Paying Movers Before or After... What's Best

Moving is a complex task that often requires hours and hours of hard labor. One of the best ways to ease the process is to hire a moving company.

A company that takes the heavy lifting off your shoulders and allows you to focus on what matters - starting a beautiful, new chapter in your life.
But there’s a lot that goes into hiring these companies. You have to book it at the right time, deal with the moving process, and most of all, deal with the resolution and payment. So, in this article, we’re here to help you figure out the best way to pay your moving company before or after.

We’ll outline a few different options when it comes to paying your moving company and go over a few red flags to avoid that may indicate you need to find another company.

First, look at a common payment method used by various moving companies worldwide.

Some moving companies require an upfront deposit for their services. This is simply a safeguard for them to ensure they won’t be ripped off.

Here are a few things to remember when your moving company asks for an upfront payment.

• The amount: The amount your moving company asks for as an upfront payment is a key factor to look out for. It should be, at most $500, as it is suspicious and makes up a large sum of the actual fee. Generally, anything in the $150-$350 range is a safe bet for a down deposit. 
• The Paperwork: It’s important to monitor the agreement's documentation. Make sure there is a contract in place that ensures you will receive the services you pay for and that the moving company will receive the full sum of money for those services. 
• Your Research: Ensure you’ve researched and confirmed that an upfront deposit is a normal policy for the moving company. 

Next, we’ll look at a few warning signs when paying your moving company. These points indicate that you may want to look for a different moving company.

• The Payment Method: All transactions with moving companies should be done via card. Never accept cash as a payment method, as there is no proof of transaction. If you pay with cash, you cannot defend yourself if something goes wrong and the company demands more money. Remember, documentation is key.
• Large Upfront Payment: As the last section discussed, if your moving company is asking for more than $500 as an upfront deposit, it’s wise to move on and find a new company. 

The ideal payment process for paying your moving company is as follows. Once the service is complete, you’ve verified your belongings are safe and undamaged, and the movers have moved everything into your new home, it’s time to pay.

If an upfront deposit is required, you pay the remaining amount for the service. All payments should be made with a credit or debit card, with a written contract outlining the scope of work and cost.

To sum it up, your movers should be paid when the service is completed.

After your movers have successfully moved all your belongings into your new house and left everything undamaged, consider leaving them a tip. All tips should be left after the service is complete and done when you pay the fee.

There are a few things to look out for when deciding whether or not to tip your movers.

• Were They On Time? Did your moving company arrive when they said they would, and did they have the necessary supplies to do the job?
• Were They Extra Careful With Your Belongings? Did they take precautions, especially with fragile items during the moving process? A great way to determine this is to watch how they load your belongings into the moving truck. Did they seem in a rush? Or were they calm and collected to ensure nothing was damaged?
• Were they communicative? Did they go out of their way to communicate and help you make the smoothest move possible? A great indicator to look out for is their follow-up process before the move. Did they give you an estimated time of arrival in advance? Did they ask if there’s anything extra they can do? Did they ask if you have any special requests? If your moving company asked you these questions before or upon their arrival, it may be worth leaving a good tip. 

Generally,  a 20% tip is adequate provided the service is effective and on time.

When embarking on your moving journey, it’s important to ensure you receive the highest-quality moving service on the market. Avoid companies that ask for cash, upfront payments over $500, or lack paperwork.

We wish you the best and smoothest moving journey, and cheers to starting a new chapter in your life in a brand new, exciting area!