7 Tips to Help You Hire the Best Possible Movers

When you’re buying a home for sale in DC Ranch, there’s a good chance you’re in the market for a great moving company – but there are so many, and you’ve likely heard horror stories about moves gone wrong. Where do you even begin? Check out these seven tips to help you hire the best possible movers.

7 Tips to Help You Hire the Best Possible Movers

Millions of people move every year in the United States, and many of their experiences are seamless. Hiring quality movers is absolutely essential if you want your experience to match, so use these seven tips to find the right ones for your job:

Ask for a thorough walk-through
Discuss your moving inventory
Don’t pay a substantially large cash deposit
Check for name changes
Ask for references
Don’t sign a blank moving contract
Check the company’s liability

Here’s a closer look at each.

Tip #1 to Hire Good Movers: Ask for a thorough walk-through

A good moving company will send an expert to walk through your house and estimate the weight of your belongings before quoting you a price – and they’ll also ask questions about everything. Be prepared to tell the mover what you will (and won’t) be taking to your new home in DC Ranch.

Tip #2 to Hire Good Movers: Discuss your moving inventory

You need a complete moving inventory before the company starts trucking away your belongings, so make sure you’ll be invited to go room-by-room with your movers to ensure everything’s accounted for.

Tip #3 to Hire Good Movers: Don’t pay a substantially large cash deposit

Some reputable moving companies ask for deposits, but not unreasonably large ones. And you never, ever want to pay the balance in full until after your belongings are delivered to your new home. If you pay in advance, there’s no guarantee when (or if) you’ll see your stuff again.

Pro Tip: Pay with a credit card to protect yourself from anything shady.

Tip #4 to Hire Good Movers: Check for name changes

Some companies – though unethical – change their names after getting several bad reviews or having run-ins with the Better Business Bureau. Make sure the company has a local address, and that they’re not “doing business as” another name than what they’re registered under. It’s okay (and a good idea) to ask for state and federal license numbers.

Tip #5 to Hire Good Movers: Ask for references

You should ask your family, friends and colleagues if they have a good moving company to recommend. Although a good review from someone you know doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the same results, it’s a good way to get a head start.

Ask movers for references, too. In fact, you can tell them that you’d like a list of at least three clients from your local area who have moved recently. Don’t be afraid to contact those customers and ask them questions about their experiences; after all, your whole life will be packed on this company’s truck.

Tip #6 to Hire Good Movers: Don’t sign a blank moving contract

Though it should go without saying, you should never sign a blank moving contract – even if you trust the mover who says “We’ll complete it later.” Make sure everything is written down as explained to you before you sign. That includes:

The mover’s estimate
Extra fees
Your pick-up and delivery dates
Your itemized inventory

Pro Tip: The inventory is particularly important. If an item that doesn’t appear on the inventory goes missing, you can’t file a claim for it.

Tip #7 to Hire Good Movers: Check the company’s liability

Any mover you work with should be insured and willing to assume liability for the value of your belongings. There are two different levels of liability when it comes to moving: full or replacement value and alternative liability.

Full or replacement value liability is the best type of liability – at least when it comes to protecting your investments. With this type of liability, the mover has the option to repair or restore your items, or to replace them with something of like kind or quality (or pay you for the cost of replacement). This goes for items that are lost, destroyed or damaged while under the mover’s control.

Alternative liability is economical (it often comes standard when you hire movers and doesn’t cost you anything extra), but it doesn’t provide you with the same protections that full or replacement value liability does. Loss or damage claims are typically settled based on the weight of the item and multiplied by less than a dollar. Generally, you can expect movers to pay $0.60 per pound of lost, damaged or destroyed items. For example, if your 30-pound chair is destroyed in the move, the moving company will multiply 30 by $0.60 and pay you $18 for the chair, regardless of its actual monetary value. (As you can see, that poses a problem when a 3-pound, $2,000 laptop is destroyed. In that case, the moving company would pay you $1.80.)

Are You Selling a Home in DC Ranch?

Thinking about selling your home in DC Ranch? Call us at 480-360-0281 to find out how we’ll market it to all the right buyers. If you’re also looking for a new home, we’d love show you any listing in the community. Let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll be happy to search for something that’s a perfect match for your needs.

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Don Matheson
Realtor | Founder
The Matheson Team
RE/MAX Fine Properties
21000 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
866-613-8356
don@scottsdalerealestate.com