Top Questions For Your Local Moving Company

Deciding which moving company to use is a big decision. It’s a good idea to do your research and ask questions. This way you know you’re trusting your precious items in the hands of a professional company. However, knowing which questions to ask your local moving company can be challenging.

Choosing the wrong company to move your belongings can lead to big problems. Your items might get damaged or lost or the moving company could possibly damage your new or old home. In order to help you hire the best local moving company we’ve put together some helpful questions you can ask to find out who to trust with your belongings.

How Does The Local Moving Company Determine Their Prices?

If you are working with a professional moving company, they will create your estimate based on the following:

• The weight of your items.
• The distance they need to travel between locations.
• Whether or not you opt for moving insurance.
• If there are any extra movers required for your move.

Moving companies sometimes have to add extra charges such as: special services, the value of your items under Full Value Protection, or failure to meet the moving company on time. If you’re late, you will be charged for extra time the moving company has to wait. It’s a good idea to ask what costs aren’t listed in your estimate.

What Services Do They Offer?

Knowing the moving services that the moving company provides can help you understand if they are a reputable company and care about the services they offer.

Here are some additional services moving companies offer:

• Home Protection: When you’re moving heavy furniture there’s a risk some items can damage your home. Professional movers will have the experience and tools to make sure your home is not damaged.
• Planning Assistance: Most people don’t move regularly, so you might not know the steps needed to make your move go as smoothly as possible. Some moving companies offer services like decluttering, inventory/check-list, and cleaning after your move.
• Wrapping and Packing: Your items are special to you and should be treated with care by the movers. If a moving company can help you pack and wrap your items, that shows a wealth of experience, faith in their abilities, and care for their clients.
• Storage: While most moving companies won’t offer this service if you can find one that does, this is a good sign. If movers have storage services it means they have the resources to store your belongings and understand their customer’s needs.

Does The Local Moving Company Have Reviews?

Asking moving companies for customer testimonies is a great way to find out if they are reliable. Addionally, by reading what previous clients have said about the services they received gives a good understanding of the type of customer service they offer. Make sure you check different websites when looking at reviews to get the whole picture.

It’s a good idea to see how the company responds to the reviews. After all, good customer service should be at every stage of the transaction. By looking at how they react to positive and negative reviews you can learn how responsive they are to their customers.

You should also pay attention to when the reviews are being made. If there are a lot of negative reviews all at once, it could just mean a difficult period, like a management change. It’s more important to see the reviews over time to get an idea of the consistent level of service.

What is Their Cancellation Policy?

Life comes with curveballs and sometimes that means you have to change your plans. In these cases, it’s important to know what happens when you need to cancel your move. Otherwise, you could be caught in a tough spot where you unexpectedly lose money. It’s also important to know when the best time to cancel will be. Many moving companies will have a cutoff date where there is no cancellation fee.

What Items Cannot Be Moved?

 Depending on the moving company you are using, there may be certain items that cannot be moved.

Here is a list of common items that moving companies do not move:

• Aerosol Cans: Can be pressurized and may explode if exposed to heat.
• Ammunition: Explosive or flammable material used in firearms.
• Cleaning Products: Many cleaning products are flammable or corrosive.
• Fire Extinguishers: Contains pressurized substances.
• Gasoline: Highly flammable liquid.
• House Paints: Some can be flammable or release harmful fumes.
• Open Alcohol Containers: Contains alcohol, which is flammable, and may be illegal to transport openly in some jurisdictions.
• Open/Perishable Food: Can spoil and isn’t typically suitable for long-term storage without refrigeration.
• Pets: Living animals that require specific conditions and care.
• Plants: Living organisms that might need specific conditions and can be affected by transport or storage conditions.
• Propane Tanks: Contains flammable gas under pressure.
• Welding Gas: Typically flammable or reactive gasses used in welding processes.

While most moving companies may not move these items, there might be other items your movers will not move, so it is always important to know what items they are not able to move before the big day.

Allegiance Van Lines: Your Local Moving Company

When it comes to choosing a local moving company, it’s a good idea to do your research so you know what services they provide, if they  have good customer service, and if they are licensed and experienced to do the job.  Educating yourself about the key facts that are involved with a move will also help the moving process go more smoothly.

At Allegiance Van Lines we take pride in having over 10 years of experience with local and long distance moves.  We offer our clients a variety of moving services and can also assist in transporting oversized items.  To find out more about the services we offer, give us a call today at 561-210-5120 or request a free moving quote online.