The Ranking
Our top 7 moving companies in Orlando
Moving in Orlando has its own rhythm. Most households move between May and August, when leases turn over and school is out, and that is also when afternoon thunderstorms roll in and heat makes long carries harder on crews. Book four to six weeks ahead for a summer date, and ask whether the crew will wrap mattresses and upholstered furniture in plastic against rain. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so if a storm is forecast, ask how the company handles rescheduling before you pay a deposit.
Many downtown towers, apartment complexes and gated communities require an elevator reservation, a certificate of insurance from the mover, or both. Call your building or HOA early and send the mover the exact requirements so the certificate names the right parties. Ask the building where a 26 foot truck can park, because loading docks and guest spaces are often tight.
Florida regulates in state movers under Chapter 507 of the Florida Statutes. Every mover and moving broker must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the registration number has to appear on the estimate and contract. Movers must carry at least $10,000 of liability coverage per shipment, or a $50,000 bond or certificate of deposit if they run two or fewer vehicles. Before any work starts, the mover has to give you a written estimate and contract that lists the company's physical address, an itemized breakdown of every charge, accepted forms of payment and where your goods will be stored if there is a dispute. A mover may hold your goods only for unpaid charges in the signed contract, and never your prescription medicine or your children's furniture, clothing and toys.
For a move to another state the federal rules apply. Look up the mover's USDOT number on the FMCSA SAFER site and check that it shows active authority to carry household goods as a carrier; a broker licence alone means someone else will drive your goods. Federal rules allow binding estimates, which fix the price for the items listed, and non binding estimates, where you pay no more than 110 percent of the estimate at delivery and the rest later. Basic valuation coverage pays only 60 cents per pound per item, so ask what full value protection costs.
Red flags are the same everywhere: a quote given over the phone without a walk through or video survey, a large cash deposit, a company that will not give a street address, a truck with no company name, and a contract with blank lines. Two of the seven companies below, Cento and 1776, hold their own interstate authority, and Suddath books long moves through Atlas Van Lines.
