HOW TO FIND AFFORDABLE LOCAL MOVERS IN MIAMI FLORIDA
The city of Miami – the cruise capital of the world! A vibrant culture formed from a mixing pot of different ethnicities and nationalities. While the food, culture, and lifestyle of Miami is different from other places, when it comes to moving house, you have to follow the same basic principles you would everywhere else.
First and foremost, you need to decide the range of services you’re looking to take on. Some movers will just go to the extent of “moving” your stuff – you’ll be packing your own stuff into boxes and then loading them onto the truck, after which the driver will move everything to your new home, and you have to unload and unpack everything. Then there are companies which offer the full range of services. These professionals will disassemble your entire house, pack into boxes properly to ensure their safety, load it onto the truck, take it to Miami, unload everything, and set your house back up again.
The price tag that comes with these different ranges will vary greatly, but you need to measure it against the value you get for your money. Hiring a moving company offers ease and convenience that ‘DIY’ just does not offer. Considering you are truly an amateur at this type of exercise, why would you entrust your family’s valuable possessions to an amateur? Hire a professional and watch how that stress just dissipates!
Ask your friends and family about any movers they may have used recently. Personal recommendations go a long way and you might even end up getting a discount for using a reference. Ask your friends and family in detail about their experience to cover all the points of concern you may have. If you have no luck with them, then you can search online directories with professional associations such as the American Moving and Storage Association. Being associated with such a prestigious organization will carry the same weight as a recommendation from a friend or family member.
Once you have the names of the moving companies, you can check their services online. Any halfway reputable moving company will have a well-maintained website and the same goes for Miami FL movers. These websites will give you information on the services offered and may also have reviews from past consumers. You’ll get an idea of what company suits your needs and you can then shortlist your options. A truly professional company will even have an entire section dedicated to assessing your moving needs based on your where you currently live, where you’re moving, the type of property you’re moving into and much more! You’ll end up getting a decent amount of information from a well-maintained company website.
Now comes the time to get quotes from the shortlisted companies. The moving company should send a representative to your house to carry out a survey of the items to be transported and assess the equipment and packing material needed to move everything safely. This is your opportunity to ask all the questions that you have. Ask about their experience and range of services to get an assessment of their attention to detail. Once you have the quotes, don’t think the job is done and just select the cheapest option. The fun part is just about to start.
In addition to finding the cheapest option, you should also check for the most value you would get from all the quotations. It’s very possible the estimate may not cover packing materials or equipment rental, or that the services would differ depending on the quotes. Regardless, you should properly assess what you’re getting for the amount of money you pay. If the goal is convenience and ease in the entire process, then you need to check if the quote covers all the services you require. But if you only want your items moved from one place to another without any real convenience, just make sure the tires don’t fall off the truck on the way.
It also helps to run a quick Google search to check on the company’s reviews and ratings. Websites like Yelp will have detailed and unbiased reviews and recommendations for most of these moving companies. Considering almost 40 million Americans move every year, someone is bound to write a review on your company of choice. Accreditation with the Better Business Bureau would be a stamp of approval signifying that the company has a good relationship with its customers and the general consumer population and that they’re dedicated to maintaining a level of professionalism and service.
You should also know that by law, moving companies are obligated to provide coverage for all the items that they take into their possession. You still need to check on the type of coverage being offered. Some companies offer full value replacement which means they will replace or pay for any item that they’ve damaged or lost while in transit. Others offer what’s called an “alternative liability” which basically offers coverage of 60 cents per pound per item (yeah it’s a rip-off). You’ll be able to check details like these in the moving contract, which is a very important document! Read this thoroughly as it lets you know your rights in case something goes wrong, what the liabilities of the moving company are, and other hidden charges or fees that “might” pop up based on certain situations. You’ll have to ensure that everything you’ve agreed with the moving company is properly captured in the moving contract.
The above is a general guideline on how to find the right moving company for you. When it’s all said and done, you will need to assess, on your own, exactly what company and what services fit your needs, and your budget, best! What you can be sure of though, is that entrusting such a daunting task to a professional moving company will offer you major stress relief. Moving home comes with more than just the responsibility of moving all your furniture and items. With the right company, you could give attention to more important things such as your new job, or finding a new school for your children.
