Best 5 Movers in Columbia, SC

How to Choose the Best Local Mover in Columbia

Consider each moving company's cost, services, licensing, and customer reviews before picking.

Determine Your Budget

A local move costs between $41 and $68 per hour. Based on this, a local two-bedroom move costs around $4,094 overall. Your actual cost will depend on any additional tasks you need your movers to handle, the season, your home size, and move distance.

Consider getting quotes from three or more movers in your area to make an educated choice. Written estimates are crucial in this process. They should contain a comprehensive breakdown of the total cost, including the hourly rate or flat fee. Keep your mover's estimate handy until after the company has completed your move to ensure fair pricing practices.

Read Customer Reviews

Moving companies need solid customer feedback. Read customer reviews on websites such as social media, Google Reviews, Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, and Trustpilot to find movers that prioritize positive customer experiences.

Ensure Proper Licensing

Moving companies in Columbia must follow different licensing requirements depending on their service area. If you're making a short-haul move that's purely within South Carolina, your moving company must be registered with the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS).

If you're moving across state lines, the regulations are different. Interstate moving companies must be licensed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and must carry active United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) numbers. You can use these numbers to look up the company’s registration status and complaint history on the FMCSA’s mover registration search tool.

Services

Asking whether the mover provides the services you need is crucial during the quote process. Take a full inventory of your home before requesting quotes and note any essential or additional services you may need. Furthermore, notify your moving company representative about any extra services you may need to evaluate the company's capacity to offer satisfactory service.

Types of Moving Services

A full-service mover includes the following services for standard moves:

• Basic wrapping materials for furniture protection
• Loading and unloading
• Released liability coverage for loss or damage

Make sure that your moving company is aware of any extra services you need in the quote process. These services may result in increased pricing for your move:

• Crating for art or antiques
• Extra flights of stairs
• Long carries
• Packing
• Piano moving
• Storage
• Unpacking
• Vehicle shipping

Tips To Consider When Moving in Columbia, SC

Keep the following in mind before moving to, from, or within Columbia.

Schedule an Early Move

Columbia traffic during the morning and evening rush hours is often congested. Navigating gridlock with a moving truck is even more challenging than with a personal-use vehicle. Movers getting stuck in traffic typically leads to higher costs since they’ll still be on the clock while in their trucks. We recommend arranging before morning rush hour, which ensures the movers avoid the traffic and finish the move before evening.

Avoid Busy Season

The busiest time for movers—between May and September—coincides with Columbia's hottest time of year. This can impact your move if you begin looking too late and can't find a moving company with availability. You should be able to secure the moving company you desire by contacting movers at least eight weeks before your move. However, keep in mind that the heat may still present challenges for your movers.

Pack in Advance

Most movers only carry items that have been properly packed by the scheduled moving time, so you should finish your packing before their arrival. You should start packing around six weeks before your move. Pack a few boxes each day to avoid rushing when move day comes. Your movers may have a few extra boxes with them for last-minute packing, but you shouldn’t depend on it.

How Much do Movers Cost in Columbia, SC

Movers in Columbia cost $2,590 on average for moves less than 250 miles. It can cost up to $6,577 to move a larger 4 bedroom house the same distance. See the chart below for more moving estimates, and contact a moving company for a more accurate quote specific to your situation.