Moving is one of the most daunting processes in life as you have to cater multiple things such as packing, loading goods, traveling for hours and unpacking at the new location. With the help of professional services offered by moving companies, you can save a lot of money and effort. A reliable moving company will take the stress out of a move. The choice of the mover can be the deciding factor in a successful move and a nightmare. Here are 8 steps that will help you to complete the moving process efficiently.

GET RECOMMENDATIONS

You need to make sure that you get recommendations for the moving companies from your friends, co-workers and the local real estate agents. These recommendations will help you to find a reliable mover near you that will complete the moving process in an efficient manner. Getting on-site estimates are also necessary as it will help the company to gauge the items they have to move and you will also get an idea of what you have to pay for the moving process. It is not necessary that the big names in the moving industry always provide high-end services. You need to gather estimates from multiple companies and analyze them on the basis of final quote price, company’s reputation in the market and their completed projects.

DO AN INITIAL SCREENING

When you have gathered a list of recommended movers, you need to do a thorough background check. You can check for online reviews of the company and also contact the “Better Business Bureau” to get details about the company. Most states require the moving company to be accredited by the local government. So, checking the license of the company is mandatory when engaging in business with them.

CALL COMPANIES FOR IN-HOUSE ESTIMATES

After getting recommendations and doing necessary background checks, you will most probably shortlist three to four companies for the job. You should call these companies to your location for an on-site estimate. The best approach is to ask for a binding estimate. With a binding estimate, the moving company will be obligated to provide the agreed services at the rate they quote you. Estimates are calculated on the basis of the nature of the goods, the weight of the goods and the distance of the move.

SHOW ALL GOODS THAT NEED TO BE MOVED

When an estimator will come to your home, you need to make sure that you show all the things that you are planning to move. You should show them all the furniture items – whether indoor or outdoor, the electronic items and vintage items as well. On the move day, if you are moving more things that agreed, the foreman may not move the goods – and at that time you will not have many options left. You should also let the estimator know about the condition of the new house and also tell him about the things that can complicate the move-in process such as stairs and small doorways. You should make sure that the movers handle the goods by themselves rather than outsourcing the job to a local contractor. You should collect all the necessary information of the moving company and this will help you to make the final decision regarding the selection. You should also garner the following information when the estimator comes to your home.

• The company’s full name
• The company’s phone number, addresses, e-mail addresses and website addresses
• The company’s license number and phone numbers of all references

REVIEW THE ESTIMATE

An estimate is the combined document that is signed by the company’s representative and you. This serves as the order of service agreement as well. Apart from this, you will also get a list of inventory that will be moved by the company. You should check the mover’s signature and date on the document as it will help you to clear any doubts regarding the payments in the future. The order for service agreement depicts all the necessary details of the contract. You will get information regarding the additional services offered by the company and the estimated timeline of the moving process. If you are taking insurance services from the movers, then you should also make sure that all the information is depicted in the contract.

COMPARE THE ESTIMATES

When you have gathered the estimates from the moving companies, then you need to compare the moving quotes. While some people only compare the quotes based on the prices offered by the company, you should take other things into consideration such as delivery date and past experiences into consideration as well.

COMPARE THE SERVICES

Make sure that you check all the contenders in detail before making a final decision. Make sure that you choose a company from the same state as this will help you to reach the mover’s office easily. You should also collect the information regarding the movers from the online directories and this will help you to know how long the company has been in business and how many successful moves they have made.

CHECK LICENSE AND INSURANCE

Make sure that the moving company you are considering is licensed and meets all the insurance standards. You can get the information of all the licensed moving companies on FMCSA website.

When you have selected a mover to complete the moving process and the move date is finalized, you should pack all your goods before the move day. This will help you to save a lot of time. On the move day, you need to cater different things such as coordination with the movers, checking the inventory list and loading the goods on the moving trucks. Go through the inventory list and provide necessary details to the movers regarding the new location. You should also be in contact with the movers throughout the moving process.