If you’ve decided to hire a mover, you want to find the right company to trust with moving your valuables. Use this list of questions to help find a reputable mover.

• How long has the company been in business?
• How long has the salesperson or estimator you’re speaking with been in the industry?
• Is the mover certified?
• Have any complaints been filed against the company? If so, what were they and what measures have they taken to rectify the situation? Check with the Better Business Bureau.
• Does the van line have a formal quality ratings program? If so, what are these scores and can you see them?
• How experienced is the actual moving crew?
• Is the moving crew bonded?
• Is there a third-party service provider that will be involved in moving specialty items like a pool table, piano or grandfather clock? If so, who are they? If not, how will such items be handled?

If the company is local, drive by their establishment to see in what kind of condition the building and trucks are kept.

First impressions really do count. Judge your estimator on their professionalism, attention to detail and responsiveness to your inquiries. Also make sure they give a thorough explanation of their pricing and process, e.g., whether the estimate is binding or nonbinding. These things can be very telling of the company philosophy and how comfortable you'll be working with them.