TOP TEN
Questions to ask a moving company before you hire them!
10.) How should I prepare for my move?
Since most moving companies will charge you by the hour for their services, there are many things you can do to help prepare for Moving Day that will save you time and money. For our complete list of money saving tips please see our “Moving Tips” link.
9.) What item should we move ourselves?
To comply with federal, state and local laws our insurance company regulates what we can and cannot transport. We ask our customers to transport the following items: firearms, ammunition, fireworks, propane bottles (even if they are empty), gas cans, aerosol cans, oxygen bottles, any flammable liquids, live plants, collectibles, or any item of intrinsic value. There are a few other items that require special handling and should be moved by experts in their field. These items include a grand or baby grand piano, hot tub and a pool table.
8.) How long has your company been in business?
In the moving industry especially, there are dozens of new companies that emerge each year and are gone the next. This makes it very difficult to know what a companies reputation is because they haven’t been in business long enough to establish one. Moving Day has been proudly moving Colorado residents for over 14 years! In that time we have established a reputation of excellence and professionalism with every move. If our reputation doesn’t speak for itself, just ask any one of our thousands of satisfied and repeat customers.
7.) How do you charge for your service?
Most local moving companies will charge you by the hour for their services. However, there can be many additional or surprise charges that are incurred, but never mentioned. If a certain company has extra charges for stairs, overtime, fuel, mileage, etc., it will be in their contract. Ask for a copy of the contract in advance. Every company should have a Moving Service Agreement (contract) for the service they offer, be sure to read it and ask questions.
6.) Does your company use employees or subcontractors?
Never hire a moving company that uses subcontractors, students, day laborers or temps. These kind of inexperienced workers typically have no loyalty to the company or consequence for their actions. Regardless of what moving company you choose, your move will only be as good as movers they send.
5.) Does your company provide workers comp. for its employees?
Any company that uses employees ( not subcontractors ) is required by the state to carry workers compensation insurance for those employees. This does not mean that they are compliant. Workers compensation is expensive and many smaller companies don’t have it. Protect yourself as a consumer and insist on seeing proof of this insurance. Ask for the agencies name and policy number.
4.) Does your company use its own trucks and equipment?
Moving companies that rent trucks and equipment for local moves should be a red flag. These companies typically charge more, are not insured, have higher minimums, use subcontractors and are very unreliable. At Moving Day, we not only use our own trucks, we have a diversified line of equipment that will meet any of your local or out of town moving needs.
3.) Is there a deposit required to schedule?
It is not uncommon for a moving company to require a non-refundable deposit to schedule your move. If you have to change your moving date or time, you can lose your deposit and your reservation altogether. At Moving Day, there is no deposit needed to schedule your move and your reservation may be changed at any time for any reason.
2.) Does your company have its PUC?
What’s a PUC and why is it so important? The PUC ( Public Utilities Commission ) is a state agency that regulates all transportation in the state of Colorado. Moving companies fall into this category and are required to be registered. Again, they are required but many are not. Having a PUC number assures you, the consumer, that the moving company is licensed with the state, properly insured and the owners have no criminal background. Moving Day’s PUC number is HHG-00065
1.) Is your moving company insured?
This question ranks as are number one most important question to ask because it is also our most frequently asked question by our customers. It also happens to be the most misunderstood and misrepresented question of them all. Unless you know specifically what to ask and what answers your looking for, asking this question is useless. Here’s what to look for; general liability coverage, comp and collision on there own vehicle, and cargo insurance. Just as we said about workers compensation insurance, protect yourself as a consumer and insist on seeing proof of insurance.
Find out for yourself why Moving Day is the most recommended moving company in Colorado Springs.
We hope this information will help you make a more informed decision, if
you have any questions you can contact us at (719) 531-0250.
Moving Tips…For Your Moving Day!
Dishes – Pack all dishes, pots, pans, and small kitchen appliances in sturdy boxes or specialty dish-pack boxes. Wrap each dish individually with packing paper (not newspaper). Stack plates and larger items toward the bottom and smaller lighter items on top. Fill any unused area of the box with packing paper to avoid shifting or movement. All boxes that contain fragile items should be marked “Fragile” on multiple sides. Secure each box with packing tape as to prevent accidental opening.
Refrigerator & Freezer – These appliances should be empty, defrosted and dry before attempting to move. Always move and store these appliances in the upright position. Refrigerators with water lines need to be disconnected prior to the move. Oversized refrigerators may need to have the doors removed prior to moving.
Washer & Dryer -- Have these appliances empty and disconnected from the wall; it’s a big time saver! Our movers will gladly place your washer and dryer where they need to go, however, our insurance company will not allow us to reconnect them. If your washer is more than 5 years old, it might be a good idea to replace the water hoses w/ new ones.
Home Electronics – All electronic devices should be properly packed using sturdy boxes and plenty of packing paper. Special anti-static paper is recommended to reduce the chance of static electricity damaging your components. The original boxes that your electronic components were packaged in are always preferred. For your CPU, it’s a good idea to back up your data with an external storage device before unplugging it. We prefer that all your electronic devices be disconnected prior to Moving Day.
Flat Screen TV’S -- There are many types of flat screen tv’s; lcd, plasma, and rear projection, all of which are very fragile and need to be handled properly. We highly recommend that the original box be used when transporting. If you don’t have the original box, our movers will carefully wrap and package your tv for an additional fee. This only applies to flat screens 36” or larger. If you own a plasma flat screen tv, consult your owners manual for proper moving instructions; most have to remain in an upright position at all times.
Pictures & Mirrors -- Small pictures and mirrors can be wrapped with packing paper or bubble wrap and placed in a regular moving box. For larger items or canvas pictures a specialty picture/ mirror box can be purchased or made. Any pictures or mirrors not boxed will be wrapped by our movers using our moving pads.
Lamps -- Considering the delicate nature of most lamps, we always recommend that lamps be broken down and packed in a box. Remove the lamp shade and the bulb and wrap the cord up. Use a considerable amount of packing paper or bath towels to protect it. As mentioned before, any item not packed in a box will be wrapped by our movers using our moving pads.
Beds -- If you’re feeling ambitious, you can help save time by leaning the mattress and box spring against the wall and breaking down your bed. If not, our movers will be happy to do this for you. You can also protect your box spring and mattress from getting soiled by using mattress bags. Mattress bags may be purchased from our movers at the time of your move. Prices vary based on the size of the mattress. If you prefer not to use mattress bags, our movers can shrink wrap them for you. Also, be sure not to lose any hardware to your bed, it makes it very difficult to put it back together.
Assembly & Disassembly -- Our movers are instructed to only disassemble furniture on a need to basis unless otherwise requested. However, any item that our movers disassemble will be reassembled unless otherwise requested.
Books -- Books, magazines and DVD’s should be packed in a small ( 1.5 cubic foot ) box. Due to the extra weight, use plenty of tape on the box. Place books flat on their side as to avoid damaging the books spine. Never pack fragile items in a book box.
Clothing -- There are many options for moving your clothes. Clothes in a dresser or chest of drawers may be moved as is. Clothes can be folded and packed in boxes or a suit case. Wardrobe boxes are great if you want to keep clothes on the hanger. With advanced notice, we can provide you with wardrobe boxes to buy or rent.
Pets -- For obvious reasons, we can not transport animals of any kind in any way. For best advice in this area, consult your vet.
Valuables -- We ask that any items of intrinsic or sentimental value such as; stamp collections, coins, trading cards, trophy’s, jewelry, etc. be moved by yourself.
Storage Units -- If you’re moving into a storage unit, make sure you have a lock and key. If you are moving out of a storage unit, don’t forget to bring your gate code and key. To control humidity, place a 5 gallon bucket of water in your unit. To control dust from settling on your furniture, bring a few plastic tarps. To control mice, good luck.
Items We Can’t Move -- There are a many items our insurance company will not allow us to put on our truck. These items involve anything living, including plants, or flammables. Such items are: Gas, gas cans, propane, oxygen bottles, ammunition, firearms, fireworks, explosives, garage/kitchen chemicals, kerosene, paint, etc. If you have any questions about moving a particular item, give us a call.
Being Organized -- The key to a no stress move is organization. Start with labeling all boxes. Label the boxes “Fragile”, “Top Load”, “Heavy”, “This Side Up ^”, “Room”. Know where you want your belongings before we get there. Have your pets out of the house or in a safe out of the way place. Move your vehicle so that our movers have access to your driveway or walkway. If you have wood floors, lay some cardboard down in the walk areas to help protect them. We hope our moving tips will help you better prepare for your Moving Day.
Contact Moving Day today at 719-531-0250, or browse the website for more information about
local moves or moving rentals.
