From Jennifer Lai,
Your Guide to Apartment Living / Rental.
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Hiring a moving company can be very expensive. Yet hiring the cheapest mover might place your belongings in the hands of a clumsy and careless mover. Add to that the handful of disreputable movers and it's no wonder moving is so stressful. Read on for a basic guide to finding a reliable moving company.

Pricing for local moves

Movers charge by the hour for local moves. Many circumstances factor into the length of time, including: the floor you live on, the floor you're moving to, whether either has an elevator, the number of boxes you have, and the traffic.

Research the company

Don't get caught with a mover that is consistently late, charges high above the estimate, or deals in any other shady practices. Follow these research tips:

• Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed against the company.
  
  
• Check if the mover is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The website lists only "interstate" companies (those that can move from one state to another). Note: You may use an interstate mover, even if you're moving within a state.
  
  
• Check if the mover belongs to any trade organizations, such as the American Moving & Storage Association or a state movers association.
  
  
• Ask your friends, neighbors, and coworkers for companies they've used and liked. There is nothing like a positive evaluation from a trusted individual or someone who has similar needs as you.
  
  
• Ask if the company has a "dispute settlement program." This is confident sign that their mission is to serve you well.
• Check whether the moving is insured or bonded. Most reputable companies will offer some kind of insurance against damage to your goods or the premises.

Get estimates from more than one company

After you have found several reliable companies, ask them for a free estimate. You may ask for an estimate over the phone or the Internet, especially if you are short on time. Nevertheless, it is always most accurate to have a representative come to your residence and see how much will be moved. (Beware of movers who refuse to perform on-site estimates; this is a sign of an untrustworthy mover.)

If you are moving long distance, you certainly want to obtain an in-person estimate.

Make sure to have the following information ready:

• The addresses of your old residence and new apartment.
  
  
• The floor of your current residence (for phone / Internet estimates).
  
  
• The floor of your new apartment.
  
  
• Whether or not there is an elevator.
  
  
• Whether there is space for the truck to park in front of the building.
  
  
• Which hours you're allowed to move (some apartment buildings restrict moving hours to certain times). This can affect how much traffic there will be.

There are three types of estimates that you may receive:

• Binding: This quote is assured and may fluctuate only slightly.
  
  
• Non-binding: This price is based on the mover's experience of situations similar to yours. The actual price can be drastically different from the estimate, but only by so much. By law, the actual price cannot increase by more than 10% from the estimated price. So, for example, if the estimate is $100, the actual price cannot be more than $110.
  
  
• Not-to-exceed: The final price cannot exceed this quote.

After receiving several estimates, go with one that both meets your budget and that you feel comfortable working with.