5 Questions You Should Ask Your Mover Before Hiring Them
Moving to a new home can be one of the most amazing things to happen in your life. After all, this move serves as the perfect opportunity for a fresh start. Unfortunately, moving isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do. You need to pack your things, make sure they get transported safely and unpack them in your new home. This can prove quite stressful, especially if you’re doing things alone. However, you don’t need to do everything alone – hiring movers can actually get you a lot of work done, provided you’re with the right people. How do you choose the right mover, though? What do you ask?
Be aware of what you need to be moved. One of the most important things people often neglect in a move is being aware of what exactly it is they want to move. You can’t just cram up things in boxes, make sure they fit, and then transfer them. It’s important to maintain an inventory, be aware of things you want to move, and let your movers know the nature of things you’re transporting.
- It helps to keep a physical or digital note of things you own and want to move. These can range from furniture, accessories, decorations, and other objects. Try to be as precise as possible in indicating their make, and if they’re fragile and need special care.
- Always make an actual list of things you own, so movers can also have a reference to your inventory. This also helps you double check and keep track of things you’re moving, and make sure nothing’s out of order.
Take note of logistical concerns. Another thing people often neglect when moving is to double check the areas of coverage of your mover. When you screen potential movers, ask them areas they operate in. If you’re in New York or moving to New York, moving companies can help you out.
- Like what’s mentioned above, ask your potential mover if they’re allowed to operate not just in your old home’s location, but in your new home’s place as well. Some states require licenses for moving companies to get to work there, so make sure your movers have them.
- Try to see whether you need to make adjustments in terms of what you’re bringing as well. Moving companies need to bring out vehicles to carry your stuff, and this might affect logistics. In speaking of,
Ask what factors in the move affect your payment. One thing that you shouldn’t neglect asking your movers is what exactly affects the prices of their services. Things like gas, food allowances, taxes, and even weight have a factor in the kind of payments they’d ask you. So be sure you’re aware of these.
- What exactly goes in a quotation? How much is paid for a certain amount of weight?
- What other fees should you expect? Should you be expected to pay for gas, food allowances, or even toll fees, or is this covered by the moving company?
Be aware who exactly will be conducting the move. People you talk with over the phone or meet in person that are part of the moving company might not be the ones doing the move. It helps if you can ask the company who will be conducting the move so you’re aware of who’s in charge of your things.
- With this in mind, try asking who this person is and their experience with the company. It helps to be sure that the people handling your things are professionals.
- How many will be participating in the move, and what things will be used? It helps to ask what kind of audience to expect on the day of the move. How many trucks will be there? Who else should you be relying on when it comes to moving your things?
Ask what happens during an emergency. We don’t like to think about emergencies, but these things do happen and we need to be careful with them. Ask your moving company about their policies on emergencies.
- Ask about insurance – who handles the insurance if something were to happen? Is this covered in the payment? Does the company have insurance, or do you have to pay for it yourself?
- What other forms of security or guarantee they have that your things will stay secure even during emergencies? What are their protocols in case of danger?
The 5 Questions: Know Your Movers First
With the above in mind, remember that it’s best you find the movers that are compatible with what you need, instead of choosing movers that are famous, or cost low, or are extremely high-costing. It’s always the movers with techniques, operating procedures, and the right kind of reputation that can give you the peace of mind you need throughout your move. The five (5) questions above will hopefully be able to get you on the right track to search for your movers.
