Getting a quote is a really important segment of the organization that takes places for everyone that will need to move. By getting a quote and choosing a company, you will resolve maybe 90% of things that are move related. Moving companies grew because of the increase in the local transit over the years.
Leases expiring, people changing jobs, going to college, seeking independence from parents etc., are a few of many reasons why local transits are increasing. This situation provided a solid ground for the further development of the moving industry, moving companies and the services that they provide.
Since the offer on the market grew larger out of necessity, a lot of new companies established their businesses, but not all of them are the best options for your moving project. Like in every other industry, in this one as well, there are many who try to make more money using scams, false pretense, claiming legitimacy when there is none.
This is why it is very important to know how to research, what to look for, what to avoid, what are the red flags and who to rely on.
Don’t leave just yet! In a few following paragraphs you will be able to learn the basics and will leave the course ready to request a quote and test your knowledge.
Steps
There can be a hundred different steps and guidelines, but only a few of them can help in getting a quote, being prepared to ask the significant questions and make the best choice for your situation.
Let’s jump to work:
- Get familiar with the nature of your move and your expectations
- Research the market, list out the options that you found
- Start reaching out
- Make a decision about the company and the moving quotes
- Share all important information with your residential movers
Get familiar with the nature of your move and your expectations
How can you start looking for an ideal company for your move when you didn’t sit down and took into consideration all important factors that are related to the nature of your move:
- Size of the move
- Date of move
- Type of service- self pack vs full pack
- Accessibility at both locations
- Any restrictions or deal breakers
These are the most important questions that you will hear from the relocation specials the first time when you reach out to a moving company for a quote. If you don’t know the answers to these questions, they won’t be able to provide you with a price estimate. So, think them through!
Size of the move
First thing that your furniture movers will need to determine is the number of movers that would be assigned to your project. The number of movers directly affects the price. Therefore, the size of the move is pretty important for your hourly rate. Size will give them a better picture of the base price that they can create at the beginning of the conversation.
Small moves usually don’t require large crews, many hours and there is no stretching on the budget if everything goes as planned. Of course, if your small move is out of the ordinary, you have odd shaped pieces of furniture, heavy items, many stairs etc, your movers will know what to suggest and how to help in resolving the situation.
Date of move
Date is equally important for your movers, maybe even the first thing that they will ask so they can check the availability. If there is no availability on your preferred date, and you are not flexible for any other dates, the move is not happening. At least with this moving company.
However, there are people who are pretty flexible with dates and require price estimates for various days of the week, and choose the one that works best for them.
Whatever the situation that you’re at, sit down and try to think of the date or at least approximate dates for the move.
Type of service, self pack vs full pack
Type of service that you will inquire about will affect the moving quotes in general. It will affect the price, number of movers, materials and tools for the moving day, the time efficiency etc.
Self pack service covers the transfer of furniture, disassembly and reassembly, some protective materials and tools, and the transfer of all of your boxes and personal belongings that you packed before the move date.
Full pack service covers all of the above plus the packing of your personal belongings into boxes. This type of service is more time consuming, and more expensive for sure. But, if you opt into this, the only thing that is on you is to make a reservation and wait for the moving date.
NOTE: Companies handle these services differently. They don’t include the same things, some charge for the tool usage, some don’t. Some charge for packing materials, some provide a flat price for the whole thing. Make sure that you understand how your local moving company charges for different services before you commit to their business.
Accessibility at both locations
Budget movers that you are trying to hire will need to know how the accessibility looks like at your current and your new place. The moving team will come with a truck, and this truck will need to be parked somewhere.
Make sure that you share this information about the parking availability, potentially narrow streets, situation with stairs and elevators, loading docks etc.
Restrictions and deal breakers
Any restrictions that you can encounter, like the one from your building’s management can be a deal breaker for you or your movers. For example, your management allows moves only on business days 2-5pm, but your local movers in Centennial are available only in the morning or can’t promise an exact arrival- deal breaker!
Just talk about everything with your sales agent, and they will give you advice.
Research the market, list out the options that you found and Start reaching out
Now that you sat down and reflected on everything, that you are aware of your moving needs, now is the time to start looking for perfect affordable movers for you. Getting many moving quotes is a must. Having more quotes means that you can compare them and weigh the price in one hand and service and what else the offer in the other hand.
Research won’t be easy. You will need to read reviews, call many numbers, ask many questions. Prepare yourself for unwanted calls and emails, these companies will want to follow up with you and check if you made your final decision.
When you hear a couple of different moving quotes, one will stand out. At least one. Choose the one that is legitimate, company insured and licensed, and the one that offers decent customer support, because you want to avoid as much stress as you can.
The most important things to hear:
- Licenced
- Insured
- How long they are on the market
- Online reviews (Yelp and Google)
- Referral
- Written proof of the promises that they make.
If they promise things over the phone, but never put it on the paper or in an email contract, that’s as good as gossip. The only insurance that you can have is the one given in written form. It is always better to be cautious and one step ahead. This way you will avoid being scammed, tricked and robbed.
Make a decision about the company and the quotes
Now that you have quotes, many prices, had different conversations, email quotes in written form, now that you asked all the questions that you had, is the time to make a decision and make a reservation with the local movers that provide everything that you need, don’t overcharged, they check out to be licenced and well-established.
Before you make a reservation, go over the most important facts one more time. Give them the benefit of a doubt.
Also, check their scheduling and rescheduling policy. How do they handle initiated cancellations, how do they treat the deposit (if they ask for one)?
Share all important information with your movers
Congrats! Now we can officially say that you have movers!
There are still some things to do, to prepare for the move, organize last minute updates and changes, but you took care of the biggest step!
From now on, all corrections, updates, changes and alterations that are move related will be important for the success of the project. If you don’t share them with the company that you chose, many things can go wrong. Everyone wants to avoid this, but sometimes people forget.
That’s why you should set up a follow up call with your relocation specialist two days before the move. Just in case. You can share all important information that you came across in the meantime, and that are move related.
FAQ Block
Maybe these frequently asked questions will shed a light on the things that you are having doubts about.
- How much does a mover cost?
The price is different from company to company. Some charge by the hour, some provide a flat price for the whole project. Those companies that are charging by the hour usually have a minimum hours that you will have to pay for regardless of the length of the move.
- What are the ways of payments that moving companies accept?
The best way to find out is to ask the movers that you hired. These companies are lovers of cash payments, but almost all of them accept credit and debit cards as well. Some even consider checks.
- How long does the move last in Centennial?
How long the move will last is the most difficult question that someone can ask. The length of the move depends on so many factors that are unpredictable, like city traffic for example. However, your sales agent can provide you with an estimate based on the size of your move- how long it usually lasts, for example between 3-5 hours. That is the best that you will get.
- Who is responsible for damages that occur during the move?
Damages are something that is predicted with the insurance that your moving company has. Moving companies, at least licensed ones, are obliged to provide you with the basic liability insurance (0.60 cents per LBS of the damaged item). Some companies have better insurance policies, you will need to communicate about it with them, or to go the other way and buy in-move insurance with a third party provider.