Picking a mover is the one decision that decides how the rest of your move goes. Get it right and the crew shows up on the day you booked, the price on the estimate is the price you pay, and your furniture arrives in one piece. Get it wrong and you are dealing with a broker you never meant to hire, a “deposit” you will not see again, and a delivery date nobody can confirm.
We have been moving Denver households since 2009, and most of the horror stories we hear from new customers trace back to the same few mistakes. This guide walks through the eight checks that prevent them, in the order you will actually run into them.
The short version
If you only have two minutes, here is the checklist. Every step below explains why it matters and what to ask.
- Confirm you are talking to a moving company, not a broker.
- Verify the licenses: USDOT and MC numbers for interstate moves, a Colorado PUC permit for local moves.
- Insist on an in-home or video survey before any quote.
- Get the estimate in writing and read the fine print.
- Collect three quotes and compare them line by line. Treat the cheapest one with suspicion.
- Ask about the services you will actually need, not just the truck.
- Check reviews the smart way and ask for real referrals.
- Reserve a specific date with a small, refundable deposit.
1. Make sure you are talking to a mover, not a broker
When you search for “long distance movers Denver,” a large share of what comes back are brokers. A broker sells your job to whichever carrier picks it up, often days before pickup. They do not own trucks, they do not employ movers, and they have no control over who shows up. The complaints the FMCSA and the BBB receive about lowballed estimates, held-hostage shipments and missed deliveries come disproportionately from that arrangement.
Five questions sort this out on the first call:
- Are you a moving company or a moving broker? (They are required to tell you.)
- Where is your physical address in the Denver area? A real mover has a yard, trucks and a warehouse you can drive past.
- What are your USDOT and MC numbers?
- Do your own employees do the packing and loading, or do you subcontract?
- Do you offer a free in-home or video survey?
A company that dodges the first question or gives you a mailbox address has answered it for you.
2. Verify the licenses yourself
Do not take the numbers on faith. Look them up, which takes about a minute:
- Interstate moves (Colorado to any other state): the mover must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Search the USDOT number on the FMCSA Protect Your Move site. Check that the record says “Carrier” (not just “Broker”), that the operating status is active, and that it is authorized for household goods.
- Local moves within Colorado: the mover needs a household goods permit from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. The PUC’s consumer page for household goods movers links to its permit search and explains what a permitted mover must give you, including a written estimate.
For the record, Rocky Movers operates under USDOT 3077926 and Colorado PUC permit HHG-00594. Both are printed on our estimates and on every truck.
3. Insist on a survey before you accept a quote
A quote built from a phone conversation is a guess. Nobody can price a three-bedroom house from “about 40 boxes and the usual furniture.” A proper mover will walk your home in person or on a video call, count what is going, note the stairs, the elevator, the piano and the driveway, and only then write the number down.
For interstate moves this is not just good practice. Under FMCSA rules a mover must base the estimate on a physical (or virtual) survey when your home is within 50 miles of their location, unless you waive it in writing. If a company will not do a survey, or tries to talk you out of one, that is the end of the conversation.
The estimate you want for a long-distance move is a binding not-to-exceed estimate. It caps the price at the quoted amount based on the surveyed inventory, and if the shipment weighs less than expected you pay less. Two other types exist. A plain binding estimate is a fixed price. A non-binding estimate can go up at delivery, though federal rules limit what the mover can demand at delivery to 110% of the estimate. Ask which one you are being given and get the answer in writing. We quote every long-distance move as binding not-to-exceed, which is why our Denver long-distance moving customers know their ceiling before the truck is loaded.
4. Read the fine print, all of it
The number at the bottom of the estimate is the part everybody reads. The pages above it are where moves go wrong. A complete estimate spells out:
- which services are included (loading, transport, unloading, basic disassembly) and which are not (packing, crating, shuttle trucks, long carries, stairs and elevator fees)
- the valuation coverage on your goods and how to buy more
- the delivery window and how it is scheduled
- accepted payment methods and when payment is due
- the cancellation and rescheduling policy
- what the mover will not transport
Interstate movers are also required to give you the FMCSA booklet Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move. Read it once. It is short, and it tells you exactly what a carrier can and cannot do.
One line item to watch for: a “binding estimate fee.” There is no such thing in the industry. It is a broker’s commission with a respectable-sounding name.
5. Get three quotes and compare them properly
Three surveyed, written estimates is the right number. Fewer and you have nothing to compare against. More and you are spending days on calls for diminishing returns.
Compare them apples to apples: the estimated weight or cubic feet, the packing scope, the valuation level, any storage, and the list of extra charges. Two estimates for the same house should land within a few hundred dollars of each other. If two come in around $5,000 and a third comes in at $3,000, the $3,000 is not a bargain. It is a number designed to win the booking, and it will grow on moving day, or the company behind it is not the company that will show up.
6. Ask about the services you will actually need
A long-distance move is rarely just a truck. Before you commit, ask each company whether they provide, and how they price:
- Packing and unpacking, full or partial. Fragile items are usually not included unless you add packing to the estimate. Our Denver packing services can be booked for the whole house or just the kitchen.
- Specialty crating for artwork, glass tops, TVs and anything you would not want wrapped in a moving blanket.
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly. Not every company includes it.
- Storage, in case your closing date and your delivery date do not line up. We keep storage in Denver for exactly that gap.
- Valuation coverage. Federal rules give interstate shippers two options: released value at 60 cents per pound per item, which is free and covers very little, or full value protection, which costs extra and covers repair or replacement. Ask for both prices.
- Vehicle transport, if a car or motorcycle is going with you. Some movers arrange it, some do not.
7. Check reviews the smart way and ask for referrals
Star ratings are a starting point, not a verdict. Read the one- and two-star reviews for a pattern. Late delivery, damaged goods, or “the price doubled” showing up repeatedly is a real signal. A single angry review about a tip is not. Look at how the company responds, and whether the reviewers describe the same crew and trucks or a rotating cast of subcontractors.
Then ask for referrals: people the company has moved recently who are willing to talk. A mover that has been in business for years and does its own work will have them. A broker will not. Family, friends and co-workers who moved recently are worth a call too, and their recommendation carries more weight than any listing site.
8. Reserve a date, and watch the deposit
A company that runs its own trucks and crews can give you an exact pickup date, because it controls its own schedule. A broker will give you a two- to three-day “pickup window,” because it does not yet know who is taking the job. That difference tells you a lot before you have paid anything.
On deposits: a reputable local mover asks for a modest amount to hold the date. Ours is $200, it comes off the final bill, and it is refunded in full if you cancel up to 72 hours before your move date. Brokers commonly ask for 20% to 40% of the estimate up front. That is not a deposit, it is their commission, and the fine print usually makes it non-refundable.
Payment methods matter as well. Expect to be offered a card, certified funds or a bank transfer. If the only options are cash or a payment app, walk away.
Red flags at a glance
| What you see | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| No physical Denver address, or a mailbox address | Broker, or a crew working out of a rented storage unit |
| Quote given over the phone with no survey | The number will change on moving day |
| Estimate far below the other two | Bait pricing, or a company that will not be the one showing up |
| “Binding estimate fee” on the paperwork | Made-up fee; a broker commission |
| Deposit of 20% or more, non-refundable | Broker commission dressed up as a deposit |
| Guaranteed delivery “in a couple of days” on a cross-country move | A promise the dispatcher cannot keep |
| Cash or payment apps only | No paper trail if something goes wrong |
| “Everything is included” | It is not. Packing, valuation, stairs and shuttles are extras almost everywhere |
Timing and cost, briefly
Long-distance pricing in Denver depends on the weight or cubic feet of the shipment, the distance and route, the season, and the extras you add. Summer, month-end and weekends are peak. If your dates are flexible, a mid-week, mid-month move between October and April is consistently cheaper, and you will have your pick of crews. The only way to get a real number is a survey, which is free with us, in person or by video.
On delivery: a carrier running its own fleet will give you a delivery window rather than a single date, because your shipment is scheduled against the route, the size of the load and the first day you can receive it. Cross-country moves typically fall inside a 1 to 14 business-day window counted from the first date you can accept delivery. A company promising your goods in two days from Denver to the East Coast is either putting you on a truck by yourself at a price to match, or not telling the truth.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a moving company and a moving broker?
A moving company owns trucks and employs the crew that packs and loads your home. A broker is a sales office that books your move and resells it to a carrier. Brokers are legal and must be registered with the FMCSA, but you will not know which carrier is coming until close to pickup, and the broker’s fee is baked into your price.
What is a binding not-to-exceed estimate?
It is an estimate that sets a maximum price based on a surveyed inventory. If the actual weight comes in lower, you pay the lower amount. If it comes in higher, the mover absorbs the difference, as long as the inventory has not changed. It is the most customer-friendly estimate type for an interstate move.
How much of a deposit is normal for a mover in Denver?
A small, refundable amount to hold the date. Rocky Movers takes $200, credited to the final invoice and refundable up to 72 hours before the move date. Anything approaching a quarter of the estimate, especially if it is non-refundable, is a broker commission.
How long does a long-distance move take to deliver?
It depends on distance, route and load size, so movers quote a window. For most cross-country moves that window is 1 to 14 business days from the first date you can accept delivery. Ask how the window is set and how you will be updated.
What will a mover not put on the truck?
Hazardous materials (propane, aerosols, paint, most cleaning chemicals), perishable food, live plants across state lines, firearms and ammunition, fireworks, and anything irreplaceable such as passports, jewelry, cash and prescription medication. Carry those with you.
Where to go from here
If you are moving within the metro area, our Denver local movers page covers how we price and schedule local jobs. For interstate moves, start with long-distance moving from Denver, state-to-state moving or cross-country moving, depending on how far you are going. Every one of them starts the same way: a free in-home or video survey, a written binding not-to-exceed estimate, and an exact pickup date. Call Rocky Movers or book the survey online and run us through the eight steps above. We will pass.
