Relocating across the country is a stressful experience. The planning, packing, selling and giving out stuff, finding a new home or job, and the actual task of hauling your possessions can take a toll on anybody. Plus, you have to choose from a large number of cross country movers, if you can’t move your things by yourself.
How do you choose the best cross country mover considering the myriad of options on the market? What do you look for in a moving company?
Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Cross Country Mover
1. Compare Different Movers
The first thing to do before selecting a cross country mover is to carry out extensive research on the different companies providing cross country moving services. Check the websites of the companies, look out for customer reviews, and how the companies treat their customers and resolve customer complaints.
Ask people in your social circle about cross-country movers they can recommend. Don’t forget to check their insurance policy, inspection and tracking systems, as well as price differences. Price is one of the most essential determinants when choosing a cross-country mover. Be sure to know the charges for packing and unpacking, storage, and everything else to avoid any nasty surprise.
2. Find out the Experience of the Mover
It’s also important to choose a moving company with the requisite certification and experience to conduct cross-country haulage. If you are moving to another country, it’s imperative to hire a mover that is licensed to operate cross-border moving to avoid issues with customs and immigration agencies of your destination. It’s better to pay a higher moving fee than to suffer an avoidable headache at the hands of border control officials. It’s almost never a good experience for anybody.
3. Find Out the Services They Offer
Before choosing a moving company, make sure the organization provides the exact service you need. You can include your specific needs during your search for the ideal cross-country mover to narrow down your results. Not only will this help you find the right mover for your situation, but it also helps the company understand your needs so they can better serve you.
It helps if you have a list of questions that you ask the representative of the moving company when they call you to set up an in-house estimate so that both of you are on the same page about your requirements. Be sure that any cross-country company you choose has the right infrastructure and experience to deliver what you want.
4. Double Check Charges
You need due diligence when choosing a cross-country mover to avoid nasty surprises. Be sure about every detail of the package before signing a moving contract. If there are any grey areas that you don’t fully understand, make sure the company provides enough information to help you make an informed decision. Never assume that you won’t be paying for certain things no matter how trivial. Some movers will charge you for paperwork, and some will also charge you for an extra month if you return their container one day late.
5. Nationwide Availability
The best cross country movers provide services all over the country. Even though many movers claim to provide national coverage, not every moving company has the facilities to reach remote places. So, you need to be sure before making your selection.
Safety records, excellent customer service, and advanced technological features can also be a deciding factor. Whatever you do, make sure you choose a mover with a strong track record of safety, customer service, and affordability.
6. Confirm that they are Properly Insured
Checking to determine that the moving company offers the right insurance is also essential. After all, moving accidents do happen, even when the best moving company moves you. So, the important thing is to get ready. Licensed state to state movers are required to offer consumers 2 types of liability alternatives: Full Value Protection and Released Value.
The options below are defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):
- Full Value Protection: Your moving company is liable for the cost to replace the lost or damaged items in your entire goods. This plan is the highly comprehensive one any mover can offer to protect your shipments. Each moving company charges a different Full Value Protection cost.
- Released Value Protection: This is the most economical alternative available and it is offered at no extra charge. However, the coverage is small. The mover, under this coverage, assumes liability for up to $0.60 per pound per article. If you pick a moving company from the extensive network of moving.com’s trusted movers, you won’t be worried about asking this question. Each expert mover that Pricing Van Lines partners with is required to carry a license and insurance.
7. Ask the Perfect Questions from your Long-Distance Movers
Before you begin to get estimates from cross country movers, reach out to the companies you are considering via phone or email, and ask them some of the vital questions:
- Is your company licensed and insured? All cross-country moving companies are by law asked to possess licenses and insurance. Check the FMCSA database using the USDOT number of the company to determine their licensing and insurance status.
- Do you give on-site estimates? Based on the size of your move, reputable movers will give you on-site estimates, also known as in-home.
- What type of moving estimates do you give out? There are 3 types of moving estimates in the moving industry: binding, non-binding, and binding not to exceed. Knowing each will help you pick the right estimate for your move.
- Do you provide packing services? Packing and unpacking services are provided by a majority of movers for an extra fee. If you will need this service, ensure it is possible and added in your moving quote.
- Do you work with subcontractors? Subcontractors are used by most moving companies for state-to-state moves. This implies that your belongings will be shipped, entirely or partly by a subcontractor, a company that doesn’t work for your preferred and hired moving company. If you don’t like to use subcontractors, it is important to hire a moving company that handles its tasks itself. If it is not an issue, we advise that you check that any subcontractor hired by your moving company is licensed and insured.
- What kind of liability coverage is provided by your company? Understanding that you have coverage should unexpected things happen to your goods while on the move is so much reassuring. The trustworthy cross-country moving companies are asked to give data on the liability policy. It is also your right to see the proof of insurance of the company.
- What happens if I am to file a claim? If you need to file a claim because of damaged or missing items during delivery, it is essential to determine the process of filing a claim, the required information, as well as if it will be quickly resolved.
- How long does shipment delivery take? Cross-country delivery takes between 1 to 2 weeks. This can surely depend on the time of year you are moving. During summer, being the busiest time of year for the moving business, you can expect to receive your belongings later than usual, and arrive at the later end of t During the calmer winter months, your shipments can arrive earlier than 2 weeks.
Ensure you find out the differences in the delivery window between the movers you are looking to hire, as these can greatly vary. Calculate all delivery times using a time frame calculator. Any moving company that promises to deliver your shipment in a short, unreal duration should be crossed out. Don’t forget that moving truck drivers can only drive for up to a maximum number of hours every day as required by law.
- Do you provide belongings storage? Many movers provide storage. Temporary storage, up to 3-months is popular and is referred to as Storage in Transit (SIT). Long-term storage is also a solution to consider with many moving companies. Lots of cross-country movers offer free storage for a particular number of times, often 30 days.
- Do you have added fees? Finding out if there are extra fees is so much important when calculating the cost of cross-country movers. if you will be asked to pay an additional fee because of any unexpected situations or ask for more services, you won’t be ready as regards money. Any additional service rendered, will be charged as an extra fee.
- How do you keep my shipment safe and prevent damage? Trustworthy long-distance moving companies take every necessary make sure your shipments don’t get damaged on the move. This is made possible by sticking to standard rules as regards packing and protecting furniture. It is also of great importance that shipments are safely transported through your home to avoid damage to the item and the home. Moving companies have experience and can get tools and equipment for any unexpected situations.
- Can you give references? Any reliable moving company will be glad to give references. Usually, satisfied customers are glad to be contacted to answer a few questions and share their experiences.
8. Read Reviews
Together with reading the complaint history of the moving company in the US.DOT’s database, we strongly recommend that you research and read a lot of reviews. Check online reviews and ratings of the company on their website, including any third-party sites. You can check the Moving Feedback as it provides customer reviews for over 600 companies across the nation. Their reviews also contain the BBB rating, any complaints filed against the company with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and whether the moving company is associated with organizations like the American Moving & Storage Association.
9. Stay Away from Rogue Moving Companies and Scams
As there is continuous growth in the moving industry every year, so does the number of movers increases. Most cross-country moving companies are legit, and this can be verified with a little, easy research. However, there are sadly some movers that are not honest and reliable, because of this, moving scams can happen at any time. To prevent dishonest moving companies, thoroughly research and ensure you know the things to prepare for.
Some things to focus on include:
- Do not sign the bill of lading or any other paperwork if they are empty. Reliable movers will never ask customers to sign an empty document.
- Being asked to pay huge deposits
- If the movers refuse to give an on-site estimate, more than a particular size.
Should you have a Professional Cross-Country Mover Move you or Do It Yourself?
When choosing whether to hire a moving company to haul your shipments cross country, or to do a move yourself, you first need to ask yourself:
- How much shipment are you moving?
- Who will take care of the heavy lifting?
- Who will drive your shipments?
- How much time will the move take?
To get answers to these questions, it is a better idea to begin to research the costs, as well as logistics involved, in the two relocation options. Immediately you have compiled enough information, you will have more understanding of what each move involves as well as the costs involved. This will enable you to make a great decision when choosing if you should move or hire a professional cross country any, or move using the two options together.
Conclusion
After you apply the tips above on how to pick the best cross-country moving company for your move, you will surely have done comprehensive research and hired one of the best movers to haul your goods. Ready to perform your cross-country move now? To get the best company that fits your job, check our extensive network of cross country moving companies. We wish you a seamless and enjoyable move.
