As human beings, we are generally fixed to a certain location, and we do not move around a lot. It is only when we are married, or going to a different city for work, or just tired of living in the same place we move out.
Whichever the case may be, you may want to move away from your old house and go to a new place to live. But, since we don’t move around a lot, it is natural that we don’t know about the moving companies a lot. We don’t have enough idea about how the movers work.
So, in this article, we have talked about things you should know and questions you should ask a moving company before hiring them.
Table of Contents
Things To Ask A Moving Company Before You Hire Them
Here are some questions that you should ask a movers company before you hire them.
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Do They Have FMCSA License?
FMCSA, or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is an agency regulated by the government. They regulate the operations of commercial vehicles to guarantee the safety of both companies and consumers.
This license does not confirm that the company will offer you value for money and top-tier services. The license confirms that the mover’s company is not a scam. Man and van Northolt, for instance, is a movers company with an FMCSA.
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Is It A Broker Or Carrier Company?
When you are hiring a moving company, you should check if they are a broker company or a carrier company. Why should you ask this question? The reason lies in how they operate. There are three types of movers. –
- Brokers.
- Carriers.
- Broker and carrier hybrid.
If you go for a broker’s company, they will outsource the movers and offer you the service that way. If it is a carrier company, they will offer you the service using their own in-house staff. Working with a carrier-type moving company will make your experience more seamless.
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What Are The Different Coverage Options Offered By The Company?
When you are availing of any moving company for moving your stuff, you should see if they offer all the necessary coverage options. All moving companies should provide basic liability coverage free of any charge. Your items are under safety if the movers offer basic liability coverage.
These coverages keep your items safe from any damage. If your item were to go missing or break, the coverage would help you reimburse it.
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What Are The Services They Offer?
You don’t want your movers to keep the work unfinished. So, it would help if you hired a moving company that takes care of all the necessary work related to moving. Here are some services that movers usually offer –
- Loading and unloading
- Custom crating
- Packing
- Assembling and disassembling furniture
- Transportation of valuable and specialty items
- Cleaning services
- Storage
- Vehicle shipping
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Are There Any Hidden Fees Included?
Some companies keep fees hidden behind their general charge. They mostly misrepresent these fees or keep them undisclosed. Once you have signed the contract, they finally reveal it and claim the money.
We recommend you check the customers’ testimonials before availing of any of these services. When checking the customers’ reviews, try to go through all of them.
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What Is Their Procedure For Calculating The Price?
It is very important to know how they charge you. The price you pay is also a key factor you should consider before taking help from a moving company. They usually charge you based on different factors, as mentioned here –
- Shipping distance
- Shipment weight
- Hourly labor rates
- Seasonality
- Specialty services and fuel
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Do They Run Employee’s Background Checks?
Yes, the company has the licenses, and they offer coverages, ensuring the safety of the items. But, you might still feel uncomfortable about strangers coming to your home and packing your things, loading them on the truck, and driving away. It is never possible to get complete peace of mind when you are leaving your valuables with strangers.
So, you can ask the moving company to run a background check of their employees before they appoint them to their jobs. You can ask the movers if they run a background check on their company.
Conclusion
It is also important to know how a moving company handles the claims related to damages and the loss of your item. Before you hire any moving company, you should at least ask them the questions above. Asking these questions to the movers will help you find the most reliable and helpful moving company.
We hope that this article was helpful. However, if you have any additional queries, you can ask questions in the comment.
