Moving Resources —
Ten Tips for Selecting a Mover
1. Make sure that you RECOGNIZE the name of the moving company/carrier/van lines. If the name of the mover is not familiar to you, check MovingScam.com. They have a "black list" of disreputable movers.
2. Moving is not like buying a washer or dryer: it's not a tangible item but rather it is a service, predicated on the WEIGHT. Weight is to moving what location is to real estate. If the weight is not accurate, the move could prove to be a disaster! With all major moving companies, it is the actual weight, and the actual services provided, that will determine your final charges. With Cord Moving and Storage, weight is verified by certified weight scales before and after loading. Only second tier / independent movers charge by the cubic foot, which can be manipulated by the movers.
3. The moving estimate INCLUDES Maximum Value Protection (INSURANCE; full replacement cost protection.) Be certain that you understand that the movers liability, if there is an accident, is $.60/pound/article (carriers liability protection.) There is a huge difference between this and replacement cost! This should not be confused with a listed charge on the estimate, "insurance surcharge". This has nothing to do with the protection of your possessions. It refers to the protection of the movers' equipment.
4. Cord Moving and Storage includes the packing of beds in our moving estimates. Make sure all estimates do, as it is the cleanest / safest way to ship beds.
5. Not all movers are created equal! Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to know who you are dealing with! Be certain that the mover is licensed, you know their name, not DBA (doing business as), and have an address that is an actual place of business. Beware of moving brokers, as you have no way of knowing who is going to pick up and move your household goods. For more info, check out this article.
6. Make sure your mover/moving company has workman's compensation insurance. If they do not, and someone gets injured, you could be held responsible for health care and lost wages.
7. Check the movers/moving company's safety record and size of fleet by going to ProtectYourMove.gov. Knowing that the carrier has a large fleet of moving trucks insures that they can provide the services they promise, without a surprise moving company showing up (brokered out business).
8. Know how reliable a mover is for pick-up or deliver. At North American Van Lines, we are 96% on time for your pick up, and 92% on time for your delivery.
9. With internet movers, if the price sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There will always be someone that will provide an inferior product at a lesser price. The consumer that is interested in price alone is his lawful prey! If the competition is offering pricing that is 10% to 35% lower than the estimate we created, something is wrong. Is the weight the same? Is valuation (insurance) included as a line item in the context of the quote or is it additional? If there is packing (beds or full packing services), is it included? Are all the applicable surcharges, bulky article charges, shuttle charges (the need for a secondary, smaller truck due to inaccessibility for a tractor trailer) included that are in tariff 400 - N that all movers (and supported by the American Moving & Storage Association) use, or will they end up as "surprise charges, if necessary.
10. Make sure the moving company provides you an addenda to shipping documents. This document will tell you up front about the possible cost of a shuttle and/or other potential "surprise charges", if necessary.
Click here to view your rights and responsibilities as outlined by the Federal Highway Administration's Tariff Inspection & Incorporation Notice. This details your rights when you are moving.
Tips from a
Professional Mover