No one looks forward to the moving process. Studies and surveys have found that people consistently rank moving as one of the top ten most stressful things they go through.
Moving is expensive, time-consuming, and frustrating. It takes over your life for a period of time.
There are ways to make the process as painless as possible, though. If you hire quality movers, it can make a world of difference.
Are you wondering how to hire movers that are legit and cost-effective? Here’s everything you need to know.
Get References
Online reviews are helpful and definitely worth taking a look at. A step up from reading reviews, however, is getting references.
The first place to start is with people you personally know. Ask your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors about residential movers they’ve been pleased with in the past. These are the most trust-worthy references you can find, so it’s worth putting in some time asking around.
Get a Thorough Walk-Through
Getting an estimate is an important part of how to hire a San Antonio Moving Company. Some companies will just do a quick walk-through, however, and this can leave you with an inaccurate sense of how much it will cost.
Be prepared to tell the estimator which items you’re bringing with you and which ones you’ll be getting rid of. This will give you the most precise sense of how much hiring movers will cost you.
Don’t Pay a Deposit
Quality movers aren’t going to require a large deposit or cash before you move. This is a red flag and should be avoided. It’s only your responsibility to pay on delivery of the services.
Not all moving companies accept credit cards, but if they do this is the preferred way to pay. When you pay with a credit card, you’re more protected from potential fraud.
Stay Away From Movers With a Company Name Switch
If you’re hiring a mover that seems to operate under a number of different names, you should be wary. This is because some companies will avoid Better Business Bureau assessment by changing their name frequently.
When you call a moving company, you want to make sure they have insurance, proper licensing, and a local address. You’ll also want to hear them answer the phone with the full company name.
Be Mindful of Extra Fees
As with most things in life, sometimes there’s fine print. There can be extra fees for moving up many flights of stairs or having to park the moving truck far away from the front door.
Sometimes it makes sense to pay extra fees, but you just don’t want to be surprised by them. When you’re hiring a mover, ask them ahead of time about potential extra fees.
Never Sign a Blank Contract
This is a good rule in general, regardless of whether or not you’re hiring movers. Never sign a blank contract. When you do this, you’re relinquishing control to a party that might not have your best interest in line.
When you sign a contract, the estimate, extra fees, and pick-up and delivery dates should be clearly listed. Read through your contract before signing to make sure that everything is above board. If certain inventory isn’t listed on the contract, you’ll have no way of filing a claim for a missing item.
Check Availability and Pricing
Availability and pricing can change depending on the day and the season. If you’re moving during peak moving season, you’ll want to book your moving company as soon as possible.
If you have some flexibility in terms of what day you move, this can help. You might have better luck hiring movers on short notice if you can make the move on a weekday.
Pricing can change depending on the season as well. During times when people are less likely to move, such as the winter months, you might be able to grab a deal from a reputable company.
Pack Smart
If you’re trying to save money, you’ll want to pack your own boxes. If you’re going this route, make sure that you’re 100% done packing before the movers arrive. If you are still throwing things into boxes on the day of the move, you’ll likely have a higher bill as the movers couldn’t do their work as efficiently as possible.
Make sure to pack your boxes carefully. You’ll want to pack fragile items wrapped in bubble wrap or newspaper. When boxing up heavy items, use small or medium boxes so that the boxes don’t break during the move.
You can also save some money by moving some boxes yourself. If you’re moving locally and you have your own car, there’s no reason to not move lighter items over on your own. This is particularly true if you have a few days window in which to move.
Be Prepared
Being organized and prepared is one of the best things you can do when it comes to hiring movers. When you’ve gotten everything set ahead of time, you can relax on moving day.
You’ll need to let the movers in and answer any questions they might have. Otherwise, though, when you hire movers, you’re hiring them to take care of the heavy lifting. Your work is done, and you can simply be there to monitor and direct them when necessary.
Follow This Guide on How to Hire Movers to Make Your Move as Easy as Possible
Moving is stressful, but there are ways to control just how stressful it is. Hiring movers is an easy way to make moving go more smoothly. It’s important and worth it, though, to hire a legitimate and reputable company.
Did you find this article on how to hire movers interesting? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more informative and helpful content!
