Four Moving Tips for Picking a Moving Company in Houston

If you follow the ensuing advice, you will become an expert in finding professional movers.

Step 1: Take Your Time

Do not just hire the first relocating service that you come across on the internet. Finding a reputable company will take some time and research. Each company offers a variety of services, like packers and craters, while others will only transport your belongings from point A to point B. Some companies even have a facility to store your items for you. You have to find the right business that offers the services you need…rather than settling for only what they can do. If you are using a real estate agent, ask them for recommendations. Ask friends and family that have moved recently about who they used and if they would recommend them – why or why not?

Step 2: Check for Credentials

By law, any moving company in Houston is required to be registered with the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. If they offer relocating services across state lines, they must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as well. They should also have three forms of insurance – auto liability insurance, cargo insurance, and accident insurance. Check the BBB and see if the company has any complaints, and if so, how were they resolved and in what time period did the resolution occur?

Step 3: Get Quotes

Once you have about five or six names, call them and ask them for estimates. Two big items to consider when contacting a business are if you notice they have no physical business address, or if they use cell phones as their main line. This may mean you are dealing with a company that isn’t established. If they offer to do a quote over the phone and not on-site, consider contacting someone else. Reputable movers will come out to your house, walk the different rooms, check out the size of the items, and then give the estimate. Just because you receive a low quote does not mean they are the best option. Super low-priced companies advertise low prices, but will increase their prices once they have loaded your belongings into their trucks. They may literally hold your items hostage until you pay them the new price.

Step 4: Proposals and Contracts

You should receive a Rights and Responsibility brochure that outlines what the carrier’s responsibilities are and what actions you can take if the expectations are not met. A licensed moving company in Houston will provide you with proposal documents first, where you agree on the terms and fees. This is where you negotiate the services you require. Once the proposal is accepted, the contract document will be drawn up. There are different parts of the contract that are signed at different stages of the move. Additional fees and charges cannot be added once the contract is signed.

Finding a moving company in Houston might require a little effort, but you want to make sure you hire a reputable company that will treat your belongings with the respect and care they deserve. Do not settle for less when you deserve the best!