Relocation is a hands-on task, be it for residential or commercial purposes. There are several things to consider before simply packing up your goods and shipping them cross-country. Hiring a professional service specializing in packing and transportation can prove to be a prudent investment. Moving companies employ trained professionals, tools, and equipment that are designed for the job. Here are a few handy tips to consider before you ask for a quote and compare the top moving companies in the country.

• Do your research
  Check out online ratings on Yelp, Angie’s List, Better Business Bureau, Consumer Affairs, or even Google reviews. Read up about the moving company and compare the services they offer. Pick services that are good at organizing inventory and perform a detailed survey to give you an accurate estimate. Check to see if you must shell out a lot of money as upfront costs for hiring the service. Most reputable packers and movers do not necessarily require a deposit. Reputable moving companies sometimes also conduct a survey to see which of your belongings need to be transported and help sort out the ones that can be donated to charity or repurposed.
• Check licenses
  Pick only from a list of licensed movers who can legally take possession of your belongings (temporarily, of course!) and ship the goods to the new location. You can get the licensing information from the Department of Transportation and even check their credibility from the Public Utilities Commission. Note that the moving company will have separate licenses for transporting goods within the state, state to state, and even overseas. Also, if you plan to transport valuable and fragile goods cross country, ensure that the service has the necessary tools and equipment to prevent damages during transportation.
• Verify services
  Moving companies offer more than just basic transportation. You can hire a service that provides end-to-end solutions, meaning they will neatly pack up all your stuff, relocate, and even unpack at your new address. These value-added services will be included in the total cost. So, confirm the same while asking for a direct quote. Note that reputable moving companies employ trained professionals who handle the goods with utmost care. In the event of any damages or loss of property, these companies also offer cargo protection coverage.
• Check the contract
  Everything you discuss with the packers and movers should be mentioned in writing for legal documentation purposes. This includes the complete inventory, cost estimate and breakup, list of value-added services, additional instructions, and clauses that highlight liabilities in the event of property loss or damage. The contract should also stipulate the company’s correct name, address, registration information, contact details, and most importantly, license number issued by the US Department of Transportation.

Top three moving companies you can hire in 2021

• International Van Lines (IVL)
  IVL offers an overall exclusive range of services for local, national, and international moves. The company has established a global presence with a partner network of 3,000 vendors who provide end-to-end solutions all-inclusive of the estimate. The company is best suited for residential and commercial moving as they employ special contractors and heavy-duty equipment for all kinds of packing and shipping. They have a transparent pricing policy, but the only con is that you are required to pay 25% of the total cost upfront.
• American Van Lines (AVL)
  American Van Lines is one of the top three carrier services in the country that offers flat-rate contracts, binding estimates, and certified value-added services. AVL is known for their customer service satisfaction as they provide fair pricing policies, pay close attention to detail, and offer overall top quality of service. AVL provides local, long-distance interstate, corporate, commercial, and even military equipment moving services.
• Colonial Van Lines (CVL)
  Their services are best suited for corporate relocation and long-distance moving. Colonial Van Lines operates with a massive fleet of trucks, tractors, trailers, and heavy-duty moving equipment. You can even get climate-controlled storage options for commercial and retail goods that are perishable. This makes it worth hiring the service as you don’t have to worry about the cargo quality in case there are any delays in transportation. You are required to pay an upfront deposit, but the overall pricing is fair and all-inclusive of the services.

You can also check the list of moving companies nearby online.