Choosing A Moving Company

By Amy Nutt

Relocating your home is a stressful endeavor usually strewn with individual little challenges along the way. If you are hiring a professional mover to assist you, it is essential to choose a moving company that will make the process easier, not harder. In this respect, a big national moving company will serve you better than a locally based mover. Not only can you be assured of a competitive price, you will have peace of mind knowing your possessions will arrive intact, on time, and end up in the right place.

Since the Household Goods Transportation Act came into effect in 1983, the moving industry has become more and more seedy and represents an area where the consumer must be wary and cautious in order to guard against being taken advantage. Since there is more competition in the moving industry than ever before, most companies will do anything they can to offer the lowest possible price. Moreover, small, local movers will be apt to try to scam a hapless individual whose belongings can be held for a ransom. One common scam is the low-ball (and ultimately inaccurate) estimate. A non-binding estimate can be a useful tool for a local moving company to make a sucker out of their latest client. An estimate is given, but, on loading the truck, it is discovered that the individual who is relocating has more stuff that was originally expected. Since it is already in the company's truck, the person will have little choice but to pay to get his kidnapped possessions delivered to his new home.

National movers, since they have generally designed their pricing structures to assure the moving company makes a modest profit while still keeping their prices competitive. Moreover, a national moving company has less to gain from a scam, since their reputation on the national scene will suffer if it is known they give inaccurate quotes. Local companies usually work on smaller budgets, so any extra money they can squeeze out of a particular job is worth it. Also, local moving companies are usually owned and operated by an individual who is directly influenced by the company's financial gains, whereas a national company has salaried employees who are far more impartial and disinterested in the profit margin and more interested in doing a quick and efficient job.

As they are large and serve a great many consumers across the country, a national moving company will have better equipment and will be able to attract skilled employees who are happy with their level of pay. This ensures the people and tools that are handling your possessions will be less likely to damage or steal them in comparison to a local company, which will often buy one dolly and never replace it and service the trucks as sparingly as possible.

Finally, national moving companies tend to have the best insurance policies; designed to ensure that your possessions are safe. The most important aspect of relocating is ensuring that your furniture will get to its destination intact and on time, as anyone who has gone through a bad move is well aware of. Particularly when it comes to inter-state or international moves, a national company is the safest route as they are expected to track their trucks movements and only an immaculate service record will keep up the moving company's reputation. It is not that local companies do not want to deliver good service. But quite often, they cannot guarantee the same level of security as a national moving company can.

About the Author:

Premiere Van Lines is a national moving company that services all of Canada and some areas in the US. They have special units for each location; Calgary movers, Vancouver movers, Toronto movers and more.