October 14, 2026
What moving companies should you avoid in Philly? Any mover that won't put three things in writing before you book: the name of the company sending the crew, how many movers are coming, and the rate for your date with the minimum you'll be billed. If the company that takes your booking isn't the one sending the crew, you're dealing with a broker. A neighbor's recommendation is a good start, but it can't put any of that on paper.
WellKnown Moving Company started as a Philadelphia moving company and is a carrier, USDOT 4224986 and MC-1633615. The movers are our employees, and the trucks are ours. We build every estimate from your inventory and the stairs, elevators, and parking at both addresses, and you see the crew size, the rate, and the minimum in writing before you sign anything. Most moves need no deposit at all, and you pay only after the move is done that's how we build trust with customers from the first call. Below, we answer each check for ourselves, then cover damage claims and how to read bad reviews, ours included.
Some companies that take your booking never touch your furniture. They sell your job to another company, and you meet that company when its truck pulls up. FMCSA, the federal agency that registers movers, draws the line simply: a mover owns trucks and employs its moving staff, while a broker "acts as a middleman."
With WellKnown, the company on your estimate is the company at your door: our own moving crews in our own trucks with the "WellKnown Moving Company" name on the side.
At WellKnown, a local move (under 50 miles) is billed by the hour. Our hourly rate is not one fixed number. It moves with the date, the season, and how much work your move involves, so a busy summer Saturday usually costs more per hour than a quiet weekday in winter.
The way we count the hours stays the same: a 3-hour minimum, then 15-minute steps, and 30 minutes of travel time added to every job. The rate covers the truck, fuel, tolls, furniture pads, shrink wrap, and taking a bed apart and putting it back together. Packing costs extra and only happens if you ask for it. Very heavy items, like a piano or anything over 200 pounds, can carry their own fee.
Our long-distance moves get one flat price, set from your inventory and given to you before you book. Most are paid after delivery. Only a large one, like a four-bedroom house, takes a deposit of about 10% to hold the date. You get it back in full if you cancel at least 14 days before the move, and half the balance is due once the truck is loaded.
Movers count hours differently, and state rules differ. Whoever you hire, ask what the minimum is, how travel time is billed, and what the rate leaves out.
On an hourly move, the crew size shapes the bill. It's pretty simple: the more movers you have, the higher the hourly rate, but the faster the move will be completed. Professional moving companies usually recommend the number of movers themselves. For a small move, two movers are enough, and you'll end up overpaying if you hire three or four.
Moving is physical work, and things get damaged sometimes. On our moves that is rare, and you don't have to take our word for it: our Google, Trustpilot, and Yelp reviews tell you how each move went, bad ones included.
On moves between states, the basic coverage a mover must offer at no extra charge pays by weight, not by what an item costs.
Under the federal rule, compensation is limited to only 60 cents per pound of each item's weight. For example, if you have a 50-inch TV that weighs 25 pounds, you'll receive $15 for it. This is the legal minimum. At WellKnown, in the event of damage, we typically pay an amount close to the actual value of the item and also can also add Full Value Protection before the move. Always ask the moving company how it handles damage claims.
At WellKnown, claims go through a form on our site. Send photos, the move date, both addresses, and a description of each item. Under no circumstances should you dispose of the damaged item; please keep its packaging until the review.
When you open the list of movers, you'll see a bunch of ratings: 4.9, 5.0, 4.8, and so on. On their own, these numbers don't mean much. You'll naturally be tempted to read the one- and two-star reviews. Read what the company says (or doesn't say) in response to these reviews. That will tell you a lot.
Not every one of our reviews is good either. Read those too, and ask us about anything in them before you book.
Every extra minute on an hourly move shows up on the bill. List what is moving, room by room, basement and balcony included. Write down the rules for using the stairs and elevators in your buildings (if applicable). Then find a parking spot for the moving truck closer to your entrance. In Philadelphia, you can secure a spot at the curb with a temporary no parking permit issued by the Streets Department. Without it, movers will have to park farther away and carry your precious belongings a longer distance, which will increase the time required for the job and, consequently, the cost.
To see what your move would cost, send that room-by-room list and both addresses through our estimate form. We send back a written estimate with the crew size, the rate for your date, and the minimum, ready to compare with any other mover's.
