I’ve seen people lose family heirlooms because they hired movers off a Facebook ad. Three guys showed up in a beat-up van, loaded everything in 20 minutes, and somehow a century-old dresser ended up in splinters. Finding a local moving company in Houston shouldn’t feel like a gamble, but it does when you don’t know what separates the professionals from the amateurs.
Houston’s Size Changes Everything
People forget Houston is massive. Your move across town might mean driving 30 miles. Rain floods entire neighbourhoods in hours. Summer heat melts anything left in a truck too long. A mover who works here full-time knows these things. They plan routes around flooded underpasses. They pack temperature-sensitive items differently. They understand that moving into a third-floor flat in Montrose is nothing like moving into a house in Katy.
Watch How They Do Estimates
Someone giving you a quote over the phone has already messed up. How can they price your move without seeing what you own? Good movers walk through every room. They look in cupboards and under beds. They ask about the stuff piled in your garage. One company quoted my neighbour £800 over the phone. After seeing his workshop tools and gym equipment, the real estimate jumped to £1,400. Better to know upfront than get ambushed on moving day.
Check Their Paperwork
Texas makes moving companies register with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Loads of people skip this step and hire unlicensed movers. Then something breaks and nobody’s insured. Ask for their TXDMV number. Look it up yourself online. Takes five minutes. If they dodge the question or say they’re too small to need licensing, walk away. You’re not saving money by hiring someone operating illegally.
Good Movers Say No Sometimes
This surprised me at first. I called a company about moving a massive safe. They told me they couldn’t do it properly and gave me another company’s number. That’s honesty. Bad movers take every job regardless of whether they can handle it. Then your safe gets dropped, your floor gets gouged, and they shrug. Companies that admit their limits actually know what they’re doing.
Look at Their Packing Supplies
Rubbish boxes mean rubbish service. Professional local moving companies in Houston bring proper materials. Thick cardboard boxes, not flimsy ones from behind the supermarket. Real furniture blankets, not old duvets. Tape that actually sticks. I watched cheap movers wrap my friend’s telly in bubble wrap and hope for the best. It arrived cracked. Proper movers use custom boxes for electronics. The supplies tell you everything about how seriously they take the work.
Meet the Actual Crew
The owner can be lovely on the phone. Doesn’t matter if he sends random workers who’ve never met before. Ask who’s doing your move. How long have they worked there? Will it be the same people from start to finish? Day labourers hired that morning don’t care about your stuff. Full-time employees who’ve worked together for years move faster and break less. They’ve got a system down.
Storage Needs Real Attention
Moving dates rarely line up perfectly. You might need storage for a few weeks. Houston’s heat will destroy things left in a non-climate-controlled unit. Leather furniture cracks. Wood warps. Photos fade. Ask where exactly your belongings will sit. Is it a proper facility or someone’s warehouse with a dodgy lock? Can you access your stuff if needed? Some movers stick everything in shared spaces where your boxes sit next to stranger’s things. That’s asking for trouble.
Simple Things That Matter on Moving Day
Get the crew leader’s phone number before they arrive. Make sure they have the right address written down, not just in a sat nav. Those things route people to the wrong street constantly. Take photos of both properties before anyone carries anything. It stops arguments later about who damaged what. Clear a path from the door to the truck. Have drinking water available. Tip the crew if they do good work. These small gestures get you better service.
Moving houses is exhausting no matter what. But picking the wrong movers makes it ten times worse. I’ve watched people cry over broken furniture and lost boxes. The stories always start the same way—they went with the cheapest quote without asking questions. A decent local moving company in Houston might cost more upfront. They show up on time, pack things properly, and don’t hold your belongings hostage for extra fees. That peace of mind is worth every penny when you’re already stressed about everything else a move involves.