Looking to relocate within the beautiful city of Houston? Luckily, we work with tons of experienced Houston-based movers to help you along. You’ll have to do some research to decide on the best local movers for your criteria and budget, but we recommend these strategies for finding the perfect fit—and we even offer quotes, too!
Start the search early, and do it right
Peak moving season is from April to September, so during this time, the many moving companies of Houston have packed schedules. To ensure you secure a spot in their busy schedules, it’s best to start your research well in advance—four to six months before your move.
Once you start your search, take the right approach. The local moving market in Houston is massive, and among the many movers competing for your business are scam artists and unethical companies. To make sure you don’t fall victim to a scam, try following these tips.
Search online. You have a world of information available right at your fingertips, and the Internet can be a good place to find the best local movers in Houston. From the results that come up, you can narrow the search to the ones that fit your criteria and budget.
Ask around. If anyone you know has recently moved, such as family members, friends, coworkers, or neighbors, ask them for advice and recommendations. They may be able to suggest a reliable high-quality company to assist with your local move.
Read reviews. You can find reviews for nearly any local moving company in Houston. Make sure to compare the number of positive and negative reviews for each company, and read some of the negative ones to get a picture of the type of complaints people are giving. This can help you avoid bad companies and scam artists.
Pick the best three movers
Since Houston boasts so many local movers, your list of potential companies may be overwhelming at first. Consider narrowing your results down to your top three businesses, and make a detailed list of their pros and cons to determine the one that best fits your needs, budget, and schedule. To aid you in your decision, ask the local moving companies on your list lots of questions about their fees and services.
Be wary of scams, however. Some of Houston’s local moving companies offer extremely cheap estimates but then hike up the price dramatically before delivery—and if you refuse to pay, they refuse to deliver your belongings. If a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is. If you suspect any of the local moving businesses on your list of being scams, read their reviews and look into their licenses to protect yourself.
Follow up on online estimates
The best way to explore the cost of local movers is to collect quotes from multiple companies. However, reputable companies will always follow up on these initial online quotes with an estimate in person or via telephone.
Local movers in Houston may offer three different types of estimates:
Binding estimates. In binding estimates, the estimated price is the price you pay, no matter what. Even if the actual weight is above or below the estimated weight, you pay the estimated price.
Non-binding estimates. Non-binding estimates are the most common among Houston’s local moving companies. Here, the actual price may be above or below the estimated price based on the exact weight of your belongings. Companies don’t offer non-binding estimates as guaranteed prices but rather as a guideline to help paint a picture of how much their services will cost.
Binding not to exceed estimates. Binding not to exceed estimates are the best of both worlds. Here, you’re guaranteed to not have to pay more than the estimated price, but if your shipment ends up weighing less than anticipated, the company may charge a lower price than what they estimated.
Choose the best local mover based on a variety of factors
Cost may be a major factor in determining which of Houston’s local moving companies you choose, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you consider. Price correlates with quality, so research other factors to ensure you select the best local moving company for your needs.
For example, in addition to price, you should take into consideration a company’s experience, how they train their employees, any grave complaints filed against them, their experience with specialty items, and what exactly is included in their services.
Only go with companies that have verified credentials
After you’ve selected the best local moving companies and received estimates from them, you should conduct a background check to ensure they have the proper licensing. Ask your prospective local movers in Houston for their proof of licensing and registration to ensure they’re complying with the law. You can consult the web for information on both the laws in Houston and the status of local moving companies. In addition, most high-quality moving services have customers or affiliates willing to put in a good word for them, so you can ask the company for references, too.
There’s a lot involved in choosing the best moving company for your local move within the unbeatable city of Houston. Everyone has different requirements and budgets, but if you follow these tips, finding the best local movers for you should be much easier.
Moving within Houston is affordable, too. Find out just how little it can cost to move locally by requesting a quote.