Most people dread the moment where they have to encounter a moving company because there are a lot of stress that come with it. You constantly have to worry how the company will take care of your valuable things, and the approach you will take to negotiate with them and agree on a good deal. Luckily, we have some crucial tips for you that will make the whole process easier.
Do a background check first
Before you negotiate with NYC movers, you have to do some extensive research first just to make sure you are dealing with a credible company. Many NYC movers are not licensed. Check online platforms such as Moving.org to see if the company belongs to the American Moving and Storage Association. After that, you can look at Angie’s list for possible reviews of the company. You can also ask the company to give you a list of people they have previously moved. You can contact these people and ask them about their experience with the company. Don’t rely heavily on what you read and see online. Drive around the company’s premises and confirm the details. A legit moving company must have a physical location with a street address.
Get a price quote from at least four moving companies
Price quotes from moving companies vary greatly. Some give quotes that are double what their competitors give. That is why it is vital you get price quotes from at least four companies. It is highly recommended you get the companies come to your home, provide a binding and then give a written estimate. Without this, you may end up with a larger bill than you expect on the moving day. A New York moving company will either charge you per hour or use a flat-based rate for long distances. Ask for an estimate of the amount of time the company will take if it opts for a hourly rate. Once you have estimates from the companies, you can now use them to negotiate a fair deal. You can choose the lowest price quote and use it to ask the other companies if they can beat it. Tell the other companies that their competitor gave a lower quote and see if they can give a quote lower than the one you chose. You can play around with this until you get a favorable quote.
Consider the items you want to keep
In order to get a quote that favors, you have to review the items you want to keep and the ones you don’t need. This provides you with a great opportunity to negotiate strongly when moving. Some of the things you have may be expensive to move than others. Also, some items like glassware may be cheaper to buy when you get to your new home. Therefore, add up all the things that are important to you and sell the ones you don’t need. You can sell them on Amazon or eBay.
Another thing you have to consider is what will happen in the event that one or two items get damaged or lost while on transit. The standard requirement for most companies in New York is to reimburse about 60 cents per dollar for the total value of the items lost or destroyed. Some companies will give a replacement value protection document that covers more than the standard insurance. While you negotiate, you need to know the mechanism the company will employ in case of such events.
Know how to get the discounts
You need to be smart enough to get discounts from the companies. Most moving companies offer discounts during off-peak season, which is between October and May. You may be able to score huge discounts if you move between these months. Some companies also give discounts to students and people who work in the army.
We hope the tips discussed above, will help you negotiate well with a moving company in New York. However, quality and credibility should be your guide even as you consider a company with the lowest quote. It will be completely disastrous to hire a company at the lowest price only to find your things stolen and destroyed in the process.