Most companies will have a direct link to their website in their BBB company profile.

Step 2 – Arrange 3 IN PERSON Quotes

Each company will have a rating anywhere from A+ (highest) to F (lowest). Look for companies with a decent rating and whose information on their website appears to fit your needs and makes sense to you. (For example, if you are moving long distance, focus on companies that specialize in moving long distance). Hiring a moving company is not the same as ordering a pizza or a taxicab, so unless you move is a simple one, it should not be simply booked over the phone. Note that not all companies will be willing to come over and give an in person quotation, and so you may have to contact several companies to get your 3 quotes. Be prepared to set up an extra quotation in the event that one of the companies don’t show up, or don’t get back to you with a quote once they’ve visited.

Step 3: Evaluating the Quotes

Now that you have your three quotes in front of you, it’s time to complete the final step – choosing the best company from these.

The central and most important part of the quote will be correctly evaluating the amount of furniture, which should be listed somewhere on the quote either in cubic feet or pounds (1 cubic foot = 7 pounds).

Everything else necessary to plan and price your move will follow from this – number of movers, number and size of trucks, and so on. If moving locally, the quote should provide a minimum of 1 mover for every 400 cubic feet of furniture, assuming average moving conditions. Note that if your move involves difficult access (many stairs, steep driveway or what have you) this 400 cubic feet per mover ratio should be lower.

If any of the quotations do not include an estimate of how much furniture there is (or have an abnormally low estimate*), the resulting estimate of time and cost will at best be a shot in the dark, and will almost certainly appear lower than the other quotes that have calculated this figure accurately. If you encounter this, be mentally disciplined and resist the temptation to get seduced by a low sounding price.

In the end you will most likely not save anything, and will be putting your move at risk. A firm or “not to exceed” quote is a special treat, if offered!

*A general rule of thumb when moving locally is 1 cubic foot of furniture for every 1 square foot of living space. A 600 square foot apartment will have 600 cubic feet of furniture, a 1200 square foot home would have 1200 cubic feet of furniture, and so on. Note that for moves going across the country, the amount of furniture is often pared down, and this ratio would typically be lower.

Make sure you are happy and can abide by the Company’s Terms & Conditions before making the hiring decision, especially regarding breakage. Both sides should be clear before the move starts what their respective obligations will be in case of any damage (ie partial/full replacement, deductible payable etc). If these are not included with the quote, politely ask the company to send them to you.

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The removalists can also stand around talking, deliberately work slowly and drag out the time that it takes to move your belongings, in order to make it run over to the extra hour. In this way, the price of the move can become exorbitant.

2. Hidden Costs

It’s often a horrible moment, when after a service, you receive the final bill. Your heart sinks when you see that the price is much more than you anticipated. What is worse is looking over the bill and realising that you have been charged for a range of things that you weren’t expecting.

Some of these things in the removalist industry include the blankets and straps which are used to secure your possessions within the truck as they are moved; larger items such as pianos; travel time between the old place and the new; cancellation fees and weekend fees.

3. Upfront Fees

Some removalist companies require a payment upfront. This arrangement is fraught with danger, as it means that there is no incentive for the removalists to do a good job. In some cases, moving scams have resulted when the removalist has failed to turn up or refused to deliver goods on time after payment has already been made.

4. Insurance

Insurance offered by removalists can be overpriced, and a nightmare to chase up on if items are lost or broken. Promises of blanket insurance offered by a removalist company are often empty claims, aimed at making more money for the removalist company.

As the Removals Insurance Australia website explains:

After all, would you really want the removalist to arrange your insurance and then being actively involved with your claims settlement when part of it is likely to come out of the removalists’ pocket?

You could be paying the removalist insurance premiums for damage or loss compensation that they cause.

The removalist company will be more likely to deny or ignore claims made by their customers, as the claims are against them and it is their bank balance which is threatened.

5. Damaged/ Missing Furniture

The majority of horror stories involving removalist companies are regarding the loss or damage of furniture and household items. Moving or Relocating to a new place is a very daunting task to do. It would be better if you can hire a professional removalist company who can provide you with door-to-door service and ease you with all the hassles of packing and moving your stuff Finding a good removalist company can actually save your massive amount of time and energy. Following are some of the tips that you can consider for finding the right removals company.

1. Do some research on the internet and shortlist few removalist in your area.

2. Get quotes from couple of shortlisted removalists. Many removalists would be able to provide you with free quotes, so go for it. Compare the quotes of the different removals company and analyse the kind of services and facilties they are providing. Cheaper rates not always mean good service, so keep them in mind before taking any decision.

3. It is advisable that the removals company should be accredited by Australian Furniture Removers Association. AFRA is the governing organisation in Australia that sets standard for Australian Furniture Removalists.

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