What Qualities Should a Professional Cross-country Moving Company Have?
Moving is stressful enough, so choosing the best cross-country movers for your move will help make the experience better. They’ll have professional movers, too, who are trained to handle expensive items like pianos.
Here are three qualities to look for in a professional cross country mover:
1. Flexibility
There are several things to be flexible about when moving long distances. In addition to the fact that you need to be flexible about your moving dates, you also want to be flexible about the services you need for your move. For example, you might need complete packing services, or you may be able to pack some (or all) of your own boxes.
You might need complete unpacking services, or you may be able to unpack some (or all) of your own boxes. Do you have a lot of furniture and large items? Do you have specialty items, like a grandfather clock or fine art? Are you moving a lot of different things?
2. Great Communication
Great communication is essential for any business. This applies to a cross-country moving company as well. When choosing a cross-country moving company, ask your friends and family members who have moved. You may also check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any complaints.
You need a cross-country mover who can keep you informed throughout your move. If you do not receive updates and do not know where your belongings are, you may never recover them if something were to go wrong.
3. Proper Insurance
To protect your move, make sure the mover you’re hiring is properly insuring your items. Your moving company should provide you with an insurance certificate that states they are insured, as well as a bill of lading. A bill of lading is a document that states the contents of your shipment and the weight and value of the goods. The bill of lading should also contain information about how you can file a claim if your items are lost or damaged during the move.
How Much Does an Across Country Move Cost?
They say moving is one of life’s biggest stresses—and if you’re moving across the country, that’s even more true. You may be excited to start your new life in a new city, but you’ll be paying a pretty penny to do so.
Moving your family to another state can require a lot of planning, even when you’re dumping your old place and moving into a new one in the same community. But moving across the country is a whole other ball game. Moving companies charge a pretty penny—most estimates range between $5,000 and $8,000—and going DIY isn’t an option.
Keep in mind the cost of cross-country moving is not only the price of the movers themselves but also the cost of packing materials, the cost of the moving truck, and any sales tax or fuel costs your moving company may charge. So be sure to ask questions about these details upfront.
What Factors Impact Quotes?
Moving costs aren’t something to take lightly. Even with the cost of a cross-country move being somewhat lower than in previous years, moving is still a significant expense. Here are different factors that affect the cost of cross-country movement.
1. Distance and Time of Movement
Distance and time of movement are among the most influential factors determining the cost of cross-country moving. So distance is a very important consideration when deciding on a cross-country mover. Even if a moving company offers low rates, your moving cost may be significantly higher than you initially planned. The more miles you are traveling, and the more time your goods need to be moved, the higher your moving cost will be.
2. The Size of Your Home
When moving a long distance, you will have to move everything you own in one load. This is true whether you have a large house or a small apartment. No matter what the space is, it will go into one truck and be subject to the same cost.
A long-distance mover will determine the size of the home when determining the cost of the move. The price of a cross-country move will be determined by the number of movers needed to complete the job, the amount of space required in the moving truck, the distance to be traveled, and the accessibility of the property.
3. How Much Stuff You Have
The nature of moving is the more stuff you have, the more time it will take to wrap, pack and deliver your belongings. This is why the cost of moving rises as your distance increases. Movers can only be as efficient as the amount of time they have. If you are not sure how much time you will have, double or triple your moving time estimate to be safe. If you have a lot of time, you can always have the movers return to move the rest of your stuff.
4. The Time You’re Moving
The time you’re moving will also affect the cost of cross-country moving. For example, the summer is a peak season for moving across the country, so the movers will have much more business and will be much busier. Hiring movers in the summer is likely to cost more than in the winter. Similarly, movers will charge more for moves during holidays and weekends than for weekday moves.
5. Extra Services
Of course, hiring extra services will also affect the cost of cross-country moving. If you want to cut down on the cost, you can prepare some of the services yourself, such as packing, loading, and unloading.
However, we do not recommend it because you may cause some damage to the house and furniture. If you still insist on doing it by yourself, you need to pay for the cost and repair.
