Overview: Movers
Moving companies do two jobs that only look alike. A local move is usually priced by the hour, with a crew and a truck, and the rules that cover it are set by your state. A move that crosses a state line is priced on weight and distance, and the carrier has to hold a federal registration you can look up before you hand over a deposit.
Get a survey before you accept a number. Someone walks the house, in person or on a video call, and sees the attic, the garage and the piano you forgot to mention. That produces an inventory and a written estimate. Ask whether the estimate is binding, and ask about the charges that land on moving day: stairs, a long carry from the door to the truck, and a shuttle when a tractor trailer cannot fit down your street.
Valuation is not insurance. The cover included by default pays by the pound, which is almost nothing on a broken flat screen, so price the full value option or check your homeowners policy. Ask how a damage claim gets filed and how long the company has to answer it.
Be careful with any outfit that quotes sight unseen, wants a large cash deposit and turns up in an unmarked rental truck. Use the state and city lists below to reach movers who actually work your area.
Frequently asked questions
Local move or long distance: what changes?
Price and rules. Local work is normally an hourly crew rate under your own state's regime. Once the truck crosses a state line the job is priced on weight and distance, the carrier needs federal registration, and delivery arrives inside a spread of days rather than on one promised afternoon. Plan for the spread and pack a suitcase that covers it.
Why does a mover want to survey my house?
Because volume and access decide the price, and neither can be judged down a phone line. A survey in person or by video produces an inventory and lets the estimator see stairs, tight doorways, a long driveway and the items that need extra hands. A quote given without one tends to get revised on the day, and revised upward.
Does the included cover pay for damage?
Not really. The basic protection is valuation by weight, and it settles a smashed television for pocket change. The full value option costs more and repairs, replaces or pays out on an item. Check first whether your homeowners policy covers goods in transit. Photograph anything fragile before it is wrapped, and note damage on the paperwork before the crew pulls away.
Should I pay for packing or do it myself?
Do the clothes and the books yourself and let the crew pack glass, plates and lamps. Their packing is faster, uses proper cartons, and matters for a claim, since damage inside a box you filled is normally your own problem. Label cartons by the room they are going to, not by what is inside, and keep documents, medication and keys in your car.
How do I spot a rogue moving company?
The pattern repeats. A low quote with no survey behind it, pressure to pay a large deposit, a rented truck with no company name on the door, and paperwork that appears only at loading. Then the load is held hostage until you pay more. Check the federal registration, look for a real street address, and pay by card so you keep some recourse.
