Long Distance Moving
Whatever your reasons for moving, you need a reliable professional moving company on your side when moving across state lines.
At Reliable Movers, we recognize that interstate moving is not a one-size-fits-all and that our customers have unique needs. Regardless of how complex or challenging the move may be, we can relocate households of all sizes. To ensure you receive the services you need at prices you can afford, we will visit your home to survey your items and provide you with a free written estimate of moving costs.
We offer single to full shipments, servicing the east coast and mid west as interstate movers.
ATTENTION:
The Moving Scams have STARTED. I receive many calls from distressed customers who have been ripped off during their long distance moves. Their movers never showed, movers over charged them, or their movers left many items behind.
Overseas scammers, rogue movers, fake websites, stolen DOT numbers, business ID theft, and hostage shipments are some of the things to think about and look for when searching for a mover. I have made a list of helpful tips when inquiring with ANY mover for a long distance move.
1. NEVER EVER give a down payment using your bank card, cash app, or ACH (electronic check).
2. If it sounds too good to be true, IT IS. There are no $1999.00 movers going from NY to Florida. It is a broker scam. If the broker states he is from New Jersey HANG UP THE PHONE. Overseas scammers all say they are from New Jersey. They will collect your down payment bank card or ACH and you will never see a mover.
3. Ask if the company you are speaking to is a broker or a mover. Brokers sell your job. By the time you get a mover your job has been sold to up to 10 different movers. Which means the mover that arrives (if they ever arrive) at your house bought your job for pennies and will look for every opportunity to charge you extra. Which includes weight bumping.
4. Ask for a binding estimate. This guarantees your price in writing. A weight estimate can double or triple in price. You want a guaranteed price from A to B.
5. Do not believe the reviews. Reviews can be bought, traded, and exchanged. No mover should have all 5 star reviews. Ask friends for referrals. Look for a family owned and operated business.
6. If a mover bids your price by cubic feet HANG UP THE PHONE. That is a broker.
7. MAKE SURE YOUR MOVER IS LICENSED FOR HHG GOODS MOVING. GO TO :
https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/CompanySnapshot.aspx TYPE IN YOUR MOVERS DOT NUMBERS. LOOK FOR ACTIVE, AUTHORIZED FOR HHG IN THE COMPANY SNAPSHOT.
Pricing
Licensed interstate movers estimate moving prices using two different formats.
1. Weight estimate
2. Binding estimate
The cons of a weight estimate:
Most movers that operate on weight will have a salesman complete a walk through estimate and under estimate your weight. In the end you may have a cheaper price in hand, but your price at the end of your actual move will change drastically. 90% of the time our price is cheaper than your final price of a weight mover.
Reliable Movers does not offer estimates by weight. Our estimates are by binding estimate only. This guarantees your price in writing from A to B.
We also offer guarantee delivery date with no extra charge pending weather and traffic. Larger moving companies will offer a 2-3 day unloading window, which means they will show up a week to two weeks later, once they fill the truck with other shipments.
Depending on which state you transfer to we also offer exclusive use of the truck at no extra charge. Your shipment will not be co-mingled with others. Your shipment will not be loaded, unloaded, shifted, or moved around to access other shipments. My men will load and go to your new city/state directly as desired.
long distance moving interstate moving Syracuse
What can change my binding estimate price?
There are few things that can change your binding estimate price.
1. Change in inventory. Adding more items on to your inventory can change your binding estimate. Adding one or two items on will not change it, whole room will.
A. Over weight boxes or totes. Boxes weighing more than 50 lbs may be subject to a additional charge.
B. Over stuffing boxes. We base our pricing on truck size used. Recently customers have been using extra large boxes and over stuffing them to avoid going into more space used within the truck. Some of these boxes are hitting 100lbs or more. This is not acceptable.
When packing yourself, please use book boxes for books. They are a smaller carton (1.5 carton). Please do not try to stuff your entire apartment/house into one box. The average home should use an assortment of boxes. Small, medium, and large. Totes are acceptable. Your entire book collection in one tote is unacceptable.
C. During your walk through your box count is estimated. If we arrive and your box count is more than estimated you price can/will change.
2. Excessive walk ways or stair carry. The customer must be upfront concerning the conditions at loading and unloading.
A. What floor apartment are you moving to?
B. Can the guys back up to the house or do they need to park in the parking lot and carry?
C. How close is your apartment to the elevator?
D. In a climate controlled storage, how far are you from the entry door?
E. If a tractor trailer is used can they access your road?
They are common questions you should be able to answer at the time of your estimate. We also typically do a aerial map view from Google. These maps tend to be outdated, so please be ready with this information at the time of your estimate.
3. Extra stops along the way.
Examples -
A. Dropping off a living room set to your Aunt that lives a few miles away.
B. Items do not fit into the house and need to be brought to a storage bin.
4. Shuttle service
This occurs when the truck or tractor trailer cannot fit either in the housing development or driveway. A smaller truck is needed to transfer goods from the larger truck to the smaller one.
5. Waiting time
A change in the deliver day while in transit or not being able to access your home or apartment due to closing issues, apartment manager issues, city inspections certificates etc.
Waiting time will be assessed by the hour per man and truck.
This is also included for shared usage of elevators. If possible please reserve your elevator time slot. If the elevator has to be shared with residents this absorbs time.
Long distance moving - The difference between a broker and a mover?
Everyone wants a great moving price and wants to shop around. The internet allows for instant quotes on many websites. But they also hide many scams, and the pricing is not accurate. They are meant to lure you in.
What is a broker?
A moving broker is definitely NOT an actual moving company. They do not have moving trucks, professional movers, proper moving equipment, and in a lot of cases not much moving experience.
Moving brokers are sales teams that book your move and sell it to an actual moving company. Sometimes the broker is not able to sell the job for various reasons – low estimates, availability, resources and the list goes on – in this case you can get stuck without a mover on the day of your move. Many moving brokers operate from call centers located anywhere in the country.
Many times moving brokers sell your job which is called a moving lead. This means up to 50 movers can and will be overwhelming you with phones calls and non stop emails.
Movers from all over the country can bid on the job. Because they are under bidding against several movers by the time you hire them, their profit is low. Thus the weight bumping or writing up extra charges covers this low fee.
Several brokers in fact do not even have a license to broker moves as per USDOT law. We ourselves have been victims of rogue brokers from New Jersey who stole our DOT numbers, booked, and scammed customers. This action is listed on our home page.
If you receive a quote by cubic feet hang the phone up. Movers quote moves by weight or a binding estimate. Brokers estimate moves by cubic feet.
NEVER EVER GIVE A MOVER/BROKER A DEPOSIT BY DEBIT CARD OR ELECTRONIC CHECK.
Avoid brokers at all cost!
Pick up the phone book, ask friends or neighbors for a reference, research the internet for local movers.
What is the difference I receive in services hiring Reliable Movers versus a large name moving company?
1. When you call Reliable Movers you will speak directly with Mike or Jennifer the owners of Reliable Movers. We answer the phones and emails 7 days a week excluding holidays.
2. You will receive a in home estimate by Mike and/or Jennifer. We are involved in all aspects of the move. From packing to loading to unloading.
3. While your shipment is in transit you will be given the employee's personal cell phone number to which you may call at anytime to discuss the estimated time arrival of your shipment or update information.
4. Any issues that need to be resolved will be resolved by Mike or Jennifer personally. We do not hand off complaints or issue them to the next person. There is no 1-800 to deal with. We are the only people that answer the phones.
5. Reliable Movers employs our men long term. Some of our men have been with us 12 years plus. We do not hire off the street. The men you see loading are the men you will see unloading your shipment. We do not pull into your new city looking for cheap guys to help unload.
6. For Florida moves Mike and Jennifer will always be present at the unloading. We specialize in NY to Florida moves and personally take the shipments down.
7. To us your are not just another customer. Your experience and reference gives us future referrals and customers. We take pride in our work and truly enjoy the transportation business.