When hiring moving services, look for legitimate moving companies. You will find many options but only a few offer add-on services such as general cleaning and furniture assembly, lawn care and maintenance, etc.
Be sure to research companies ahead of time before signing any written agreement. Do not rely completely on their promotional offers, flyers, and website. Never sign a blank contract and check if a virtual survey will gather your personal data.
According to the Better Business Bureau, there are an average of 13,000 complaints and negative mover reviews every year. 40% of Americans have been scammed by moving companies and 14% have lost at least $3,000.
Consider the following tips for hiring movers before you make a decision. These can be helpful even for a local move.
At the onset, it may seem more expensive to hire a moving company. Some people would rather save money and attempt to DIY. If done right, you can come across a company that values excellent customer service, complying with delivery dates, and still saving money.
Consider evaluating your options using the following criteria:
While everyone would want to save up on costs, it is not as easy as looking for the most affordable rates available on the market. Affordability can mean different things for people from different economic brackets.
When you have a lot of valuable items like antiques and expensive paintings, it may be more cost-effective to engage a professional mover instead of risking all your belongings on a trial-and-error basis.
Another crucial factor in choosing a moving company is reliability. There is nothing worse than finding out there is no help coming on a moving day.
Check online and offline resources about the company’s track record. Online reviews are usually readily available. Read both good and bad reviews. Good reviews help you find the right movers while you can learn a lot from bad reviews.
Ask for recommendations from family and friends who have gone through the moving process. This is especially important if you are moving for the first time.
Nothing beats real-life experience. It is reassuring when you know you are hiring movers with a lot of experience. The relocation journey can be full of unexpected events like sudden snowstorms or busted tires.
Ask your movers how they plan to handle the moving process and how they have handled problems encountered by previous customers.
Moving, especially interstate and long-distance moves, is challenging work. A lot of household goods need to be wrapped carefully to avoid leaking their contents into other personal belongings.
Aside from the actual work itself, since people are under pressure to complete the tasks, fluctuating emotions are common among most movers. In all such challenges, a mover is expected to maintain professionalism at all times.
It is a good sign if the movers have a calm and collected demeanor. This means they can handle a high-pressure high-stakes situation like a sudden snowstorm while in transit to the new destination.
If you really have too many things and you cannot transport them in one go, you might want to entertain the idea of renting a storage place for your personal belongings. Some companies rely on these spaces for rent when transferring to a new headquarters office. Note however that this is often not part of moving fees and will incur additional costs.
When you have a tight schedule and you need to relocate fast, let professional movers handle the tedious and overwhelming parts of the journey for you.
Hiring movers makes more sense that doing everything by yourself if the following are on your priority list:
Of course, if you can afford to outsource the many tedious tasks that moving entails and money is not a concern, it would be an easy decision to avoid doing them by yourself. In a way, when you hire professional movers, you get to multiply yourself and distribute errands that do not require your focus.
Ask professionals who can expertly pack your belongings with safety and generous bubble wrap so they can arrive at your new home in one piece. Inquire if they offer an hourly rate and if they can recommend storage places for things you are yet to transport.
Hours spent packing, unpacking, loading, and unloading can easily add up. Hours which you could have used for more important things and appointments. Many movers are trained to provide good, quality service. It is expected that they can do the tasks faster than you can and they already have a system to ensure that you will not have to undergo multiple trips.
If you have a strict schedule and need to get to your new destination fast, work with professionals who can give you quality service.
Taking away overwhelming tasks from your plate can provide the breathing room you need. We understand that you also need to adjust emotionally and mentally to your new environment. Hiring movers can alleviate and lessen your stress.
From packing fragile items and wrapping irregularly shaped bulky items and large furniture, a professional team can help you efficiently pack all your items. Most movers are highly trained and experienced so they can easily assess if you need extra boxes for your belongings and know how to wrap these things so that items safely arrive in your new house.
Packing for transportation can be quite tricky and anxiety-inducing. If you need to transport your grand piano which has been in your family for generations, hiring movers who are highly skilled in packing can spell the safety of your valuables and even pricey appliances.
If you are moving heavy boxes with fragile items, chances are, you either need moving dollies, trollies, and sometimes, even a forklift to load and unload all your items. It would be impractical to buy this equipment since you will only use it for relocation. Not to mention the prices, which can easily skyrocket and storage you need to think about.
On average, a two-person team working will charge up to $400, just for labor of up to 4 hours. At Community Labor Partnership (CLP), our moving company, we charge a flat rate of $100 per mover for a maximum of 2 hours.
Provide the moving trucks and equipment and we will have quality movers to handle the loading, unloading, and heavy lifting for you. Let our quality movers know if you need help packing and unpacking your belongings.
During peak seasons like school opening season and summer months, more people are relocating. This is either prompted by warm weather or to get the kids to their new school in time for the start of the school season. Moving in the summer means the kids are on vacation and you have plenty of time to introduce them to a new environment.
The demand for movers dramatically decreases during the October to April period. With the demand decreasing and supply increasing, moving services typically cost less. Most residents tend to move at the beginning or end of the month.
While there may be many moving companies in the market, they do not usually include other services aside from loading and unloading boxes in moving trucks.
CLP’s moving services can include packing, unpacking, loading, and unloading your belongings and furniture.
Our local movers listen to your special instructions for valuable breakable items and bulky pieces like your dining room table and even specialty items.
We can also offer home cleaning, carpet cleaning, furniture assembly, drywall installation, and even handyman services.
We have landscaping services where our laborers can do yard clean up, lawn maintenance, ditch digging, wheelbarrow and shovel work, weeding, and landscape lighting installation.
We even have painting services ranging from interior painting to roof painting, deck staining, and kitchen cabinet painting.
Hiring a moving company requires patience and a knack for research. You will have to look at services offered vis-a-vis fees and charges before making a final decision.
Making the right choice to hire movers is crucial because this will dictate whether your move will be successful.
Sometimes it can also determine whether you will still have a job waiting for you. Taking too long in completing your relocation has its consequences.
To find the right professional mover to handle your moving needs, look no further and contact CLP. You can find our customer reviews on our website.
We will take care of your moving responsibilities so you can have your time back for adventures and exploring your new city.
Plus, our rates are considered the best deal in the moving industry!
CLP is the only company in the world able to provide same-day local movers, landscapers, residential & commercial painters, and general laborers to ANY city or town in the United States. As we grow strong with over 50 team members and over 42,000 independent contractors signed up to do labor gigs, we now service over 300 cities. We provide services 12 hours a day, seven days a week – from 8 AM to 8 PM.
