Choosing the Right Moving Company: A Comprehensive Guide

When you're preparing for a major move - whether it's across town or across the country - choosing a moving company becomes a key step (no pun intended). The stakes are high and time is running out. The options are many, but which company deserves your trust and everything you hold dear? At WellKnown Moving, we've developed this guide to help you sort through the clutter. Because peerezd is more than just logistics - it's your life packed into boxes.

Define Your Move

Step by Step Moving Needs Infographics

What type of move is it? A local trip or a full-blown cross-country move? Scale changes everything - local moves require a different setup compared to long-distance interstate moves. Or even an international move.
Size matters: Your household isn’t just a few boxes. We’re talking furniture, maybe a piano, probably a mountain of things you didn’t even know you had. Can your moving team handle it? Or perhaps you can manage on your own?
Extra services: Do you need people to do the heavy lifting, or are you more of a DIYer? Maybe you need additional packing services, or perhaps you're hunting for storage options.
Special treasures: Oh, and if you’ve got anything fragile, valuable, or downright irreplaceable—antiques, artwork, a grand piano—you’ll want specialists. The white glove treatment, if you will.

Additional Services to Consider

You might not even realize what you need until it’s right in front of you.

Packing pros: Some companies, like WellKnown, offer full packing and unpacking services. You could save hours. Maybe days.
Storage for in-between: Got a gap between homes? Don’t worry, some movers can stash your stuff in short-term or long-term storage.
Fragile items? We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating—artwork, antiques, those weirdly sentimental items need extra care.

Researching Moving Companies

You’ve got your wishlist—now it’s time to track down the movers. And this is where things get interesting.

Who do you know? Call in favors. Friends, family, co-workers—they’ve all got stories about their moving nightmares (or wins).
Scour the web: Google. Yelp. The reviews are endless. But don’t be fooled by the extremes—always take the gushing reviews or raging complaints with a grain of salt.
Deep dive into forums: Here’s where it gets real. Sites like Reddit or Moving Forum offer raw, unfiltered feedback from people who’ve been in your shoes. It’s where you get the dirt.
Paperwork check: If it’s a long-distance move, make sure these guys are legit—look them up by their USDOT number on the U.S. Department of Transportation site.
BBB check: The Better Business Bureau rating will give you a quick read on their reputation.

Getting Estimates

Now you’ve got a shortlist. But it’s not time to pick yet—first, you need cold, hard numbers. At least three estimates. That’s non-negotiable.

Estimate types: Two flavors: Non-binding (price can change) and binding (locked-in unless you add a surprise grand piano last minute).
In-home estimate? Absolutely. Don’t settle for a wild guess over the phone. They need to see your stuff, get the full scope.
Gotcha fees: Read that quote twice. Some companies love sneaking in extra fees for things like packing or disassembling furniture.