Hiring the right moving company is one of many tasks to check off your moving checklist . But choosing the right mover is no small feat. You’ll want a company that can handle your specific needs and, most importantly, fits your budget. One of the best ways to save money on your move is by requesting estimates from several companies. Calling at least three is recommended, but the more you compare, the better.
Some movers just need the basics like distance, home size and whether it’s a house or apartment. Others go deeper, asking about your driveway angle, parking situation or even requiring a full inventory. It can sound like a lot (and it is), but it’s easier if you’ve anticipated these questions and have your answers ready.
Information movers need for an accurate moving estimate
Item pick-up and drop-off locations
The first detail most movers will ask for is your current address (the pick-up location) and the address of your new home (the drop-off location). For a basic quote, movers often only need the city or ZIP code to estimate the distance and decide whether the move counts as local or long-distance.
However, some movers prefer a full address during the estimate. This helps them check property access issues in advance, such as parking availability, driveway inclines or stairs. They might also plug the address into Google Maps to get a sense of your home’s layout and entry points.
The size of your home
The size of your home is one of the first things movers will ask about, and they’ll want you to be specific. First, they'll likely ask if you're moving out of a house or an apartment, and how many bedrooms your home has. If it's a house, be prepared to answer some additional questions about room count. Do you have an extra living room or den space? Is there a basement or garage? This will give your movers a relative indicator of the size of your home.
The next thing a mover will ask for is your home's square footage. A moving truck will only hold so much, and knowing the exact size of your home gives your movers a good idea about the amount of belongings you might have and whether or not they have the right size moving truck . If your home is over 1,500 square feet, that might add another moving truck to your estimate, just to be on the safe side.
Any heavy or specialty items
Moving heavy items sometimes comes at an extra cost. For some movers, this is just part of the job description, while other companies will charge an extra fee for moving specific heavy or specialty items. Moving heavy items like your appliances , exercise equipment, safes and generally anything that weighs hundreds of pounds and can't be taken apart to be carried in pieces. As you can imagine, moving bulky items that weigh hundreds of pounds is tough (and oftentimes dangerous) work, requiring specific lifting and maneuvering techniques.
The same rules apply to any specialty items you have in your home, such as pianos , hot tubs, pool tables or large fragile items that need to be handled with extra care. If you've got some heavy or weirdly-shaped belongings in mind that could pose a challenge to move, it's best to tell the mover during the estimate to avoid any surprise charges later on.
Full household inventory
Some movers may request a full household inventory for the most transparent pricing. In other words, they want to know every item you plan on moving. While that may feel like a lot, it’s not without reason. Providing an inventory helps movers prepare for moving day and reduces the risk of surprise charges for specific items or the need for extra trucks.
Some moving companies will let you take an inventory over the phone, asking what sorts of items or furniture you have in each room. Others require a visual walkthrough, often through a virtual video call, to physically see the volume of items you have in your home. If you plan to book a mover for packing services , they'll likely need to take an inventory of your belongings anyway.
Stairs or elevators
Stairs are practically an everyday obstacle, but they become even more challenging during the moving process. Needless to say, stairs can be a safety hazard, especially when moving heavy items or bulky furniture. If you've got stairs either in your home or leading up to your home, be prepared for an extra charge. How much you'll be charged really depends on the mover.
Some movers like to charge based on how many flights of stairs they'll need to climb. According to Roadway Moving , a mover that services major cities in the U.S. and one of our top Brooklyn, N.Y. movers , some companies might even charge you a fee based on each step individual step on the staircase. The number of items that need to be taken up or down stairs (and how heavy they are) can also factor into the total cost. A lot of the same rules apply for elevators, although it might cost less than stairs. If you live in a New York City apartment building with a seven-floor walk-up, add wiggle room in your moving budget for some serious stair fees.
Property access information
Making sure the property is as accessible as possible for your movers can help them out. But there are certain things you can't control. The slope of your driveway and parking availability are usually the main things your movers are concerned about. If your movers have to park further away from your property, you could be charged extra for longer carries. Don't feel like you need to go outside and calculate the exact slope and angle of your driveway. Instead, just let your movers know over the phone if your driveway is flat, steep or sits at a weird angle.
Parking can be a bit challenging if you're mving to or from a big city. You'll need to make sure there's going to be a space to park a moving truck on the side of the street. In metropolitan areas, roadside parking is extremely valuable and oftentimes hard to come by. In fact, depending on your city, you might even need to obtain a permit to park the moving truck.
Some cities, like Boston, for example , don't require permits, but highly encourage getting one, as it guarantees you a legal parking spot for the day. You'll pay the city in advance to reserve a one-day parking space for your moving truck. To check if your city requires permits for moving truck parking, check with your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) location or city hall.
Tips for getting an accurate moving estimate
The best way to get an accurate moving estimate is to be as detailed as you can about your move, the size of your home and the types of belongings that need to be moved. It's also important to ask some questions of your own. Ask movers about any hidden travel fees. These usually include things like fuel costs and maintenance for the moving truck.
If your move date is further out, it doesn't hurt to call several different moving companies to compare prices. Calling at least three or four movers should give you a decent price comparison. Try to look into companies that offer a binding quote , which means you'll pay your mover an agreed-upon price that's locked in — you shouldn't expect any surprise fees. Non-binding quotes are more generalized and can oftentimes be more flexible if details about your move change, but there isn't a set price that gets locked in.
More Yahoo Local-approved U.S. movers
Best California movers
Bakersfield / Fremont / Fresno / Irvine / Los Angeles / Sacramento / San Diego / San Francisco / San Jose / Santa Rosa
Best Florida movers
Boca Raton / Fort Lauderdale / Fort Myers / Gainesville / Jacksonville / Melbourne / Miami / Naples / Ocala / Orlando / Sarasota / St. Petersburg / Tallahassee / Tampa / West Palm Beach
Best New York movers
Albany / Binghamton / The Bronx / Brooklyn / Buffalo / Clifton Park / Hamburg / Ithaca / Kingston / Manhattan / New Rochelle / Poughkeepsie / Queens / Rochester / Syracuse
Best Texas movers
Arlington / Austin / Dallas / Denton / El Paso / Fort Worth / Houston / Round Rock / San Antonio / The Woodlands
