Most people book a mover on the strength of one phone call and a figure that sounded about right. That goes fine until the truck arrives with two movers instead of four, or the bill has a line for stairs that nobody brought up. A short list of questions, asked before you put down a deposit, catches almost all of that.
Short answer: Ask for the license numbers and check them yourself. Ask what happens when something breaks, and who exactly will be in your home on the day. Then ask how the estimate was built, what would push it up, what they refuse to load, and what happens if you have to cancel or move the date. A mover who does this well answers each of those without a pause and offers to put the answers in writing.
Are you licensed, and what are the numbers?
Start here because it takes the least time and rules out the most. California licenses household movers at the state level, and any company that crosses a state line needs federal operating authority as well, which is the USDOT number. Ask for both. A legitimate company gives them to you on the phone and does not mind that you are going to check. (Hulk Movers is USDOT 3358690. We would rather you verify it than take our word.)
A good answer is the numbers, the legal name the license is under, and a suggestion that you look them up before you sign anything. A bad answer is "We're fully licensed, don't worry about it." If the name on the truck and the name on the license don't match, ask why. Our guide on how to vet a moving company in San Diego walks through where to look the numbers up.
What happens when something breaks?
Two separate things get lumped together here. Insurance protects the company: liability if a mover damages your building, workers' compensation if someone gets hurt on your stairs. Valuation is the mover's responsibility for your belongings, and it is not insurance in the strict sense. The basic level is figured by weight, not by what the item is worth, so a light, expensive thing like a monitor is covered for very little. Full value protection is something you choose and pay for separately.
Ask which level is in the quote in front of you and how you would raise it. Ask what a claim looks like in practice: photos, a deadline, who signs off. Ask whether they can send a certificate of insurance to your building, because most high-rises in downtown San Diego will not let a crew near the elevator without one. You want both kinds of coverage explained in plain words and the claim process laid out before you ask. "Everything is covered" is not an answer.
Who is actually showing up?
The person quoting the job is rarely the person carrying the sofa. Ask whether the crew are employees and whether the truck is theirs. Some companies book the job and hand it to whoever is free that morning, which is how you get a crew that has never seen your inventory. On long-distance moves, ask whether their truck goes the whole way or your load is handed to a partner carrier somewhere in between, and if so, who that carrier is and what its license number is.
A good answer names a crew lead, or at least says the company that quoted the job will be the one doing it. If a partner carrier is involved, they tell you before you ask.
How was this estimate built, and what changes it?
Ask what the figure is based on. A quote built from a walkthrough, in person or on video, with a written inventory is worth something. One built from "two bedrooms, about how many boxes?" is a guess, and guesses get revised on moving day. Ask whether it is hourly or flat, and if hourly, when the clock starts and stops. Then ask what would make the final bill higher than the estimate, and expect a specific list.
The usual answers are more stuff than the inventory showed, packing that was supposed to be done and wasn't, and access problems at either end. A mover who has worked this county will bring up access on their own, because that is where estimates go wrong here. If they are doing the packing, ask how that is counted. Get the estimate in writing with the conditions spelled out.
What counts as extra?
This is the question people skip. Stairs beyond a certain number of flights. A long carry when the truck cannot get close to the door. A shuttle, meaning a smaller truck ferrying loads from the big one, when the street will not take a full-size rig. In San Diego these come up constantly, in the alleys off the boardwalk in Mission Beach and in the Little Italy loading zones you share with every restaurant delivery on the block. Ask which of these they charge for and how each is measured, and make them tell you at the walkthrough rather than at the curb.
The answer you want is boring: each item named, each with a plain rule, all of it on the written estimate. If an apartment is on either end, our post on stairs, parking, and tight spaces covers what you can do on your side to keep those lines off the bill.
What if I cancel, and what won't you load?
Two last questions, both short. First, what happens if you cancel or move the date? Ask whether the deposit comes back, what the cutoff is, and whether shifting the job by a day or two counts as canceling. Get it in writing. Escrow dates slip, and it is never your idea.
Second, what will they not load? Every mover has a list, and it is worth hearing before you pack. Propane tanks, gasoline, open paint, aerosols, and pool chemicals stay behind, and some companies also decline plants and open food. San Diego County runs a household hazardous waste program for that sort of thing, so ask early and plan a drop-off run. Then ask how they handle building rules and parking. A good mover asks you about the elevator and where the truck will sit before you get the chance to ask them.
If you would like to put these questions to us, call (619) 886-0110 any day between 8am and 8pm, or request a free estimate and we will answer every one of them in writing.
Common questions
Is a USDOT number enough to prove a San Diego mover is legitimate?
Not by itself. A USDOT number shows the company is registered for interstate work, but a local move inside California falls under state licensing, so ask for that permit too. Check that the legal name on both matches the name on your contract, and that the authority is active rather than lapsed or revoked.
What is the difference between a mover's insurance and valuation coverage?
Insurance protects the company and the people around the move: liability for damage to a building, workers' compensation for the crew. Valuation is the mover's responsibility for your belongings. The basic level is figured by weight and pays very little on light, expensive items, so ask how to raise it if you own things like that.
Should I be worried if a mover uses subcontractors?
Not automatically, but you should know before you book. Ask whether the crew are the company's own employees, whether the truck is theirs, and on long-distance jobs whether your load changes hands. If a partner carrier is involved, get its name and license number so you know who is responsible at each stage of the trip.
What should I have in writing before moving day?
The estimate with the inventory it was built from, the conditions that would change it, the coverage level you chose, and the cancellation and reschedule terms. If your building needs a certificate of insurance, keep a copy of that too. Anything a mover says on the phone but will not write down should be treated as if it was never said.
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