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Find The Best Moving Companies From Coast To Coast

If you are looking for moving companies in your local area, then you have come to the right place. Moving is a big life event, and it is important to choose the right company. You can spend hours getting quotes and searching for the best mover, or you can hire through Move Honcho. Whether you are looking for a short distance move, full-service relocation, cross country move, truck rental, or a specialty move, our network of movers can do it all. Every company in our network has a consistent track record of satisfied clients and the proper licensing and insurance to get the job done.

1. What are my different options for moving?

There are different levels of service when it comes to moving. You will want to choose the option that is most consistent with your budget and timeframe. Here are the service levels, in order from least expensive to most expensive:

Full Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Move: Simply rent a truck or use a pickup truck and find friends to help you move. The advantage is it is very inexpensive, the disadvantage is it is a lot of work, time consuming, risk to damage of your materials, and you will owe your buddy a favor.

DIY Move Hybrid: There are several options that combine moving services with DIY, including renting moving containers and hiring moving help. Advantages: offers a balance between DIY and full-service moving. Disadvantages: Still requires a significant amount of time and work

You Pack, They Move: With this option, you do the packing and organizing while the moving company provides the truck, loading, unloading, and transportation. This tends to be the most popular option for families that do not have the time or resources of handling their move on their own, but still are watching costs.

Full-Service Move: Moving companies will handle every element of your move, including packing and unpacking. Full service moving is a popular route for busy families with a large budget and limited time. Advantages include peace of mind leaving it to the professionals and huge time savings. The disadvantage is the large price tag.

Related: Veteran-Owned Moving Companies to Use For Your Next Move

2. What are the different types of moves?

There are several types of moves with distinct differences. Here are the majority of them:

In-Town – These moves are generally quicker and less expensive. You also do not have to worry about paying distance or weight fees to your movers.

Interstate – Simply means moving from one state to another. Your moving company will require additional licensing and insurance to transport household items interstate.

Cross Country – Refers to moving across long distances. Whether moving from coast to coast, or thousands of miles, these moves tend to cost more and incur additional mileage (75 cents per mile on average) and weight (50 cents per pound on average) fees.

Specialty – Specialty moving refers to moving items that require particular care due to extreme weight, shape, value, or fragileness. This includes moving cars, pool tables, hot tubs, and pianos

3. How do I find a reliable moving company?

Make sure to research multiple companies online. Look at online reviews and their BBB rating. Make sure they have the proper licensing and insurance. If one company quotes much cheaper, keep in mind that it is likely a very low value moving company or even a scam. You can also save hours of time from researching by booking through Move Honcho.

4. What services do movers provide?

Packing – Movers will pack your household items for an additional fee. Typically billed by the box, i.e. $5 per book box, $10 per medium box, $25 per kitchen box, etc.

Storage – If you need a halfway house for your items, your moving company can offer storage at their facility or a 3rd party location

Disassembly/Assembly – Often times large items will need to be disassembled to fit through doorways and load efficiently onto the truck. Moving companies will do this for you, or if you are looking to save money you can do this prior to your mover showing up.

Loading and Unloading – A core service moving companies provide is the loading and unloading of the truck. They can load their own trucks or a truck that you have provided for them, depending on the scope fo your move.

Driving/Hauling – Moving companies will drive your goods to their new destination using their truck.

Unpacking – This service is a little less common, but movers will definitely do this as well. Just let them know.

5. What will movers not move?

While movers will move just about anything for the right price, they will not move hazardous materials or perishable items, for obvious reasons. Hazmat items include acids, ammonia, batteries, charcoal, gasoline, fertilizer, motor oil, matches, loaded guns, poisons, pesticides, propane tanks, paint thinner, pool chemicals, and weed killer.

Movers do not like to move extremely sentimental or valuable items such as jewelry, keys, checkbooks, etc. This is simply due to increased liability and these items are also easy to transport yourself.

Another thing that movers may not move is plants. This is because they can die during transit and they are awkward to load. However, many movers will still take your prized plants, especially if they are traveling a short distance. Be sure to check in advance if your movers move plants, and check out these tips on a pain-free garden move.

6. What does it cost to move?

There are many factors that will affect your move price, such as household size, weight of items, scope of services, time of year, distance moved, and moving company, but Move Buddha offers rough estimates based on historical pricing:

50 miles
250 miles
1,000+ miles
2,500+ miles

1 bedroom
$300-$650
$850-$1,900
$900-$2,700
$1,500-$3,500

2-3 bedrooms
$750-$1,300
$1,700-$3,500
$2,100-$6,900
$3,900-$7,000

4-5 bedrooms
$1,350-$2,900
$2,000-$4,500
$5,500-$7,900
$8,500+

7. Are movers obligated to move me for the same price they quote?

It depends if the estimate or quote provided is non-binding or binding. For an estimate to be official it must be in writing and specify whether it is binding or non-binding.

8. What paperwork is required for my move?

Pre-move:

A hard copy of your estimate
A copy of the Order for Service document
U.S. DOT publication of “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move”
Dispute settlement information
Telephone number for inquiries and complaints

Time of pickup:

A copy of the Bill of Lading

Time of drop-off:

A completed Bill of Lading with scanned weights

9. What types of insurance will I be offered?

There are 3 main types insurance:

Limited Liability – Basic coverage required by law and does not cost any more. It covers 60 cents per pound for interstate moves
Added Valuation – Covers the current replacement value of the good less depreciation
Full Value – Covers the full cost of replacement/repair, excluding depreciation

10. What do I do if my belongings are damaged?

You should file a claim as soon as possible. While you legally have nine months to file a claim, the sooner the better.

11. What is my moving company liable for?

Your moving company is responsible for loss or damage of items during transit barring some rare exclusions such as acts of God. In general, the moving company is responsible for keeping your goods damage free during transit, and you have the option to file a claim for damage.

12. Is it worth it to hire movers?

It depends on your budget and schedule. In general, if you have a 2 bedroom house or larger we strongly recommend hiring movers. While you may be able to manage a single apartment move by yourself, moving a family adds a large amount of time and risk of damage. Professional movers provide 2 major benefits: Peace of mind and time savings. By hiring professional movers you have a considerably lower risk of damage to your items because they are trained on proper packing and loading. They can also get the job done at a fraction of the time it would take you.

Still not sure? Take the Should I Hire Movers Quiz

13. How do I move on a budget?

There are many options to reduce your moving bill. Simply put, the less you move and more work you do yourself, the cheaper your bill will be. Here are some tips

Rent a moving container: This allows DIY moving without having to worry about transporting the goods
Declutter: The more you get rid of, the less you have to move. It may be hard to part with some items, but odds are if you haven’t used it in over a year then you will not miss it
Pack yourself: This task requires little training and saves a considerable amount of time
Make the mover’s job easier: Hire a sitter for your kids or pets, keep pathways clear, disassemble equipment yourself, prop doors open, be available to direct your movers, move boxes to the garage, properly label and close boxes, etc. The more you can do yourself, the less the movers have to do and bill for.

14. Should you tip movers?

It is up to you. If you are happy with the service and your movers went above and beyond, then a little extra spending cash for them will go a long ways. Tips are highly appreciated but not expected.

Learn more on our article: Do You Tip Movers?

15. How much should I tip my mover?

There is no real set percentage amount. A good rule of thumb is $20-$30 per mover per day. If you have a one-day move with four movers, a total tip of $80 would be a good amount. We also suggest handing the tips individually to each mover, rather than adding it onto the invoice.

16. Do movers pack your stuff?

Movers absolutely will pack your stuff. If you wish for them to provide this service, simply let them know. It is more common for individuals to pack themselves, since it requires relatively little training and resources, and is a good way to save money on your move.

17. Where can I get free boxes for moving?

Apartment therapy offers 10 ways to get free moving boxes:

Craigslist.org
Freecycle.org
Liquor Stores
Bookstores
Grocery Stores
Mcdonald’s Fry Boxes
Starbucks
U-haul Box Exchange
Schools
Your Workplace

There you have it. Save the environment and your pocketbook with free moving boxes.

18. How long before moving should you start packing?

We suggest starting to pack non-essential items 1-2 weeks prior to your move. Keep all boxes open until the day before your move in case you need to add to or remove from them. Begin packing all essentials several days before your move. Keep super-essentials such as your toothbrush and medications in a personal bag rather than packing them.

19. What do I do while movers are packing my boxes?

You can do what you want. You are paying for the movers to be in your house, so don’t feel bad to prop up on the recliner. Do however be courteous and mindful of your movers. Be available at all times to assist them if they have questions in regards what to pack, how to pack/label, etc. Offering them a drink or a friendly conversation can go a long ways.

20. How do moving containers work?

Moving containers are a great hybrid between DIY moving and hiring movers. The container company provides the physical container and transportation of the container. You do the packing, loading, and unloading. Moving containers can also double as storage if you have it rented for the right amount of time.

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About Us

Move Honcho provides free moving estimates, rate comparisons, and moving tips from a network of top-rated moving companies. All movers in our network are licensed and insured, with a consistent track record of satisfied clients. We understand that no two moves are the same. Whether you are looking for a move on a budget, a full-service move, or anything in between, we will connect you with the right people to meet your unique needs.

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