A cross country movers might take you from coast-to-coast, north-to-south, or along any combination of state-to-state routes across the heartland of America. This type of long distance move poses lots of challenges thanks to the miles of travel it entails and the level of organization it requires.
To simplify your cross-country move, hiring an affordable cross country moving company is smart. These logistics professionals coordinate every step of the moving process, ensuring that your items are properly packed and inventoried, secured in the moving truck, and transported to your new home under the care of a trained moving crew. An added bonus, it’s probably cheaper than you’re thinking!
Whether you currently live in a small apartment or a massive single-family home, American Logistics can help you find cheap cross-country moving services to meet your needs.
How to Choose A Cross Country Moving Company?
Hiring the right moving company is crucial to a successful cross-country relocation. Before a moving crew loads your belongings onto a moving truck and drives away, make sure you’ve done your research! Look for the following when choosing your mover:
- Insurance: Be sure to ask your mover what insurance coverage they offer should something happen to your belongings during transit. By federal law, movers must offer released value protection, which pays out a minimal 60 cents per pound per item. Many companies offer more comprehensive coverage with full value protection. Ask about your options to ensure that your belongings have adequate coverage.
- Licensing: Van lines that cross state lines must hold a valid license through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation. To avoid getting caught in a moving scam, verify your moving company’s U.S. DOT number in FMCSA’s online database. Here, you can also find information on the company’s safety rating and customer complaints.
- Experience: There’s a reason you’re relying on professionals to get the job done instead of friends. A company with a decades-long track record is likely still in business because they train their employees and have expertise and proficiency in their field.
- Reviews: In the digital age, it’s easy to find reviews from real customers. Hop on sites like Yelp, BBB, or Consumer Affairs and read what others have to say about the company you intend to use. It’s a good sign if the mover has a great rating and mostly favorable reviews.
- Recommendations: Know someone who’s recently made a long distance move? Word-of-mouth referrals from friends or family who have had an awesome moving experience always helps!
- Add-On Services: Need more than just some guys to load and drive the truck? Ask what add-on services (like cleaning, full-service packing, auto transport, etc.) your moving company provides.
Does hiring a mover that checks all the boxes feel overwhelming? Don’t fret! American Logistics has already done the hard work of vetting moving companies to make sure they’re licensed, insured, and reputable. Get cheap quotes for your upcoming move in just minutes from the best cross country moving companies!
What To Know About Cross Country Moving Quotes?
Start shopping for movers at least two months ahead of your cross-country relocation. Booking a mover early will help you obtain the best rates, while ensuring availability. Here are the steps for getting an accurate moving quote:
- Get initial estimates: Contact at least 3-4 moving companies to get a ballpark moving estimate either over the phone or via contact form. While most consumers are looking for an affordable moving company, keep in mind that a low-ball estimate may indicate a moving scam. When you fill out our 1-minute quote form, American Logistics helps you easily obtain estimates from up to four licensed and reputable cross country moving services.
- Request an in-home walkthrough: While the initial estimate will give you a good idea of your anticipated moving costs, an in-home estimate provides a far more accurate picture. By law, a cross country moving company must provide an in-home estimate, so don’t be afraid to ask for yours! During this walkthrough, a representative from the moving company takes a detailed inventory of everything you plan to move. They use this to calculate the approximate volume and weight of the shipment, which ultimately determines the cost of your move.
- Understand your quote: Once the walkthroughs are complete, make sure that you get the company’s final quote in writing. There are three general types of moving quotes, so make sure you understand what you’re getting:
- Binding moving services quote: A binding estimate means the quote you initially received is what you will pay, regardless of whether or not your actual load ends up weighing more or less than the original estimate.
- Binding-not-to-exceed quote: With a binding-not-to-exceed quote, the company may charge less than originally quoted if the true weight of the shipment is less than the original estimate. However, if the shipment weighs more, you will only pay the original quote. This is usually the best option for consumers.
- Non-binding quote: With this type of quote, the company can adjust the final bill in excess of the original quote if the shipment weighs more than estimated. Generally, you should avoid movers that offer this type of quote.
Ready to get the ball rolling on your moving quotes? Click the button now to fill out our quote form and receive estimates back from movers in just minutes!