Crossing borders are exciting and stress-free when heading to bucket-list destinations. But doing so with relocation in mind? Boring, and many times, uninspiring. The stress of loading alone leaves you burnt out even before you hit the road.
A cross-country moving company can help make it stress-free. That’s if you hire the right people though. Engage the right people and you’d be at your location soon enough, and with minimal fuss. Commit to the bad ones and you risk losing your luggage or it’s getting damaged in transit.
This article discusses the what, whys, and how much it takes to get the right guys to move your properties. Before diving into specifics, let’s take a look at this;
Best Cross-Country Moving Companies
A common mistake most greenhorns make when choosing cross-country movers is ignoring the major factors to consider when getting people to move their stuff. Many only go for affordable ones and while that’s not a bad thing, there are other things to look at before making the big decision. Things like; container and shipping services, customer service, and so on.
As you’d expect, there are moving companies who’ve stood the test of time and continued offering the best services one can find around. Here, we take a look at some of them and their areas of expertise:
International Van Lines
IVL is arguably one of the top three best moving companies in the U.S. Its outstanding diversity and reach have made it accessible to all 50 states of the country. As of 2022, IVL serves majorly as a moving broker. High customer satisfaction, attention to detail, and their provision of competitive prices are among the many strengths IVL has built over the years.
They specialize in local and international moving and also use all transportation means to get your items to your new home. Just make sure to look out for these pros and cons when hiring them;
Pros
- Ubiquitous throughout the U.S.
- Top-notch customer service.
- Free storage for the first month in all moves.
Cons:
- Low carrier availability.
- They’re big on brokering their moves.
American Van Lines
AVL is currently considered a noteworthy cross-country mover for one major reason; they don’t broker their moving services to other companies! As a result, they’ve had the time and resources to stay consistent and fashion out their own style and crew.
Even better! AVL is known to provide the most transparent pricing of any cross-country movers in the market at the moment. They handle everything moving-related. From residential moving to commercial moving and even, in some cases, helping ship specific items across the country.
Pros:
- As explained, transparent pricing.
- Price-matching feature.
- Dynamic moving facilities.
Cons:
- Huge initial deposits are required.
- There are some negative reviews about customer service.
Allied Van Lines
If you’re lucky enough to be in cahoots with Allied Van Lines, then you’re in the big boys. Here’s why;
With about 90 years of experience, one would be right to call Allied Van Lines one of the few pioneers of moving companies we see today. The age of this establishment has allowed for the accommodation of add-on services — most of which include specialty shipping requests and almost any vehicle shipping need. This means no broker involvement.
Pros:
- See-through pricing.
- Brokering is a no-no.
- GPS enhanced tracking for your items.
Cons:
- Negative reviews on claims.
- Elevated costs on longer moves.
U-Pack
U-Pack is the mover for a DIY move. They’ve built their moving company around providing multiple container size options just so their customers can have the option to do the heavy lifting themselves. Customers can save their cash by handling some activities themselves and outsourcing the rest.
Pros:
- Cost-effective.
- Available in all states.
- Laudable delivery system.
Cons:
- They are not an actual mover.
North American Van Lines
North American Van Lines are known for having the most varied pricing options a moving company can have. Also, NVL provides its customers with very accurate estimates which they would usually not exceed unless they change their service requirements.
Pros
- Shipment tracking is enabled.
- A personal coordinator is assigned to a client during his move.
- Have a wide variety of add-on services.
- Website is user-friendly and easy to navigate.
Cons
- It’s usually harder to get special services.
United Van Lines
United Van Lines boast of their white-glove moving services and expertise in facilitating ‘peaceful’ cross-country moves. The reviews also validate their claims, making them the best movers for full moving services. Take a look at the pros and cons of hiring them:
Pros:
- They cover options for long-distance (including international) moves.
- Their services are top-notch.
- They cover local moves too.
- Available throughout the US.
Cons:
- No shipment tracking.
Two Men and a Truck
Two Men and a Truck is currently the most preferred cross-country mover to call for small home moves. They don’t make a big deal out of it and just get your valuables to your new location as quickly as possible.
Pros:
- They’re full-service movers.
- They do all the heavy lifting for you.
- They help out with in-home lifting so you don’t leave anything behind.
- They’re insured.
Cons:
- Unlike those who charge by hours driven, they charge by weight.
- Since they charge by weight, they have no price matching policy.
Now that this is out of the way, let’s get you up to speed with;
Cost of a Cross-Country Move
When planning a move, it’s important to know the factors determining its cost. Before concluding that a moving company’s pricing is way too high, make sure you consider:
- Weight of your freight.
- The fragility of your merchandise (extra care means extra pay).
- The type of moving company you hire for your move.
The latter is basically the most important factor of them all. Renting a moving truck or trailer to do your move yourself should cost you approx. $3,000. Bringing a container service could cost you over $4,000. Depending on the shipment’s weight, you may pay up to $1000 or more per room when you hire a professional full-service moving company.
Generally, you can get a rough estimate of the move on the mover’s website. If you’re looking for a more accurate quote, you may have to schedule a visit and physical inspection with the mover.
How Can NearbyMovers Help?
NearbyMovers are closer than you know. We currently have tens of local and long-distance partner movers spread across different states in the U.S. These movers have the manpower and equipment needed to haul your valuables to your destination without any damage.
Call us at (888) 217-1969 to intimate us of your destination, the number of rooms to be covered, and what type of mover you need and we can provide you with a free, rough estimate of the cost implication of the move.
Otherwise, enter your zip code or address in the search bar and we will provide you with a list of moving service profiles that you can trust.
Go through their website, read customer reviews on reputable review websites, and check out the licenses and certifications to help you make a decision. Be sure that they have a license to operate in the country you are moving to.
How Do I Find the Right Movers?
We’d hate to break it to you but, there is no manual or procedure set in stone for finding the right movers. However, you don’t have to rely on intuition alone as there are some tips experts advise for you to follow when making the big decision of hiring cross-country movers. First of which are;
- Their professionalism and experience. Always make sure to do extensive research on your ideal moving company before hiring them. Fish out all you can about their office locations, style of service, official website and other things your gut tells you to know about them.
- Check out online reviews from reliable websites like BBB reviews (Better Business Bureau) Facebook and Google are also reliable resources. See what you'd find.
- Find out whether your moving company is a broker or they do the moving.
- Go over your quotes (or estimates) again to avoid misunderstandings mid-move. Also, make sure to provide the accurate weight of your property so you don’t get shocked when there’s a spike in the fee during the move.
- Last but not least, never underestimate the power of family. Hearing real-life reviews go a long way in clearing any doubts you may have about your cross-country mover. Ask family, friends, and frenemies for their thoughts on your ideal moving company.
FAQs
What Counts as a Cross Country Mover?
Everything you think a Cross Country Mover should have and represent! For starters, country movers are companies that facilitate moves across borders. They load and unload, transport, package, store valuables and indeed anything that enables smooth and stress-free relocations.
What are the Popular Cross-Country Moving Services?
International Van Lines, United Van Lines, and others on this list are among the most popular of them. We even helped highlight their pros and cons so you don’t have to find out yourself and if you’re not satisfied with what you see, then try out NearbyMovers to help with your next move.
How Long Does Cross Country Move Take?
On average, a moving truck driver covers around 500 miles per day. So, you can do the math (or we’d do it for you) by just dividing the distance between your old place and your new place by 500. The answer would be how long it’ll take for your move.