Although many reputable moving companies advertise online, the scammers are pretty firmly established on the Internet as well. Since it can be hard to sort out the wheat from the chaff, talk to people you know who have recently moved. Which moving company did they use? Were they satisfied with the services? Another reliable referral source of information is your real estate agent.

Once you have the names of two or three moving companies invite each company on your short-list over to do an in-home estimate. Do not accept over-the-phone estimates, which are notoriously unreliable. There are three kinds of estimates: binding, non-binding (hourly), and “not to exceed.” Make sure your estimate is either binding or “not to exceed.” Get the estimates in writing. Don’t sign any blank forms—you never know what terms will be filled in after you’ve signed your name.

Before making your final selection, find out exactly what services the moving company will provide for the price quoted. Will the movers pack your belongings, or is that up to you? Is the company willing to move valuables (e.g., paintings, heirloom furniture, etc.)? Ask about the company’s insurance. If an item is damaged or lost in transit, will they pay for it or is that your expense?

Finally, check out the company’s professional associations. At bare minimum, the company you select should be licensed with your state’s Department of Transportation (DOT). Ideally, it will also be a member of an association like the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) or, for international movers, the International Federation of International Movers (FIDI).

Not all moving companies are created equal. Some genuinely want to help you have the best moving experience possible. Others simply want to take your money and run. Do your research, and when moving day arrives, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing you can count on your moving company.

When reviewing what a moving company offers in terms of service, a consumer should call the moving company and request a copy of the company’s policy. Further, if a consumer is comparing moving companies on the Internet, they may find that the company makes a copy of their policy available online. That being the case, the consumer should take the time to read the entire policy; while doing so, they should also keep a sharp eye out for any additional fees they may be required to pay or any special considerations they might have to take into account.

After selecting two or three moving companies, the consumer should then request an estimate from each of the moving companies so that they can compare them. It is also wise for the consumer to ask if the estimate is a binding one; a binding estimate ensures that the estimated price will not fluctuate after the moving process has started. If, on the other hand, the estimate is not binding, then the consumer can ready themselves for the possibility of additional fees.

When looking for moving companies to help you move your home or your business there are several things that you should look for. First, all moving companies that you consider using should be licensed, insured, and bonded. This will protect you as well as the moving company if your products are broken or their employees are injured in the moving process. It’s also a good idea to look for moving companies that commonly deal with homes of your size. For instance, you don’t want to deal with moving companies that specialize in apartments and one bedroom homes if you have a six bedroom home with furniture in every room!

Moving companies also vary in what they will do for you in the moving process. You can find companies that will pack, load up, unload and unpack your things for you. You can also find moving companies that will simply load, transport, and unload. It’s a good idea to decide what you need and then price several moving companies to see which one best fits your needs. Moving companies are not hard to find, but good moving companies are a bit more uncommon than you might think.

If you’ve run out of friends with pick-ups or you can’t bear to ask your second cousins’ boyfriend’s son to help you move again, you may need to consider using one of the local moving companies in your area. This is the time to take your time investigating the moving companies in your area. Ask for word of mouth recommendations and check with your local Better Business Bureau to look for moving companies.Decide ahead of time which services you will need. Are you going to do all of the packing yourself? If you are, be aware that the moving companies are not usually liable for breakage in a box they didn’t pack, unless of course they drop the box. Be sure and read all the fine print about insurance because even though moving companies must assume a certain level of liability for damaged or broken items, the key word here is level. Make sure you understand ahead of time how much of the liability they are to assume in case of breakage.Another thing to consider: Many moving companies offer moving supplies such as boxes and tape. If you’ve been used to getting your moving boxes from the supermarket, it can be a nice change to purchase a package of new and clean boxes all the same size. If you decide to go that route though, make sure the moving company will buy back any of the boxes that you don’t use.If you’re going to put some of your things in storage, look at that aspect of the moving before you contract with any of the moving companies because some moving companies also have a storage facility and will offer you one to three months free storage for using their movers.Finding reputable local moving companies won’t be difficult if you approach it early enough so that you are not forced to make a last minute decision on moving day.

If you will be making a large move soon, especially if you are moving to another state, you may be considering checking out some moving companies. Each year, reputable moving companies take the stress out of transporting furniture and household items for many people. When you are researching moving companies and trying to decide whether to use one or which one to use, there are certain things that you should take into consideration. First of all, for all of the moving companies that you are checking out, one of your first tasks should be to call the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB can be an invaluable resource when it comes to finding out about the reputation of any company. If you check on a particular moving company through the BBB and there is no information available for it, it’s probably best to cross that moving company off your list. Moving companies that aren’t listed with the BBB are probably fly-by-night operations that can’t be trusted.Reputable moving companies will have clear and precise contracts that are available for you to peruse carefully before anything is signed. They will also give you guarantees on prices. Any moving companies that give you an estimate when you consult with them, but tell you that their final fee will only be calculated after your items are moved should also be crossed off your list.Try to stay with moving companies that have been in business for a long time, are well established, and have a good reputation. You may have to pay more than what other lesser-known moving companies are offering you, but your peace-of-mind is worth it.

It can be very difficult to find the right moving companies if you want exceptional service, cross country delivery, or extra services such as packing and unpacking. If you call the moving companies that have fliers and such on the light poles or telephone poles at the end of your street, chances are, they will not be the caliber moving companies that you are looking for. You want a company that knows what they are doing and that will take pride in moving your household items without breaking them. You should only look into moving companies that will speak to you about their business practices and will bend over backward to meet your needs.The right moving companies are definitely insured! Insurance is not something that you can overlook when you need help moving. Insurance may not seem like a big deal but when one of the employees falls and hurts themselves or one of your big screen televisions goes missing you will find that insurance comes in very handy. One of the first questions you should ask when calling moving companies is whether they are insured, licensed and bonded. If they answer with anything but yes you need to move on to other moving companies as soon as possible!Quality moving companies can really make your whole moving experience a lot more enjoyable. Whatever it is that you need from a mover you can find it, just remember to keep your standards high and always protect yourself as well as the company with moving companies that are insured. While it might be cheaper to go with moving companies that are not insured and all that good stuff, in the long run your household items will be in much safer hands and you will sleep better at night, too!

If you have never worked with moving companies before you might wonder exactly what you get when you pay for their services. Unfortunately there is more than one type of moving company so what you get for your money will depend on who you are dealing with. Some moving companies provide all of the services an individual can need: from providing supplies, packing, loading, transporting, unloading and unpacking. Other moving companies only provide the loading, transport, and unloading so you will have to decide what you want or need and then attempt to contact moving companies that offer the services that you need.You will also want to try to work with moving companies that can guarantee transport times as well as load and unload times. Of course, these are estimates but it is a good idea to get these on paper as you will be paying by the hour. In addition to that, you will want to work with moving companies that do not have as much fine print on their contracts and regular print. Legit moving companies are very upfront and honest about their services and aren’t afraid to put that in regular or bold writing.Make sure that the moving companies you work with will cover the cost of repairing or replacing any damaged goods. Unfortunately, whether you are working with moving companies or moving yourself, accidents are not uncommon. A good mover will cover the damages if they break anything in the loading, transport, or unloading processes and this is something that you want. Imagine if your antique bed is dropped and splits in half? You’ll want someone to cover the expense of repair for that damage!The bottom line is that all moving companies offer something a little bit different. Before you sign a contract or pay any money you should be positive that you are getting what you want, and if you aren’t there are hundreds of other moving companies out there that would love your business. Ask all of your questions up front to be sure that you will be provided with all of the services that you need and expect.