skip to content link

Tips on how to negotiate with movers

When you have to move, there are so many things you have to take care off. From finding a new place to live, packing everything you have gathered so far, and finally to transport everything, it can be a bit too much to handle. For this reason, you should hire a moving company. However, not even this is an easy task. Some movers can ask too much money. In order not to spend a small fortune on moving services, here are the tips on how to negotiate with movers. 

Before you start to negotiate with movers, hire them 

Unless you have the relevant moving experience, it is better to find professionals. If you damage some part of your house, an expensive piece of electronics, or you injure yourself, it will cost you. It would be your fault so you could not ask for an insurance claim. In addition to this, when you are moving to Maui from the US, for example, it will be quite complicated to organize transport for your items. For this reason, it is wise to hire professionals to take care of your belongings. In the meantime, you can focus your energy on some other tasks. 

Be careful not to get scammed 

When you plan to negotiate with movers, you have to be careful. If they lower the price too quickly and too easily, you should read this as a red flag. You may think that having a low estimate is great. It is, but it can be also quite suspicious if the price is much lower when compared to other moving companies. In order not get scammed, do your research. Check if they have a license from the U.S. Department of Transportation. In addition to this, make sure to read through the reviews and comments to see if you should hire them. If there are too many negative comments, it is safe to say they are not reliable. 

To negotiate with movers, see what they offer first 

As it was already mentioned, moving your entire household can be expensive. For this reason, you should not hire the first moving company you come across. You have to see what each moving company offers after you make a background check on them. There can be a pretty notable discrepancy between moving companies when it comes to moving fees. You should request an in-house survey of at least three moving companies in order to compare them later. While you are getting your estimates, discuss with them the following points. 
  • See if you should pay for some additional moving services 
  • Decide who will take care of packing and unpacking  
  • Be clear about additional charges – carrying your large furniture through the narrow door, stairs, distance from your house to the moving truck, and so on. 
  • Moving insurance 
two people talking
Ask important questions

Book your moving company on time 

If you want to negotiate with your movers, then hire them on time. Movers will not be so forthcoming if you hire them at the last minute. If you give them a fair amount of time to prepare themselves for your relocation, then they will be more open to discussing with you about the price reduction. The best time to do your relocation would be winter. Not many people have time or energy to deal with the winter move. Because of this, movers have a hard time filling out their schedule. For this reason, use it as an advantage and you can negotiate with them about the fee.  

Choose your relocation day carefully 

Similarly to the previous paragraph, month and a day of the week also play an important factor. The busiest time of the month would be the beginning and the end. As for the days in a week, you should avoid weekends if possible. Since most people do not work during the weekends, they schedule their move either on Saturday or Sunday. You can take all this into the account when you want to negotiate with movers.  It can save you some money while moving.
an opened notebook
Pick the date of your move

Negotiate with movers about moving supplies 

You can always negotiate with your movers about the moving supplies. You do not have to use the boxes from your moving company but find your own. Just ask around or search on the Internet and add the location, for example moving boxes Hawaii. You can see where you can get the boxes for free or for very cheap. A good way to save some money is by buying already used one. In addition to this, if your movers will do the packing, then you can negotiate about the price since you will be using more than one of their services. Maybe they will give you a discount based on the number of services you take. 

Referrals 

If you have moved before, hire the same movers if you are satisfied with their services. Most movers will appreciate your loyalty by lowering the price. In addition to this, if this is your first time moving, then ask friends and family for a recommendation. Make sure to tell your movers who recommended them, so you will get a discount as a referral customer. Movers do not have to spend money on advertising if someone else recommends them. In some cases, your friend or a person who gives you the name of the moving company can receive some benefits as well for their next move. Overall, it is a win-win situation for all three parties involved.  It is always easier to ask a friend than to try to recognize legitimate reviews. 

Some additional tips 

Emphasize that your move is an easy one. This means movers do not have to climb an endless flight of stairs to reach your apartment. Also, you do not have large pieces of furniture to dismantle or to carry to the moving truck. Lastly, if you see an opportunity, you can always mention that someone else offered less. However, this might not work in every situation. 
after you negotiate with your movers, shake hands
Use these tips to seal the deal

How to negotiate with movers 

As you can see, there are several ways to negotiate with movers. Pick yours carefully! 
Google Rating
4.9
Based on 382 reviews
×
js_loader