Hiring Movers Without Making Some Common Mistakes

If you've decided that renting a truck, burdening your friends with a chore they really don't want to do, and engaging in a day full of backbreaking labor isn't for you, you'll need to hire movers for the big day. While there is no shortage of companies willing to come out and help you with the job, you can do a lot better than just picking someone at random out of the phone book. A little research beforehand can save you from regret later on. Here are some common mistakes people make when they hire a company. Avoid these, and you should be good to go.

Not Shopping Around

When you're hiring movers or any companies in the service industry, you're doing yourself a disservice if you look for bargain basement prices. At the same time, however, there's nothing wrong with doing some price shopping. It can give you a good idea of what the average cost is for the service in your area, and you'll be able to quickly recognize if a company is way out of whack with the prices they are charging. When getting quotes, however, it's important to make sure every company gets the same story. If you tell one company that you have a two-story house and fail to mention it to another, you could be getting unreliable information.

No Personal Visit

Once you've chosen a company, you should have them come out to your house before writing you an estimate. There may be a number of factors you haven't considered that will affect the final cost. If you're moving from one state to the other, the law states that the company must charge you by the pound. If, however, you're moving from one city to another, but staying in the same state, the rules are often much more relaxed when it comes to how the movers can charge you. If they come out to your house and inspect the situation beforehand, there will be less opportunity for them to add unexpected fees later on.

Waiting Until After The Move to Settle The Bill

In most service situations, it is a wise idea to try and put off paying the bill until the work has been completed to your satisfaction. With movers, however, it's a different situation. The work is either done or it isn't. It does you no good to wait until the end of the move to pay, as there is no opportunity for the company to go back and "do a better job". If you pay beforehand, the company won't be able to come back with weird charges later on and expect you to pay them. If they show up with these weird charges in the bill, you can just tell them to turn around and go back to their offices.