Each state has their own regulations for the moving industry. When you hire a Georgia Moving Company they are bound by the laws and regulations in the state of Georgia. If you are moving from Georgia to another state then there are additional laws and regulations that your Georgia Moving Company will have to adhere to. Below you will find a highlight of industry information that we believe is important for you to know.

• The Georgia PSC (Public Service Commission) assumed responsibility for the enforcement and certification of household goods movers effective July 1, 2005. Their website is available by clicking here. The Georgia PSC handles all certification and enforcement for Intrastate (within one state) moves. Their website has a list of licensed movers available and you can click here to see the current list.

• Interstate moves (state to state) are charged based upon the weight and volume of the load as well as the distance the load has to be shipped. In determining weight, a mover will weigh the moving vehicle on a certified scale before and after he unloads your belongings. The difference between the two weights is the net weight of your belongings and is how your final charges will be determined. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) governs these types of moves. You can find more information by clicking here to go to the FMCSA website.

• Moving companies offer estimates to assist you in approximating your moving costs. There are binding estimates and non-binding estimates. A binding estimate is a guarateed price given to you by your moving company. A non-binding estimate is a best guess at cost but actual costs are determined at the end of the move. It is critical that the moving company have a very good inventory of all of the items needing to be moved. Show them everything when they come to your location to conduct the inventory. If there are additional items that need to be packed and moved that are off-site, make sure that the mover knows about these items and has an opportunity to evaluate them as part of the estimate.

• For Intrastate mover (in state), moving costs are calculated at an hourly rate along with the number of movers and trucks required to conduct the move. There are additional charges for the packing materials that will be used. You can negotiate these costs with your moving company. In the state of Georgia there are tarriffs set forth by the Georgia PSC that sets the maximum rates that are allowed to be charged but moving companies like to be competitive. Make sure to ask your mover for their best price and discuss ways that you may be able to save money with them. For example, your mover will usually have certain days of the week that are not as busy as others. If you are able to move on a Tuesday instead of a Friday or Saturday, then you may be able to negotiate a lower rate. Remember, your moving company is your partner in this process.

• Your mover will discuss insurance with you. Do not assume that the base insurance rate will cover all of your belongings. You are responsible for obtaining insurance through your moving company equal to the value that you want to make sure is covered. If you are moving a shipment of electronics, then you will want to ensure that you have an insured amount equal to the value of the electronics that you are shipping. If you are shipping blankets, you will probably want a much lower amount of coverage. The levels of liability and charges for each option vary. Talk with your mover about the various options and check to see what may already be covered under your existing insurance policies. Make sure that you get a copy of the insurance coverage from your mover.

• You may wish to pack some of your belongings yourself to save money. If you do, remember that your mover will usually not accept liability for any damage that occurs to “owner-packed” items. They will most likely require that the movers inspect these boxes prior to loading. When arranging your move make sure to discuss these things with your moving company. Do not get off the phone until you understand what your rights are and what your coverage is on self packed items. Use this knowledge to determine if packing yourself is the best decision for you.

• Be physically present on move day. When the mover packs your items, loads your items, and unloads your items you should be checking everything to make sure that there are no missing items and that everything is in good condition.

• Color code your rooms for easier loading and unloading. When you arrive at your new location, color code the cooresponding rooms so that the movers can unload the boxes into the appropriate rooms for your unpacking. Color coding rooms makes an easy visual on move day and can save time and effort during the unloading process. Group like items in the rooms to be packed. This not only can cut down on the number of boxes that you may required, but also helps you to unpack things more efficiently.

• Research your moving company before you decide to do business with them. All of the information is available that you need to know. We have a very detailed list with the links to the approriate websites on the “Research Your Mover” webpage. As the consumer, you have an obligation to validate what you are told and what you are signing up for. Ask your mover for their USDOT number and their carrier number. Use these to ensure that they are properly licensed and are legally operating in the state of Georgia.

• When in doubt, ask! While most movers operate in good faith and are not out to scam you, there are those out there that are not honest. You should prepare a list of questions that you want to have answered before you call your moving company. This will ensure that you don’t forget something that you wanted to know.

• Lastly, relax! If you have done your due diligence and checked all of the things you needed to check then you can sit back and relax. Your movers will do all of the heavy lifting and packing (if you are selecting their packing services). Remember, you are dealing with professionals.