Local service guide
Moving services in Memphis: quotes and preparation
Moving services in Memphis should cover your inventory, access at both homes and the tasks you want the crew to handle. Give bidders the same item list, request written pricing and confirm who will transport your belongings. Before booking, coordinate possession dates, utility service and disposal of furniture you plan to leave behind.
Define the crew's work before requesting quotes
List the furniture and boxes you want to move. Mark items that need packing, disassembly or special handling, and separate belongings you will carry yourself. Send photographs of large pieces and describe the route from each room to the truck. Include steps, narrow doorways, elevators and the distance from the loading position to the entrance.
Decide who will supply and drive the truck. For a rental truck you will drive, request loading and unloading labor at the addresses where you need help. For a company-operated truck, ask the bidder to identify the transporting business and describe pickup, delivery and any storage arrangements in writing.
Describe a piano, fragile cabinet or other difficult item before accepting a general furniture quote. Ask the company to explain its equipment and handling plan. Measure the item's route through the home and agree on who will remove doors or disassemble furniture if needed.
Compare the price and the transporting business
Request quotes for the same inventory and services. Ask for crew size, pricing method, minimum charge, travel charges, packing materials and separate access or storage charges. For an hourly proposal, confirm when billing starts and stops. For a fixed price, ask which changes would alter the amount you pay.
The Tennessee Department of Revenue's article dated May 7, 2021 defines intrastate authority for for-hire carriers transporting people or property on Tennessee public highways in intrastate commerce. For a move within the state, ask the transporting company to identify its authority and ask the department to clarify any questions about its application to your move. [3]
Provide both addresses and ask which transport authorization applies to your route. Request insurance information, written loss or damage terms, coverage choices and a claims contact. Match the business name on these documents to the company named in your quote. Ask who will perform the work if the bidder proposes another carrier.
Build your budget from quotes for your actual inventory and access conditions. Keep utility deposits and disposal charges separate from the moving quote. Before paying, get the payment schedule, cancellation terms and procedure for approving extra work in writing.
Arrange access and utility service
Confirm when you can enter the new home and when you must leave the old one. Ask your property manager about loading access, elevator reservations and documents it wants from the mover. Share those requirements before accepting a quote, then agree on a loading position that preserves access for residents and pedestrians.
MLGW offers separate requests to start, stop or transfer residential service and instructs applicants to complete the residential service agreement. Choose the requests that fit your move and confirm the dates with MLGW. Keep your service confirmations with your keys and possession paperwork. [1]
Pack medicines, identification, chargers and essential documents in a bag you will keep with you. Label boxes by destination room. Before loading, photograph furniture condition and walk through the inventory with the crew lead. Identify items that will stay behind and agree on how you will record additions to the job.
Resolve furniture disposal and move-day contingencies
Memphis provides outside-the-cart collection twice per month on regular collection days for city residential customers, including furniture. Check your address's collection schedule before relying on pickup for a move-out deadline. Ask the city about placement and acceptance of your items before putting them outside. [4]
If collection will occur after you must leave, compare a city disposal option for which you qualify with a separate hauling quote. Tell the mover which items need disposal and which need delivery. Ask where it will take discarded items and confirm the charge before the crew loads them.
Ask how the crew will protect boxes, furniture and floors during wet loading. Check the forecast near your booked date and agree on who will contact you if conditions require a delay. Confirm what happens to access reservations, payment and the delivery schedule if you change the loading time.
MLGW deposit amounts to consider alongside moving costs
Local details that affect your job
Keep a possible MLGW deposit in your budget
MLGW requires a minimum $200 deposit from credit risk applicants. Applicants may choose to have the deposit billed on their next utility bill; new customers may choose eight payments of $25 beginning with the first billed month of service. Ask whether a deposit applies to you and which payment option you can use before committing your moving budget. [1]
Check eligibility before arranging a disposal trip
Memphis says solid waste fee-paying customers can take up to one truckload of non-hazardous waste to the landfill each month. The city also lists convenience centers at 304 Collins Street and 3207 Farrisview Boulevard, with hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Bring your latest MLGW bill and picture identification. Confirm your eligibility and item acceptance with the city before arranging transport. [4]
Choose your next planning step
| Your situation | Next step | Confirm before booking |
|---|---|---|
| You will drive a rental truck | Request loading and unloading labor | Crew duties, equipment and help at each address |
| A carrier will transport goods within Tennessee | Ask about Tennessee intrastate authority | Carrier identity and any questions for the Department of Revenue |
| You have unwanted furniture | Check the city's twice-monthly outside-the-cart collection | Residential service eligibility, collection dates and item acceptance |
| Furniture must go before collection | Compare an eligible city disposal trip with paid hauling | Disposal eligibility, accepted items and transport costs |
| You need utilities at the new home | Choose an MLGW start or transfer request | Residential agreement, service dates and any deposit |
Your hiring checklist
- Send each bidder the same inventory, photographs and packing requirements.
- Describe access at both homes, including steps, doorways and the loading position.
- Identify who supplies the truck and which business will transport your belongings.
- Request authority information, insurance details and written damage terms.
- Confirm pricing, payment, cancellation and approval of extra work.
- Arrange utility service around possession dates and retain confirmations.
- Choose a disposal plan for furniture you will leave behind.
- Agree on the move-day contact, weather protection and delay procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I compare moving quotes?
Give each bidder the same inventory and access details. Specify packing, disassembly, transportation and unloading responsibilities. Request the pricing method and possible extra charges in writing. Ask the bidder to explain any excluded work before you choose a company.
What should I ask a carrier about a move within Tennessee?
Ask it to identify its intrastate authority and clarify questions with the Department of Revenue. The department's 2021 article defines that authority for for-hire transportation on Tennessee public highways in intrastate commerce. Request insurance information and damage terms as separate hiring checks. [3]
Can I use city collection for furniture I will leave behind?
Memphis includes furniture in twice-monthly outside-the-cart collection for city residential customers. Check your address's dates and ask about item acceptance and placement. If pickup falls after your move-out deadline, arrange another disposal option before the moving crew arrives. [4]
Will MLGW require a $200 deposit when I move?
MLGW applies its minimum $200 deposit to credit risk applicants. Ask whether that applies to your request. The utility offers next-bill billing and lists an option for new customers to pay eight installments of $25 beginning with the first billed month. [1]
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.