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Best Movers Near Me

Published by Chris Townsend

Best Movers Near Me

Best Moving Companies Near You

Finding the best moving company near you is an important task. You have a big project to plan, and you want to find the ideal company to support you. Even if it feels intimidating, don't worry. The process of choosing the best mover is simple and worth the effort. But first let's consider different types of moving services you can get from best movers.

Services Provided By Best Moving Companies

Local moves

Any move within the 100 miles range is considered a local move. Local moving companies can help you move down the block or across the city. According to Forbes, Local movers charge between $800 and $2,150. You can expect to pay each mover between $25 to $50 or more per hour, that's $200 to $400 on labour alone.

Long distance moves

If moving within a state over a distance exceeding 100 miles or moving outside a state, the move is considered a long distance move. Long distance movers charge between $2,200 and $5,700 such moves. The costs can go as high as $10,000 or more for a large home size and far destination when working with professional movers.

Interstate moves and Cross Country moves

When moving from one state to the other or from one part of the country to the other, you will need interstate or cross country movers. Moving costs for these types of moves depending on the size of the home, mileage and the time of the year you are moving.

International Moves

If you are relocating to another country and need to tranport your personal belongings to your new location, that's an international move. In this case, your belongings will be transported via ocean freight. Domestic moving companies also provide international moving services and you can expect to spend about $10,000 or more on such international move depending on your destination and the size of your belongings.

Residential and Commercial Moves

Moving a residential apartment will be different from moving a business office. Most moving companies have a arm for corporate moving services department that specializes in business relocations. Such department know how to securely handle office equipments, files and important documents. Therefore when looking for best movers, be sure to specify whether you are moving a home or an office.

Military and Government Relocations

If you are moving for Uncle Sam, there are moving services that are tailored for military and government relocations. They work in line with the General Services Administration services and pricing requirements and will handle your moves professionally.

Additional Services Provided By Movers

Packing Services

Moving companies provide full service packing or partial parking. There is a lot of difference when professionals help in packing up your belongings in boxes. Apart from saving you the stress of packing yourself, it also makes the moving process faster. Most importantly, you can rest assured that you belongings are safely packed, especially the specialty items.

Storage

If you need to safely store your belongings before your new home is ready, some local and long distance moving companies can provide packing and storage services.

Specialty moving

When you are need to make specialty moves such as pool tables or piano transport, fine arts and antiques transport, you will need specialized services both in parking and moving such items.

Cleaning and debris removal

Moving leaves a lot of debris that need to be removed. Handling that alone can be enormous and you may want to contract it out. Moving companies can help with that as well.

Additional moving services come with added costs so discuss with movers to be sure your budget can accomodate the costs. You also need to confirm if a mover provides the added services, otherwise contract your move to another mover that provides all the services you require.

How do I find the best mover near me?

Ask Friends and Family

Start by talking to your friends and family about any moving service experiences they have had recently. You may know someone who has moved, so ask them if they recommend the mover they used. It is equally helpful to get names to avoid. If someone had a terrible encounter, you would be able to strike that one off your list. Some movers have affiliations with the Chamber of Commerce, local non-profits, or college alumni organizations. If you belong to those, you may get some ideas by asking around. Another place to check is with your employer. Even if you are not moving on behalf of your company, the human resources or purchasing department might have referrals for you.

License and Insurance Coverage

Once you develop a list of ideas of professional moving companies you want to contact, it’s time to do some research. Start with FMCSA—that is, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and it regulates interstate motor carriers, including interstate movers and moving brokers. Your move might be local or regional, but chances are the moving company you use will still be licensed to do interstate work, and so it will register with FMCSA. FMCSA keeps track of the safety records of moving companies and maintains a database of customer complaints.

Membership of ATA

Many companies will also be members of American Truckers Associations(ATA) formerly AMSA. ATA offers eLearning courses for its members and resources for both large and small operators. A company that is a member is likely aboveboard and honest.

Check Better Business Bureau

Also, check with the Better Business Bureau, which collects and verifies both positive and negative comments about all industries, including movers. The BBB received over 13,000 complaints about moving companies each year for the last several years and notes that the internet has made it easier for rogue operators to scam unsuspecting consumers. The scammers use paid advertising to appear near the top of searches, and may use local mail handling services to create the appearance of a local presence in an area that they are not close to.

These operations may pose as moving companies or brokers. Brokers connect consumers with movers, and while many are honest, some are not. The shady company may have false reviews on its website and friendly people on the phone.

How can I avoid scam operations?

One of the best ways to be sure that you are dealing with a legitimate moving company is also an excellent way to find the best provider for your move. That is to meet the representative in person to get the estimate.

Don't agree to scrap in home inspection

FMCSA rules require that companies based every interstate move estimate on an in-person survey of the household goods to be transported. If the company you are considering is reluctant to conduct a visual survey, they may be hiding the fact that they are too far away or planning a low-ball estimate to get the job.

Accept only inventory-based estimates

A reputable company will come and walk through the residence, looking at everything, and making careful notes to create a comprehensive inventory. The inventory is the basis of the estimate. The weight of the shipment determines interstate move estimates. Some companies will instead supply a quote based on volume or cubic feet, possibly indicating a scam.

A mover can give you a binding or non-binding estimate. If you have a binding estimate, that is a firm price to transport and deliver the goods listed on the inventory. If you have a non-binding estimate, the cost may go higher if the weight forecast is inaccurate, and the actual weight turns out to be more significant. However, the company is only permitted to charge 10% more than the estimated cost in exchange for delivery.

If the actual price is higher, they must proceed with delivery and bill you later. This rule is intended to prevent a common form of moving scam, in which a company submits a very low bid for the job and then demands an excessive amount of money before it will deliver the household goods.

Watchout for overcharging

More than half of the complaints filed with FMCSA last year involved overcharging. It has become common for rogue operators to solicit business based on verbal estimates and then fail to provide services or raise the prices substantially at delivery. Unfortunately, these sham companies may also disrupt your life in other ways. Suppose you accidentally engage an unscrupulous operator that hires local temporary workers and a rented truck to complete your move. In that case, your possessions may be loaded by people who don't know what they are doing, resulting in your goods being damaged or destroyed.

Avoid moving companies without a structure

Watch out for companies that don't have a local office and don't have equipment with the company name displayed on the side. Suppose the person you speak to is different whenever you call back. In that case, that is a red flag, as is a phone number that always goes to voice mail or is answered with a generic greeting such as "moving company" instead of the name of the company you think you are doing business with.

Also, be wary of an operator that requests a large deposit or cash in advance. If you pay cash, you have no recourse to dispute the fees once the service has been rendered. If you pay in advance, you have no leverage to motivate the company to provide good service.

Once I find the best mover, what do I need to do?

When you identify the best mover for your interstate or local move, follow a few commonsense guidelines to ensure that your move goes well.

Start self packing early if you need to

If you plan to do the packing, start early to allow time to sort through your accumulated belongings and decide what you want to take with you and what it's time to dispose of or give away. Everything you don't move is less to unpack in the new home and less weight for the shipment. If you have a storage unit, start with that to try and eliminate unnecessary items that you can sell or donate. Look at the furniture you have and decide if it suits your new home. Remember, if you engage the moving company to pack, they are probably more efficient than you, but they will pack everything.

Take vital documents with you

It would be best if you take some things with you in the car or by air, so they aren't at risk. This list includes your most valuable jewelry, critical financial records, other vital documents, medicine and medical records, keys to your car, safe or home, cash, and anything that is simply too sentimental to lose, such as a wedding album or other photographs and videos. Finally, there are some items that the movers won't take.

Avoid moving prohibited items

These include anything hazardous, like fireworks, ammunition, propane tanks, and charcoal, motor oil, gasoline, other chemicals, pesticides, and household cleaners like ammonia, paint and paint thinner, and even nail polish and polish remover. Don't pack any of these items, or if something goes wrong, your mover will not be liable for any damages—you will be.

Three Movers: The Best Mover Near You

When it comes to the best mover near you, no one does moving better than Three Movers. With years of experience, excellent service delivery, and presence in all the states in the continental US, we are your best mover for local, long distance, interstate, cross country, and international moves.

We offer both full service moves and partial services based on your requests and we go to any destination in the US or across the globe. We are licensed with moving insurance coverage, and you can be sure of a hassle free moving experience whenever you book your moves with us. Our pricing system is transparent, flexible and affordable—based only on what you request for.

Contact us online or give us a call at (888) 202-0036 to get started with a no-commitment quote, or to get more information about what we do.

Chris Townsend is a moving professional and relocation expert that has more than 10 years of experience in the moving industry. With a background that includes working in virtually every aspect of the company, he has distinguished himself as an integral part of our operations with expertise in all things related to moving. Chris has a keen eye for detail and brings intelligence and passion to every project he’s involved with.

While getting his degree in communications from Santa Clara University, Chris started out with the company working in the field as part of our team of professional moving associates. Following graduation, he was promoted to our main office, where he has thrived in a role that involves increasing responsibility and requires him to wear many different hats. Some days, you may find him answering the phone and providing moving estimates, others he may be writing for our moving blog, and another day he may be coordinating a large corporate moving job or helping us with our marketing efforts. Chris has authored many of our in-depth moving guides, as well as provided our clients with information and advice to handle the complexities of their upcoming moving plans. Simply put, there’s nothing he can’t do and we wouldn’t be where we are today without him.

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