It’s natural to have questions when you’re looking into moving companies! It’s reminiscent of an interview – is the “candidate” the best fit for your needs?
We recommend that you get at least two estimates when you hire a moving company. You’ll probably get a pretty good idea of how they operate based on your first interactions with them, whether it’s their office team or a consultant.
It’s important to have answers before you sign a contract. You may be able to find some of the information you’re after on the company website or online, and the rest by speaking to their team.
Here are some questions that we think you should know the answers to before you hire a moving company:
1. Are you licensed and insured?
It’s absolutely necessary to verify that the moving company is insured – this is to avoid any liability in case of accidents or damages. In Canada, moving companies are not licensed by the Provincial or Federal government.
Pro tip: Darling Solutions strongly recommends that you contact your current insurance provider to confirm what coverage you may have in the event of a move, and whether additional protection is required. Should damages occur while your items are in transit or during the course of your move, your insurance is your best option for replacing the items at their full replacement cost!
2. What services do you offer?
Not all moving companies offer the same services, so be sure to ask what they can do for you! If they can’t help you directly, they may be able to offer a referral.
Some companies only provide loading and unloading of the moving truck, while others offer full-service moving, which includes packing, loading, transportation, unloading, and unpacking. Some local movers offer cross-country moving, and shipping abroad!
3. Who provides your services – do you use contractors?
Sometimes, companies will use contractors to provide their services. This may be to fill in a labour gap or accommodate on a tight schedule, or it may be their standard operating procedure.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because there are some incredible contractors and companies out there! However, there can be be issues with quality control, so it’s very important to ask who will be providing your services in order to know what to expect ahead of time.
4. What equipment do you use?
Having the right tools for the job makes everything easier! It’s worth asking a few questions about how they plan to get the job done, and whether they are equipped to handle your move.
Will they use trucks with a lift gate, or a ramp? Do they use dollies or other specialized equipment to help lift and carry items? Do they carry tools for dis- and reassembly of furniture?
5. Do you protect furniture before transporting it?
Every moving company worth their salt should protect your furniture before it’s moved to a new location.
Moving teams may use a combination of moving blankets or fabric, pillows, paper, cardboard, stretch wrap (like industrial sized saran wrap), bungee cords, and ratchet straps to protect furniture. Sometimes furniture is stretch wrapped and blanketed before it is brought to the truck, and occasionally it is protected in the truck bed – that’s up to your moving team’s discretion.
There may be a few pieces that need minimal protection, but the majority of furniture should end up having some protection applied to ensure that they don’t rub together in the truck, or bump into anything while transported.
6. How do you estimate my services?
You might be surprised to find out how many companies provide an estimate without getting many details about the contents to be moved. We do not recommend online estimate tools that are based solely on the size of your dwelling, for similar reasons.
In our experience, we have found that offering a free consultation (in-person, or by phone/ email) allows us to provide an estimate that is more accurate to the final invoice total.
Regardless of where the estimate comes from, make sure it includes a breakdown of the costs involved so that you understand what you’re paying for.
We’ll be back in two weeks to finish off our list of top questions to ask movers, before you sign any contracts!
