies you’re reviewing. As a rule of thumb, the better the reputation of a mover, the higher the chance of that mover offering outstanding moving services.

8. CHECK whether the professional moving companies are members of the American Trucking Association (ATA), thus ensuring that you’ll be working with ProMovers.
9. CHECK whether the movers you’re researching are BBB-accredited – another proof that you’ll be dealing with a moving company you can trust with your belongings.
10. TRUST your hunch. By step #10 you should already have a pretty good idea which top-rated moving company to use for your upcoming move.

Good luck!

How to choose a long-distance mover

The post How to Find a Reputable Moving Company: Top-Rated Movers Near You appeared first on The Moving Blog.

If yes, then you are expected to have a rather busy schedule in the following months or maybe even weeks of preparation. So, do you think you’re up to the house moving challenge as things stand right now?

Regardless of whether you believe the upcoming change is a good idea or not, the mere fact that you’ve made up your mind to leave the borders of your current state means that you must be really interested in learning the required steps to moving to a new state.

As you might already know, planning, organizing, and executing a successful out of state move is anything but easy. In fact, it’s proven that the preparation stage is the key to the preservation of your budget, prized possessions, and of course – your mental health as well.

The following tips for moving to another state will surely make both your preparation and execution stages much more manageable from start to finish.

Reasons to move to another state

Why move to another state in the first place? Well, your reasons to move to a new state can range from being

• strictly personal – moving closer to your family, moving in together with your loved one, running away from bad memories or lingering bad luck, enjoying your Golden years,

• largely economical – moving to another state for a better job, moving to a cheaper city, downsizing for reducing maintenance costs,

• strictly professional – moving up the corporate ladder or pursuing a new career altogether,

• purely circumstantial – moving to an area with a more favorable climate (moving to a warmer state), moving to a better neighborhood or school district, or

• maybe even a complicated mix of the above influential factors.

No matter the true reason or reasons for wanting to move to another state, it’s the preparation stage ahead of you that will determine whether you end the moving journey with a smile on your face or a splitting headache. In fact, it’s the things you do before moving to a new state that will make all the difference in your long-distance relocation.

Make sure you follow the moving to a new state checklist below to get yourself ready for one of life’s most stressful and nerve-wracking events.

Things to do before moving to another state

It’s fairly important to keep in mind that the moment you begin your moving preparations is the exact moment you should have a clear idea of how to organize your time effectively so that not a single day is lost. As it turns out, sometimes hours alone can prove to be vital while preparing to move to another state, so get down to work right away.

Create a moving checklist

Setting a budget is one of your top priorities when moving to another state.

As you must be aware by now, time is a constant by which we set our daily schedules and plan our days ahead. Nevertheless, once you begin work on the required moving tasks, you will soon understand that time is also relative to the observer – in other words, you may feel as if time had quickened its pace towards the deadline and the only way you can break free from that stress-inducing feeling is to make each hour count.

Do just that by creating a moving and packing timeline which will detail every single job you are expected and encouraged to complete before your state to state movers arrive at your door.

When moving to a different state, it takes only 3 easy steps to prepare your moving checklist (aka moving planner):

• First, write down all the tasks that you know you will have to deal with soon without worrying about their specific order. Check out our week-by-week moving timeline checklist for some good ideas and tips.

• Then, leave only the tasks that are relevant in your relocation case and that will help you save valuable time. This is known as personalization and the moving calendar you’re creating won’t really be yours until you do it.

• Finally, prioritize the move-related jobs according to their importance and make sure the top-priority ones are completed first. This way, you should be covered whatever happens during the moving preparation.

Moving to a new state CHECKLIST

Set a moving budget

When moving to a new state, it’s always a great idea to keep your moving expenses in check throughout the process of moving to a new location. And this is why you need a moving budget that actually works because it will help you monitor your move-related expenses. Basically, if a task requires more money for its completion, you should know right away and take the necessary steps to fix that.

And since moving to another state is not the right time or the proper place to rent a moving truck and try to move on your own (a long-distance move always proves to be more cost-effective when handled by interstate movers), your moving budget should definitely take into account the accurate moving estimate you have received from your mover, including the corresponding additional services and the extra charges and fees.

In other words, the moving company expenses are what your budget should be all about.

What to budget for when moving to another state

Get rid of unwanted items

Organize a yard sale to sell unwanted stuff and earn some much-needed cash.

Here’s the deal – moving to another state is all about cutting down your costs as far as they can go. The move distance and the shipment weight are the two main factors that you can’t just ignore – on the contrary, you need to understand how they both influence the moving price so that you can save money in the end.

The move distance remains unchanged at all times so you need to focus on lowering the total weight of your shipment, and that you can easily do by reducing the number of items you plan to take with you. Inventory your entire home, take notice of each and every possession in the place where you live, including the ones you have forgotten about, and start making some tough decisions.

20 Ways to reduce moving costs

The underlying principle here is to get rid of anything you haven’t used in a while (12 months is a good reference point) and do not plan to use it in the foreseeable future. Remember, less weight means a lower cost of moving to a new state.

But that’s not all! Of all the things to do before moving to a new state, selling some of your items to reinforce your stretched-out budget is another viable option to consider. After all, organizing a moving sale before your interstate move can prove to be quite profitable for you.

How to get rid of stuff when moving

Decide what to do with your furniture

In most cases, moving across state lines is not the best of times to haul your large and heavy furniture items with you. The reason for this is pretty simple: the interstate moving cost is calculated from the move distance and the total weight of your items. Basically, this means that the more heavy things you decide to move with you, the higher the moving cost will be in the end – and that’s something you should try to avoid.

Be smart when wondering whether to take some furniture pieces with you to the new state. Remember that unless a specific furniture item has a high sentimental value for you and under no circumstances can’t you see yourself parting with it, then you should definitely consider leaving the furniture behind as a good strategy to minimize the moving costs.

Also, bear in mind that in the majority of cases, moving furniture to a different state will cost you more money than to buy brand new furniture after the move is over. So, why should you go through all the trouble of hauling huge furniture items hundreds or thousands of miles across the country?

Should you move your furniture or buy new after the move?

Tend to your pets

When moving to a new state with pets, there are several important things to consider first before you decide what to do.

• 

  Moving with pets to another state can be tricky.

  A pet is part of your family so the option of leaving your animal friend behind is not really an option you should be considering at all.

• Interstate movers are not allowed to transport pets across the country for safety reasons, which means that you’ll have to find another way to get your pet – a dog, a cat, a bird, or another pet animal – to the new address in a different state altogether.
• All in all, you’ve got 3 options to get your pet to the new home: 1) transport them in your own car, 2) get them on a plane, traveling either in the cabin with you or as cargo, or 3) use the services of specialized pet movers.
• Decide on the best way to move your pet to a new state by taking into account all factors and circumstances of your long-distance move.

Tips for moving with pets across the country

Pack whatever you can by yourself

You may already be familiar with numerous tips for moving to a new state. And as long as those pieces of advice are good, some will eventually save you time while others will save you money. Either way, be ready to accept proven tips by experienced experts to make things way easier on yourself, on your family members, and on your budget as well.

Speaking of good advice on moving to a new state, it’s time to seriously consider packing whatever household items you can by yourself and resort to professional packers only for the goods that require special packing and handling techniques – for example, a piano, a pool table, or a valuable piece of antique furniture.

Here are the 10 basic rules of self-packing:

• Rule #1: AVOID these common packing mistakes at all costs;

• Rule #2: INITIATE the packing process as soon as possible as underestimation of the time required to sort out, prepare and box your stuff will only lead to bigger problems;

• Rule #3: START packing from the hardest rooms to pack up, usually the storage areas such as basements, attics, garages, and so on. What to pack first when moving;

• Rule #4: MAKE SURE you have the necessary packing supplies before you begin preparing your items for transportation to prevent unpleasant and time-wasting interruptions;

• Rule #5: PACK UP the rooms you use least frequently first and then move on to the areas you occupy on a daily basis to avoid cluttering up your packing stations;

• Rule #6: ASK reliable friends to give you a hand as packing is, without a doubt, the most time-consuming task in your moving checklist. How to get your friends to help you pack? Find out here;

• Rule #7: DO NOT TURN your back on safety! Safety when moving to a new state is paramount so the last thing you want is to risk your health or the well-being of your possessions and property. When things get really tough, don’t hesitate to get in touch with professional packers and movers.
• Rule #8: PACK an essentials box for each family member. Also known as an Open-First Box, an essentials box should be full of super essential items that will help you survive the first day and night in the new place, and even until you get reunited with your regular household items.
• Rule #9: DO NOT PACK any items that are forbidden for transport by professional moving companies. Such non-allowable items include hazardous goods (combustible, corrosive, explosive), perishable foods, and plants. Learn more about what not to pack when moving house.
• Rule #10: DO your best to lower the packing expenses. Of course, choosing to pack most or even all of your belongings by yourself is a great start but you can always go a step further and use free packing materials (including free moving boxes) to reduce the packing costs.

Packing Checklist: Packing timeline for moving

Take care of the must-do tasks

You’ll soon realize that moving from one state to another is more than just having your cherished belongings packed and transported to that new state by one of the best interstate movers in the country. It’s also about tackling the must-do tasks when it comes to planning and organizing a successful interstate move.

• 

  Moving to another state means that your postal address is changing too.

  Change the utilities. You’ll need to disconnect your current house utilities before the move-out date and to arrange their reconnection at the new-state home. [How to Change Utilities When Moving]

• Change your address. You’re moving to another state and your new house or apartment will have a new address as a result. Take care of this important task to avoid losing important pieces of mail during the big move. [How to Do a Change of Address When Moving]
• Obtain medical records. You’ll be soon living in a new town or city in a new state and that automatically means that you’ll have a family physician that’s different from the one you have right now. So, in order to register with another doctor in the new state, you’ll need to pay a visit to your general practitioner and obtain copies of your current medical records, including your immunization records.

20 Tips for moving long distance

Things to do after moving to a new state

Follow this guide to moving to another state and your interstate move should be a success. However, you shouldn’t let your guard down once you reach your new residence because there are a number of important post-move tasks you have to take care of as well.

Here are the top 5 things to do after moving to a new state:

Get a new job

Unless you’ve already secured a new job position in the new state – after all, it may have been a work-related relocation in the first place, then your top priority is to start looking for a new job as soon as possible.

Job hunting is not fun but it’s something you just have to do in order to make it in the new state. So, update your resume, obtain recommendation letters from your previous employers, and get ready to pass those job interviews with flying colors.

Visit the official webpage of the U.S. Department of Labor for assistance.

Register your car

Moving to a new state means that you’re going to have to register your car in the destination state. You can’t do that online so you’ll need to find some free time in your post-move agenda and visit the nearest DMV office in person.

Don’t put off that task for too long because different states have different deadlines for vehicle registration – some states will give you as many as 30 days to complete it while others will require you to register your car within 10 days.

Get in touch with your local DMV office to get more information about which important documents you have to bring with you. As a rule, you’ll need to have a car insurance policy purchased from that state you just moved to.

Find a good school for your children

Your new-state mission as a parent? Find a school where your child will thrive.

If you just moved house with a school-age child, then you’ll need to find a good school in the new-state city and enroll your kid there. Of course, you may have already found the right educational institution – especially if you’ve moved during the school year. If not, then start the school hunt without delay.

Whenever applicable, make sure you visit the candidate schools together with your child before you make up your mind. In fact, a school tour is the best way to get a realistic feel for the academic atmosphere and assess whether it’s the right school for your son or daughter.

The school locator tool of the National Center for Education Statistics is a good way to start.

Register with a new doctor

Moving from one state to another means that you’ll need to find a new doctor for yourself and possibly for your family members as well. But before you start the search for a qualified, highly-skilled and experienced doctor in the destination town or city, you just have to know what type of a physician you’ll need – a primary care physician or a specialized doctor.

In most cases, it’ll be enough to find a general practitioner who’s been recommended to you by your previous doctor, friends, coworkers, or neighbors. If none of them can suggest a reputable family physician, then use the doctor finder tool of the American Medical Association (AMA).

Start unpacking

As soon as you step inside your new home, you’ll have to start thinking about unpacking your boxes. Unpacking is a huge project that takes many days to complete so you shouldn’t underestimate that post-move task in any way. And yet, the good news is that it’s a job with no impending deadline so you can unpack at your own comfortable pace without worrying about not getting it done on time as was the case of packing for your interstate move.

Of course, you should first unpack your essentials boxes, then unpack the boxes for the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom as those are the three rooms that should be ready first of all.

How to unpack after moving house

State to state movers: the key to success

Is moving to a new state hard? Yes, in most cases it is.

Not surprisingly, one of the toughest aspects of moving long distance to another state is the number of important decisions you will have to tackle in the very beginning of your preparation period. The pressure is really on as you can’t let any bad decisions hamper the success of your interstate mission, can you?

The most critical thing to decide will seem to be whether or not you should hire a state to state moving company to handle the tasks you can’t really do on your own – protecting valuable items through special packing techniques, moving heavy household items such as electric appliances or pieces of furniture, loading all your stuff into the moving vehicle in such a way as to save moving day time and storage space.

Your main concern will be, of course, the price of the professional moving service. In fact, it’s fair to say that it’s the cost of moving to another state that will predetermine your actions.

Your interstate movers are on their way to your home.

Here are a number of things to consider while you’re juggling the idea of whether hiring state to state movers is the preferred way to go here. To help you reach an informed decision, you must be perfectly aware that:

• Moving locally or even into another home situated within the same town or city is very different than relocating hundreds or thousands of miles with no sufficient moving experience behind your back. The more the move distance is between the two homes, the greater the risk becomes for any courageous attempts at moving to a new state by yourself. Don’t forget that top state to state movers are adequately insured too.

• The price of your interstate move can only be calculated with any degree of accuracy after a personal visit by a moving company representative. Too many factors are affecting the moving costs at the same time so you need an experienced expert to take a closer look at both your stuff for moving and your home to be able to give you an estimate you can trust.

• The on-site estimation is the ideal time to discuss with the moving expert all the issues that may be troubling you and to inform them of any extra terms and conditions prior to moving day. Be as straightforward as you possibly can, for any important information you withhold on purpose will likely backfire on you later when the pros arrive for the serious business.

• Are you running out of time? Professional movers tend to work fast without compromising moving day safety so they are your only option when the preparation window is too short for you anyway.
• It’s normal to be nervous about moving to a new state – after all, this must be a big step for you. Add the accompanying stress, anxiety, fear, and sadness, and you will have an explosive cocktail of overwhelming feelings that won’t let you concentrate on the tasks at hand. So, leaving the worries of your long-distance move to relocation experts is an excellent way to have some peace of mind and even turn your attention to saying goodbye to your good and loyal friends.

And now that you know why you should consider contacting a reputable out of state moving company, the next logical question is how to find the best interstate movers? The answer to that great question is not overly simple but you’re also fortunate enough to be just 31.5 steps away from locating the perfect moving partner for your upcoming cross-country move.

The post Guide to Moving to Another State: Checklist and Tips appeared first on The Moving Blog.

As you can imagine, there’s a huge difference between moving 200 miles and moving 2,000 miles until you reach the new home. Be mindful that the move distance will not only determine the final moving price to a great extent, but it will also influence the way you assess the relocation risks before you move out.

Do yourself a favor and hire the services of long distance movers when moving over great distances within the country. Not only will you and your family feel safer, but you’ll know that your valuable possessions will be in good hands as well.

Read on to learn how to choose a long distance mover to help you out with your cross-country move.

Why hire a long distance mover?

Before you start preparing for your house move, it’s important that you take the time to think about how exactly you are going to handle the house moving project. To make an informed decision, you’ll need to take a closer look at several key points, the major one being the DISTANCE between Point A (the current home you’re moving out of) and Point B (the destination home you’re about to move into soon).

Theoretically, when the move distance between the two homes is greater than 100 miles, then you’re facing a long distance move. Therefore, when moving 500 miles, 1,000 miles or 2,000 miles across the entire country, then the upcoming move becomes not only increasingly complicated and challenging, but also rather risky and dangerous for everyone involved.

Long distance moving falls well outside the comfort zone of Do-It-Yourself moves due to a couple of main reasons: expenses and risks.

• Self-move expenses. The cost of renting a moving vehicle of the right size and purchasing the required insurance is the first step. Then add the cost of fuel, road tolls, parking fees, meals, and lodgings along the trip as well. Factor in the cost of all the packing supplies and the price of renting or purchasing the necessary moving equipment (a moving dolly). Finally, set up a contingency fund because you never know what may happen on the road to your new home.
• Risks and dangers. Driving a big rental moving truck across multiple state lines is a risky business, especially if you’ve never done it before. Each driven mile increases the risk of something bad happening on the road. Sustaining personal injuries or inflicting property damage are two other highly undesirable scenarios that will further complicate the risk assessment task when moving without using the services of a long distance mover.

When moving long distance across the country, the safest way to do it is to hire a long distance moving company that is:

• legitimate (properly licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation);
• reputable (high rankings and positive reviews left by customers who have used their services in the past);
• trustworthy (membership in the American Trucking Association (ATA) and accreditation by the Better Business Bureau (BBB));
• experienced (years of professional experience in cross-country residential moving);
• affordable (competitive moving company rates, including reasonable charges for additional moving services).

12 Important questions to ask your movers

How to find long distance movers

Before you can pick one of the best long distance movers for yourself, you’re going to have to find those moving professionals first. Here are the steps that will show you how to do just that:

• Step 1. ASK reputable cross-country moving companies for long distance movers estimates. The easiest way to do it is to use our moving cost estimator tool.
• Step 2. EXPECT to get contacted by properly licensed and insured long distance movers that will be able to service you along the route and on the date that you have specified.
• 

  A good moving company can make your life so much easier.

  Step 3. SCHEDULE a date and time when the pros will come to your home for a visual inspection of the things you have for moving, followed by the issuance of accurate cost estimates in writing.

• Step 4. BE present at the actual on-site survey and use that opportunity to ask the long distance movers any burning questions you may have in store for them.
• Step 5. SPEAK with representatives of the moving companies about which additional services or extra charges and fees will be needed for the successful completion of the house move. This is important as you have to be ready – both mentally and financially – to cover those expenses.
• Step 6. GET the moving experts to provide you with written binding estimates after the in-house survey is over. You may get charged a small fee for the issuance of those binding estimates (non-binding estimates are issued for free) but their greater accuracy in terms of cost is well worth the extra charge.
• Step 7. LOOK for personal recommendations of moving companies from people you can trust. Now that you have cost estimates from several long distance movers, it’s time to see whether one of your friends, co-workers or neighbors will be able to recommend you a cross-country mover they know to be trustworthy enough.
  After all, it’s not easy to entrust your valuable possessions to complete strangers, especially when each professional mover assures you that they are the best company there is.
• Step 8. USE the broad reach of social media networks to hopefully get recommended movers from your circle of friends and acquaintances. And if, by any chance, none of your Facebook or Twitter friends can recommend any reliable long distance moving companies, maybe some of their friends will be able to do so.
  It’s worth noting that word of mouth is the best way to find a good long distance mover.

Once you have the names of several trustworthy long distance moving companies – both from the customized cost estimates and personal recommendations, it’s time to compare those professional movers in order to pick the right one for you.

10 Things to look for in a moving company

How to choose a long distance mover

You can’t and you shouldn’t pick a long distance mover at random because soon enough you’ll have to entrust your prized possessions to those movers. You really want to make sure you can trust the professionals you’ll be working with and the only way to do it is to research the long distance moving companies you’ve shortlisted.

Here’s how to compare moving companies so that there can be only one left in the end:

Check movers affordability (cost estimates)

It’s time to compare the long distance movers quotes you got. Without a doubt, the first thing you’ll pay attention to is the price of each estimate. As a result, it can be quite tempting to pick the cheapest quote and then contact the mover that supplied it. After all, one of your primary goals is to pay as little on your upcoming house move as possible, right?

While you can still pick the lowest bidder in the end, you shouldn’t do it before you do a more thorough research on all the moving companies you’re reviewing at that moment. In other words, price alone should never be the deciding factor in your choice, especially when you’re aware that there are some not-so-honest movers out there as well.

It’s critical that you know the moving cost in advance.

One tactic used by rogue movers is to offer a lowball estimate with the purpose of luring unsuspecting customers, and then increase drastically that price in the last moment when their “dependable” services have already been booked. So, to avoid getting scammed by dishonest moving companies, don’t just look at the bottom price but do your homework diligently to prevent serious troubles down the road.

Since you’re moving across the country, the long distance moving cost will be a flat fee based on the move distance, the total weight of the shipment, and the types of extra services performed by the long distance mover.

So, when comparing the cost estimates issued by top-rated long distance movers, you have to take a closer look at those additional services and their corresponding charges. At the in-home surveys, you should have already discussed the required accessorial services – packing, unpacking, disassembly and reassembly of large furniture, temporary storage, etc. – with the moving company representatives.

Additional services offered by movers

Check movers reputation (moving reviews)

How to choose a long distance mover? The next step in your hunt for reputable cross country movers is to check their online reputation among their worst critics – the customers who have already used their services. The best moving companies in the business know how important their reputation is so they try hard to keep offering quality services in order to improve their ratings and continue to receive positive customer reviews.

Once you’ve completed the affordability check, it’s time to head to the most trustworthy movers reviews websites (MyMovingReviews, Yelp) and read moving reviews about the long distance movers you’re considering at the moment. The overall ratings of the movers will be displayed as stars (1 star being the worst, 5 stars being the best). Also, the short narratives (testimonials) written by former customers will give you a sense of just how reputable, dependable, trustworthy, and professional those moving companies are.

Use customer reviews only as guidance to show you the better mover. In most cases, it can be tricky to compare movers through reviews because you’re likely to come across very positive reviews and very negative reviews about one and the same mover. Who will you trust?

Check movers reliability (extensive research)

It’s important to know just how reputable your long distance movers are before you hire them. However, it’s even more critical to also check how trustworthy those companies are in terms of licensing information and professionalism.

• USDOT. Each interstate (long distance) moving company must be properly licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). When a cross-country mover meets the strict requirements set by the Government, then they are given a USDOT number as proof that that company is legitimate, thus safe to use.
  Check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to see whether or not your movers have valid USDOT numbers.
• 

  In your movers you should trust.

  ATA. The American Trucking Association (ATA) has a movers certification program called ProMover. Check the ATA website whether the long-distance movers you are researching are ProMovers as well. If they are, that means that they have passed successfully an extensive background check and have pledged to uphold the Code of Ethics set by the association.
  In other words, you should be able to trust ProMovers with your valuables.

• BBB. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) offers accreditation to the best moving companies in the country as a sign that consumers can trust those BBB-accredited movers with their belongings. BBB has set their own Standards for Trust that moving companies must adhere to in order to be accredited by the Bureau.
  Check whether the long distance movers you’re researching are BBB-accredited.

Read also: How to compare movers

How to choose long distance movers: The concise version

Choosing a long distance moving company is not complicated by any means but it does require time for completing the must-do movers research prior to booking the services of the cross-country mover that you have found to be the best one for you.

Again, here are the steps you are advised to take (in a concise form) to pick a good long distance mover:

• USE a cost estimator to get contacted by long distance moving companies in your area.
• REQUEST in-house surveys for precise moving cost estimates.
• COMPARE the received movers quotes. Pay special attention to the extra moving services and their prices.
• STAY away from cost estimates that are too good to be true. Lowball estimates are often used by dishonest moving companies to lure in new customers.
• CHECK how reputable movers are by reading customer reviews and comparing overall ratings.
• CHECK the movers’ USDOT numbers as proof that they are properly licensed by the U.S. Government and adequately insured to operate legally within the country.
• CHECK with the American Trucking Association (ATA) whether the moving companies you’re researching are ProMovers.
• CHECK with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) whether the movers under consideration are BBB-accredited – an indicator of trust between moving companies and consumers.

Must-read: How much does it cost to hire movers?

The post How to Choose a Long Distance Mover appeared first on The Moving Blog.

Needless to say, which professional relocation partner you pick will prove pivotal for the success of your upcoming residential move. Therefore, preparing a few essential questions to ask movers will enable you to select the best one for your unique set of house moving circumstances.

Read on to learn the top 12 questions to ask movers so that you can make the informed decision that’ll work best for you.

Evaluate professional moving companies using the following sample questions:

1. How long has the moving company been in business?
2. Is the moving company properly licensed?
3. Is the moving company a ProMover?
4. Just how experienced is the moving crew?
5. Does the mover have the necessary moving equipment?
6. Does the moving company offer on-site, in-person estimates?
7. What extra services will the mover offer you?
8. What hidden costs can you expect from the mover?
9. What type of insurance does the mover offer?
10. Does the moving company request a deposit?
11. What will the moving company do to protect your belongings?
12. How does the moving company handle disputes or complaints?

1. How long has the moving company been in business?

One of the very first questions to ask moving companies is just how many years they have been in the moving industry. As a rule of thumb, hiring a moving company that’s been around for many years is a sign that they must have been doing something right – otherwise, they would not have stayed competitive for so long, and most likely would have gone out of business if they’d offered low-quality services.

A moving company’s long history cannot guarantee excellent moving services like the ones you’re looking for, but their longevity will be a strong indication that the relocation experience they have gained through the years will be beneficial for you.

Be extra cautious if you choose to hire movers that are relatively new in the business as they have not had enough time to prove their worth.

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2. Is the moving company properly licensed?

Make sure you’re hiring a licensed moving company to avoid trouble.

Another question you must ask your moving company is whether they are properly licensed to do business in the country. Interestingly enough, irrespective of their answer, you still need to verify their legitimate status online. Why? The last thing you’d want is to deal with unlicensed rogue movers that tend to have only one thing on their mind – to find a good way to scam you.

All professional interstate moving companies must be licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation and will have a license number – known as a USDOT Number – that will prove their legitimacy. Make sure you check each interstate mover’s license number here.

Local moving companies (instate movers), on the other hand, are not regulated by the Government but by the state, so they usually hold state licenses. However, moving regulations and license requirements vary from state to state.

Do NOT hire the services of a moving company if they cannot prove that they are properly licensed.

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3. Is the moving company a ProMover?

The questions you ask moving companies all have one purpose in common – to evaluate the movers so that in the end, you can pick the mover that best fulfills your requirements, meets your expectations, and fits your budget.

One of the recommended questions to ask potential movers is whether they are ProMovers. The American Trucking Association (ATA) has established a ProMover certification program that guarantees that their members have passed a rigorous background check and agreed to uphold ATA’s Code of Ethics.

It’s about reputation, reliability, and trust – hiring a ProMover basically means that your items will be in good hands since the moving company has passed successfully an industry certification program on best practices.

Also, ask your movers if they are members of the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Ideally, BBB-accredited moving companies should abide by the BBB Standards for Trust so that you can trust their professional moving services as well.

4. Just how experienced is the moving crew?

One of the things to look for when hiring a moving company is the extent of their experience. The thing you need to know before you agree on a specific mover is whether their employees work permanently for the company (properly trained and background-checked moving experts) or whether they are just temporary workers with little or no experience in the moving industry.

During the peak of the moving season, some moving companies hire temporary inexperienced workers due to the high demand for movers. As a result, the risk of property damage or personal injuries on Moving day will be too high even though you’ve hired the services of a professional mover.

Don’t forget to ask the moving company whether the crew that will be packing and moving your things will comprise of experienced professional movers – you definitely don’t want amateurs to be handling your prized possessions.

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5. Does the mover have the necessary moving equipment?

You want to hire movers who will be ready to overcome each moving challenge.

When paying professionals to help you out with your house move, you want to be certain that they have the proper moving equipment to handle your specific type of move. This is especially important when you have special items and you’d like the mover to be able to protect them and move them safely to the new home.

Assuming that your movers have basic moving equipment such as a truck of the right size, furniture dollies, appliance dollies, moving blankets, furniture sliders and all the necessary packing supplies, you may need the pros to have special hoisting equipment or more heavy-duty dollies for transporting extra-large and extra-heavy things such as a hot tub, a heavy safe, or a pool table.

Don’t underestimate the complexity and danger of moving bulky furniture pieces or household appliances either. You just need to know that your mover has enough trained staff and the right moving equipment to complete the job as scheduled.

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6. Does the moving company offer on-site, in-person estimates?

Now, this is a really important question to ask your mover: will they come to your home for a visual inspection of the things you’re moving with you to the new address? And although it’s phrased as a question, you shouldn’t accept NO as an answer.

Some moving companies may offer you cost estimates over the phone or by e-mail without actually seeing in person your home and things you’re moving. In the majority of cases, such moving quotes end up being rather inaccurate in the end.

Ask your movers to visit your home for a visual survey. Request a binding estimate in writing that will describe clearly the services offered by the company and will reflect much more accurately the total cost of the move. As a rule, you should stay away from non-binding estimates even though they are issued by movers for free.

7. What extra services will the mover offer you?

One of the essential questions to ask movers when getting estimates is what additional services they will offer you so that they can complete the move as scheduled. Note that some of those extra moving services may be required for the successful completion of the relocation (furniture disassembly, for example), while other accessorial services you yourself can request from your mover (packing or unpacking, for instance).

Good full-service moving companies should be able to offer you the extra services of packing, unpacking, disassembly and reassembly of furniture, hoisting, wooden crating, temporary storage, and more.

Do ask your moving company in advance what additional moving services you should expect to be charged for. The charges for all services should be included in the binding moving estimate you have received after the on-site survey by the professionals.

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8. What hidden costs can you expect from the mover?

Will a broken elevator mean an extra charge for you? Ask your mover to find out.

You may have loads of questions for your mover but one you should not forget to ask is about the hidden costs that almost always turn up in the end when it’s time for you to pay the moving bill. That’s why it’s imperative that you speak with your moving company about all possible hidden fees and charges, again in advance.

Your mover may choose to charge you extra for handling extra-bulky items such as a piano, a pool table, hot tube, a metal safe, or even a very large furniture piece. Your mover may charge you an elevator fee – a one-time fee of around $75 if the building elevator is out of order or is missing in action. And if your professional movers cannot park the truck close to the entrance of your home, you’ll probably be charged a long carry fee to having the pros carry your stuff all the way to the moving vehicle.

Other hidden costs include a move cancellation fee, a storage fee, an express delivery charge, an extra stops charge, a travel fee and so on.

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9. What type of insurance does the mover offer?

Understanding your insurance options is an important aspect of your residential move so it should be one of the mandatory questions to ask when hiring a moving company.

In the majority of cases, you will receive a free basic coverage called Basic Limited Liability Protection as soon as you sign the Bill of Lading. You shouldn’t get too excited though because that basic coverage is de facto non-existent – would you be satisfied to get around $20 as compensation if your movers broke your big plasma TV? Of course not.

Instead, ask your moving company about you purchasing real moving insurance that will cover you adequately in case of damage or loss of one of your belongings. Such protection is called Full Value protection and entitles the mover to reimburse the replacement value of whatever’s been damaged or lost.

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10. Does the moving company request a deposit?

Most top-rated moving companies will request that you pay a deposit when you book their services. Moving company deposits are needed so that the mover can be sure that the customer won’t back in the last minute, thus disrupting their busy schedule and affecting other customers as well.

Therefore, the purpose of a deposit when hiring a mover is to compensate the company for any incurred losses should the customer cancel the booked move for some reason or another.

Every moving company has their own policy when it comes to booking deposits. So, don’t hesitate to ask your mover to give you more information about what you should expect to pay and the amounts they request.

Generally speaking, a booking deposit should not be more than around 20-25% of the total estimated cost of the move. Don’t ever pay the full price up-front or give a moving company a large deposit – you should only pay them in full when all your things have been delivered safely to the new address, with no broken, damaged or missing items whatsoever.

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11. What will the moving company do to protect your belongings?

You have to know how the movers will guarantee the safety of your things.

You may have many questions to ask when hiring movers – mostly about making sure that you’ve made the right choice when it comes to the professional moving company. In fact, that’s a crucial decision that you shouldn’t just leave things to pure luck but do a thorough research on potential movers.

Another super-important question to ask your relocation partner is what measures they will take to protect your household items during the move. Ask them to be more specific in their answer, don’t just accept generic and rather meaningless replies in the lines of “Don’t worry, we know what to do.”

You’re paying those guys to do a good job so demand more details about how exactly they will keep your things safe and what they will do to prevent property damage of any kind. If you’re not satisfied by what you hear, then you can as well look for other professional movers in your area – ones that seem more trustworthy.

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12. How does the moving company handle disputes or complaints?

Last but not least, ask your moving company how they handle complaints or disputes in case there happen to be any problems with your move. Top-rated moving companies have Dispute Settlement Programs that should help you work out an agreement with the pros to resolve possible disputes during or after the move.

Federal Regulations require that professional moving companies have arbitration programs for resolving disputes when it comes to property loss and damage, as well as disputes about overcharging. So, don’t hesitate to ask your mover what specific steps they’ll take in case of a dispute between you. If you like what you hear, then that’s probably the right moving company for you – after all, house moves are rather unpredictable and anything can happen while your items are in transit between the two homes.

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The post 12 Super-Important Questions to Ask Your Movers appeared first on The Moving Blog.