Questions to ask movers before you book

Questions about the company

Start with who you are dealing with. Where is the company based? How long has it worked under this name? Is it registered with the state or with the FMCSA, and what is the number? The answers should be immediate. A company based in Hamden should be able to say so; a booking service that farms your job out to whoever is free should be honest about that too, and often is not.

Ask whether the people who will do the move are the company's own crew. Some companies hire day labor per job, which is not always a problem, but it does mean the reviews you read were about different people than the ones who will carry your sofa.

• Where are you based, and how long have you operated under this name?
• What registration do you hold, and what is the number?
• Are the movers your own crew or hired per job?
• Are your crews uniformed, and does the truck carry your name?

Questions about the price

Every company prices differently, and the only way to compare two quotes is to know what each one is built from. Ask whether the job is priced by the hour or as a flat figure, whether there is a minimum, and whether travel time, stairs, long carries, or packing materials are extra. Then ask the question that matters most: what would make the final figure different from the quote?

A good answer is specific. It names the things the company cannot see from a form, such as unfinished packing, a longer carry than described, or items added on the day. A vague answer, or a promise that the price never changes no matter what, is a reason to ask again.

• Is the job priced by the hour or as a flat figure?
• Is there a minimum, and is travel time included?
• What is not included in this number?
• What would make the final figure different from the estimate?
• Do you want a deposit, and what is the cancellation policy?

Questions about the day

What time will the crew arrive, and how will you know? Will the crew call ahead? What equipment comes on the truck: dollies, straps, blankets, stretch wrap, tools for taking beds apart? Does the crew handle furniture disassembly and reassembly, and is it included?

If your building has rules, this is the time to raise them. Managed buildings in New Haven often want a certificate of insurance before a crew can use the freight elevator, and some condo associations set move-in windows. Ask whether the company can supply the certificate and how much notice it needs. The apartment moving page covers what that usually involves.

• What time will the crew arrive, and will they call ahead?
• What equipment and protection comes on the truck?
• Is furniture disassembly and reassembly included?
• Can you supply a certificate of insurance for my building, and how much notice do you need?
• Is there anything you will not move?

Questions about when things go wrong

Nobody likes to ask these, and they are the most useful ones. What happens if something is damaged? How is a claim filed, and what does the company's coverage actually pay? What happens if the job runs long, or if the truck cannot get near the door, or if the weather turns? A company that has thought about these will have an answer ready. A company that has not will improvise on the day, at your expense.

Ask, too, how the company handled its last bad review. You can read the review yourself; the answer tells you whether the company owns its mistakes.

What to do with the answers

Compare them against the estimate. The details you gave, the price basis, the extras, and the arrival window should all appear in writing. If they do not, ask for a revised version before you book. Major Movers takes the details through the quote form on this site or by phone, and the follow-up call is exactly the place to run through this list.