Choosing a moving company is not as easy as one might imagine. Price is one consideration, but there are many other things to keep in mind as well. Who will actually be doing the labor? Are they insured? Is your stuff fully insured or only partially insured? How long will it take to move from New Hampshire to Las Vegas? How do I know I am getting the best price? Will the estimate change when the truck is loaded?
We wanted at least three quotes. Moving companies are not plentiful where we live so Steve went on line and filled out a form giving his name, phone number, to and from location of the move and approximate date of the move. Then the phone calls started coming in from everywhere.
When I had made appointments with three major movers, I declined all calls, but I had some persistent sellers. One guy said he would move us for $6,000. That was nearly a third of the price of a reputable mover. When I asked how he could make the quote without making a visit to our house, he said he had been in the business for 18 years and he knew what he was doing.
I told this story to the representative from United. He said beware of scam moving companies on the internet. Some movers take your stuff and disappear. He gave me a few pointers.
- Never trust a quote over the phone
- Never give a mover a cash deposit
- Always pay by credit card
- Get everything in writing
- Read the fine print
- Ask questions until you understand
- Get more than one quote from a reputable moving company
We moved to a two story house. Steve and I had carefully labeled the boxes. As the move was near completion, I noticed that the boxes were all jumbled together with bedrooms and kitchen and living room and upstairs and downstairs together. Thankfully I kept my cool. I went to the foreman and calmly pointed out my displeasure. He said sorry, most of my men can’t read or write.
Have you encountered any moving calamities you care to share?
Mom Pop Pow – Where You Can Do It If You Try
Diane Brogan