Moving guide · Hiring a mover
How to choose a moving company in Connecticut
Most bad moving experiences were decided before the truck arrived, at the point where someone picked a company on the strength of one phone call. Here is what to check, in the order it is worth checking it.
The short answer
Pick a mover you can verify. Look up its registration, read reviews on more than one profile, get the estimate in writing after the company has actually heard about your move, and be wary of anyone who wants a large deposit before either of those things has happened.
Connecticut has plenty of moving companies and no shortage of listings for them. What it does not have is an easy way to tell, from a search result, which ones will show up on the day with the crew and the equipment they described. That takes a few minutes of checking, and the checking is worth more than any amount of reading marketing copy.
The steps below are the ones that catch problems. None of them requires an expert. They require a phone, a browser and the willingness to ask a company a direct question and listen to how it answers.
Check that the company is registered
A mover that only works inside Connecticut is regulated by the state Department of Transportation. A mover that crosses state lines needs federal registration through the FMCSA, which is where a USDOT number comes from. Either way, a legitimate company can tell you which it holds and will not be offended when you ask.
The USDOT number is the easiest to check. Type it into the FMCSA's carrier snapshot and you will see the legal name, whether the registration is active, and how the company describes its operation. If the name on the snapshot does not match the name on the quote, ask why. Major Movers links its own FMCSA snapshot from the footer of every page on this site, which is the standard worth holding other companies to.
Read the reviews where the company cannot edit them
Testimonials printed on a company's own website are chosen by the company. Reviews on Google, Thumbtack, Angi or U-Haul's Moving Help marketplace are not, and the difference matters. Read the middle of the pile, not just the five-star quotes at the top, and pay attention to how the company responds when something went wrong.
Two things are worth noticing. First, whether the reviews describe the kind of move you are planning. A company that earns praise for apartment moves in New Haven may not be the right pick for a five-bedroom house in Cheshire, and the reverse is also true. Second, whether the same crew names keep coming up. Repeat mentions of the people on the truck usually mean the company keeps its crews rather than hiring day labor per job.
- Does the profile link back to the same phone number and name the website uses?
- Are the reviews recent, and spread over months rather than bunched into one week?
- Do the reviews mention the things that go wrong on a move: stairs, timing, damage, and how each was handled?
- Does the company answer critical reviews, and does the answer sound like a person?
Get an estimate after the company has heard the details
An estimate given before anyone has asked about your route, your building and what is being moved is a guess. A useful estimate comes after a conversation: both addresses, the date, the access at each end, the number of flights of stairs, the awkward items, and whether the packing will be finished when the crew arrives.
Ask how the job is priced and what would change the figure. Then ask for it in writing. Major Movers takes the details through its quote form or over the phone at (203) 694-0397, and someone follows up to confirm pricing and availability before anything is booked. That order, details first and then a figure, is what you want from any company.
Watch for the signs that something is off
The warning signs are consistent from one bad mover to the next. A quote that is far below every other quote. A demand for a large cash deposit to hold the date. No physical presence in Connecticut, only a call center that books local crews it has never met. A company name that changes between the website, the truck and the paperwork. Any one of these is a reason to ask more questions, and two together are a reason to walk away.
The opposite signs are just as consistent. A company that asks a lot of questions before it names a figure is a company that plans to do the job it quoted. Uniformed crews, a truck that carries the company name, and an owner who can be reached are all things you can see for yourself before move day.
Match the company to the move
Not every good mover is good at every job. Some companies are built around long-distance work and treat a local move as filler. Some only do labor, which is ideal if you have already rented a truck and useless if you have not. Look at the services a company actually lists and pick the one whose list matches what you need.
For a local move anywhere in Connecticut, that list should cover the loading, the transport and the placement at the other end, with packing and furniture protection available if you want them. The local moving page describes how Major Movers approaches that kind of job, and the get-a-quote page is where the details go.
Before you book any mover
- Ask for the USDOT number or the Connecticut registration and look it up.
- Read reviews on at least two profiles the company does not control.
- Give both addresses, the date and the access details before asking for a figure.
- Get the estimate in writing, with a note on what would change it.
- Confirm the company name on the paperwork matches the name on the truck.
- Be cautious of a large deposit request before any of the above has happened.
Common questions
General guidance. Your own route, date and access still need confirming directly.
Do Connecticut movers need a license?
Movers working only within Connecticut are regulated by the state Department of Transportation, and movers crossing state lines are registered federally through the FMCSA. Ask any company which registration it holds and check it. Major Movers links its FMCSA snapshot from the footer of this site.
How many quotes should I get before choosing a mover?
Two or three, from companies that all heard the same details. A single quote gives you nothing to compare against, and more than three usually means the cheapest one wins by default, which is the wrong way to choose. The quotes are only comparable if each company was told the same route, date and access.
Is the cheapest moving quote usually the best one?
Rarely. A quote well below the others usually means the company left something out or plans to add it on the day. A quote in the same range as the others, from a company whose reviews and registration check out, is the safer choice even when it is not the lowest number.
How does Major Movers give an estimate?
Through the quote form on this site or by phone at (203) 694-0397. Share the route, the date, the access at both ends and what is being moved, and someone follows up to confirm the details, pricing and availability before the move is booked.
Planning a move?
Get a quote from Major Movers.
Share the route, the date and the help you need, and someone follows up to confirm the details and availability. Based in Hamden, serving all of Connecticut.
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