If you’re reading this article, it’s more than likely because you’re planning on making a move to one of New York City’s suburbs in the near future. And, while moving to the Big Apple can be an excellent decision, you would be amazed at how fast your moving bills can add up if you don’t take the time to plan your money carefully.
New York City, or The City That Never Sleeps, is known around the world for being one of the busiest and least personal cities in the USA. However, thousands of people from all corners of the world continue to move here because it offers an abundance of opportunities for work and also boasts an impressive array of attractions for everyone to enjoy.
Before planning your move, one of the biggest decisions that you’ll need to make is whether or not you’re going to want to hire professional movers to help you out. While you can save yourself a bit of money by making the move yourself, hiring a team of movers is the best way to make sure that your move is as smooth and stress-free as possible.
There are hundreds of moving companies in the city, such as Imperial Movers, who would be more than happy to help you with your move. When looking for moving companies, just make sure to take the time to shop around and get different quotes from different companies before making your choice.
Planning Your Move to New York City
Of course, before deciding to New York, you’re going to have to do a little bit of homework in order to understand how the city works. This includes learning about the city’s different boroughs, how much it costs to live in the city, as well as what your transportation options are when it comes to getting around. Then, once you understand the basics, you can start to plan your actual move itself.
Read more about how to plan your New York City move here.
Moving Company Red Flags
Whether you’re moving from another state or simply moving from one end of the city to another, it’s always recommended that you hire a professional moving company to help you out. However, it’s important to understand that New York has a large number of not so trustworthy moving companies that are simply looking to take advantage of newcomers to the city.
Therefore, it’s crucial to choose the right moving company in order to lower your financial risks and make sure that your move can take place without any major hassles. Below, we’ll go over a few of the things to avoid when shopping for a moving company.
Read more tips on hiring the best moving companies here.
Avoid Companies That Seem Unprofessional
Since you will more than likely be looking for a company that is offering the lowest rates, you’re likely going to run into a few companies that operate without any business licensing and that are uninsured.
Because New York is such a massive city, there are dozens of moving companies that provide moving services but use sub-par trucks and equipment that are poorly maintained and hire crews that lack the necessary training and experience to get the job done right.
Therefore, make sure that any moving contracts that you sign specify the company’s actual licensing information. It’s also a good idea to run a search with the Better Business Bureau to ensure that the company of your choice has a good reputation.
Avoid Estimates That Are Too Good to Be True
Many moving companies will try to lure in potential customers by providing them with estimates that are significantly lower than what you’ll find anywhere else. Therefore, keep in mind that if you come across any estimates that seem too good to be true, then they probably are.
Companies like this will often tack on additional charges when they provide you with your bill after the move has been made and then, you’ll have no choice but to pay them for their services. So, always trust your instinct and be wary of any services that seem to be much lower than what other companies are offering.
Avoid Online or Over-the-Phone Quotes
Also known as a non-binding estimate, these are typically given online or over the phone, without the company taking the time to inspect and measure the size of your home. When a person settles for a non-binding estimate, the moving company will often charge much more than what was originally agreed to by saying that they needed additional movers to help out, they needed to make additional trips, or that the move took them much longer than expected.
Avoid Dealing with Moving Brokers
Moving brokers are companies that outsource your moving needs to other moving companies in the city. Because of this, you often end up dealing with not only one, but sometimes 2 or 3 moving companies by the time you’re ready to make your move.
When dealing with a broker, they will often show up with a rental truck, as opposed to a moving truck with the same name as the company you thought you were dealing with. In most cases, you’ll then be asked to provide an additional deposit for the secondary company. Or, the initially agreed to amount will sometimes be changed when it comes to the day of the move.
Only Work with Professional Moving Companies
If you’re moving to New York City, then you’ve more than likely heard some of the horror stories about moving companies that over charge their customers or that hold their customer’s cargo as hostage when a they try to dispute their bills.
But unfortunately, there’s little that you can do once the company has loaded your furniture and boxes into their trucks for the move. Therefore, it’s important to avoid becoming another victim and only hiring legitimate, professional moving companies that are known around the city and have clean reputation.
