Best Long-Distance Moving Companies

When you create a moving estimate, you need to consider various factors. These include:

• Size of the move

  As a rule of the thump, the heavier you stuff, the higher the moving cost will be.

• Distance between your origin and destination

  The mileage between destination A and destination B is crucial in moving cost calculation. This takes into account fuel costs, as well as labor costs for the time it will take for the movers to get from house A to house B

• Packing services

  When you hire movers to pack the household belongings, the cost for packing materials and packing services will be added to the moving cost.

• Moving add-ons

  Any specific add-on service will impact the moving cost. This could include disassembling and reassembling furniture, moving specialty items, and moving supplies provided by movers such as a stretch wrap, felt pads, and mattress bags.

• Storage

  Moving to a new destination and you require storage service to hold your belongings, you need to be ready to pay additional charges. Storage rates vary from moving company to moving company, so be sure to ask for specifics.

• Moving date

  You need to know that the moving date or ‘when you move’ is as important as ‘how you move’. The moving company costs are greatly influenced by seasons. For example, a weekend moving or a holiday moving is more expensive than a weekday. Similarly, summers are costlier as most people prefer moving on a sunny day

• Insurance

  When you ask for additional insurance against the goods that are moved, it will add up to the moving cost.

There is no fixed schedule but the amount of time for a company to deliver your personal belongings to the new home is based on different factors. This includes the moving company you hire, the distance the truck would cover to reach the home, the time of the year, and the volume of stuff that’s moved.

While most movers deliver within 1 – 6 days from the pick-up day, in most cases, the first available delivery date is within 2 – 5 business days.

Sometimes the precise delivery date may have a period of +/- 1 or 2 days.

Expert Tip: Make sure you get a written delivery estimate to make sure there are no surprises.

• Purge your belongings

  The moving process needs to start at least two months before the moving date. As the first step, declutter the home. To your surprise, you will realize that about half of the items at the home are unused and you don’t require them at the new home. Get rid of them by holding a yard sale or selling them off online.

  The money you earn can be used for moving purposes. If you have clothes that you won’t be wearing again, donate them to charity to reduce the load. The less the volume, the cheaper the moving will be.

• Move during offseason

  If you are flexible about the moving dates, consider moving during the offseason – between October and March, when there will be less traffic. Avoid weekends and public holidays and instead move during weekdays and mid-months when long-distance moving quotes will be comparatively cheaper.

• Book your mover as early as possible

  Always hire movers at least a month in advance as last minute booking tends to be expensive.

You already know that MoverJuncion’s pool has only moving companies that are screened and certified for their performance. And hence, there’s little or no scope for any foul play.

But what if you call and compare quotes from moving companies in the old fashioned way? You need to talk to movers and confirm if their services meet your demands.

To help you compare long-distance moving quotes and decide a mover is dependable, we’ve compiled a list of questions.

• Do you subcontract the moving process?

  Certain large moving companies subcontract the process to small movers during the busy season. Though this is not a red flag, you need a guarantee on the service quality. You need to ask for information about the company that took the subcontract and ensure it is capable of delivering the service you demand.

• What’s your registration number?

  When you entrust the moving task to a company, you are taking a big risk by handing over the valuables at home. It’s your right to ensure that the company you hire is genuine and trustworthy.

  As per the law, an interstate moving company should have a registration number with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), called a USDOT number (US Department of Transportation Number). A unique number, it is used to track a company's safety record including any accident or incident.

  Ask for the registration number and never hire someone who is not registered as it may be a red flag. You can check online with FMCSA or call 855-368-4200 to learn more about your state's regulations.

• Is there any hidden cost or additional charge that I need to be aware of?

  To beat the competition and award the lowest initial long-distance moving quote, certain movers add extra charges to awkward items, like the absence of an elevator or distance from the parking space to the main door being too far.

  The additional costs are added up to the final bill, trampling your expectations of a budget moving. Ensure the company does not indulge in such unfair practices.

• Do you have any unresolved complaints or claims?

  When asked, moving companies will provide a list of complaints and claims by clients and how they satisfyingly resolved them. This will provide an impression of how reliable and trustworthy a company is.

• Can you provide referrals from satisfied clients?

  A mover will always be happy to provide you letters of endorsement from satisfied clients as they prove the commitment and dedication the company has towards clients. When you are satisfied with the authenticity of letters, scrutinize other aspects of the company, and decide whether it fits your demands.

We do not limit to just long-distance moving company quotes. We have a wide range of services on offer, which include full-service moving quotes, moving labor services, and local moving company quotes. In addition, we also provide services related to auto moving, storage rental, long-distance-moving rental, and office moving.

Take a look at our additional moving services.

• Full-service moving quotes

  A full-service moving company is the best bet because it takes up every moving-related activity ranging from packing, loading, and unloading the truck, driving it to the new home, and later unpacking your belongings. Though costlier, full-service moving quotes cover a wide range of activities and you can breathe easy on a moving day. Here is everything about full-service moving quotes.

• Moving labor quotes

  When full-service moving quotes go beyond your budget, think about hiring a moving labor service. A moving labor company loads and unloads your rented truck. Though moving labor quotes usually include loading and unloading services, you can request packing services as well. Know more about moving labor quotes.

• Local moving company quotes

  A moving company calculates local moving quotes based on the number of laborers and hours taken to complete the job. MoverJunction has affordable local moving company quotes from the best movers on offer. Read to know how to get our local moving quotes.

• Moving container quotes

  Moving containers are less costly than full-service moving companies but both offer the same level of security to your household items. They got popular in recent years and you can read here to know all about long-distance-movings.

• Moving truck rental quotes

  Hiring a truck to drive to the new home is highly cheaper than most moving options. Even if you add moving labor charges to the rental, it won’t burn your pocket. Check to know all about moving truck rentals.

• Auto/car moving quotes

  While you move long-distance, driving the car thousands of miles, crossing multiple states is stressful. MoverJunction helps you hire a trustworthy auto-moving company in your area within the budget. Here is what you need to know about auto moving.

• Storage unit quotes

  While you are moving, a storage unit can comfortably stock your household items safely for a specific period. We offer affordable storage units near you. Read to know all about storage units.

• Office/commercial moving quotes

  Moving an office or commercial property is highly strenuous unless you have an experienced moving company for help. You can find the best moving companies in your area on MoverJunction. Here is what you need to know about office/commercial moving.

Why not? Negotiation is the best way to cut down the moving quote. You need to approach multiple movers and grab as many quotes as possible. A few among them may have discounts and offers that lower your quote. Bring them to the competing movers to see if they’ll outbid other companies.

You can also ask the sales representative for advice to further slash the long-distance moving quote. Maybe, switching the moving date or ditching high-cost items like pool tables or heavy safes can help reduce overall moving costs.

Never limit to just one mover instead approach multiple moving companies, a minimum of 6. This will help you understand more about moving quotes and where each quote is lagging. Compare the quotes in detail and ensure each quote involves the services you demand.

As there’s no common menu for moving quotes, you need to learn the list, weight, volume, packing requirements, and any other details in each quote. Talk to the mover and ask if it is willing to make tweaks to it. Reputed moving companies will always be ready to accommodate changes and observe how much difference that makes to the quote.

Accept a long-distance moving quote only once you are satisfied and fit in your pocket.

Summer is the peak moving season when quotes will be expensive. Moving between May to September will require you to cough up more and if you are not tenacious about the moving date, we will suggest you wait till winter when you can get a discounted moving quote, perhaps about 30-40% lesser than the peak season.

Also, weekends!

Demand for movers tends to be highest during weekends, as well at the beginning and end of the month. Instead, when you move in midweek or mid-month, you would get cheaper quotes. Public holidays also tend to be expensive for moving.

Possibly yes. If you move for work, the moving expense is tax-deductible. As per the IRS, "if you moved due to a change in your job or business location, or because you started a new job or business, you may be able to deduct your reasonable moving expenses but not any expenses for meals." The IRS claims that you can deduct these moving expenses if:

1. Your move closely relates to the start of work.
2. You meet the distance test.
3. You meet the time test.

To deduct these expenses, you must fill out and submit IRS Form 3903.

For more detailed information, check out an article Are Your Moving Expenses Tax Deductible?.

Moving yourself is easier told than done. Your home may have heavy furniture or antique items that require special care while moving. Any slight mistake while carrying a heavy item can cause serious injury or miscalculation can damage a piano or grandfather clock.

Hiring a professional moving company resolves all these concerns and if budget is a stumbling block, look for deals and discounts on quotes. When you compare the manpower, stress and risk put into DIY, spending a little budget on a moving company is the safe bet.

Before you hire a long-distance moving company, ensure it is properly licensed and insured. As per the law, all interstate movers need to register with the Federal Government and can be found in the U.S. DOT system.

You also need to check the track record of the company, such as there has been no name change or grave client complaint in the past. Check the company’s profile on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), whether it is accredited by the BBB.

When you hire a moving company through MoverJunction, the credibility is guaranteed as we include a mover in our network only after scrutinizing its background. Hiring a mover through MoverJunction is the safe bet if utmost security is what you aspire for.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), several complaints of rogue movers have been reported of late. To prevent a scam from happening to you, ensure the mover is legitimate by following the guidelines in the above answer.

Make sure the long-distance moving quote is realistic and is not unbelievably low. Any company that’s in the business for about a decade will be possibly genuine.

Ask the moving company to do an in-home estimate so they can accurately gauge how much stuff you have and prepare your quote accordingly. If you’re moving during Covid-19, you can even opt for during a video walkthrough of your house, to avoid any contact.

Read more about moving during Covid-19 in our extensive guide: How to move during Covid-19?

Another thing you can do to avoid any scams, is to get a binding moving estimate or a not-to-exceed estimate.

Basically the more research you do on a company and the more you have written down in a contract, the lower are your chances of running into any issues.

When you’re given a non-binding moving estimate, the mover’s quote is based on the estimated weight of your belongings. It will most likely change depending on the actual weight of the move.

A binding estimate is a fixed cost estimate, agreeing to which you need to pay exactly what was originally quoted.

A binding not-to-exceed estimate means that even if the weight of your shipment exceeds the original estimate, you won’t be charged anything extra. Instead, you’ll only pay what was originally quoted. If the shipment weighs less than originally estimated, you’ll only be charged for the cost of shipping the actual weight of your belongings.

Customers prefer binding not-to-exceed estimates as it is in their best interest. Often called a “guaranteed not-to-exceed” estimate, it ensures that a customer won’t have to pay more than originally quoted even if the weight of the belongings ends up weighing more than originally estimated. But if the shipment weighs less than estimated, he will pay less than the original quote.

A moving company’s long-distance moving quote should include the name and address of your mover, the tariff cost, miles traveled, minimum weight and estimated weight, any discounts applied, packing and unpacking service fees, storage charges, transportation charges, fuel surcharges, insurance surcharges, and accessorial services.

Hire a truck, fill your belongings into it and drive the truck to the new home. This is the cheapest way to move long distances as the only cost involved is the truck rental. You can even try portable long-distance-movings to move long-distance on a minimum budget. Check to know about ways to move long-distance cheap

While moving home, you need reliable moving companies with an extensive network and trained crew to handle all types of types of equipment, including both heavy and fragile. To help you, we have listed some of the best long-distance companies in the country.

• Trinity Vanlines
• Move Safe Vanlines
• All Coast Moving Group
• Eagle Moving Group
• Empire Moving Group
• All Moving USA