The following contribution is from another author.
With millions of people moving across states and countries yearly, it isn’t a miracle that most moves proceed smoothly. Relocating, whether locally or long distance, is very stressful. As such, the only way to achieve safe and stress-free moving is to hire the best long-distance movers. However, like any other service provision business, you should consider several factors to find the best.
Below are the top 5 factors to consider before hiring long-distance movers.
Excellent Communication
The moving industry, just like any other service business, thrives on excellent communication. Planning for long-distance relocation is overwhelming, frustrating, and very engaging. Therefore, you should work with a team with great communication skills to ease your move.
Moving companies shouldn’t add to your emotions and uncertainties. Instead, they should use professional communication skills to alleviate your concerns and ease your feelings. You can also plan and pack in time if you communicate clearly with the moving company.
Accurate Estimates Without Surprise Costs
While you shouldn’t narrow your search for moving companies based on costs, you should consider companies that give accurate moving estimates and assure no surprise costs. Reputable moving companies should provide accurate estimates and recommendations for your shipments, including fragile items that require special care.
You should negotiate the moving costs according to your budget. Fortunately, you can leverage several loopholes to reduce the total costs. For instance, most moving companies include packing costs in their quotes. The additional costs include packaging materials, employee time, and labor.
If you find this very expensive, you can avoid packing costs. However, this means you will pack the items and take responsibility for any damage during packing. You can also negotiate for lenient extra fees. If you are moving from a several-story building to a townhouse or first-floor apartment, the company will likely charge a negotiable fee for such transference.
Variety of Services
You should also consider the types of services offered by the moving company. You should hire a moving company that offers services that suit your needs. Most professional moving companies provide the following services:
- Residential moving services – these companies specialize in moving household items. The company can offer either local, long-distance, or international services. Make sure you hire a company offering long-distance moving services for your needs.
- Commercial moving services – moving commercial establishments, be it a business or an office, is more complicated and costly than residential services. If you want to move your business, hire a reputable company that can handle sensitive business documents expertly.
- Moving container services – moving using containers is a new trend that has gained immense popularity. Here, the company delivers moving containers to your driveway for you to load your belongings. They will pick up the container and drop it at your new residence once you are done packing.
- Auto transportation services – if you are relocating to a long-distance, chances are you need professional auto transportation services. These companies move your companies, trucks, and other vehicles.
- Specialty moving services – these services are designed for special or unique items, such as antiques, pets, art, and pianos.
You should evaluate your moving checklist to hire a company that offers services that meet your requirements.
Moving Insurance and Valuation Protection
Professional moving companies should have a valid license and insurance cover. Ideally, they should assume total liability for the goods in transit. However, there are two levels of liability, ultimately determining the costs of moving and the level of protection provided. They include:
- Full value protection – is a comprehensive policy that covers and compensates the total value of goods lost, damaged, or destroyed while in transit. The moving company should either repair, pay for repair costs, or replace the damaged items.
- Alternative level liability – is an economical option that provides a minimal level of protection. In this option, the moving company assumes liability for at most 60 cents per pound of every item lost or damaged. Any claims to the company are settled based on the item’s weight. For instance, if a furniture piece weighing 10 pounds and worth $1000 is lost or destroyed, the moving company will be liable for $600 (10 pounds x 60 cents) at most.
Reputation
Reputation is another important quality that determines whether the moving company will meet your expectations. Unfortunately, most moving companies look forward to completing a moving project hurriedly, regardless of customer concerns. Established companies have completed several moving projects, and you can benefit from previous customers’ feedback and review of their services. Avoid companies with many negating reviews.
The Bottom Line
Other qualities that make a moving company stand out include professionalism, careful planning, moving equipment, customer service, and availability in your location. Working with a good moving company can simplify your seemingly challenging moving process.
