6 questions to ask when selecting a long distance moving company

Packing up and moving a long distance can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Here at Meathead Movers, we don’t handle long distance moves the traditional way.

We’re here to help you avoid ending up with lost items, broken items, hidden charges, and late arrivals. In our mission to change the entire moving industry, we knew we had to bring our customers a premier long-distance moving service that’s completely different from the van lines.

But don’t take our word for it. When looking for a long-distance moving company, it’s best to do your own research. Here, we’ve laid out some important best practices and moving tips to follow to help you make an informed decision.

For example, we’ve listed a few critical questions to ask your potential long-distance movers. But before we get into that, let’s talk about why you should hire a long-distance moving company in the first place.

Top advantages of hiring a long-distance moving company to handle your move

When you’re going the distance, you want to ensure your belongings get to your new home safely and efficiently. To ensure this, you might consider hiring a long-distance moving company or a large van line. Which is better?

With a long-distance moving company, you can get more personalized service and more definite pick up and delivery dates. For example, you’re likely to get a dedicated truck for your shipment. Therefore, unlike with van lines, you won’t have to share a moving truck with another customer. So, you’ll have a truck dedicated to your belongings.

You’ll also benefit from firm pick up and delivery dates, unlike with van lines. That’s because dedicated trucks don’t have to make stops for other deliveries. So unexpected delays are less likely to occur.

When should you hire a local moving company?

If you’re not making a long-distance move, then you might consider hiring a local moving company to shoulder the load. Whereas, other people might choose to work with a national moving company to take care of their next move.

That’s because they think the national moving companies are the best for shouldering all the moving responsibilities.

However, a local moving company is just as capable of delivering high-quality moving services as a national moving company. Below are the many reasons why you should hire a local mover to get the job done.

• On-site estimate facility: One advantage a local moving company may have over a national moving company is the ability to provide an on-site visit to give you an accurate estimate of the total moving costs (Salman Zafar, “Why Should You Hire a Local Moving Company for Your Next Move?”). However, not all national moving companies have an on-site estimate facility. As a result, you might not get transparency when it comes to the calculation of your final bill. On the other hand, a local moving company that arranges a visit to give you an accurate estimate can help you avoid unplanned moving expenses.

• Familiarity with the location: Typically, a moving company will charge you based on the distance, time, and requirements of the move. However, if you work with a national moving company that doesn’t have a branch at your location, they may not be familiar with your area and the required routes. This is another issue that could affect the accuracy of your quote. On the other hand, a local moving company will know the area, which allows them to use the most efficient routes for your move. They can avoid heavy traffic, detours, and other issues that can delay your move, saving you time and money.

• More dedicated services: When it comes to finding a reputable moving company, your decision might come down to how quickly they can schedule your move and how much attention they can dedicate to an individual customer. A local moving company tends to have a small, dedicated client base, which makes for a flexible schedule. As a result, you won’t be faced with problems when scheduling a move on short notice.

Long sistance movers vs. local movers: Which is better?

You might think that you have to choose between a long-distance moving company and a local moving company. But here at Meathead Movers, we want you to know that you can have the best of both worlds.

We offer both the benefits of a local company and the resources of a national brand. That means we can tailor our services to your unique moving needs, whether you need to move locally or a very long-distance.

6 important questions to ask before hiring a moving company 

No matter who you choose to meet your moving needs, it’s always important to ask key questions before making a decision. Whether you’re hiring a local mover or a long-distance moving company (or a company that specializes in both), make sure you fully vet them and do your research.

Below are the top questions you should always ask a potential mover.

1. Are your employees subcontractors and/or temp laborers?

A key question to ask a potential moving company is whether or not they use subcontractors. Many long-distance and local moving companies use subcontractors or temp laborers to complete your move. Sometimes, the movers who are packing your items into the truck aren’t the same people who will unload those items at your final destination.

This could lead to a wide range of problems. For example, if there are different people handling your move, one of three things can happen: (1) They may not be familiar with your moving needs. (2) They could end up losing your items. (3) They’re less likely to have a connection with you as a customer.

But when you work with the professional move coordinators at Meathead Movers, you won’t have to worry about those issues. We’re committed to providing our customers with quality, consistent services.

That involves only hiring laborers who are licensed, trained, and insured to load and transport your items. And we always provide the same movers at both ends. That way, you can depend on a team of reliable movers to complete your job from start to finish.

2. Will my items be separated from other shipments?

Some local and long-distance movers avoid disclosing whether your shipments will be joined by other customers’ goods. When this occurs, it often leads to delivery delays and even lost items. But when you leave it to the team at Meathead Movers, you can always count on the fact that your items will be alone and delivered by the same truck, by the same crew, and on time.

3. What are some factors that increase the cost of my move?

There are many factors that affect the total cost of your move. Unfortunately, some long-distance and local movers will charge you based on the weight of your items. However, it isn’t very practical for a customer to weigh their items.

When you’re in the process of moving to a new home, you’re busy packing all your belongings and dealing with the many stresses of moving. Plus, even if you did have the time and energy to measure the weight of your items, it would be extremely difficult to do so.

Unless you know roughly how much each of the items in your home weighs on their own, you’ll likely struggle to determine how much they weigh. Researching their weight or weighing them yourself can be a time-consuming and challenging process with lots of room for error, especially when weighing furniture. The logical thing to do would be to get a quote from a moving company, which can tack on unexpected charges. And if you’re hauling some heavy items, your costs of moving can be quite high.

To help combat this problem, Meathead Movers decides on a maximum price before beginning any job. We’ll tell you how much your long-distance or local move could cost, and won’t charge you a dollar more.

4. Can you meet all my moving needs?

When it comes to moving, there’s a wide range of services you may need to save time and headache.

Some moving companies may offer the basic services like loading and unloading your items from a moving truck. But as the industry has evolved, many companies are offering various moving services to meet the needs of every customer. From furniture assembly/disassembly to storage, many moving companies offer a variety of services.

In addition to loading and unloading your items, Meathead Movers provides moving supplies, professional packing services, premium storage units, and a one-of-a-kind member Concierge Service.

Our Concierge Service is a convenient solution for customers looking for additional services in their area. For example, our clients often need house cleaners, handymen, landscapers, and other key moving-related services.

After you book your move with us, your Meathead Concierge will reach out to you to discuss the services you’d like to set up during your move. After we get a complete understanding of your moving needs, we’ll email you a list of highly recommended service providers specific to your location.

5. Why should I choose you over other moving companies?

When vetting a moving company, it’s always a good idea to ask them what differentiates them from other companies. This can be especially helpful if you’re having trouble making a decision, or if the companies you’re looking at offer similar services. By asking them what sets them apart you can discover which company will better serve your needs.

Meathead Movers is different from most local and long-distance moving companies. That’s because we only hire strong, clean-cut, background-checked, drug-free athlete movers. Only Meathead movers are required to jog when not carrying your items, saving you time and money.

6. Is there anything your movers can’t move?

Every moving situation is unique. While some are simple and involve moving small items in small quantities, others are more complicated and involve large items, including heavy furniture or appliances. Some customers might also need to haul potentially dangerous items or items that are really fragile.

Depending on your situation, you might run into issues moving certain items because they pose a liability risk to moving companies. So, it’s important to know that moving companies can’t haul anything and everything. However, every company is different, so it’s essential to do your research when it comes to determining what items movers can and can’t move.

Here’s a list of some of the items that need to be signed off on our Special Circumstance Acknowledgment. We may or may not be able to move these items, depending on certain circumstances.

• Especially fragile items
• • Standalone marble slab
  • Antiques
  • Plasma screen TVs
  • Grandfather clocks

• Especially large or heavy items
• • Safes
  • Pianos
  • Pool tables
  • Tool chests

• Miscellaneous items
• • Plants
  • Exposed canvas oil paintings
  • Murphy beds

Note that we offer professional packing services that can help you pack up these items easily and efficiently. And if for any reason we can’t move an item on this list, our Concierge Service can help you locate a specialist vendor to haul your belongings.

Unfortunately, there are certain items we won’t be able to move. Below are items that we never move under any circumstances:

• Living things
• Flammable items
• Weapons and ammunition
• Firewood
• Select comfort air beds
• Gasoline-powered vehicles
• Propane tanks
• Hot tubs

Athlete movers at your service

Whether you’re moving long-distance or locally, you need a reliable and reputable moving company to help you through the process. At Meathead Movers, we understand how stressful moving can be, and it’s our aim to take the hassle out of moving your belongings.

Let us help you with your move to, from, or within California. We offer a 100% guarantee so that you don’t have to worry about the inconveniences that a traditional local or long-distance mover might cause. Contact us today for a free, no obligation quote.