Top 10 Moving Companies in New York, NY
Frequently asked questions about moving companies
There are a lot of great moving companies out there, but a moving business can also be a guise for a scam meant to extort money from innocent people by holding their belongings hostage. There are some tried and true ways to avoid having this happen to you. To keep your move stress-free and honest, keep an eye out for the following red flags when you’re vetting movers:
- Read online reviews. When you type in a search term like “Moving companies near me,” you’ll get many results. This initial search is your first chance to browse and shortlist companies with good reviews. Chances are, if there is an overwhelming amount of negative reviews, the company is either a scam or has poor business practices that you don’t want to experience first-hand. A small number of poor reviews (depending on the issue) is common, and if you’re looking for a mover with only 5-star reviews, you might be looking for a while.Another tool for vetting movers is to search for complaints filed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. If your mover has held or currently holds a license, any complaints registered against them will be logged for transparency.
- Assess websites and social media. The quality and amount of information on a company’s website can tell you much about its legitimacy. Questionable businesses often won’t publish an address, making it difficult for you to follow up in person when there are issues. Likewise, you should expect to see an outline of available services, testimonials, and links to any social media profiles.
- Don’t trust a company that gives you a quote without an on-site visit. Some movers will give you an enticingly low quote to reel you in. While this might seem tempting, it often indicates a company that isn’t upfront about how they bill, at best — or is an outright scam.
- Sign (and read) an agreement. Make sure you read the fine print and never trust a mover that tries to move forward without having you sign an agreement that protects both of you.
- Call or visit a storefront before signing an agreement. Once you have a list of two or three potential professional movers, take the time to call or visit a storefront. That call or visit can tell you a couple of important things. First, they have public premises and are a legitimate business. Second, they answer the phone with the company's name and not a generic greeting, which can be a red flag.
- Investigate third-party insurance. Be wary of movers who tell you their insurance will cover all your things. This explanation often isn’t the case, and you should ensure you have the right coverage from a third-party insurance agency.
If you're hiring a mover for an interstate move, they’ll need a US Department of Transportation (USDOT) license. For local movers, requirements will vary based on your state. Some states still require movers to hold a valid license from the USDOT, but not all do. Check with your local or county consumer affairs office or your state attorney general’s office to know the rules in your area.
Once you know if your state requires movers to have a USDOT license, you can check for a list of registered movers to ensure your chosen moving company complies.
If you’re moving internationally, be sure to ask if the company is registered with an international movers’ federation. If they are registered with a federation, ask to see proof of that membership as well as the company’s Federal Maritime Commission number.
Long-distance moves can be within the same state, but often this term is used to mean a move that crosses state lines. If that’s the case for you, you’ll need to take extra steps to ensure your moving company has the licenses needed to transport your things from one state to another. Local moving companies may need licenses but have fewer requirements than long-distance movers.
It’s okay to be overly skeptical if you ask a mover if they handle long-distance or interstate moves and you get an answer like “We can” or “That should be fine.” There are specific rules around interstate moves, and your mover should be confident in their answer, indicating that they’ve done this before and have the required certifications and licenses.
Smaller moving companies can be great to work with when you hire movers. However, you may want peace of mind with a recognizable, big-name company for long-distance moves.
Be sure to research long-distance move insurance options. Be clear that your goods must be insured from the start to the end of the journey. Be sure to ask your moving company for a free moving valuation. Finally, always ask for three different cost estimates. An in-person estimate not only provides you with financial considerations, but allows you to evaluate the professionalism of the company. Once you choose a moving company, you have made a commitment. It makes sense to do research up front to make the move safe and efficient.
The worst-case scenario when you hire movers is paying a large upfront deposit and then your belongings disappear. Calls and emails go unreturned for days or weeks, and finding an address for the company is difficult or impossible. Some scams demand more money for the safe return of your property, which could be damaged if you even get it back.
Taking the precautions we’ve outlined will help you avoid this situation. Still, suppose you have a bad experience with your moving company. In that case, you can take steps to help others avoid having the same experience as you:
- Submit a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB is a resource for consumers when vetting a potential business and filing a complaint if they encounter misleading advertising, poor business practices, or scams.
- File a complaint with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The USDOT and FMCSA are the regulating bodies responsible for licensing moving companies in the US. If you run into trouble with your mover, file a complaint here and with the BBB.
- Post an online review. Google Reviews is becoming a more powerful tool for consumers, requiring businesses to be accountable for their irresponsible or illegal actions by potentially losing business. Trolls aside, posting a review online is a great way to let others know what to expect if they choose to work with the same company, or at least — what your experience was.
- Take to social media. Social platforms have influence, and using that to let others know about a scam — or just a negative experience — can help the business improve its practices and future customers to sidestep the same situation you encountered.
Below is a handy list of times to get in touch with moving companies to have the smoothest moving experience.
- If you’re moving all of your property long-distance. Unless you have independent access to a moving truck and several days to drive, you’ll likely want to hire professional movers for bigger jobs. Another option is to hire furniture movers for more oversized items like your sofa, sitting chairs, dining room table, etc., and take the smaller or more fragile items yourself.
- With as much lead time as possible. Leaving plenty of time is particularly important for long-distance and interstate moves. The logistics for these types of moves take time to coordinate, and the further the distance, the more time your mover will want to get plans in place. It’s possible that you can schedule a long-distance move at the last minute, but you’ll likely pay a premium that you could’ve avoided by booking in advance.
- Before choosing a moving company. Once you do your initial online search for “movers near me,” read reviews, and shortlist a few companies, it’s time to get in touch. This step will let you verify the legitimacy of the moving company you chose so you can avoid any potential headaches from scams.
- When you’re ready to schedule an on-site walk-through. Good moving companies will require a walk-through of most homes. Some exceptions are if you live in a smaller space, like a one or two-bedroom apartment, and can give your mover a reasonably accurate list of how much you have to move.
As you’re planning a long-distance move, consider all the options available.
Hire professional movers for everything.
This is the easiest option. Having pros move your things frees you to travel to your new location on your timeline. Maybe you take a vacation on your way or visit family or friends!
However, having professional movers take on an end-to-end job is the most expensive option. Your property will be out of your sight and control during the move and you’ll need to pay for third-party insurance.
Rent a moving truck and pack it yourself.
If you’re looking for the cheapest way to move long distances, this is it! You get to keep your things with you during your whole move and if you plan your route well, you can make some fun road trip stops.
While this is the least expensive option, you’ll need to invest the time to load your moving truck, which is a labor-intensive job. Plus, someone needs to drive the truck, which can be an experience if you’ve never driven a large vehicle before.
Rent a moving truck, but hire movers to help load and unload.
This option allows you to leave the heavy lifting to the pros and since movers charge by the hour, if you’re well-organized, you can have them in and out in a few hours for a reasonable price. Movers also come prepped with plastic wrap and will disassemble furniture like your bedframe or dining room table if you don’t have time to do it yourself.
If you choose this option, make sure you label all boxes by room so you can avoid a chaotic unpacking experience. Remember, you’ll still need to have someone onboard used to driving a large moving truck and you won’t have the same flexibility to travel on your schedule since you’ll be paying by the day for your rental truck.
Hire furniture movers and drive the smaller items in your vehicle.
This option allows you to hire out moving the cumbersome things, saving your time (and your back) and if you coordinate with your moving company, you can have all your furniture delivered when you arrive, making the move-in process more pleasant.
Be aware that long-distance furniture movers charge by weight, so if you have lots of heavy wood furniture, it can get costly. Also, fragile items, like glassware, need lots of packing material, so they don’t break during travel. You might end up with more boxes than you can fit in your vehicle.
Recent reviews for New York Movers
In the past, we have hired movers several times both in Brooklyn and New York, but this time we found this moving company on Google and Yelp with many good reviews so we decided to choose the movers for our fully furnished 2-bedroom apartment. The Custom...
Cheap price including insurance, professional movers who worked fast. My friend recommended us to hire this company and it was a good choice. They packed our 2 bedroom apartment with a lot of furniture, art and antique and some fragile things were packed ...
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We scheduled a move with Flatrate movers but at the very last moment they called and cancelled our move, so we had to find a local inexpensive moving company near Brooklyn for the same day move. This company gave us the best rates even compare to Flatrate...
The three guys were very professional and the move took 4 hours and all my belongings were carefully packed and loaded. I did not pay any hidden charges and the guys were nice, so I would highly recommend this moving company for any move. Fast And Efficie...
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Cheap price including insurance, professional movers who worked fast. My friend recommended us to hire this company and it was a good choice. They packed our 2 bedroom apartment with a lot of furniture, art and antique and some fragile things were packed ...
The experience has been very good, very good value for money. Very good treatment and very fast. Very nice people and they have made the move very fast. Immediately he contacted me and everything went in the best way.
I thought that moving was a complete disaster and more in the distance at wich my family and I were going, I informed myself and I met many moving companies until I found in United Recolation NY a company that in addition to providing me with a safe trans...
Moving is painful, until you hire the right people. My moving was so different that what I am used to thanks to the crew from United they provided me with quality of service and the safety my belongings demanded. Truly recommend these people.
A very responsible company, safe and with the lowest prices, my move was successful we did not have any broken objects, everything went perfectly.
He decided to move me many times, this time the experience was unique a fast and safe process, the staff of this company is very orderly, careful, very reliable I do not hesitate to recommend them.
Everything You Need to Know About New York Moving Companies
I’m searching for Movers servicing my zip code in New York.
Many movers provide service to multiple zip codes in and around New York. Browse through a sample of the Movers in New York below to find the right professional in your area for your project. Remember to contact each of these professionals individually to ask about their prices, recent successful moving services jobs, how they bill, and what licenses or permits they have or will have to get for your job:
- Easy Moving & Storage Inc:
- Service Area Zip Code: 10154 and 10457
- Nice New York Moving and Storage:
- Service Area Zip Code: 10179
- Northeastern Van Lines:
- Service Area Zip Code: 10547, 10305 and 10562
If you weren't able to find the right mover company that services your New York zip code, don't worry. Try contacting the company directly to ask them what surrounding areas they also service near New York.
Moving Services isn’t exactly what I’m looking for. Are there more specific services similar to movers available in New York?
If you’ve determined that moving services are not quite what you were looking for, or if you had a specific project in mind that is similar to moving services, we can still help you find the right professional in New York.
New York has 50 mover professionals that can help you with your moving services job. Head to our Pros Page to find specific movers-pros in New York.
What New York zip codes are served by Movers?
New York has 50 total Mover companies that service multiple zip codes. We've put together a list of areas in and around New York with the most Movers:
All Moving Companies in New York, NY
Latest projects near New York
I am moving several boxes a 4 drawer lateral file cabinet (48 wide) computer printer and related wires/connectors computer table desk lamp several framed pictures from my office in New York cioty to my apartment in Edgewater NJ.
I will be moving to a condo from a house . I have some furniture which is on 1st level .. 5 steps to enter house . And I will have boxes and bags
Customer did not provide additional comments. Please contact the customer to discuss the details of this project.
699 Kapkowski Road, Elizabeth, NJ 07201
Tue, Oct. 1, 2019
20 Hawthorne Lane, Great Neck, NY 11023
Tue, Oct. 1, 2019
1
0
need a large van to move several items but not a full house move from bronx to east hampton - a bed somne lamps a rug and a small sofa
114 Troutman Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Sun, Jan. 19, 2020
2168 East Gordon Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Sun, Jan. 19, 2020
2
970
Customer did not provide additional comments. Please contact the customer to discuss the details of this project.
I live in a one-bedroom apt. and will be moving my bedroom furniture which consists of a long dresser one nightstand and a mirror. I also have living room furniture a couch with chaise lounger and a living room table two bar stools. and several boxes and two TVs hat are already boxed.
I need to move two wall units two heavy upholstered chairs two short foldable bookcases and about 20 to thirty boxes and bins of which the majority are filled with books. The items are currently on the third floor of a school building and need to be moved to the second floor of a home. There is an elevator in the school but the furniture will not fit in it. Currently I am looking for an estimate of pricing.