As a professional mover, I always provide my customers with pertinent options and try to find the least expensive way to move their household goods. That said, I also want to ensure the moves are safe and secure.

I covered in-depth tips about writing an effective online review last week, and this week, I’m going to cover some tips about negotiating with moving companies. How much you pay for a move depends on many factors including moving distance, shipment weight, extra moving services if needed and other factors.

Remember that moving from one home to another is that moving prices vary from company to company. Moving services are negotiable and better the negotiating skills you have, the better chance of scoring a great deal with your mover.

Some negotiating tips to use and keep in mind:
• Don’t hire a mover based on the lowest price alone. Why? Because the real low bid and much lower than many others could be a scam. Make sure you do research on the moving company and find out if they are reputable and licensed (USDOT and accredited by the BBB).
• Do your homework by requesting at least three moving bids from licensed moving companies. Also, request an assessor to come in and assess your household goods and provide you with a written estimate. This will help you negotiate a good price with another company that might have a higher bid.
• Determine the number and nature of extra services that you will need from your movers. The majority of those charges are negotiable.
• Always ask to review all fees before the move. Easier you make it for your movers to move your household goods, the less expensive it will be. In other words, if you have narrow hallways, extra flights of stairs etc., there may be extra fees for this so make sure to check with your mover.

Two things you should always do and have when moving, movers should pack your goods for you and make sure to purchase moving insurance. Professional movers know how to pack items for a safe move and by buying insurance, your household goods will be protected financially.

Safe moving!