Last Updated on: 20th May 2025, 10:58 am
What to Look for… And Avoid… in a Moving Company
Although moving can be exciting, it’s also very stressful. In fact, people often rank moving as a significant, life-changing event, along with having children or starting a new job, which ironically are two reasons that often precipitate a move.
So, how does one get themselves… and their stuff… from point A to point B with the least worry?
Well, we suggest that people prepare themselves mentally for all a move entails.
Consider things like:
- Emotional Adjustments – Moving involves leaving behind familiar places, neighbors, and established routines.
- Uncertainty – Adapting to a new location and a different environment may lead to feelings of anxiety and sometimes sadness.
- Financial Burdens – Moving can get expensive. In addition to mortgage rates, closing costs, or rental deposits, consider the costs of packing materials, rental trucks, or hiring movers.
- Planning & Prep—Do you need to declutter before you pack? Is your new place move-in ready, or will you need to find temporary storage? Have you updated your driver’s license or switched your electric, gas, and other bills?
Consider yourself lucky if you’re at the stage in life when a move may only require a call to a few friends, borrowing a pickup truck, and the cost of a thank you pizza. Even if we don’t have a lot of stuff, most of us may need to rely on a professional moving company for a move.
Whether you’re looking for reputable movers in your city or state, out-of-state moving companies, or interstate moving companies, you owe it to yourself to have a moving experience that is as stress-free as possible. To ensure peace of mind, research your moving company and ensure they’re legitimate and able to deliver the services you need. Here’s what to look for:
- Licensed & Insured—Verify that the moving company has proper licensing and insurance in case your belongings are damaged or someone gets hurt.
- A Proven Track Record – Generally, the more years of experience a moving company has, the more dependable and reputable movers they are. Be sure to ask how many moves they do a year and how many of them are similar to yours.
- Background Checked – The moving company team that handles your move should be background checked, trained, and uniformed.
- Transparent Pricing—Avoid moving company scams and beware of movers who aren’t willing to give you a written estimate, have confusing pricing, only accept cash, or ask for a high deposit upfront.
- The Right Equipment—Make sure the moving company you hire has a variety of straps, dollies, furniture blankets, hand tools, and equipment for specific types of furniture and belongings. Also, ask if they have Masonite boards to cover flooring and protective padding for door jambs.
A note about brokers
A broker is a person or company that acts as an intermediary between you and a moving company. Brokers don’t own or operate moving trucks and contract with actual moving companies to handle your physical move. While brokers are looking for the most competitive bids, they do not assume responsibility for, and are not authorized to transport, your household goods. They provide a price and then hand you off to someone else to perform your move, exposing you to a potential unlicensed or illegitimate mover. Make sure that the people or company handling your move have their own trucks (not rental trucks), operate out of an official warehouse facility (not a home or non-business address), and that they have the operating authority that is registered for either Intrastate work (in Illinois they have to be registered with the Illinois Commerce Commission) or Interstate work (registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Association). Make sure the company you contract with meets these requirements and avoid potential risks.
At Federal Companies, we know that a successful relocation requires more than just a truck, boxes, and the willingness to work hard. For over 110 years, we’ve been helping people move with well-trained, professional staff and the most up-to-date, modern equipment. Our customer service representatives will work with you to customize a plan and provide a written estimate that only includes the services you need so that you can stay within your budget.
No matter where life takes you, you can count on Federal Companies to make your moving experience as smoothly as possible.
And don’t worry, you can still have your friends over for pizza on moving day.
Call 855-508-3484 or contact us today for a free estimate.
