Moving companies (in the US)
There’s always the need to move to a new location and relocate all your stuff. The same thing happens with companies, at some point they get way too large and they have to move everything to a new location. And as we all know, no one really likes the idea of dealing with so much stuff and moving things around. You really must find a way to move content quickly and with great efficiency. And that’s where moving companies come into play.
This type of companies was specifically created to eliminate the frustration you have. Usually people tend to have lots of issues as they try to move things from one place to the next. Thankfully moving companies help remove that challenge and frustration naturally with some great results.
What is a moving company?
A moving company is a business that makes it easy for you to move stuff from point A to point B in no time. All moving companies can handle just about all types of moving tasks, and they work very hard to ensure that you move as fast as possible to the desired location without any problems. They work very hard to ensure that you are at the right destination and access the best possible experience no matter what happens.
Every time you work with moving companies, you will notice that they have various services. They can move anything in your home. Or they can just move furniture, electronics and so on. Most moving companies will have their own specialized trucks that can move specific products or just about any product if necessary. The return on investment is always extremely impressive and you will be more than happy with the payoff this way.
How moving companies work?
The first thing that the moving companies will ask for is where you want to go and what is the starting point. These are important factors that will definitely increase or decrease the overall price, depending on the situation. Most of the time it all comes down to the distance in regards to pricing. But there are other things involved too.
One of the most important ones is how much stuff you need to move as well. If you need to move the entire house, then you might not be able to move everything with a single truck, 2 trucks might be needed. In addition, other things like tight doorways, missing elevators, how high is your apartment and home located or additional packing requests will add up to the total costs.
What you will notice about moving companies is that they always tend to offer custom pricing. The reason why they do that is because every moving process is different. Some people just want to move a few items at a long distance. Others need fast moving for tons of items on a short distance. Every task is different so while there are costs per mile, all the factors listed above will matter. So that’s why the best thing you can do when moving is to contact moving companies and ask them for a moving quote.
Take in consideration
These companies will then give you all the assistance and support as they try to figure out the scale of this task. They will do everything to make sure that all your items and products are covered. Which will end up making the experience and process easier and better than ever before.
Do keep in mind that some movers charge on an hourly basis, so that’s extremely important to keep in mind. But for the most part moving companies will have fair pricing. Every time you will see a difference it will be based on how large the company is or how established. Some older and more experienced companies will have a higher rate. But at the same time you might be able to get a better service.
What license do moving companies need? Insurance?
Depending on the state, you will notice that licenses will differ. But you do need to have a license if you want to become a moving company owner. In the US you will need to have a DOT number and you also need to go through the FMCSA application process. You will also have to enroll in the New Entrant Safety Assurance Program. Once you complete that program you will have the US DOT registration and you will be licensed.
Of course this will be different in other countries. But for the most part things will be roughly the same, with a few differences. Some countries just require a transportation license and professional drivers. Others, like the US, will have additional programs that will test the company’s work and how well they do. Either way, these programs are mandatory. You have to complete all requirements and work closely with the local government and follow the transportation laws to complete everything.
Home Mover Need Insurance?
There’s also need for insurance. After all, you are transporting items on the road. If any accident or disaster happens, you will be liable for the item costs. Which is why all moving companies need to have their insurance set up early on. What company you choose to provide insurance, that’s up to you. But the best thing that you can do is to hire only vetted, reliable companies. Also, don’t cheap out on insurance and purchase the higher tiers if possible. This way you will be sure that you can get better value and assistance or great results in no time.
What to take in consideration when contracting a moving company?
There are lots of things you want to focus on when you hire moving companies. There are so many businesses like these out there, so you really have to thin down the list. How can you do that? It’s all about understanding the factors that matter for you. Every person and company will have different moving requirements. But some of the requirements will be common, so here are some guidelines:
- What do you want to move? Some moving companies are specialized on moving soft or fragile items. Others just move anything. You just want to find the best type of company that suits your needs.
- Do they ask for a deposit or not? Ideally no moving companies will ask for a deposit. If this happens it should be a huge red flag.
- Check the moving company reviews online. This way you can see how they worked with other people, if they were happy or not.
- Acquiring references from friends, family or colleagues is very important. References will usually show that company can be trusted and you can get good results from them all the time.
- Ask for a freight quote online. Most moving companies offer such a service. And this will help you figure out how they work, the charges they have and so on.
- Do they pack stuff for you or not? Ideally you want to avoid those extra costs by packing yourself. But if you want to avoid that, try to find a company that also has packing services.
- Do they have extra fees? Is their pricing outlined correctly? Or do they have hidden charges/
- Are they offering a blank contract? You want to avoid that at all costs. The last thing you want is to sign a contract without knowing its content.
- Can you receive a refund or is there any protection for you? Every minor detail matters, so you want to know if they protect you in any way.
What is the cost of using a moving company?
Based on where you live you will have a different cost from moving companies. Then there are also other factors that will impact your moving experience too. All these things can drive the price up or down, based on the situation. That being said, a smaller household will take around $2300 to move on average. However, if you go for an interstate household move, the costs are almost double. It will cost you around $4300 on average. And this doesn’t include any additional costs for packing or any special services like moving a piano.
For some people using moving companies might seem expensive, but then again these companies have all the tools and trucks needed to complete this process adequately and with great success. More often than not such tasks can be a huge hassle. Sometimes you just want to go the extra mile and pay more if possible. But you can try to cut down some of the costs if you want to. It mostly comes down to your expectations and needs.
How moving companies charge, is it per service, per hour or flat rate?
Every one of the moving companies will have a different charge type most of the time. Usually the normal option is to charge per service. That’s especially true when it comes to interstate moving. If there’s a long road trip ahead, then it’s easier to agree to a single price which covers everything.
But some moving companies will focus on charging separately for packing for example. They want to make sure that additional services are priced adequately, so you can encounter hourly pricing. If you end up moving down the street or to a nearby location, some moving companies will also consider charging you per hour.
In some cases, this approach will benefit the moving companies. Other times hourly charging will benefit you, if the moving process is completed a lot faster than you might expect. But more often than not hourly pricing will be great for movers, not you. Which is why you want to have a flat rate. The cost per service is also good, but if you can find a flat rate option, it’s a good idea to use that one.
Advantages of using moving companies?
The main advantage of working with moving companies is that you get to save a lot of time. A lot of people will find it hard to move to a new place, especially when they have lots of stuff. Packing and moving stuff one after the other will be really hard. But it will totally be worth it in the end, so try to consider all of that.
Moreover, moving companies have all the necessary moving equipment. They take all the hassle and ensure that everything arrives in the right state, without any damage. And since moving companies also have insurance, in case any product is damaged their insurance company will cover everything for you. It’s a system that actively works and you will be very impressed with it and the way it delivers.
Lastly, moving companies also help you save money. Getting equipment to complete this moving process on your own is expensive. You save a lot more money just by having someone else doing it for you. Granted, you can choose to move some of the sensitive items already if you want, that will be great. But the bulk of the work should be done by professionals.
Disadvantage of doing it yourself
Moving stuff can be very dangerous, a lot of people ended up in the hospital because they didn’t know how to handle this process. That being said, without moving companies you will be accountable for any item damage. It will have to be paid out of your pocket. And yes, you can waste a lot of time packing and moving everything.
What services are offered by moving companies?
First, moving companies will offer professional moving services. This means they will just move the items that you already packed. But moving companies will also offer packing services, so if you don’t have the time or dislike packing items, they can do that for you.
Usually moving companies will also have portable storage services. So in case you want to move in a few days or at a later date, they can store your items until you want. There can also be delivery services that will help move a single item from one place to another if necessary.
Depending on moving companies, some of them will also have item based insurance. Some companies have generalized insurance, but if you are moving specialized items you might want separate insurance for those.
Conclusion
As you can see, moving companies are very important and they do help you relocate very easy. They can work with residential and commercial users as well. Plus, there are lots of moving companies on the market, so finding the right option is not that hard. Study the market, see what option suits your needs and budget the most, then you will be more than ok!