Choosing the Right Movers for Local and Long Distance in Minnesota

Most people hire a mover once every seven or eight years, so nobody is really good at it. That is the whole problem. You get three quotes, they look nothing alike, and the cheapest one usually turns out to be the one that adds charges on moving day. Here is how we tell people to sort it out, whether the truck is going across Anoka County or across the state.

Start with the kind of move

A local move is priced by the hour, and the hours depend on how much stuff you have, how far the crew carries it, and how many flights of stairs are at each end.

Inside Minnesota, local and long distance moves fall under the same state rules and are usually priced by the hour.

Ask who will do the work

Ask two questions before you compare prices. Will my crew be your employees or someone you subcontracted? And who do I call if something gets damaged? The answers tell you more than the hourly rate does.

Read the estimate, not the total

The total is the least useful number on the page. Look for what is included and what is not.

On a local hourly estimate, confirm the crew size, the truck size, the hourly rate, whether there is a travel fee or a fuel surcharge, and how the drive is billed. On a long distance move, also confirm the delivery window in writing. Ask about stairs, long carries over 75 feet, elevators, and whether a shuttle truck is needed if the truck cannot get close to the door. Those are the four charges that surprise people most.

Packing is the other big swing. A full pack of a three bedroom home is a real cost, and it is worth it if you are short on time. Partial packing, where the crew wraps furniture and fragile items but you pack your own boxes, is the middle ground most families pick.

Watch for the red flags

A few things should end the conversation. A firm price given before anyone has gone over what is moving, room by room. A deposit that is not explained in writing, or a demand for cash only. A price that changes the day before the move with no explanation. And a company with no physical address in Minnesota that you can drive past.

Also ask who will be at your door on moving day. Some companies only sell the move and hand it to another mover, so make sure the company you hire is the one whose crew shows up.

Time it right for Minnesota

Late May through Labor Day is the busiest stretch of the year here, and the first and last days of the month are the busiest days inside it. If you can move mid month, on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, you will usually get a better rate and a crew that is not rushing to the next job. Winter moves are quieter and often cheaper, but plan for salt, slush and frozen ground, and give the crew a clear, shoveled path.

Two to three weeks is comfortable for most local moves. The end of the month, the first weekend of the month and the summer season fill up fastest, so book earlier if your date falls there.

The bottom line

Hire the company that went over the job with you, explained the charges, and put the same numbers in writing that they said on the phone. That is a much better signal than the lowest bid.

If you are moving anywhere in Minnesota, from Anoka and Andover to Blaine, Coon Rapids, Ramsey, Elk River or Champlin, call us or send the short form and a coordinator goes over your move with you, by phone or at your home. Your written estimate follows, with every charge on its own line.