Are you Moving? Read This First

Moving can be many things, but fun is not typically one of them. Sure, leaving behind the old and making way for the new can be exciting, but the actual act of moving your belongings (why did you insist on keeping all those old high school mementos again?) is nothing short of tedious. To make things easier on yourself you may decide to hire movers to help you with the task of packing, loading, transporting and unloading the things you love the most – and the things you wonder what the heck you were thinking when you bought it. Listed here are a few things you need to keep in mind when hiring a residential moving company.

Inflated Prices

Before you hire movers, it is natural for you to call around for prices. What you need to watch out for is a mover that quotes you one thing and then inflates the price after walking through your house. Reputable movers won’t inflate the price once they’re finished with the job. Others will add fees for things such as “disassembling furniture” “extra weight items” “larger than normal items” or even “excess items.” That said, it is always best to have estimates on moving services done in person rather than over the phone. This way, movers already know what they need to do to move you, and won’t have room to add on any additional fees once the move is complete.

Move Little Things Yourself

Movers aren’t exactly known for their big salaries. How many kids do you know that grew up saying, “I’m going to be a mover when I grow up”? Exactly. What this means is that you need to move your favorite and most valuable items yourself. Pack up the jewelry, important paperwork and other valuables yourself. Then put them in your own car and drive them to your new home. Never trust anyone with these items.

Monetary Policies

Always work with a moving company who offers a refund policy if you cancel. Additionally, you should never hire a company that accepts only cash. You can stop payment on a credit card if you realize you hired crooks, but you can’t stop cash once it’s already been handed over.

Watch Your Attitude

One former mover once did an interview where he stated that clients should always check their superior attitude at the door. Movers who feel that they are being disrespected by a client will punish them. They might place more boxes than necessary in the garage instead of in the appropriate rooms, which means you will be lugging them in yourself. Additionally, they may place boxes upside down so careful packing is messed up and so you cannot read the labels on the boxes.

Insurance, Insurance, Insurance

Never, ever, ever, EVER hire a mover that is not licensed and insured. A mover without a license is most definitely without insurance, which means he has no workman’s comp or liability insurance. When one of his people trips down your new stairs or over a threshold you might as well get your checkbook out and kiss your bank balance goodbye.