When you start looking for movers to assist you with your relocation needs, it’s important that your do your research before deciding on which company to hire. However, your mover may not be completely honest with you. While you may ask the right questions, they may still hide some things from you.  Here are some of the things they’re not quite generous enought to tell their customers:

“We make our estimates by shooting darts at a (very wide) target”
No matter how “trustworthy” a company is, they can still find ways and loopholes around the estimates they give you. The best thing to do it to get an in-home, binding estimate to get the most accurate quote. Still, make sure your ask the estimator what are the conditions wherein they might charge you extra.

“We may have given you your estimate, but we might not be the one’s who’ll show up at your doorstep”
Some moving companies, most likely the ones who operate via the Internet, are actually moving brokers. You call them up and they’ll give you an estimate, but on moving day, you’ll find a different moving company. The original moving company actually has a sub-contractor or has sold your business to another company, who may or may not honor the original moving quote. Make sure you do the necessary research to find out if you’re hiring a legitimate moving company.

“Hi, it’s my first day on the job!”
If you think you’re hiring “professional” movers, think again. During the busy months, most moving companies will hire extra hands and send them to their customers without any sort of training. These people not only lack the necessary training to do the job, but they probably haven’t passed any sort of screening – think about it – would you let anyone off the streets come into your home and touch your stuff?

“You’ll get your stuff…eventually…”
If the moving company gives you a delivery date – take it with a grain of salt. Most companies will give you a window, usually within 3 to 5 days, but still, there can be innumerable delays while on the road.
“…or maybe you’ll never see them again”
We’ve all heard mover horror stories – most of the time, the movers hold the furniture for ransom for an astronomical amount, though there have cases wherein the movers never show up at all.

“Not springing for the extra insurance? You’ll be covered and we’ll be liable…for about $20″
By law, all moving companies are required to carry a basic insurance policy at not extra cost to you, but you pretty much get what your pay for. This limited liability insurance pays out about 30 – 60 cents per pound, meaning you’ll get about $15 dollars for a 25 pound HDTV. If you know your stuff is valuable, get the necessary insurance coverage before even letting your moving company lift one box.