Moving! Moving is one stressful task, and on top of that you have to trust someone else with all or most of your household belongings. In today’s day, letting someone drive off with all your stuff is a very disturbing thought if you haven’t done your homework. The importance of choosing the right moving company cannot be over-emphasized; so let’s get to the point. The following few paragraphs should help you make a wise choice.

The resources that you are going to use will include the internet, yellow pages, and of course, recommendations and warnings from friends and colleagues. Check on the internet for reviews of some companies and shortlist the seemingly good ones. But mind you, this is not enough as half the reviews are paid for and far from genuine. Nevertheless, once done with this, before you ask what services they have to offer, heck out the Better Business Bureau or BBB (http://www.bbb.org). You’ll be surprised to see how many companies have major complaints against them. Also check if the companies are licensed with the Department of Transportation (DoT). This’ll help tick off the bad stuff.

Next, make a list of all the questions that you may have in your mind. These should include queries pertaining to cost, pick-up, delivery etc. Call up the shortlisted movers, ask them what you want to know, and write it down. This’ll help to make a comparison later. Most moving companies or atleast the good ones send an estimator to your place to give you an estimate of how much your goods weigh, and how much it’ll cost to transport them. If a company isn’t willing to send an estimator, chuck it.

Get a WRITTEN QUOTE from the company. Documented, on paper. That is pretty much the only protection you have incase they try to scam you. No moving company is allowed to charge you more than 10% over the quoted price. The quote would depend on the distance of the move, the total weight of the goods, fragile items, pickup and delivery, and the day of the move (rates are usually high around weekends and holiday season). Also, you might be offered a choice in plans - customer packs, movers carry it out, or movers do the packing as well. Ask for a Not to Exceed statement in the document. This means that the company can’t exceed the quoted price even if it costs them more.

These taken care of, just decide what rates suit you, and what company you’re comfortable with. And make sure you get bookings done atleast 4-8 weeks in advance, lest you should be stuck with a limited number of companies.

In short, research, get a written quote, and make sure you’re aware of your rights and risks before making the move. All the best.