When it comes to moving your precious household goods, you want to make sure everything gets transferred from the old home to the new one without damaging anything. You need to be able to trust the professional Minneapolis and Saint Paul residential moving company you hire to be professional, so do your research and ask the right questions before signing a contract.
Do Your Research
It would be surprising today if a professional moving company did not have a website – so that’s the place to start. It’s a good idea to keep notes on all these details in a brightly colored folder. You want to find out facts:
- Is this a mover or a broker? Brokers are sales agents who find you a mover, they do not do the move themselves.
- Are they registered with the right government authorities? Look for license numbers, insurance numbers, etc. Then look up the numbers on the site of the agency issuing it.
- How long have they been in business?
- What is their reputation like? Get recommendations from friends, coworkers, and local real estate agents, for instance.
- Will they do an in-person estimate? If they don’t see what’s involved, how accurate could an estimate be?
- Go online and see if there are complaints about this company, and evaluate the issue. Was it resolved?
Ask The Right Questions
Asking the mover about specific complaints gives you an idea about what they may be like to work with. You want to know that your concerns are respected, and this is a good way to find out. Other questions to ask:
- What services do you offer? Some residential moving companies can pack everything for you. If this is offered, what will they do? How will they do it?
- Do you offer packing materials? How much do they cost?
- Do you have a recycling program I can put them into when I’m moved?
- What types of insurance coverage do they offer and what does it cover? Don’t assume you know — ask!
- Do you give written estimates? Are they binding? Remember that an estimate is often lower than the actual bill, because it is their best guess at the cost.
- When do charges start and stop?
- What are my payment options?
- Do you require a deposit?
- Can you give me references from previous customers? Some residential moving companies even have a referral program to encourage word-of-mouth reviews.
While talking with the mover, ask yourself a question, too:
- Do I understand everything that we talked about? If you don’t, ask more questions now while you have the opportunity.
If you do your homework and ask the right questions, you’ll be confident that you are hiring the right professional mover in Minneapolis and Saint Paul or other surrounding cities.
