Questions to ask Moving Company

In my opinion, the questions you ask the moving company will set the tone for the move.  In most situations in life, if you know what you are talking about when requesting services, you tend to get better service.  As a physical therapist, I tend to be more thorough when my patients are also health care providers because we can speak each other’s lingo.  Other health care providers know what kind of questions to ask, which leads to more in-depth conversation.

Therefore, when communicating with a moving company, it is essential to know the lingo and know what questions to ask, so they present you their best self.  You will get ripped off or incur numerous unexpected fees later on if you do not thoroughly interview a moving company.  You have to know the right questions to ask.

Below is a list of questions to ask the moving company so you can get a thorough evaluation of their services.  There are a lot of questions, I know.  But I want you to be as thorough and complete as possible when researching a moving company.  Put the pressure on them to prove to you they are an excellent company to hire.

Questions about company

1. Are you licensed?
2. If working with interstate movers – are you registered with DoT? Registration if legally required.
3. If working with local movers – are you registered with the state?  Requirements vary from state to state.
4. How long has your company been in business?
5. Do you have references?

Questions about quote

1. Can you provide a binding quote?
2. How long do I have to review the quote?  When does the quote expire?  
3. Are there any other additional fees I will incur? i.e., flight charge, stair carry, long carry, shuttle service, appliance service, etc.
4. How much work can I do myself to offset the cost?
5. For local moves: do you charge by the hour?
6. For long distance moves:  do you charge by weight?
7. What happens if I need to change dates or cancel?

Questions about liability

1. What liability-coverage (insurance) is available?
2. Do you provide full-value protection?  On which items?
3. Do you provide released-value protection?  This rate is usually $0.60/lb
4. Who do I contact if I have an issue?
5. What happens if something is broken or missing?
6. How do you protect items from damage?

Questions about communication

1. Who is my point of contact before the move?  What is the best way to reach them?
2. Who is my point of contact during the move?  What is the best way to reach them?
3. Who is my point of contact after the move?  What is the best way to reach them?

Questions about labor

1. Will your moving company complete all aspects of the move or work with a third party?
2. How many laborers will be packing my items?  Loading?  Unloading?
3. Are your employees covered by Workers Compensation & Public Liability Insurance?

Questions about packing and loading

1. Can I pack my items?
2. What kind of inventory system is used to stay organized?
3. What supplies do you use?  Do I pay for supplies?
4. When packing my items, are there any items that are prohibited?
5. Will you pack items of high value, like TVs, mirrors, large frames?
6. Do you have the proper equipment to move large items safely?
7. A permit is required to park moving truck on my street.  Who is responsible for obtaining the permit?
8. How long will packing and loading take?
9. How do you weigh my belongings?
10. Will items other than mine, loaded on the moving truck?
11. Do you transfer my items to another truck at any point?
12. Once loaded, will my items be moved around?
13. Will my items need to be unloaded before reaching my destination?
14. Are packing and loading dates guaranteed?

Questions about shipping and delivery

1. How long will it take for items to ship items to delivery address?
2. What if the moving truck cannot fit at my destination?
3. Is storage available if my destination is not ready for delivery?
4. What happens if my items arrive at the destination before I do?
5. Are unloading dates guaranteed?
6. What happens if I change my destination address?

Questions about payment

1. What forms of payment do you accept?
2. Do you require a deposit?
3. How will I receive a receipt?
4. Will you accept payment from my employer?  Or do you require payment from me?