When deciding to hire the best movers, you will find yourself in this tight spot where you need to make sure you do not make a decision you will be regretting later. Well, the good news is a little research can keep you from all the hassles involved and help you have a stress-free move.
Here are a few steps that are definitely going to be helpful in choosing the best moving companies in NYC:
- Gather referrals from friends who have moved recently and local industry professionals
Collecting referrals is no wonder the best way to start your review of potential moving companies. Even though the Yellow Pages and web searches can be helpful, referrals are believed to provide the best leads. Reach out to as many friends, co-workers and new neighbors as possible and hear out their experiences. Additionally, you might want to listento people who have moved recently, as the quality of companies’ services changes over time. Do not forget to ask for details such as the names of people they worked with, what went well, and what to watch out for. It is important to understand that the information about moves that did not go well can also be really helpful.
Other than friends and co-workers, you can also try to get referrals from industry professionals. You can also feel free to check with your leasing agent or real estate agent for experiences of their clients as that can be a plethora of helpful information. If you work for a large company, you may also want to check with the Human Resources department to see if they have someone who works with relocation. These types of referrals are definitely going to help you get your research started on the right foot.
- Make sure you consider movers that are licensed, bonded and insured.
Movers are regulated by federal, state and local laws. As for the law is concerned, a moving company that carries goods across state lines needs to be licensed by the Department of Transportation. At the state level, laws vary widely, and several states (Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont) don\’t require moving companies to have a separate license. If you are looking for a mover in some place other than these states, make sure you verify that the licenses are current. Moving experts also recommend that your movers be bonded and insured, both as proof that the company is legitimate and financial stability considering the worst case scenarios that may happen and the need to file a claim arises.
- Investigate your potential movers
Once you have sufficient knowledge about the basics of your potential moving companies, you should look forward to finding out about people\’s experiences moving with them. Try reaching out and searching for authentic objective, third-party opinions based on dozens or hundreds of consumer evaluations. Don’t be surprised if almost every moving company you come across has had some kind of complaints, having objective resources is what is important. Thankfully, there are a few excellent free resources that can be used. For instance, the U. S. Department of Transportation has a dedicated website for its \”Protect Your Move\” program. There is a link on that website that will allow you to look up individual moving companies. You can also check the websites such as MovingScam.com, ProtectYourMove.gov and the Better Business Bureau. It\’s a good idea to check all 3 to stay a hundred per cent fool proof. Not to mention, almost every mover who has been around for awhile will have a complaint from someone –so, don’t forget you\’re looking for patterns of issues and how the movers attempted to resolve the issues.
- Shortlist at least 3 movers based on in-home estimates they offer for the goods to be moved
Many companies provide methods for customers to obtain an estimate over the phone or on the web. This presents tremendous convenience for the consumer. Until a representative from the moving company takes a physical look at the inventory, any estimates they create won\’t be very reliable. Understand that you should also be concerned when a moving company isn\’t interested enough in your business to request an in-home visit. It can also be tempting to get only one or two estimates for an upcoming move. This presents two problems. The first problem is that it\’s very difficult to evaluate an estimate without having a few others to use as comparisons. The other problem is that this way you miss valuable opportunities to evaluate a mover\’s personnel without ever having met them. It most definitely is worth the time to get these estimates in person.
- Price is not the only factor- lower bids could also indicate a desperate mover
Price undoubtedly plays a very important role in selecting a moving company, however, it is important to remember it isn\’t the only factor. In fact, we think that quality, safety and reliability are as important. When you think that you will trust all your most important possessions to be driven off by complete strangers, it puts pricing in some perspective. Not just that, if you see an estimate that\’s more than one third lower than the next lowest estimate, you might want to find out why. On most occasions, an extremely low estimate has been found to be a sign of movers who are either very inexperienced or desperate and of course, neither of those reasons should be cause for encouragement!
- Ask for written \”Binding Not-To-Exceed\” estimates
Moving estimates can primarily be categorized as binding and non-binding. While non-binding estimates are not contracts, and provide limited rights to those moving, binding estimates are contracts and are binding on both you and the moving company. A \”Binding Not to Exceed\” estimate is very much capable of putting a firm cap on the amount you can be charged, so long as you do not request additional moving services or add items to be moved. Moving companies often take utmost care while creating such estimates, and a lot of them do not offer these estimates at all. However, wherever possible, it is suggested you get your potential movers to agree to create one for you to be on the safer side.
- Don’t fall for \”rogue movers\”- if you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts
Several moving organizations offer specific warnings about scam artists known as \”rogue movers.\” These groups offer a very low estimate for an upcoming move. What they do is demand exorbitant fees to release your possessionsonce your goods are on their truck. Some of the warning signs pointed out by trustworthy organizations are:
- The mover doesn\’t offer or agree to an on-site inspection of your household goods and gives an estimate over the phone or Internet-sight-unseen. These estimates often sound too good-to-be-true. They usually are.
- The movers demand cash or a large deposit before the move.
- The mover doesn\’t provide you with a copy of \”Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move,\” a booklet movers are required by Federal regulations to supply to their customers in the planning stages of interstate moves.
- The company\’s Web site has no local address and no information about licensing or insurance.
- The mover claims all goods are covered by their insurance.
- Your calls to the mover are answered with a generic \”Movers\” or \”Moving Company,\” rather than the company\’s name.
- Offices and warehouse are in poor condition or nonexistent.
- On moving day, a rental truck arrives rather than a company-owned and marked fleet truck.
While selecting a moving company can be an imposing task, it\’s important to note that moves with reputable companies tend to turn out well. Following the simple steps in this article can help ensure that your move is a successful one. Beacon Moving & Storage is a lot more than a local moving company. They have their place secured in the top 3 moving companies in NYC since the year 2001 and they are unstoppable. Their moving company is fully insured, licensed, and bonded by the FMCSA. The services they offer include local moving, long distance moving, international moving, residential relocations, corporate moving, small office moving, packing, and more.
In order to ensure the move goes as planned, we suggest you to
- Start early.
- Make use of a moving checklist and a moving organizer.
- Create ‘open me first’ suitcases and boxes.
- Don’t pack the things you can easily live without.
- Make sure you have proper payment for movers ready in advance.
Find out more about our services by visiting www.beaconmoving.com. You can also call us at 888-966-8323 or email @ info@localhost