Small or big moving company – which is right for you?

Choosing the right moving company when you decide to move can often be a worrisome and intimidating affair. Unless you have a few good, reliable recommendations from people that have experience when it comes to moving, deciding on the right moving company can often be a shot in the dark. Whether you are moving just a few items or a mansion’s worth of goods, here are some tips and advice on how to choose the best one for you.
 

Big time or small, family run moving company – which do I choose?

When you have finally compiled a list of all the things you are planning to take, it’s time to get an idea of which moving company is best for you.

If consulting a phone book for the listings under “moving company” you are often besieged by hundreds of names, from the national franchises to tiny, obscure (and often dubious) businesses.

The well–known names seem to overshadow the mom-and-pop businesses in the listings, even if the latter may have decades of experience. Choosing just one can be tough. No matter which moving company you choose, know that there will be pros and cons in you choice. Sometimes all it really boils down to is good instincts and even better business savvy.

If you chose a big name national moving company to handle all your moving needs, more often than not you are entrusting the task to a moving company that has been by and large used by hundreds of thousands of people and have reached standards of excellence – these companies organize everything imaginable involved with moving, from the materials you will need to pack away your things to creating specially shaped containers for items that are bulky or need special handling to using the latest technology during the moving process. Often they will give you the option of just hiring a truck for you to DIY or employing a team of movers.

This sort of moving company can handle any type of move, from around the block to around the world.

The downside of employing the services of a typically ‘globalized’ moving company is that it is often so structured that it is inflexible when it comes to negotiating prices.

If using the services of a small-time moving company, often you are dealing with a moving company that has been family run for many years. This sort of moving company often caters to small-scale moving and covers short distances. Rarely does this sort of moving company have a large number of full-time employees, and it often calls on external collaborators when needed and pays them by the hour. With a smaller moving company it is easier to negotiate fees after an initial quote – ‘haggling” can be done here, whereas you can’t with a large, franchised moving company.
 

When looking for a good moving company, whether large or small, these will usually be signs you are in good hands:

• When making initial contact over the phone they ask you many questions to get as much information as possible to give you a precise quote;
• They will offer to send over a representative free of charge to get a pretty fair idea if their moving company can handle your request;
• They usually offer an all-in-one package at a discounted price and according to your needs: moving materials (provided that you do your own packing) and moving personnel that you pay to cover the entire moving project (though if you should need for whatever reason to employ them overtime, ask the moving company how much they charge beforehand, as it can be expensive, and get it in writing);
• A reputable company will offer an adequate insurance coverage for your transportable goods and will specify exactly what is covered and what is not;
• Beware of those companies who offer to take care of your moving needs without a signed contract by telling you that it will save you money if done “off the books”. Get everything, even the smallest detail, in writing. It’s better to spend a little bit more at the beginning than risk losing everything later on!
• If there is something the company does not handle (such as cross-country or out-of-state moving) it is usually confident and well-established enough to recommend you to another moving company that can meet your needs.

So when you have finally narrowed down your choice of moving company in terms of needs, price and services offered, choosing a good moving company should not be difficult.