How To Choose A Moving Company in Los Angeles

Choosing a moving company can be a very stressful decision to make. Whether you are moving in Los Angeles for the very first time or have navigated your way from Culver City to Silver Lake for some time, deciding which company to entrust with all your worldly possessions can still be met with great trepidation. Who should you trust? How should you find them and what factors should you consider when vetting them?

How Long Have They Been In Business?

New companies can be great moving companies (we know, we were once new too!) but companies with a history of provided top service can ensure experience in handling all moving related issues. This means the most random, “could never have been predicted” moving day occurrences are likely issues that these companies have seen and dealt with. You might be surprised how useful it is to hire a moving company who has already seen their client accidentally lock themselves out of their apartment 200 times and has a locksmith on speed dial instead of the company that will chalk this up to a learning experience.

Do They Control The Move From Start To Finish?

For local moves, this may not be an area you need to give a lot of consideration. However, if you’re planning a long distance move you will want to know whether your moving company controls the entire process or uses third party agents to coordinate trailers or delivery legs. Why is this important? Well, quality control for starters. You choose a moving company that you love and trust–which is great until they hand it off to another agent. That other agent will hopefully be just as great but how do you know for sure?

However, understand that for many remote areas of the country, a third party agent is often unavoidable. In these situations you should ask who will be handling your delivery and research that company–after all you might as well be hiring them too. But for common routes, such as moving from Los Angeles to New York City, many established moving companies will offer end-to-end moving services (like we do!) and you will want to know whether your moving company of choice does before you sign.

How Do They Train Their Movers?

Just like any other professional, not all movers are created equal. Some have been trained in the art of wrapping and protecting fine china, moving large and bulky items and navigating narrow hallways and staircases. And others… well, let’s just say they haven’t. Ask your moving company where they get their movers, what kind of experience the movers and foremen have and what training procedures are in place to ensure they are prepared to handle your move safely. Reputable moving companies give their movers regular training sessions to make sure they are always at the top of their game.

What Moving Insurance Options Are Available?

One of the biggest areas of concern for moving customers is insurance. No matter how carefully you vet your moving company, mistakes can still happen, human error still exists and unfortunately even natural disasters cannot be prevented. Your moving company should be well-versed in the types of insurance available to you–and you should strongly consider adding them to your move. Moving companies and your move are protected only by valuation, which is not technically insurance and is based on a cost per pound replacement value. This is not determined by your moving company (it is regulated by the Department on Transportation) and unfortunately is difficult to change after issues occur. Moving insurance, especially for valuable or irreplaceable items, can go a long way in making sure you come out of your move unscathed. No one likes to think about it but it is better to think about it before your move rather than after.