10 Questions to Ask Your Philly Movers Before Moving Day

Moving day can be stressful. There are so many things to think about, from packing to transporting your goods. This is why it is essential that you find a good moving company. Such a company will greatly help you with the move. Recently, people come across more and more moving scams. So, you should do some research before hiring a moving company. To help you with your search, The Gentleman Mover has created this list of 10 questions to ask your Philly movers before moving day.

1 Before moving day, ask if they have a license and what the license number is

This is the first question you should be asking your Philly movers. All legitimate moving companies should be registered through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This agency regulates the operation of commercial vehicles. If you are looking for a legitimate local moving company, then check the FMCSA website to confirm they are not a scam. Locate the USDOT and MC numbers on the movers’ page and simply type them into the FMCSA’s website. If the company’s operation status is listed as “Authorized”, you can rest assured they are legitimate.

2 Ask your Philly movers if they have experience with the type of move you are planning

Moving locally is quite different than moving long distance. Before you hire a moving company, ask about their experience with different types of moving. If you are planning on moving long-distance, then make sure you find a legitimate long distance mover. The movers should be prepared for any type of situation that may arise during the move.  Also, they should know how to handle delays in the most efficient way.

3 Find out what type of company they are

When it comes to moving companies, there are three separate categories:

• Carriers – handle the move on their own using in house-staff.
• Brokers/Brokerages – outsource the services to other companies.
• Broker/carriers – usually handle some services on their own, but they outsource special services to other companies.

Choosing a carrier company will make your moving experience run smoothly. However, they can be a bit more expensive than brokers. Brokers tend to be cheaper, but there can be some delays due to miscommunication. What is more, some companies specialize in one type of moving service. They could offer residential moving services, or they could specialize in commercial moving. So, before you select a moving company, do some research. Try to find out the type of company that will fit your moving needs best.

4 Confirm with the movers that they give a binding estimate

The majority of movers will make an estimate only after they have seen all your belongings. Some specialty items, such as pianos and pool tables, add costs to the move. So, make sure you get a binding estimate from the movers. On the other hand, a mover may offer an estimate without ever visiting the site. You should be wary of such companies since they are usually scams. A legitimate mover always sees all the things that have to be moved before giving an estimate. They do this to avoid adding on costs during and after the move.

5 Try to find out as much as you can about their references

A legitimate moving company will have plenty of references. So, try to find as many references as you can. You can browse the Internet to find references. Or, you can check out the testimonials page on the mover’s website. In fact, you can learn a lot about the company by looking at the testimonials. By doing some research, you will see whether they offer residential or commercial moving services. Also, you will learn how they deal with their customers.

6 Ask your Philly movers before moving day about their cancellation policy

Moving can bring about different challenges. An unforeseen event could delay your moving day. So, make sure you are familiar with the movers’ cancellation policy. Some companies allow cancellations free of charge if you cancel on time.

7 Before moving day, find out what packing services they offer

Most moving companies offer some sort of packing services. Some companies offer full packing services. And, others offer just partial packing. To avoid damage during transportation, they should pack up your things properly. Also, they should use the right materials. So, this is an important question you should ask your Philly movers before moving day.

8 Ask your Philly movers whether they offer any storage services

Storage services belong to additional services that a moving company offers. If you need any storage services, then find out the rates for moving your things into storage. Ask about how they calculate the cost of storage. Also, ask about how the things are stored and what kind of storage they use.

9 Discuss with the movers the kind of dispute settlement program they have

Different movers have different dispute settlement programs. Make sure you ask your Philly mover to go over their dispute settlement program before moving day. Even though disputes are rare, you should be familiar with how they handle them. This way, you can avoid any surprises after the move. Also, you can easily claim damages if anything happens.

10 Make sure you confirm that they offer moving insurance

Professional moving companies are very careful when they move your items. They want to avoid damage both to your belongings and to their reputation. Still, moving can bring about unforeseen events. And, things can get damaged during transport. So, find out what kind of moving insurance the movers offer. They could cover the cost of damaged items in full or only partially. Or, they could offer to replace the damaged items with another one of similar value.

Choosing the right moving company is very important. Still, it can be challenging to choose the right one for you. This is because there are so many moving companies to choose from. Hopefully, this list of 10 questions to ask your Philly movers before moving day will help you find the best movers in Philly.