Moving is a very difficult time for everyone involved with the process. It is common and normal to place most of your effort into making sure that you keep your family in control and by doing that you generally run the risk of pushing through the movers inquiry phase as I like to call it, quickly. Which in effect, could possibly leave you questioning yourself in thinking if you did the right thing by jumping into hiring the moving company that you did without doing some homework first?

Just jot down these few simple questions to ask your perspective moving company representative that can make all the difference in the world in what you end up actually paying for.

First, I know that it's impulsive to want to grab at a cheap rate from professional movers but don't without looking beyond that. There is more to movers than just shelling over a credit card. Services that you think should come with the job actually don't, like moving furniture up and down stairs or unhooking the washer and dryer.

Furniture moving and unhooking appliances are extra services that you have to pay for. These are sometimes posted on moving company's websites in the tips for moving section. Specifically ask your perspective mover what charges are involved with moving furniture? Because like I said movers charge for extra for flights of stairs they have to walk up and down to.

This is another important tip. You need to estimate how much stuff you'll be moving. This is a question moving companies will ask you and if you don't know you will run the risk of paying more money because they will then have to guess. By them doing this they will over estimate to compensate for the possibility of you having more, which you will pay for.

If you find that you're just not sure because you live in a big house with a basement and an attic to access, you can then have a representative from the moving company come to your home and see the quantity in person before giving an estimate. This person may be able to bring up circumstances you hadn't considered or items you overlooked. This is an added benefit to larger moving companies so you might want to take advantage of that service.

As a rule I always suggest to people to do some investigating. Don't just settle for what representatives tell you. It's their job to make the company they work for sound peachy king. What you can do is look into your mover's DOT license, and ask for references from past clients and go to the better business bureau's web site and do an inquiry.

If you are moving far, like from one side of the country to the next, in the moving industry that is referred to as interstate moving. Interstate movers are required to publish their rates and are required to participate in a dispute resolution program. For an in-state move, think of this as a good indicator of a reputable and established moving company and one to consider.

Also, you need to be on the safe side because really an accident is just that an accident that nobody intended to cause. So with that said, you need to be very clear on the process for resolving claims if your mover loses or damages any of your items. Make sure the moving company you choose has adequate protection and if not look into purchasing extra.

So to sum things up in a nut shell, make sure that you don't end up paying for more than you absolutely have to with moving companies. Make sure that you ask the moving company to be clear with you about these three important questions; extra charges for moving furniture and appliances, payment arrangements and Insurance for the move, and any packing requirements and supplies. Always get several quotes to insure that you're getting a fair price and always get them in writing.