The questions you ask before booking a mover matter more than the sales pitch you get, because a good mover will answer plainly and a bad one will dodge. At CG Moving Company, we expect these questions and would rather a prospective client ask all of them than none. If you want the fuller picture on verifying credentials, our guide on what makes a mover licensed and insured in California goes deeper on that specific piece.
What should you ask about licensing and insurance?
Ask for their license number, insurance coverage, and how to verify both.
Any legitimate mover can produce this information immediately, without hesitation or vague reassurance.
- What is your license or permit number, and can I verify it myself?
- What insurance coverage applies to my belongings during the move?
- Are you authorized for interstate moves, intrastate moves, or both?
What should you ask about the estimate itself?
Ask whether it’s binding, what’s included, and what could change the final price.
A vague estimate today becomes a dispute on move day. Our explainer on how a moving estimate actually gets built walks through the full process.
- Is this estimate binding, non-binding, or binding not-to-exceed?
- What’s included, and what would trigger an additional charge?
- How do you calculate travel time and fuel?
What should you ask about the crew and the day itself?
Ask who shows up, how long it takes, and who to call with problems.
The day-of experience depends on details that rarely make it into a sales conversation unless you ask directly.
- Will the crew be employees or subcontracted labor?
- What’s your estimated arrival window and total time on site?
- Who do I contact if something goes wrong during the move?
What should you ask about paperwork?
Ask to see the bill of lading and inventory list before the truck is loaded.
The bill of lading is the contract for your move, and you should read it before signing, not after. See our breakdown of what a bill of lading is and why you should read it for what to look for.
What should you ask if your move involves storage?
Ask how storage is priced, accessed, and tracked if your move involves a gap.
Not every move goes straight from one address to the next, and storage adds its own set of details worth asking about before you sign anything.
- Is storage priced separately from the move itself, and how?
- Can I see or request specific items while they’re in storage?
- How is my inventory tracked between pickup and final delivery?
A mover who answers these questions clearly, and puts the answers in writing, is one worth hiring. Contact our team with your own list of questions and we’ll answer every one of them before you commit to a date.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many moving companies should you actually get quotes from?
Three estimates is usually enough to get a reasonable sense of the range and spot anything that looks off, without dragging the process out over weeks. Getting quotes from companies that each did their own walkthrough or detailed inventory, rather than a quick guess over the phone, matters more than the raw number you collect.
What's a red flag during an initial sales call with a mover?
A company that won’t give you a license number, pushes you to book before you’ve asked your own questions, or asks for a large cash deposit upfront is worth being cautious about. A legitimate mover expects these questions and answers them without hesitation, since it’s a normal part of how clients vet a company before booking.
Should you ask for an in-home or video walkthrough instead of a phone estimate?
For anything beyond a small move, yes, since a mover who hasn’t seen your actual belongings is estimating based on guesswork rather than what’s really in your home. An in-home or video walkthrough gives a more accurate inventory and a more reliable estimate than a phone call alone, which is part of why we offer both options.
Is it a problem if a moving company asks for a deposit before the move?
A reasonable deposit isn’t unusual, but the amount and timing matter. Be cautious of a company asking for a large percentage of the total cost well in advance, especially in cash, since that pattern shows up often in moving scams. A deposit tied to a clear written agreement, rather than a vague verbal request, is the safer version of this common practice.
Send us your own list of questions through our contact page and we’ll answer every one before you book a date.
