How do I know I have a reputable moving company in NC?
The first thing I always recommend is to look up a company’s reviews! Not all companies focus on the same platform, but we are especially proud of our Google reviews and Thumbtack history. If you read the reviews and are not convinced that people love this company – then move on. The second criteria to check for is that in NC, all licensed moving companies must be offering you Full Value Protection as part of their services. If they are not, something is amiss and you should verify they are a licensed mover at the following website: https://www.ncuc.gov/Industries/documents/carriers.pdf
2.
What do you mean by "Full Value Protection"
In the state of NC, all licensed movers are obligated to offer you both “Full Value Protection” and “Basic Value Protection” no matter the size of the move. Basic value is free of charge to the client, but only covers $0.60/lb for any item that is damaged. That might be great for a sofa with a small tear in the fabric since the repair will not be more than $100. It would be nearly useless however if your 80lb television was dropped and you only receive $48 to replace it. That is why all NC licensed movers must offer that “Full Value Protection”. Full value costs $0.75 per $100 of declared value of your entire shipment. If you declare that your entire monetary value of your shipment would be worth $50,000 then FVP would cost $375. This formula is mandated by the NC Utilities Commision and cannot be changed. 99% of the time, professional licensed moving companies have zero damages and you should never “expect” for your items to be damaged, but FVP is to ensure if your move happens to that 1% of unlucky experiences, then you will know it is going to be fully taken care of.
3.
I have just hired a moving company for the first time and they charge by the hour, how can I save the most money throughout the process?
If you want to save the most money in an hourly move, there are several aspects that will save the crew time. The first focus would be on packing! Please put everything that can fit in a box into a box and label each box for the correct room at the destination. Want to save more? Stage all those boxes by the front door so all the movers need to do is lift and go. If you are comfortable disassembling and reassembling your own sofas and bed frames, that will also save movers precious time so they never need to slow down. You can also roll your own rugs, dismount any tvs and window curtains, and be sure to keep any cats and dogs in an empty bathroom.
4.
What is the "tipping policy" for movers?
Firstly, always remember that tips are never expected, but always appreciated. If you feel your movers gave you 5-star service, a good standard to consider is $5/hr per man. Therefore, if a 4-man team worked tirelessly for 8 hours to make your move as smooth as glass, $40/man would be considered an excellent tip.
5.
I have been quoted for a long distance move from companies that say "dedicated" or "consolidated" freight. What does that mean?
Whenever you are moving long distance (50+ miles from A to B), you may be quoted by companies that practice consolidated freight and dedicated freight. When a company says dedicated, they mean that your goods (and no one else’s) are going to be on their truck the entire time. They are going to load you, drive to your destination, and then unload you as quickly as possible. Often, the same men who loaded your goods onto the truck are the same people you will see at the unload. This style of operation is often much more timely for you to get your new home setup, but is often more expensive since that truck is “dedicated” to your move only. The other option is “consolidated” and by that we mean your items will be sharing space in the same truck. Often, these are massive 18-wheeler trucks with the same driver, but entirely different crews to both load you and unload you. The downside here is that even though it is often less expensive, it takes much more time before you see your belongings again. That truck may be headed in your direction, but they will also be making stops along the way or even putting your things into storage before they go to your new home. It is not unheard of to have a consolidated move from NC to CA take 3-6 weeks where a dedicated move from NC to CA may take 3-6 days. No Sweat Services exclusively uses dedicated long distance moves. We may be more expensive than a consolidated move, but you will receive your items much sooner and with more personal care with us.