Moving is complex – there is no doubt about that. It does not matter whether you are moving across the ocean or just around the corner – relocating will take its toll on you. It would be best if you took care of your family, yourself, and your belongings. And doing all that will require much time, energy, and money. However, not all relocations are equal. For instance, relocating furniture is a far cry from relocating fine art. Not only is the process of those relocations completely different, but so are the movers you have to hire. When relocating fine art, you should take your time with everything! Whether you have an extensive collection or just a couple of precious and expensive pieces, you will need somebody to ensure those pieces arrive at your new address intact. Here are a few tips for hiring fine art movers.
Ask for Recommendations
When it comes to knowing the best tips for hiring fine art movers, the first thing you must do is ask for recommendations. However, you should not ask anybody for advice on which movers to hire – you should ask only the people you fully trust.
Ensure you talk to people with experience in moving fine art, not just furniture and household items. Ask them about their moving experience. Please talk about the problems that appeared along the way and how they were handled. If you like what you hear about a particular moving company, congratulations, you have found yourself a fine art mover. But if you still need to, you must do the following steps.
Before you hire delicate art movers, be sure to ask for recommendations.
Do Online Research
If you have no luck with the people you trust, or if none of them have experience in moving fine art, you will have to turn to the Internet. Since almost anything can be found there, be sure to be very specific about what you are looking for. For instance, if you’re looking for the best way to move your fine art or the best place to store it and keep it safe, you must focus your search on businesses that provide art moving and storage services.
Moreover, do more than just call the first company that pops up. Instead, do online research on a couple of them. Start by checking their websites first. Then, move on to their social media accounts and forums. These accounts and forums may be the best place to do your research because you will be able to read the comments from people who used their services there.
Ask for an In-home Estimate
After researching moving company databases such as mastermovingguide.com, you have found several that you like. Now, it is time to call them and meet them in person. The best way to do that is to ask for an estimate. All legitimate moving companies offer free estimates. They can be done online, over the phone, or in-home. If you can choose the last one, always go for that!
In-home estimates are a great way to meet potential movers and ensure they are genuine and legitimate. Moreover, these kinds of estimates are the only thing that can provide you with the exact final price of your move. This is because delicate art movers will visit your home to carefully inspect all the objects that need to be moved and identify any potential roadblocks.
Another one of the tips for hiring fine art movers is that in-home estimates are the best way to ensure you are dealing with reliable movers.
Compare the Bids
After a couple of in-home estimates, you should choose two or three fine art movers whose offers you find pleasing. Then, it is time to compare their bids. Please put all their offers in front of you and carefully examine each detail. Read the small letters at the end of the proposals – usually, that is the place where they mention additional fees.
Do not choose the company that offers the most affordable price for moving your fine art. They may be new, inexperienced, fraudulent, or did not tell you about all the additional fees mentioned above. Always follow the golden rule – if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Choose the company whose moving services suit your needs and budget, and keep the best price-to-service ratio in mind!
Comparing the bids will take a lot of work, so give yourself some time.
Do a Background Check
The last thing you should do before hiring delicate art movers is a background check. When you think you have found your perfect moving company, be sure to read everything about them. Besides checking their legitimacy on social media, you should verify the company’s licensing credentials. You can check whether they are registered for a USDOT Number first. Then, search the movers through the Better Business Bureau.
Remember to make sure your chosen company is not blocklisted anywhere. If it is – that is a huge red flag! And, speaking of red flags, you should also pay attention to complaints from previous clients. Moving reviews are essential when hiring delicate art movers, so read those comments. Doing all of this may seem time and energy-consuming. Still, you do not want to leave anything to chance when relocating something as valuable as fine art.
