Moving homes is a life-changing event, whether in a new neighbourhood in the same city or across state lines. It presents an opportunity to immerse yourself in a new space, meet different people, and form a new social identity. A new home can mean a heightened feeling of security, more space for your family, and better resources like a better public schooling system for your loved ones to grow.
Moving homes is also a complex, time-intensive task. From organizing to selecting what to take to packing it up, all this can be laborious and emotionally draining. Getting the services of a reliable mover that can work on your schedule, guarantee the safety of your prized possessions, and make the relocation process efficient helps to reduce the stress of this process and your workload. When deciding what moving company you should hire, here are the ten questions you should ask all prospective candidates to ensure you’ve hired the best organization for the job.
Are They Certified?
The first thing to consider when hiring a moving company is whether this company is certified or not. A recent study by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) revealed how some companies would suddenly increase the prices of their services when it came to interstate travel. The report lists people’s encounters with such experiences, like a person travelling from Ohio to Chicago who had his property destroyed. So when before hiring a company, ensure that it is certified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and accredited by bodies like the BBB. This means the company is officially registered as a moving company. A reputable, certified moving company will ensure all your belongings are safely transported and that your move goes smoothly. The person whose property was damaged in their move could have avoided such a situation if he had relied on top Chicago interstate movers.
What Kind Of Moving Do They Deal With?
Different moving companies have their specializations. Some focus on residential moves, while others focus on commercial ones, like changing your company’s office space to a new address. Some are focused on inner-city travel, while others primarily deal with inter-state shifts.
Make sure whatever your company hire is more than capable of meeting your moving needs. If you want to move within the city, there are likely affordable movers in your area. These companies offer their services at competitive prices while having an intimate knowledge of the city and its surroundings, which is vital to ensure an efficient property transfer from one address to another. For interstate travel, a highly reputable company with an excellent reputation in many states is an ideal candidate.
What Additional Services Do They Offer?
Many moving companies provide multiple services that can assist you in other parts of the moving process. The most common of these additional services is packing, where the company will work towards completing your packing and doing this in a manner where your belongings are properly secured.
Some companies include packing services within their moving services, and others will charge some nominal amount to provide such a service. If you feel overburdened by the work you have to do and are within your budget for the move, consider asking your moving company to also take over the packing process.
What Is Their Pricing Like?
Unfortunately, advertisements that say you can get a particular product or service for as cheap as X dollars refer to the most basic service. Instead of relying on their marketing campaigns and advertisements for information, it is crucial you develop an understanding of the company’s pricing structure. Is it a company that charges by a per-hour rate or one working for an agreed upon flat fee? Does the weight of the objects moved have any bearing on the price charged?
Are there any additional charges you need to be aware of, such as fuel or maintenance charges, and if so, what is their exact amount? Asking the moving company these questions will give you a specific idea of what kind of price you can expect to complete your move instead of relying on generic promises made during advertisement campaigns.
What Safety Precautions Are You Taking?
One of the primary reasons people hire movers is that they bring expertise and experience into this process, which reduces the risk of your property being damaged or destroyed during the move. Compared to any DIY attempts done by you, your family, and your friends, a moving company will have access to the best expertise and technology available for moving objects from the house to inside the truck.
Important questions include how long the company has been in service, which gives you a clear idea of their experience level. You should ask what protective material they use to secure your belongings during transit. Inevitably, even the most efficient moving company will sometimes damage property. It is vital to ask what insurance coverage the company offers for the customer’s belongings.
What Do Others Have To Say About The Company?
No company will undersell the quality of its services. They are, after all, interested in attracting customers to reach their goal of profit maximization. Companies will therefore take every possible step to present themselves in the best light possible.
To get around this problem, ask your moving company for testimonials and reviews of past customers. Here it is crucial to be able to distinguish reviews from fake ones. Fake reviews will often be wholly positive or negative, deprived of personal anecdotes or experiences, and made by profiles with no other activity apart from that post. Real reviews, on the other hand, are more likely to have a mixed opinion, use personal stories rather than cliches, and are often associated with more active user accounts.
Conclusion
Moving homes requires you to transfer your belongings from one space to another. Doing this comes with risks, from forgetting to pack everything to your prized possessions being damaged or destroyed during the move. A reliable moving company seriously minimizes the risk of the latter and provides you with compensation even if it were to occur. If you are looking for such a company, make sure you ask all representatives you approach the six questions listed above before you make any final decision.