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Things You Should Know Before You Choose a Mover

March 29, 2011

You are moving!  You have successfully researched cities, neighborhoods, and schools; you have navigated through the real estate market, interviewed 5 brokers, selected the one you liked best, found the home of your dreams, and poured your life savings into the down payment.  Now you have hired a carpenter to build out your closet, a glazier to put in new windows, and a painter to change that neon yellow kitchen into a pleasant shade of blue.

Whew!  I am exhausted already.  Oh wait!!  You still need to hire a mover.  But do you have the money?  Maybe you can just hire someone off of Craig’s List.  You like their company name – 3 Poor College Students Just Trying to Get By.  Or  maybe you should look online? There are 10 sites to choose from – all promising you competitive quotes.  But you don’t want to be THAT consumer telling horror stories of a moving company holding your goods hostage unless you pay 3 times the amount you were quoted.  Over the Phone.  Sight unseen.

What’s a customer to do?

1.  Don’t hire an unlicensed mover.  The Moving Industry in the State of California is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission.  In order to obtain a license, a moving company owner must go through a rigorous background check, be extensively tested on the laws regulating the industry, complete quarterly and annual reports, along with maintaining millions of dollars of insurance coverage on their trucks, their employees, and their crew.

2.  Check with the Better Business Bureau or Yelp.  .Does the company have a good rating or do they have an excessive number of complaints?  Are the complaints reasonable?  Were they resolved?

3.  Ask for references.  The company should be able to provide you letters of commendation and a short list of customers who they have recently moved.

4.  Ask your friends, family, co workers, and real estate agent.  They will have a quick list of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

5.  Call the California Moving & Storage Association or check out their website.  They are a reliable and professional organization which represents 450 mover members in the State of California.  Mover members strive to provide honest, efficient, and quality services to the California household goods moving consumer.

6.  Call at least 4 moving companies and schedule at least 2 in home written estimates.  Make sure the company is providing you a NOT TO EXCEED bid, which includes all related packing materials, labor, valuation coverage of your choosing, and storage if applicable.

7.  Go with your gut.  Do you trust the mover?  Do their references check out?  Are they licensed and insured?

8.  Once you hire your moving company, make sure you are on the same page in terms of expectations.  Does your estimate include packing or are they expecting you be packed and ready to go?  What does that mean to them?  Can you leave your dressers full or do they need to be emptied?  Will they be providing wardrobe boxes on your move?  Can the truck park directly in front of your home?  Is there any issue with access?  Does parking need to be reserved?  Will the moving company disassemble and reassemble your furniture or do they expect you to do that?  What should you do with your electronics?  What forms of payment do they accept?  When do they get paid?

With a little investment of your time doing your research, you can save yourself a world of headache and unnecessary expense.  Good luck with your move and enjoy your new home!

 

Cummings Moving Company | Residential & Small Business Moving & Storage | San Francisco Movers

Cummings Moving Company is a family owned and operated moving & storage company proud of its well-established reputation in San Francisco and throughout the region – reflected in their extended residential, small business and Realtor referrals. The company is a female, minority, and veteran-owned and operated moving company with over 45 years of exceptional client service – spanning the entire country and beyond. For more information about quality, stress-free moving, in San Francisco please call 415-387-4000 or from the Peninsula call 650-629-3000. Request a Free Moving Quote HERE or continue to explore our website and San Francisco Blog.

The advice on our website and blog is provided as a courtesy and is intended for informational purposes only. It is offered as-is with no warranty expressed or implied. We hope it provides you with helpful information that you can use.

Filed Under: Planning a Move, San Francisco Movers Tagged With: Bay Area Movers, Best Movers, San Francisco Movers, SF Peninsula Movers

Moving checklist. Valuable Timeline of oving Tips. CUMMINGS MOVING Co.
MOVING REVIEWS

Emails from Our Clients

The crew was excellent.  They were careful and considerate.  We would use Cummings again if we had to move.
Rick
Thank you so much for your help with my move on such short notice.  Your team was friendly, professional, and FAST.  I really appreciated their moving expertise and was quickly able to just leave them to do their work.  Moving is stressful and leaving my po… Read more
Katrice
Your team was amazing! Please feel free to use this letter as a reference. I wanted to send my thanks and compliments to your entire team, overseen by J.C.   Moving can be so traumatic, but thanks to them, we are sitting here in our new home, with everyth… Read more
Amy H
I had a very good experience with my move! Both Ivan and Carlos were excellent. Nothing damaged, nothing lost. Very professional and careful. Thanks for the excellent service.
Kristen - Redwood City
October 2012 – After 48 years in the same house, I was not looking forward to moving. To changing locations, yes; but the actual moving of my belongings, no!  Big truck, three strangers, fast pace. Load it all up, drive 40 minutes, unload it all, try to get… Read more
RJK – Redwood City
Hello Amy & Enrique, The moving crew was excellent. They were thoughtful, handled my things very carefully and made moving so much easier. I would also like to say that Megan at the office is great. I was terribly disorganized before and after my last-minute m… Read more
Jenny C - Daly City & South San Francisco
Thank you so much for the follow up, everything went so well and I’m very happy with the service, it’s A+ all around from the estimated to the ladies that answered the phone when I had questions and all the hard working movers that came to my house. I hope… Read more
Tiffany
Amy and Enrique, I want to thank you for your professionalism and courtesy and for making our move a lot easier. Everything you said you’d do went smoothly. The guys where exactly on time in Crockett. They are very courteous and, most importantly, very profe… Read more
Arthur C
Amy, this is a long overdue expression of gratitude for the excellent service your company provided me in connection with my move within Mill Valley.   I was impressed with every contact I had with your company.  The person who made the estimate was friendly… Read more
Claudia J L
On July 10, 2013, Cummings Moving Company helped move all of the items from my mother’s apartment in San Mateo, CA.  There were several extraordinary things that happened during this move… It was not until July 8 that I was able to confirm the date of … Read more
Catherine K - San Mateo
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FROM OWNERS AMY & ENRIQUE

“As owners, we are hands-on. Our ability to deliver excellent service as San Francisco movers comes from our commitment to both customer and employee. Through regular training, supervision, competitive compensation, daily attention to excellence, and deep care for our customers and their belongings, we create an environment where top-level service is second nature."

San Francisco is our home. Moving residents and businesses is our passion. Your great experience with us as San Francisco movers is our aim - Every Day.
-Amy Messinger & Enrique Palos

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Cummings Moving Company

Since 1969 - Serving San Francisco
and the Bay Area

San Francisco (SF)
Location
415-387-4000

On the Peninsula
650-692-3000

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Moving checklist. Valuable Timeline of oving Tips. CUMMINGS MOVING Co.

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