Hiring a Professional Moving Team

Sometimes you just don't feel like moving, packing and transporting your place up before moving to your new residence. Hiring Maryland movers allows you to sit back and let someone else do the literal heavy lifting. Before you make yourself a drink and start lounging, you should first do your homework on hiring a good moving company, otherwise your moving holiday will diminish into moving madness.

Do Your Research

It's recommended that you check out at least ten Maryland movers before you make a final decision. Look into the company's history, check on their reputation with your local Better Business Bureau and learn the entirety of the details that will be involved in your move. Will you have to do some of the packing by yourself? Is everything included on the estimate or will there be additional fees added on? Check the moving company's frequently asked questions section if you have any inquiries to make.

While it might feel odd to interview a moving company over the phone, doing so will give you a feel for how they do business and how they'll be handling your move. Be sure to ask about estimates while conducting interviews. Without checking beforehand, you risk getting stuck with a moving company that's nowhere near as professional as their website made them seem. Once you've completed the interviews, narrow down your choices to the top three.

Check Out Complaints

Major pitfalls and potholes can be avoided by checking to see if there have been any complaints raised against the Maryland movers you are considering. Complaint registries are one of the best places you can do your research while finding useful advice from past customers, both satisfied and not-so-satisfied.

Information the Movers Should Provide

Moving companies have to follow certain rules while they're helping you, rules that are outlined with the Department of Transportation. Before your move, the moving company should give you a written copy of the binding or nonbinding estimate, a duplicate of the U.S. Department of Transportation publication entitled “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move,” a signed and dated copy of the order of service and contact information should you have to make a complaint. When moving day comes, the moving company should give you a copy of the Bill of Landing/Freight Bill when they arrive to pick up your items and a duplicate of the filled out Bill of Landing/Freight Bill once all of your items have been delivered. Bear in mind that the Bill of Landing is a contract between you and the moving company, so be sure that you keep it with you in a safe spot.

Your Responsibilities

Once you've hired a moving company, there are still a few matters that you have to tend to. You'll want to be sure that you're present for the estimate as well as the packing of your items both the day of the move and when the moving company starts to load up the truck. This will give you the chance to speak up if you witness something that you don't like or something that wasn't included on your contract. Expensive items such as antiques, crystal and jewelry are your responsibility. You might not feel comfortable allowing the movers to handle them, no matter how professional or experienced they might be. Accidents do happen, but they don't always have to happen to you if you can avoid them. Since you'll have to sign an inventory sheet, you'll need to be present as items are packed and loaded onto the moving truck. Ask if you aren't sure that something has been loaded.

A moving company can either make your move a breeze or a nightmare, and you have more influence over this than you might realize.