Moving to NYC is a life-changing undertaking, both exciting and frightening. Whether you are relocating to the Big Apple for a job or you are pursuing a dream or adventure, going through the moving process is never as easy as we expect it to be. A smooth moving experience is guaranteed if your household belongings are in good hands and if you delegate important moving-related tasks to NYC expert movers and moving companies.
Finding expert movers and moving companies in such a busy city as NYC, can be a bit complicated, so make sure you learn in advance as much as you can about your new city. The decision to move to New York City comes with a lot of advantages and disadvantages. You just need to be aware of them and deal with possible disappointments properly. It’s very important to have adequate assistance and support when things get complicated. Luckily, NYC has a wide range of moving companies you can research and eventually choose one that meets your standards.
How to save money with expert movers when moving to NYC
When selecting a moving company bare in mind that going for the cheapest movers is not always advisable. Handing over your belongings to some strangers whose services are suspiciously cheap is something you want to avoid at all costs during your moving process.
On the other hand, the price of moving should be valued, but not beyond comprehension. That doesn’t mean that you should fall for it just because the price is too high. Price should be fair and reasonable, but it’s not the only guarantee of quality service. There is more to it, as we will cover in the rest of the article.
Avoid rogue movers
How to avoid rogue movers in NYC is one of the crucial questions. There are ways to identify the opposite of expert movers – rogue movers:
Movers’ website
The moving company’s website doesn’t provide information regarding the local address or license. In most cases, they don’t have a local office at all.
A Quote
Rogue movers won’t provide an in-home estimate. Instead, they will insist on a remote quote provided via phone or online. Quotes are much lower than the regular ones. They usually ask for a large deposit in advance and accept only cash payments.
Communication
They are answering the calls with some general statements that don’t include the name of the company itself.
Avoiding direct and open communication is something you should pay attention to. If this is the case with movers you’re contacting, you should think twice about them.
Instead of miscommunication, movers should provide unambiguous information about everything that concerns you and answer all your questions. After all, you are paying for it, right?
The balance
It’s in your best interest to find the balance between quality and cost when searching for experienced movers in NYC. Since there are a lot of fraudulent moving companies lurking in NYC, make sure you know how to identify them and avoid being one more fraud victim. Making a thorough background check of the moving company you are about to hire will help you get a clear picture of the situation.
Safety
Professional and expert movers are required to meet certain standards in terms of safety, license and costs. Negotiating the best price for your move is all right as long as you are certain that you are dealing with a trustworthy moving company.
Insurance
There are plenty of reasons to get moving company insurance. This way, you’ll minimize the risk of suffering significant financial loss while moving. So, having your belongings insured is smart. If your homeowners’ coverage does not suffice, purchase additional insurance. Moving insurance is great security during moving.
Movers should offer you the choice between two major types of moving insurance:
- full value protection
- released value
Besides, there are certain limitations of moving insurance. So, there will be things that movers won’t cover. Your movers should be precise and inform you clearly and timely on those items. If they avoid doing so, the moving costs can go way beyond your budget, or you can end up with items you can’t relocate. This is a very important step in deciding whether or not to hire a moving company.
Your movers should offer you moving insurance to meet your moving needs. If you’re not satisfied with their offer, you might consider finding more reliable movers.
Planning
Start planning your move early to give yourself enough time to find suitable movers. As a result, your movers will have the flexibility to organize the move properly.
When planning your move, be systematic. Creating the ultimate moving checklist will help you do so. Also, having an accurate moving inventory list is the best way to avoid problems and make sure your belongings arrive safely at your new address.
Choosing the right time of the year
Moving during the peak season is more expensive. Movin in the off-season is a cost-effective solution for those who are flexible about the moving date. This tactic could help you avoid additional moving costs. If you choose to move during the slow season, you might also get a discount or some special offers, like free moving boxes or free delivery.
Moving estimates
Beware of hidden moving costs. Even the lowest quote may turn into an expensive one if your movers are not completely honest with you. So, you should know what are the hidden costs of moving, so you can avoid them. Remote estimates usually don’t provide an accurate idea of the costs you are going to incur, so make sure you get them in writing. Before issuing an estimate, movers will need to know the exact type and amount of the items they will be dealing with. Luckily, there is a time-efficient alternative to an in-home estimate – a video estimate, which allows you to get an estimate through a secure live video chat with an experienced moving representative.
The safest way to get a moving quote is to get it in writing, as we have already said. So, if movers offer a moving cost estimator, that’s great, and you should use it. It’s surely one more sign of movers’ reliability. You will leave your email and they will reply to it, and that’s great because you’ll have your proof of communication and the price required. This is one of the ways to avoid a moving scam.
Online reviews
As we can see, finding expert movers and moving companies in NYC is not an easy task. Before contacting movers, do a little research on several moving companies. Find as much information about them as you can. Reading online reviews is a great starting point. At this point, you should know how to identify fake moving reviews and not fall for them. But this shouldn’t be your only source of information. Find movers you plan to hire on web services such as BBB or FMCSA and try to find out if they’re reliable or not.
Contact your movers only after you have collected enough info on them. Require all the answers you need. After you are satisfied with the answers and communication, make it official and hire a moving service.
