Are you preparing for an upcoming move? The most important task that you will have is to find local movers that will be able to meet all of your needs and fulfill all of your wishes. Since this is crucial for a successful move, we must say at the very beginning that it is not enough to type the best movers near me to find the most reliable local movers to help you out. If you want to have a high-quality moving service, you will have to prepare for hiring local movers. Oh yes, you have read it right. You will have to prepare before you call any professional movers. Besides gathering the information about your move, you will have to prepare a list of questions for your local movers. What information you should gather before calling: square footage, heavy items (with the weight), check with your building if there are any restrictions, see if you need to reserve the elevator, and so on.
With so many local movers out there, it might be tricky to decide which one to choose. So, ask them these questions and find the company that is right for you. Let’s see the questions.
Are you licensed?
One of the most important questions to ask your local movers is if they are licensed or not. If the furniture movers you are calling are not licensed, better skip them and find another company to help you out. How can you check if your local movers are licensed? It’s simple. You can check this information with the BBB or even online, you will just have to have the PUC number of your local movers. So, ask them about this, and it will be easy for you to find out.
How long are you in business?
Whenever you are hiring local movers, you want to make sure to have an experienced team that is in the business for a while. The longer your professional movers are in business – the smoother your move will be. When the moving company is in the business for a long period, that will assure you that your local movers have performed many different types of moves and that they can help you with your moving project too. Don’t forget to ask your moving company if their local movers are going through training sessions and if they are doing background checks. After all, you need to let a bunch of strangers in your home, and you should always hire trustworthy, background-checked, and trained local movers. That is why most moving companies should always do background checks on their professional movers.
Are there any insurance policies included?
Another reason why you should always hire licensed local movers is the fact they are having basic coverage insurance included in the price. This is important for you to know in advance because you should never move without any insurance Whenever there is heavy lifting involved and human factor – damages might happen. Most local movers are offering at least basic coverage insurance. That basic coverage insurance in California is 60 cents per pound, but if something gets damaged – your local movers will try to find a better solution for you. However, if you are having some valuable items or something that you don’t want to risk, you can always purchase third-party insurance. Most furniture movers are completely fine with this.
Are there any hidden fees?
The moving budget is the most important thing that we have to determine before we hire local movers, so you will have to ask them if there are some hidden charges or additional fees. Local movers have the right to determine their price and fees they want to charge, but they must be transparent about it. Before you decide to hire any local movers, you need to know everything about the services they are offering and what is included in the price and whatnot.
Is the price guaranteed?
Another important thing that you need to know about the price of your move is whether it is guaranteed or not. Local movers should guarantee the price you have received after you lay down the deposit. Of course, if you add another stop, or decide to move more items, or hire them for some additional service – your local movers can increase the price, but they have to let you know. If they come up with another price on a moving day, you have every right to cancel your service or not to proceed with the process. Everything related to the price should be listed in the confirmation email or in the agreement that you will receive from your professional movers. This should be a detailed document, so make sure to read it carefully.
Is there any price difference between weekends and weekdays?
Some local movers might offer discounted rates during the weekdays because those are the “slower” days of the week. Everyone who is moving would rather move on weekends, especially on Saturdays. Whenever you are flexible with the moving date, you should ask your professional movers to recommend a cheaper day. The price might vary not only between the different days of the week but also, it might depend on the availability. Tip for those who are super-flexible with their moving date: You should always move out of the moving season. It is reasonable that you are looking for ways to save more when moving, so don’t hesitate to ask your local movers about the cheapest option they can offer.
What types of services can you offer?
This should be your first question probably because you need to know if your local movers can meet all of your needs or not. Nothing else matters if your professional movers cannot provide you with the service you are looking for. Local movers have different services to offer, so you might need to do more detailed research if you are looking for something specific. Most local movers can offer you the service of disassembly and reassembly of your furniture. They will make sure to wrap up and protect your belongings as well. Some professional movers might bring you wardrobe boxes as well, where you can put all of your hanging clothes.
Of course, your local movers will make sure that your heavy items are handled properly. If your furniture movers are offering some additional services, or if you need some additional services from them, you should check with them if it is possible.
Do you have any restrictions when it comes to moving?
Professional movers always have some restrictions either when it comes to the weight of the items or when we are talking about how fragile they are. If you have something that is heavier than 350-450 lbs, you should make sure to check with your local movers if they can move it or not. Also, if you are planning to move some dental or medical equipment – you might need to find specialized professional movers. The same goes if you are planning to move some unusual household belongings, such as a piano, a pool table, or a safe. All of this is tricky to move by local movers who are not specialized in handling these belongings.
Can you meet my building requirements?
If you are moving from an apartment or an office building, you will probably have some requirements on behalf of your building management. Make sure to ask them to send you those, so you can check with your professional movers if they can meet those. Even if your local movers don’t have to provide you with a certificate of insurance, they might have some other requests for you.
Can your local movers pack for me?
Having a move where you don’t have to lift a finger is a perfect type of move! If you want your local movers to help you with packing as well, you will have to request that service additionally because packing is not a part of a standard service that moving companies are offering. You will need to see if your local movers will have some additional charges or fees for this service. Even if there is no fee for packing, the whole relocation will take longer, so you will probably end up paying more. To clear out your to-do list, you can ask your local movers to bring you packing materials as well. This will be charged additionally, but you can always check how much your professional movers are charging packing materials.
Do you require a deposit and what is your cancelation policy?
Local movers are usually asking for a deposit so you can secure your spot. This is completely reasonable because they cannot guarantee that you will use their services otherwise. Now, you will probably have to leave that deposit with a credit or debit card, but what happens if you have to cancel or reschedule your move? Local movers are reasonable when it comes to emergencies, but they will still need you to notify them at least 48 hours before the scheduled moving date. We have to agree that this is fair, after all, these local movers are keeping the spot dedicated to you.
What payment methods do you accept?
Imagine your moving day, your local movers have just finished everything for you, and now you have to pay. You are offering a check, and your professional movers are not taking checks. You will start panicking and stressing out, and this could be easily avoided. So, make sure to confirm with your local movers what payment methods do they accept and plan accordingly. Better to be safe than sorry.
Do I have to tip the local movers?
A common question in the moving industry – are you supposed to tip the local movers, and if so, how much should you tip them. You should know that professional movers are paid by their companies, so you are not obligated to tip them. However, tipping became a part of our culture, so it is not unusual to tip the local movers. But that should always be your goodwill, without any obligations and requests on behalf of your local movers. If you decide to tip them, you can determine how much based on the level of satisfaction you have after the move is done. You can think of tipping the local movers as tipping the waiter in the restaurants, so based on that, you should determine what to do.
How can I file a claim and how does the procedure looks like?
Whenever we are hiring local movers, we are hoping that there won’t be any damages. Even though the professional movers are trained and experienced, they might damage something by accident. And you should know more about the way your local movers are handling damages. Usually, you will have to call back to the moving company, provide some proof of the damages, and wait for your dedicated customer support agent to provide you with the solution. But this procedure might be different from other local movers, so make sure to ask about this, so you don’t have to stress out on a moving day if you notice that something got damaged.
Are you looking for local movers with tradition and experience? Look no further! Menlo Park Movers are the best movers you can find at an affordable price. If you choose our local movers to help you with your upcoming project, you can expect a team of professionals who will make sure your items are safe and sound throughout the whole moving process. Since we have experience with any type of move, you can completely rely on us. What do you need to do? You should just call our professional movers and share more details about your move with us. Our customer support department is at your service every day of the week, so you can feel free to ask us anything that you would like to know. We are here to explain everything related to our prices and services! Reach out to us and let our furniture movers take care of the relocation you are planning. We are looking forward to helping you with your move!
