So you’ve found the perfect apartment that manages to give you enough space while also staying within your budget. Take a moment to congratulate yourself and relax for a second because the next step is anything but exciting. We’re talking about the actual moving part. Saying moving is not fun is putting it mildly. Many people in New York City will continue living in their small apartments to avoid all of the hassles that come with, the least of which is trying to find a good moving service in NYC. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that people fear moving. It is one of the least fun events in people’s life. Finding the right place to live with the desired amenities and price is a battle unto itself as you need to deal with sneaky apartment listings and trying to find a good roommate.
Finding the right apartment is only half the battle. Now you need to think about moving to New York City. This isn’t an easy task and you’ll have to do your research. While it might be tempting to go the DIY route if you want to avoid the stress and injuries that can potentially come with moving by yourself then you’ll research and find the best movers in NYC. After all, moving to NYC isn’t the same as other residential moves. You have to deal with traffic, landlords, parking, and more.
When you’re moving from point A to B, whether that’s within New York City or from out of town, you want your stuff to be in the right hands. Before you choose the right movers to make your New York Move, there are certain things that you should check.
License
All accredited professional movers in NYC are federally and locally mandated to have proper licenses. These licenses mean the company meets the Department of Transportations and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration standards and regulations. In order for these moving services to obtain a license, they have to register with the state, get general liability and commercial auto insurance policies. They will also have a US DOT number, which allows customers like yourself to look up the company in the national database to search for any complaints or issues. New York also has its own moving association that has its own requirements in order to obtain membership.
If you’re looking at Great Movers for your NYC move, you can look us up by our License Numbers: US DOT 2180117 / NYS DOT 39493 / MC 919428. Even if you don’t go with our company, you should still research movers in New York City to make sure they have the proper accreditation. A proper license proves a company’s legitimacy and it can give you more leverage if you need to file a complaint or challenge your invoice later.
Insurance
Before you hand over your things, you want to make sure everything is covered in case something happens. While professional movers do their best to avoid issues, accidents happen. Luckily, licensed movers are required to have liability insurance coverage options:
- Full Value Protection – the mover will be liable for the replacement value of lost or damaged goods in your entire shipment. The cost of the protection will vary by mover
- Released Value Protection – this is the more economical option. However, the protection is minimal and the mover will only be liable for no more than 60 cents per pound per article.
You can purchase your own insurance from a third-party company though that will require a bit more shopping around. In addition to liability insurance, you should also check to see if the movers have a certificate of insurance (COI). This is especially important when moving in New York City as many high rises require it. A COI protects the property from any damage that might occur during the move and protects you from having to pay any fees if something is damaged.
Reviews
There are many moving services in New York City, but not all of them are created equal. You’ve probably heard horror stories from your people you know who might have hired some sketchy movers. Before you make your residential move in NYC, you should look up reviews. Of course, reviews aren’t infallible, but they can give you a good idea of what experience you can expect when. If you’re noticing a lot of negative comments, you might want to find another option.
If you’re interested in hiring Great Movers, you can check out the reviews on Yelp and the Yellow Pages. Great Movers has hundreds of happy customers who constantly refer us to their friends and family. You can also go read reviews on the Better Business Bureau site as well. You don’t need to spend hours reading reviews to find the best moving companies in NYC, but it’s a good idea to do a quick scan to make sure you don’t find any serious issues with the mover you choose.
Questions
Once you’ve narrowed down your choice of movers to the top three, you should put together a list of questions to ask:
- Are you licensed and insured? If so, what is your license number?
- Are you a broker or carrier? Brokers will outsource their services to companies they have partnerships with while carriers will handle all services in-house.
- What are your coverage options?
- Can you do everything I need? Do you need a company that will pack, disassemble/assemble furniture, etc. for you?
- Are the estimates binding?
- What other fees are there? Especially in cities, movers might charge you if they have to go up or down flights of stairs and if they have to park far away from the building entrance.
- Do you have references? Every good moving company should be able to provide references to customers who have used their service.
- What is the cancellation/rescheduling policy? If something changes you want to know what steps you need to take so you don’t lose any of your money
Estimates
Hiring moving companies in New York City isn’t cheap, but you might be able to find some good deals. It might be tempting to go with the company that offers the lowest cost, but a low initial estimate doesn’t necessarily mean the final bill will be cheap. In fact, many people get hit with extra charges. Most moving companies offer non-binding estimates, which means the amount is subject to change. This could be a good or bad thing depending on if your move requires more manpower or hours.
If you prefer to know how much you owe ahead of time you should look for movers that offer a binding estimate or a not-to-exceed estimate. This way, you know the max amount of money you will pay once your move is complete. Great Movers offers flat rate quotes, which makes your New York move affordable and transparent. Of course, in order to get the most accurate quote possible, you will need to provide a video or images of all the items the professional NYC movers will have to move, pack, and assemble/disassemble. If possible, you should also invite a representative from your moving company of choice to physically come to your apartment for a more accurate estimate. Make sure to mention any additional details such as whether your current or new apartment is a walk-up or if there are specific loading/unloading areas the movers need to access.
Finding the needle among the haystack among the many residential moving packers and movers in NYC can be time-consuming. However, you won’t ever regret taking the time to do you research. After all, finding a great moving company in NYC isn’t impossible and you can rest assured knowing your personal belongings are in good hands.
