Common questions
Using this site
What happens after I submit the form?
Your request goes to one independent moving company covering your town. They call or text back, talk through the move with you, and put together a written estimate. Hire them or don't, your choice.
Does asking cost anything?
No. The request is free and the company quotes you their own price. If you hire them, you pay them directly.
Will several companies call me?
No. One company gets your request. Nobody else sees your number.
Are you the movers?
No. This is a referral service. The work is done by an independent moving company that calls you back.
Scheduling
When is the best time to book?
Whenever you can. If your dates are flexible, say so in the form; it changes who can do the job and what day you get.
How much advance notice do typical moves need?
As early as your dates allow. Summer and the end of a month fill first everywhere, so flexible dates widen your options. Last-minute moves do happen, but whether a company has room is a question only they can answer.
The mover will say what their schedule looks like when they call you back. That conversation is the only reliable way to lock in a date.
The estimate
What does a local move cost?
It depends on crew hours, and crew hours depend on things you know: how many stairs, whether the building needs an elevator reserved and a certificate of insurance, how far the truck parks from your front door, how many boxes already exist, and which direction the day goes across town. A real estimate comes after those answers, itemizes the work, and arrives on paper.
Is the estimate written or verbal?
Written. Washington requires movers to give you a written estimate before the move starts. A company that dodges putting numbers on paper is telling you something.
Can the price change after they arrive?
The mover should explain up front how hourly billing handles surprises (extra stairs, heavy furniture, dock delays). What you never want is a price invented on your porch. Legal movers follow state rules on estimates and charges; ask how theirs would apply to a slower-than- planned morning and see how straight the answer is.
On move day
Who packs what?
Whatever you agree to. Many people pack their own boxes and hire the crew for loading, transport, and reassembly. Full packing service exists too and prices differently. Both go in the estimate; nothing needs to be improvised.
My building needs a certificate of insurance. Is that normal?
For condo towers and managed apartments across the county, yes. The building asks the moving company for a COI naming it, sometimes before an elevator can be reserved. Tell the mover your building's rules when they call; good companies handle the paper quickly. The form has a spot for elevator and access details, use it.
What about the rain?
King County moves happen wet most of the year. Crews plan for it: tarping, floor runners, staging boxes to keep cardboard from turning mush at a wet curb.
Trust
How do I know the mover is legitimate?
Washington regulates household goods movers through the Utilities and Transportation Commission, and a company that handles residential moves in this state without a UTC permit is breaking the law. The UTC publishes how to choose a licensed mover and check their permit. Ask for the company's permit number and look it up. Permitted movers also have to give you the state's Consumer Moving Guide.
Something got damaged. What now?
Report it in writing. State rules require the mover to acknowledge a written loss or damage claim within 10 days under the UTC's process. If the company's answer satisfies you, done. If not, the UTC Consumer Protection Help Line at 1-888-333-WUTC (9882) can help, and complaints can be filed with the commission directly.