No matter how excited you are to move into your new home, the process of looking for reliable moving services can be difficult. Whether you need to move an entire house or an apartment, moving can be incredibly overwhelming. Thankfully, moving doesn’t have to be stressful if you hire some help. However, when it comes to hiring a professional moving service be sure to understand the type of service you are getting by getting a written estimate.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires any moving company to provide potential clients with a written estimate. A written estimate has more weight and is more legal compared to a verbal estimate. As required by the FMCSA, a moving company must give the consumer a written estimate of all the possible charges that will be incurred in moving the items. Once you and the company agree on it, the agreement has to be signed and it is just as important that the document be dated.
There are two types of estimates that moving services will offer you: binding and non-binding. What is the difference between a binding estimate and a non-binding estimate? As defined by the FMCSA, a binding estimate is one where you as the consumer, will not pay the moving company more that what is stated in the estimate. However, if there are any changes to the original agreement, then you and the moving services you have hired can do one of three things:
- Both you and the company may agree to proceed with the binding estimate despite the change;
- Both you and the company can agree to cancel the old binding estimate and draft a new one; or
- Agree to convert the binding estimate into a non-binding one.
If the company does not negotiate a new agreement with you or offer a conversion, then once the goods are loaded, the original binding estimate is considered enforced. Still, even with this provision, there remain special situations wherein the company can charge you for additional expenses.
A non-binding estimate on the other hand is done to give you an idea of how much you will spend to move your stuff. Though it may not be the final amount, a non-binding estimate will give you a price that is close to the actual one. The good thing about a non-binding estimate is that the moving services will not require you to pay more than 110% of what was originally estimated at the time of the delivery.
To know more about estimates, visit connecticutsfinestmovers.com as they will be able to answer any additional questions you may have and more.
