There’s no better way to ensure a worry-free move than by choosing the best Sacramento local movers for your needs. These 13 tips will help you to do exactly that!
By the time you finish this article, you’ll know exactly how to find a good moving company by:
- Outlining the exact moving services that you need
- Discovering a moving company’s expertise from their website
- Evaluating their customer service from the first phone call
- Handling the in-home estimate like a pro
- Knowing where the best, trustworthy moving company reviews are found
The moving industry is full of licensed & insured movers who are proud of their customer service and record of safety. We’ll help you find the best movers and avoid the worst moving companies.
Here are 13 ways to know that you are hiring the very best movers for your needs:
1. Know What Moving Services You Need
Before you start shopping, you need to know what services you need. Extra services add up quickly if you’re moving on a strict budget.
A reputable moving company representative will always listen more than they try to sell you on services. But the best way to keep your move within your budget is to know what you need.
First, make a list of items that need to be moved. Group them into three categories:
- Things that can be packed in a box
- Things that can’t fit in a box but that can be carried by one person
- Things that you think would require two or more people with special equipment to move
Anything in that last category will require a company with that specialized equipment and experience. This could include a pool table, gun safe, hot tub or antiques.
Next, you should allow for at least two weeks to organize and pack all your belongings for a 3-4 bedroom home. If your family can’t realistically set that time aside, you need to consider packing services. Professional local movers can pack a home that size in an afternoon.
Lastly, consider whether you need storage services or not along with your move.
Now you’re prepared to start getting quotes!
2. Search for Sacramento Local Moving Companies on Google
Google is the best place to find moving companies today. They are the new Yellow Pages, and you can quickly gather a list of 3-5 companies to call.
We recommend using a variety of keywords like “local movers Sacramento” or “local movers near me.” We don’t recommend sites like Craigslist. Most of those movers rent trucks and don’t have insurance to protect your home or your belongings during your move.
3. Look at The Website
Do they even have a website? Is it easy to navigate? Do you see all the local moving services listed that you know you need?
All of these are clues that the local moving companies you’re looking at will be a good fit.
If they don’t list the services you need, such as Sacramento warehouse storage or piano moving, you can move onto the next company. While they might offer the service you need, you might not have the valuable time it would take to call and ask.
4. Call and Ask the Right Questions
When you do call, confirm the information that you found on the website, including the services they offer. Ask if they can provide references. Also ask about their estimate options and get their DOT number if it’s not listed on their website.
This is also your chance to evaluate the customer services quality of the local moving company. If you get a bad feeling at this step, it’s not a good sign for the rest of your local move. Also ask if the company does business under any other names. See number six for more details on this.
5. Find the Most Trusted Reviews
Look at the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google and Angie’s List. These companies all work to keep companies from artificially inflating their overall score and work to keep fake reviews off their platforms. In general, you want to give the most weight to two-, three- and four-star reviews on these platforms.
If you see all five-star reviews for a company, that’s a sign that the company’s reviews might be artificial. One-star reviews are generally extreme and biased or could be outlier cases. If they give you pause, ask the company for the back story.
Moving Scam is also a good place to look. It is a community where dedicated forums are full of people that can recommend or warn against negative experiences with different moving companies.
6. Has the Company Switched Names?
Avoid a hiring a moving company that has switched names recently. Unfortunately, there are several ways for disreputable local moving companies to distance themselves from old negative reviews and claims. Switching names is one of those ways. The BBB tracks complaints and negative reviews, but companies can bury this history by creating a new “Doing Business As” name.
The history of any licensed moving company will be tracked by the Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. You can call their information hotline at 888-368-7238 to find out more.
7. Don’t Pay A Deposit for Your Move
Some companies require a credit card number to be put on file when you book a move, but the best local movers will not ask for a deposit up-front.
This is a common strategy for local movers to scam customer out of money. They’ll take your deposit and never show up on your moving day.
8. Packing Experience
Generally, if the moving company does not pack the belongings themselves, they will not be responsible for damage to your items during the move. So, what should you do? Most local Sacramento movers will provide guides for packing smart.
During the home survey, ask for an estimate for packing materials cost and compare to what it would cost to get your boxes, paper and tape somewhere else. Then, ask about what measures the company takes to train their movers on packing practices and how they keep their teams accountable.
9. Avoid Surprise Extra Fees
If your new home has stairs or narrow hallways and your estimator does not take that into account, you will be facing extra fees after your goods are delivered. Avoid these surprise costs by letting your estimator know in advance.
10. Full Moving Inventory
No matter how you perform your estimate, make sure that the movers make a thorough list of items and any special local moving services your home requires. The price of your move will depend on this inventory, and you need to know that the price you are quoted is the price you’ll be paying when your move is over.
11. The Local Moving Estimate
When the date for your estimate comes, be prepared to take note of the quality and thoroughness of the local moving estimator. Are they asking you for all the rooms in your house? Are they physically viewing each room and closet? An estimator who asks a lot of questions is going to give you an accurate quote. They should ask which items are going on the truck and which are being donated or recycled. They should also be asking detailed questions about your new home.
12. Local Moving References
The company you call to get a quote from should be able to provide several references for local moving services in Sacramento. If you didn’t get a reference from your friends or family, ask the local moving company for references. Follow up on these to get an unbiased opinion on the company.
13. No Hidden Fees
The term “Guaranteed Estimate” is meaningless in the moving industry. There are only three types of estimates that you should be asked to sign.
- A non-binding estimate
- A non-binding to exceed estimate
- A binding estimate
We always recommend getting a binding estimate for peace of mind.
