You’re ready to move to a new place nearby. Before you book a mover, know that not all movers are created equal. You don’t just want to go online and search “local moving companies near me.” Most likely, you won’t find the best solution for your needs.
There are a few things to know before you hire a local moving company. For example, you need to know what exactly they can do. You also need to understand what services to pay for, depending on your need and budget. And finally, you will need to know what questions to ask to find the right moving company.
So we’ve put this piece together to help guide you through the entire process of searching for the right one that’s best for you.
To find a quality local mover, you’ll want to know your move. This starts with understanding how moving locally differs from a long-distance move. By definition, a local move is one that is under 50 miles and does not cross state lines.
This is important because not all moving companies are licensed to cross state lines. Also, moves made locally are often priced using an hourly rate, while long-distance moves are typically priced by cargo weight and miles traveled.
At the same time, a move of any size can be considered local. For example, your local move may entail moving a smaller space, like a studio apartment. On the other hand, your local move may mean boxing up the contents of your seven bedroom home or your retail store.
That’s right, local movers don’t just move homes. You can hire one to move your business, rearrange furniture in your home, or remove junk. You can even hire movers to transport items to a nearby storage location. So, the best mover to hire locally is both trustworthy and can handle all of the moving services you will need, whether residential or commercial.
If you think you need to hire a small company to move you local, think again. At Nelson Westerberg, we know all about local and long-distance moves because we’re moving professionals with a proven track-record of experience and hundreds of four-star moving reviews.
We’ve been in the moving business since 1904. We started as a local company delivering coal and ice.
Today, we have locations in several states including California, Texas, Illinois, New Jersey, and Georgia. And we facilitate moves that go across the street and moves that go around the globe. We’re a fully licensed long-distance moving company with a full range of moving services to meet your needs.
You can choose to order moving services a la carte. For example, if you’d like to do your move yourself, you can rent a truck from a moving company and pack, load, and unpack your boxes yourself. Or, if you just need some help loading and unloading, you can hire a labor-only team to come to your house, load your vehicle, and unload it upon arrival.
More often, people hire full service local movers to provide a combination of these services. They can provide the labor, the moving trucks, and the equipment to move your shipment from point A to point B. They come to your location ready to pick up your packed boxes. Next, they load your boxes on to the moving truck, and drive the truck to your location. Finally, they unload your boxes from the truck and carry them into your new space.
The easiest way to move locally is to hire a company to do all of that heavy lifting for you. The best local movers will take care of everything. For example, your local move can include:
-Moving truck rental
-A team of experienced movers to load, unload, and drive the truck
-Packing materials, like boxes and insulation
-Moving insurance to protect your shipment in transit
-One point-of-contact to streamline communication during your move
Hiring a moving company for your move means handing over the responsibility (and the stress).
Before booking with anyone, make a moving checklist. You’ll need to make a timeline for your move, ideally starting six weeks before moving day.
Next, book a mover. Before you hire anyone, know what services you need. For example, a residential move and an office move are different and may require different support services.
Or, if you require moving and storage services, you might have different needs than if you’re only seeking furniture moving services. Understand your needs and then nail down a target date. Then it’s time to start looking for the right moving company.
No matter what type of local move, always ask certain questions before signing a contract:
To protect yourself, only work with licensed companies. Search a company’s status by visiting the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Here, you’ll be able to view licensing as well as performance safety records.
Even if a company is insured, it doesn’t automatically mean your shipment will be. Make sure that your goods will be covered during your move. If there is an accident, or even if items break in transit, you want to make sure that you can be compensated for anything that is lost or damaged.
When any move crosses state lines, movers are federally mandated to cover items with a full value protection plan. However, depending on the state, movers may not have to offer insurance for a local move. Always inquire about protection plans. Also, you may want to purchase a supplementary plan for high value items.
Most local moves are priced hourly. You pay per hour per mover for the duration of the move. The rate typically varies between $50 and $200 per house.
Out-of-state moves and long-distance moves are priced differently. These prices are calculated by the weight of the shipment and the distance traveled. So, even a move a mile away will be priced differently if you’re crossing state lines.
Always know what you’ll be paying for in your move. Yes, you will be paying for labor to move your cargo. But, there may be additional fees to move items up and down stairs, to move out of a high rise building, or to move bulky items, like a hot tub or pool table.
Also, expect to pay more if you’re moving during peak season (May-September) or over a holiday or weekend.
Movers should inventory your items-either in person or through video footage-in order to give you a reliable quote. Never accept an estimate without this type of inventory. Also, never pay for an estimate. All quotes should be free and nonbinding.
That’s why we offer a free, instant online moving quote that gives you an solid starting point to understand your costs. Once we receive your online quote our expert customer service agents quickly go through all of the details with you . We make it effortless with our online video process so you don’t have to wait to book a moving agent to come out if you are in a rush to move.
Understand your payment options, and know that reputable companies always accept multiple modes of payment. Beware of companies that only accept cash payments. Know if a deposit is required, and if so, if it’s refundable if your plans change.
Always sign a contract, also called a Bill of Lading, with your company. Read the fine print first. Make sure your contract includes origin and destination addresses, and weight and description of the cargo.
We know all about local moves because we’ve been in the business for a long time. In our over 100 years of business, we have helped people move everything-from studio apartments to major corporations. We’re standing by ready to help. We’ll provide you with a free, customizable quote to get you started on your local move.
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