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5 Simple Steps to Hiring Professional NJ Movers

5 Simple Steps to Hiring Professional NJ Movers

At first glance, hiring a professional NJ mover might seem easy. After all, there are dozens of companies to choose from that all tout affordable prices and good service. However, not everything you read on the internet is true. There are plenty of scam/unsavory moving companies who are more than happy to separate you from as much of your money as possible.

To reduce your chances of getting scammed, it’s important to plan and gather information before you hire your mover. If you want to make sure you’re hiring only the best NJ movers, then follow the steps below to avoid potential disaster.

Understand and Identify What You Actually Need

Before you even look into NJ movers, you first need to decide what kind of move you will do. Your options will depend on how much stuff you have to move, the distance you’re traveling, and your budget. If you are short on time and you have a flexible budget, a full service move might be a great option. The movers will help you pack, disassemble, and reassemble your furniture and, of course, load and unload your belongings.

Of course, a full service move is the most expensive option. These can cost upwards of $4,000 for a studio or one-bedroom with the price going up the more you have. You can also pack everything yourself and just hire movers to load and unload your boxes and furniture. Not only will this save you a lot of money, it also gives you the best of both worlds as you get to organize your boxes exactly how you like without dealing with the physical strains moving puts on your body.

For those on a very tight budget and/or don’t have a lot to move, the cheapest option is to hire a moving truck, which can cost as little as $150! You have more flexibility as you don’t have to stick to the mover’s timeline. However, this also puts the most responsibility on your shoulders. If you end up damaging your belongings or the building you’re moving into, you are responsible for the cost of repair.

Research and Shop Around

Now that you’ve figured out your needs and your budget, it’s time to shop around for local movers near you. A quick search should turn up plenty of options, but only note the companies that have good customer reviews, offer the services you need, and work in your area.

Once you’ve made your list, do a quick background check by looking them up on the Better Business Bureau or entering in their company name or USDOT number into the US Department of Transportation website. While you might not be able to read reviews, you can find pertinent information such as number of crashes, what type of cargo they are legally allowed to carry, if they are authorized to move specific items (movers should at least be authorized for household goods or HHG), and more. If the movers don’t have their numbers on their site, you can try searching by name. If they don’t pop up, you should probably cross the company off your list as all movers are required to register with the US Department of Transportation. Many states, including New Jersey, require movers to also register with the state they operate out of. If they’re not listed, it’s a good sign they are not a legitimate company.

Finally, look up customer reviews on Yelp and Google Reviews. Read both positive and negative reviews to get the most accurate picture. Some red flags to look out for include:

  • A lot of damage complaints
  • Consistent last-minute changes
  • Unexpected delays
  • Companies holding belongings hostage for money

While there will always be a handful of bad reviews, if you notice a trend of negative reviews you should cross them off your list. In general, a company with mostly positive reviews should be fine. Still, if you do see a review that says the company held their belongings hostage, you should reach out to the reviewer to ask further questions. This is a huge red flag and is not something you want to deal with. So ask the appropriate questions and find out the full story as best you can.

Of course, online reviews aren’t a replacement for word-of-mouth recommendations from people you know. Ask friends, family, co-workers what moving companies they recommend and which ones to avoid. Nothing beats personal experience!

Reach Out to a Few Trustworthy Expert Movers

Once you’ve done your research and whittled down your list of movers, it’s time to contact them via email or telephone. Provide them with the essential information for your move and don’t forget to ask questions! There are a few fundamental questions you should ask moving companies before you book them:

  • How long has your company been in business?
  • Are you licensed and can you provide your license information?
  • What kind of insurance or ‘valuation’ do you offer to protect my goods?
  • Do you have the appropriate moving equipment for my job?
  • Do you require a deposit?
  • What is your cancellation/rescheduling policy?
  • How do you prevent damage to my belongings?
  • What happens if my items go missing or get broken?
  • How do you handle disputes and claims?
  • Can you provide a certificate of insurance?

A trustworthy moving company will be able to answer these questions with no hesitation. Make sure to pay attention and write down the answers to these questions. Also, pay attention to how they answer you. A polite and professional attitude is what you’re looking for. If they try to avoid the questions or, worse, get angry and start yelling, cross them off your list.

Even if the first movers seem perfect, go ahead and talk with the others on your list. You want to have as many good options as possible so you can compare and contrast their services and prices.

Get an Estimate from Movers and Compare It

Keep in mind that in order to get the most accurate quote/estimate you need to provide as much information as possible to the movers. In the past, movers would do a home visit to see everything you needed to move as well as potential obstacles/issues they would need to deal with. With COVID-19 most movers are doing this all via a virtual walkthrough so make sure you show them everything! That includes mentioning whether you live in a walk-up or elevator building and if your old and/or new building will require a certificate of insurance. You should also ask if you will need to reserve parking spots or elevators on moving day as you don’t want to be charged extra because the movers couldn’t find a parking spot.

Once you have gotten the full estimate, read it over and make sure you understand everything. If there’s something in the estimate that you don’t understand, call the company and have them clarify why you are being charged a fee. After that, compare all of the estimates and your overall impressions of each moving company. Yes, it might be tempting to go with the lowest offer, but many scam movers lowball the estimate, so don’t go for the cheapest option, especially if you notice a lot of red flags!

Choose the Best Professional Movers for Your Move

The best NJ movers for you should be obvious by the time you have reached this final step. All you have to do now is call them up, confirm the details, and sign the moving contract. The company should provide you with a Bill of Lading and an inventory list for your belongings – both of which are basic moving-related documents. Make sure to keep this with you during the entire move so that you can cross-reference everything once you’re in your new place.

On moving day, make sure you’re prepared and that you have packed and disassembled everything (if you’re not doing a full-service move). Stay focused and provide clear directions for getting to your new home and where to place the boxes and furniture in your new home. If the movers are late or something seems off, call the company immediately. You should also check the condition of your belongings on arrival and inform the movies if you notice any problems.

Hire the Best Professional NJ Movers

Finding the right movers for the job isn’t a difficult task, but it can be time-consuming. You should start looking for movers in NJ at least a month before your expected move date so you have enough time to do your research. Provided you didn’t skip any of the steps, you should have a stress-free moving experience. Also, don’t forget to leave a positive review on a third-party review site so other people who are moving can find a trustworthy moving company.

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Moving Tips

How to Move in New Jersey During COVID-19

How to Move in New Jersey During COVID-19

Despite the 2020 pandemic, moving companies have been operational as they are considered an essential business. As the number of cases have dwindled and vaccines have started to roll out, New Jersey has also started to reopen. However, there are now multiple variants so it’s still important to follow safety precautions.

While moving today might be easier than it was a year ago, you and your movers should still follow certain safety procedures to make sure that they aren’t potentially spreading COVID-19. When done properly, these steps can help reduce the chances of a new outbreak and hopefully help achieve herd immunity. Below are some steps you should take when moving during COVID-19 in New Jersey.

Make Sure to Sanitize and Wipe Down All Your Belongings

Even if you don’t have to worry about COVID-19, it’s still a good idea to to clean your belongings before you pack them away. By doing so, you’re reducing the risk of transporting germs and other issues like mold to your new apartment. You don’t have to spend hours sanitizing everything, but you should give a good wipe down to items such as cups, bowls, utensils, etc. If you have the time to spare, you should also wash your clothes and bedding so that they’re nice and clean when you get to your new place. There’s nothing worse than having to do laundry right after a big move!

Besides cleaning your personal items, take some time to wipe down all the surfaces in your old place, especially areas that you touch a lot like countertops, doorknobs, light switches, etc. Also, don’t forget to clean the rest of your apartment. It’s a common courtesy for the next tenants and it can help you get your security deposit back. You want to get your apartment back to its original condition as much as possible so take the time to really get in the nooks and cranny and clean out whatever gunk has built up since you moved in.

Advice on Packing Everything Yourself for Safety

Unless you really don’t have any time, you should pack everything yourself. For one, it will save you a lot of money. Most movers charge an hourly rate so depending on how much stuff you have to pack, your final bill could cost over $5,000! Plus, you have complete control over how everything gets packed. This will make unpacking and organizing much easier since you know exactly what is in each box.

In terms of COVID-19 prevention, the less time you spend around strangers in a confined space, the better. Yes, reputable moving companies will not allow movers who are sick to come to work, however you or they could be asymptomatic. Instead of increasing the risk of transmission by having the movers spend several more hours packing your belongings, it’s better to do it yourself. This way, the movers can be in and out of your apartment as quickly as possible.

Hire Professional Movers Who Follow All Covid-19 Precautions

Sure, restrictions might be loosening up a bit, but the last thing you want are movers who have dropped all their COVID-19 requirements. After all, the virus is still around, along with its variants, and chances are you’ll have to spend at least 2-3 hours indoors with the movers who have likely been in contact with multiple people and their belongings throughout the week. Looking for movers who maintain their COVID-19 protocol won’t cost you more money either so why not hire ones that are still taking the risk seriously?

For example, NJ Great movers still continue to follow the following guidelines to keep you and our employees safe:

  • Sanitize our trucks and moving equipment on a daily basis
  • Our movers sanitize their hands before and after every move
  • Daily temperature checks for our movers
  • Mask requirement for our movers
  • Implementing social distancing guidelines
  • Ensuring widespread vaccination of office staff and moving crews

Speaking of vaccinations, while you can ask the movers if they have been vaccinated, under federal law (HIPAA) they are not obligated to disclose this health information. With that said, reputable NJ moving companies (such as us) encourage all our employees to get vaccinated and ensure any new member who gets onboarded books their appointments as soon as possible.

Clean Your New Home First

This step is a requirement regardless of whether there’s COVID-19 or not. Even if you’re moving into a brand new apartment complex, you still want to give the new place a rub down before you unpack. This way you can get to spots that might otherwise be cluttered with items. Plus, this gives you the opportunity to take a closer look at your new place and find any holes or cracks and seal them up.

If you’re not sure where to start, go through this cleaning checklist:

  • Wipe down all drawers, countertops, and cabinets with disinfectant spray. Add some lining after they dry.
  • Clean the fridge and stove top with soapy water and place a tray of fresh or used coffee grounds at the back of the fridge
  • Replace all toilet seats and covers and wipe down every surface in the bathroom with disinfectant spray
  • Vacuum all floors and mop what you can

Once you’ve cleaned everything, don’t forget to take pictures to keep a record of what the apartment looked like when you moved in. Make sure to timestamp it and even send it over to your new building management so they have it in their files. This way when you move you have evidence of the apartment’s condition just in case the landlord/management company doesn’t want to give you back your security deposit.

Hire the Best Professional NJ Movers for a Safe Move

For the most part, moving has resumed as normal and most buildings have lifted restrictions on their property. Of course, that doesn’t mean COVID-19 has disappeared. With the new variants popping up, it’s more important than ever to remain vigilant and follow safety guidelines. At NJ Great Movers, we take your and our health seriously and we are doing our best to make sure we keep everyone healthy and happy.

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Moving Tips

How to Get Financially Ready for Your NJ Move

How to Get Financially Ready for Your NJ Move

You probably already know that moving isn’t cheap, even in New Jersey. Simply finding a new apartment requires you to take time off work and travel to different locations. On top of that, once you do find your new place, you’ll have to put down the first month’s rent, security, and potentially a broker’s fee all of which can cost you thousands of dollars. This doesn’t even cover the cost of hiring professional NJ movers!

The process of moving requires a lot of steps from packing to moving over your utilities and health information over to your new location. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and forget a few things. If you’re overseeing the moving budget, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the big cost of hiring New Jersey movers or, if you’re doing it yourself, getting a moving truck. However, there are a lot of small details that might fall through the cracks and could end up costing you hundreds or even thousands of dollars! Below are some of the most common costs of moving to consider.

Create a Full Plan for Moving Costs

In order to financially prepare for your local move, you’ll first need to take into account all the costs associated with the move. This includes things that might seem obvious, but many people often forget to include such as:

  • Moving Supplies – If you purchase all of your moving supplies, you might be in for a surprise as the total can add up quickly. Think about it, you have to get boxes, packing tape, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and more for all of your belongings. Luckily, you can mitigate these costs by getting free boxes from friends, family, stores, and even browsing your local Facebook groups.
  • Cost of travel – Whether you’re traveling by plane, train, or automobile you’ll need to factor in how much it will cost to get from your current home to your new one. A train might seem reasonable, especially if that’s how you normally commute. However, during a move you’ll probably carry a few important documents and fragile items with you, so you may end up having to take a taxi or renting a car.
  • Storage – If you can’t move into your new place immediately or if you just overestimated the size of your new apartment, you’ll need to look into potential storage options. NJ Great Movers offers secure and affordable storage, but you can also opt for other companies! The smaller storage lockers you need, the cheaper it will be.
  • Moving Insurance – Yes, professional movers offer basic insurance, but this only covers $0.60/pound for any damaged or lost items. If you own a lot of expensive electronics, artwork, or fine china, you’ll want to splurge for full insurance from third party vendors so you can get the full cost back to you if something happens.
  • Rebuying furniture and/or groceries – Chances are you probably threw out some old pieces of furniture and whatever groceries you weren’t able to eat or pack. In addition to the standard moving costs, you’ll also have to factor in how much you’ll need to spend to replace the old food and furniture that you tossed.
  • Utilities – You may end up paying double for utilities because you didn’t shut off your utilities services in time. Make sure to check your billing cycle and cancel what you don’t need beforehand. While it might not be doable with your electricity bills, you can definitely turn off your cable and internet before you move to your new place. Speaking of utilities, some companies might also require a deposit when you first move into your new apartment in order to turn on your service.
  • Pet boarding – if you have pets, it might be a good idea to find a place to board your pets so that they’re not dealing with all the stress of moving day. Depending on where you live, this can run you up to $40-60 a day!

Create a Better Budget Before Your Move

Many people ask whether they should hire professional movers or rent a truck and do everything themselves. The answer to that question depends on your budget. In general, the DIY route will be cheaper, but it will also take more time and you could damage your belongings or yourself during the move. While hiring professionals does cost more, it also means you are not at risk of injuring yourself and your fragile items are less likely to break.

In general, professional movers range in price depending on how much you will move. In general, the average cost of an in-state move is about $2,300 while the average cost of an interstate move is about $4,300. The farther you travel, the more expensive the move as professional movers charge hourly for their travel costs. And don’t forget the tip for the movers!

With that baseline number in mind, look up the cost of packing supplies, furniture, and anything else you will need during your move. Depending on the size of your move and whether you need storage or not, you could be looking at a budget of almost $10,000. When coming up with the final budget, it helps to spreadsheet and write out each line item. This way you can see where you might be able to slash costs. One easy way to save money when using professional movers is to pack and disassemble everything yourself. Since most movers charge an hourly rate, the less they have to do, the cheaper it will be for you!

Make the Best Plan to Save, Save, and Save Money

Sometimes you might need to move out of your apartment immediately so you can’t really make any plans. In cases like these, you might need to take out a personal loan or ask friends and family to help out with the costs whether by pitching in some money or enlisting them to help with the manual labor of packing and moving. However, if you do have some time to consider your move, you should do your best to save. Again, moving isn’t cheap so you’ll need to set aside some money to make sure you can cover all the necessary costs.

Moving out of an apartment isn’t quite the same as moving out of a house. In general, renters don’t start looking for an apartment until a month before their lease runs out. After all, most brokers want to rent empty apartments as soon as possible and won’t hold an apartment for you, unless you plan on paying two rents.

With that said, if you already know you won’t renew your lease a couple of months before it expires, you should start setting aside some money. Maybe that means being super frugal for three or four months and cancelling whatever memberships you don’t need. Or it could mean selling off some items that no longer use on eBay or Craigslist.you  You can also start collecting boxes from friends, family members, or local stores to cut down on your moving supply line-item. If you have extra time and a talent such as writing, art, etc. see if you can make a few extra bucks on the side. You can also save money after moving by buying used instead of new. There are plenty of people trying to get rid of old furniture and even clothes. Just make sure that they’re in good shape before you buy and give everything you purchase a good wash and sterilization before you bring it in your home. Essentially, you need to do whatever you can to make sure you have all the money you need before you move so you don’t have to put everything on a credit card.

Taking Out a Personal Loan Is Better Than Using a Credit Card

If you end up short of your budget a month before your moving day, consider taking out a personal loan instead of charging your credit card. Credit cards have obscenely high interest rates with some as high as 36%. Personal loans offer much lower rates depending on your credit history with some as low as 3%.

Of course, you’ll need to do your research. You should try to avoid peer lending companies as you will end up with variable rates depending who chooses to give you the money. Other lending companies might not be available in your state or might have to charge additional fees due to your location. Still, it’s worth it to look up every option available as you will save a significant amount of money over time with this option.

If you can’t get a personal loan, consider opening up a new line of credit. Many credit cards offer an introductory 0% APR for the first year. This is a great option if you know you are able to pay off the balance in one year. Depending on your credit card score your credit card limit could be between $2,000-$10,000.

Hire Professional NJ Movers

Moving might not be cheap, but it doesn’t have to break the bank either. So long as you spend some time planning and saving up money for your move, you should be able to find a way to finance your NJ move.

One of the best ways to save yourself time and money is to hire a NJ moving company like us to help you! We provide excellent service at affordable rates and can save you a lot of time and reduce the stress of moving. Make sure to contact us today!

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Moving Tips

A Few Ways to Avoid a Bad Moving Experience

How to Avoid a Bad Moving Experience

Chances are you’ve heard some terrifying moving stories from friends, family, or from the news. Hearing these stories can make you think twice about hiring a professional moving service. After all, how do you know they won’t try to charge you more money after they already have your belongings in your possession? Or what if they end up losing or breaking a bunch of your valuables? There are so many risks involved with hiring movers that it might seem easier to just do it yourself. Of course, this comes with its own risks as you might get in an accident, you could injure yourself, or you could damage your old or new building and have to pay a repair fee! It seems like there’s no winning.

Luckily, your moving experience doesn’t have to be stressful and you can avoid a bad moving experience. With that said, this will require some time and planning on your part. However, it’s worth the effort and the headache that you’ll save yourself. Here are three simple ways you can avoid a bad moving experience.

Check the Information and Research It

In this day and age, there’s no reason why you can’t look up the information on the moving companies you’re interested in hiring. The first thing you should do is look up the company’s website. Check to make sure they list basic information such as address, phone number, hours of operation, and so on. See if they have a fleshed out FAQ that provides detailed answers. If there’s hardly any information on the site, it’s a good sign that they either aren’t professional or they are scammers.

You should also check to see if they have the appropriate licenses to operate as a moving company. Reputable moving companies will list their Department of Transportation license directly on their site so you can easily look them up to make sure they are in good standing. Some states require additional licenses. For example, in New Jersey, movers will need to be licensed by the State Division of Consumer Affairs.

Don’t stop at the website though! You should look up reviews and the online reputation of the company. Check Google and Yelp for user reviews to check the moving experience from actual customers. You should also take the time to look up information on the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any complaints lodged against them. You should also check in with family and friends if they have used the same moving service to get their insight.

Once you narrow down your choices, ask all of the moving companies for personal references from recent customers. Moving companies NJ residents trust should have no issue providing this information. When talking to the customers on the phone, ask questions! Common ones include:

  • Was the moving crew on time?
  • Were they friendly and professional?
  • Was anything broken/damaged/lost during the move? How did the company react to these issues?
  • Did you have any add-on services and what was your experience?
  • Were there any surprise costs?
  • Would you move with them again?

Clear Your Queries

You might have heard the saying, ‘there are no stupid questions.’ This is especially true when you’re moving. If you’ve never used a professional mover before or this is your first time moving, you should ask as many questions as possible. Don’t worry about being annoying. If you find out reliable movers, they’ll be more than happy to answer you. Of course, you can always check out their  FAQ  on their site to get a general idea in terms of pricing, cancellation policy, etc. With that said, if you really want to ensure they are capable movers, you should ask the same questions on the FAQ to the customer service representative to make sure the answers line up. Some scammers will copy the FAQ from reputable companies to fly under the radar.

If you’re stumped on questions, ask the following:

  • Do you have storage capabilities?
  • Do you provide packing services?
  • What is your rescheduling/cancellation policy?
  • Can you provide a certificate of insurance for my building?
  • Do you provide an arrival window?
  • What other fees might be added to my final bill?
  • How long will my move take?
  • Can you provide references?
  • Are my items protected by insurance while in transit?
  • How will you protect my floors/walls when moving in and out of buildings?
  • Is the estimate you provide binding?

Top-rated movers (like NJ Movers) will be able to answer your questions without any issues. In fact, they’ll be more than happy to volunteer as much information as possible so that you can feel totally at ease with your move. If the company you call tries to duck your questions or gets angry with you, do yourself a favor and find another one.

Make Sure They Have Proper Insurance

In addition to having national and state licenses, you should also check if your moving company has insurance. One of the many benefits of hiring professional movers is that they are held liable if an accident happens instead of you. While they will all do their best to avoid problems, there’s always the chance that something could go wrong. If you do a DIY move,not hiring professional movers you will be the one to pay for any damages. In some cases, you might not be able to move into your building if you don’t use a professional because the building management company wants to protect their assets from being damaged. Many of these buildings won’t let you rent out the freight elevator without a certificate of insurance. That means if you show up without one, you won’t be let into the building and you’ll have wasted a day and money on a truck rental. To avoid these issues, it’s best to hire pro NJ movers from the start.

While you don’t have to get too into the weeds when it comes to learning all about their insurance coverage, you should check to make sure your movers have:

  • Cargo coverage
  • Automobile liability
  • General liability
  • Umbrella
  • Worker’s compensation

Most buildings will require the movers to have at least $1 million in coverage for general liability, automobile liability, and worker’s compensation. For umbrella liability many buildings ask for around $5 million in coverage. You can check the mover’s certificate of insurance (COI) for the types of coverage they have as well as the amount. In addition to looking at their insurance, you should also check to make sure their policy expiration date comes after your move and that the name of the insured matches the name of the moving company you are using. Some scammers will forge or copy another moving company’s COI to appear more legitimate. Speaking of insurance, trustworthy moving companies also provide general moving insurance for free. . While it won’t cover much (it’s $0.60/pound of damaged or lost item), it at least shows that they take their job and your belongings seriously.

If you have a lot of valuable items, your best bet is to pay extra for the full release value. Just let your movers know if you have items that are worth more than $5 per pound so they can note it in their files. This step is necessary as moving companies can deny a claim if they didn’t know the damaged item(s) were extremely valuable.

Additional Relevant Tips

The above steps can help you weed out obviously bad moving companies from the start. Still, many scammers have become more sophisticated and the red flags might not be so obvious. Some other signs that you’re not dealing with a reputable company include:

  • Slow responses to your questions
  • Incomplete, incomprehensible contract
  • Large deposit or upfront payment
  • Prices are significantly lower than other companies

Not all unsatisfied customers were scammed. In fact, there are also plenty of occasions where a customer might misunderstand certain charges. IFor example, some companies charge a long carry fee. This is an extra charge for when the movers have to walk over a certain distance from the front door of your house to their truck. The distance varies and not all companies charge this fee. Another example is a materials charge during a move. This might pop up if the movers had to pack some of your items like vases, lamps, etc. that you did not pack.

Conclusion

Moving doesn’t have to be a total pain. Sure, you’ll have to still pack, clean, and purge your apartment, but there’s no reason you need to stress if you hire professional movers. We here at NJ Great Movers strive to provide you with a seamless and stress-free experience so you can focus on enjoying your new apartment.