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Sean Donnelly is a writer for USA TODAY Homefront. His content draws on more than three years of experience in the moving industry. He started as a laborer and was quickly promoted to moving crew leader. Sean also served as a move coordinator, where he conducted in-home and virtual estimates for customers. During his time in the industry, Sean assisted more than 500 clients with their relocation needs. Thanks to his years of hand-on experience, he understands all aspects of moving — from proper preparation to the quote process to effective packing techniques. Sean studied English literature and creative writing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is still located in the greater Springfield area. When he isn’t writing, Sean is a cohead coach of the boxing team at his alma mater.
We’ve reviewed the top moving companies in Colorado for local and interstate moves. Each provider offers comprehensive and basic service and has a proven customer service record with positive reviews.
We recommend starting with quotes from Allied Van Lines, Mayflower Moving and Local Moving LLC for your Colorado move. Allied and Mayflower have locations within the state that offer well-reviewed services for a range of relocation packages and customer requirements. Each is locally operated and hires qualified movers.
We rated each provider in this guide via our comprehensive grading scale. We graded each mover on services offered, coverage area, customer reviews and more. Below, we provide an overview of each top Colorado mover and offer tips to help you book with a qualified moving company.
We selected the following national and local and affordable moving companies in Colorado for their service quality and availability in the state. Each provider offers full-service moving packages.
Long-distance:
Local:
Below are our picks for the best moving companies overall. We rated each provider highly against on our proprietary grading scale, evaluating their services, customer service, reviews and more. See how they compare.
We chose the following long-distance moving companies as the best choices for a Colorado relocation.
Allied Van Lines is a national moving carrier with 500 locations across all 50 states. It offers quality service for long-distance moves with in-house vehicle and large-item shipping. It also offers expedited small moves via Allied Express. These service packages offer moving labor, full-value protection and transportation at an all-inclusive rate.
Service area: 50 states and 130 countries
Base services:
Add-on services:
Storage: Allied’s branches offer short- and long-term storage.
Quote type: This provider offers binding rates for long-distance moves.
Pricing: All long-distance moving costs are based on move distance and shipping weight.
Sample cost: We called Allied for a 1,800-mile, three-bedroom moving quote. The whole process took between 10 and 15 minutes and involved a full rundown of our inventory. Our move coordinator told us that we couldn’t get a binding rate without an in-person assessment of our goods. With no add-ons, our ballpark rate was $7,000; full-service packing increased the price to $10,000.
Deposit: None required
Payment methods: Allied accepts cash, certified checks, credit cards and money orders.
Allied provides released-value coverage for all moves. Beyond this basic coverage, it offers Extra Care Protection (ECP) at an additional cost. You’ll be able to collaborate with your move coordinator to establish a declared shipment value, then pay 3% to 5% of this dollar amount for full-value coverage.
Allied Van Lines has highly rated branches in Colorado, such as its Denver location with a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars and its Colorado Springs location with a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews. Positive feedback includes remarks about efficient moving crews and responsive customer service. Negative reviews mention long response times for damage claims.
Mayflower offers service throughout most of the United States. This carrier and broker’s moving crews provide residential and commercial moving services, including full-value protection with all relocation packages. It also provides a small move solution called Snapmoves.
Service area: 46 states and 150 countries
Storage: Mayflower provides short- and long-term storage at most of its locations.
Quote type: Mayflower offers binding estimates for long-distance moves.
Pricing: Move distance and total inventory weight determine Mayflower’s long-distance moving costs.
Sample cost: We called Mayflower for a quote and spoke with a company representative. They said we would need to schedule an in-person or video call estimate to get a binding estimate.
Payment methods: Mayflower accepts cash, credit cards, cashier’s checks, money orders and traveler’s checks for payment.
Mayflower includes full-value protection in all initial moving quotes. While you can opt out of this coverage, the $6 per pound per item for loss or damage can offer peace of mind if you have higher-value items.
This mover operates many locations and local agents within Colorado. This includes Buehler Moving Companies in Aurora, which has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews via more than 300 reviews.
Positive reviews mention communicative customer service and efficient moving crews. However, a recent negative review comments on movers who rushed through the process and didn’t place items in their intended rooms. While poor experiences happen from time to time, this doesn’t appear to be the norm.
International Van Lines (IVL) is a national and international carrier and broker with nearly unparalleled reach throughout the world. Its local branches in the United States offer local and long-distance services with a range of add-ons.
Service area: 50 states and 140 countries
Storage: IVL offers 30 days of free storage with all long-distance moves, along with long-term storage options in most locations.
Quote type: This mover offers binding estimates for long-distance moves.
Pricing: Long-distance moves are priced at binding rates based on move distance and shipment weight.
Sample cost: We called to get a sample quote from IVL. After asking us questions about our inventory, the representative gave us two ballpark rates. Without packing, our total quoted rate for a three-bedroom, 1,800-mile move was $6,276. With full packing, our move would cost $7,158.
Deposit: Deposit requirements range between 20% and 25% of your final move cost.
Payment methods: IVL accepts cashier’s checks, money orders, credit cards and business checks.
This mover offers released-value protection with all moves. Beyond this, it provides full-value protection at an additional price. You should ask your moving company representative about the exact cost of this coverage when you call for a quote.
IVL doesn’t have any brick-and-mortar locations in Colorado, but its national Better Business Bureau (BBB) page shows a rating of 3.49 out of 5 stars. Positive reviews mention quality assistance for cross-country and long-distance moves.
While this provider offers in-state service, its specialty is interstate moving, and its customer reviews mainly mention longer relocations.
We researched and rounded up some of the best moving companies for in-state service in Colorado. Each has a proven track record of offering quality moving experiences in the state.
Local Moving LLC is a family-owned Colorado mover that offers services for local and long-distance residential and commercial moves. Though it has only operated since 2010, this mover already has more than 1,000 positive reviews on Google and other platforms that attest to its quality.
Service area: This mover services the entire state of Colorado.
Quote type: This mover offers ballpark quotes based on hourly rates.
Pricing: Hourly rates are set by the number of movers and moving trucks assigned to your relocation.
Sample cost: We contacted Local Moving LLC for a sample quote for a three-bedroom move between Denver and Colorado Springs. These Colorado movers couldn’t give us a comprehensive estimate via email but quoted us a $239 hourly rate for a three-mover team with one truck. This email cited a two-hour minimum charge for labor, with labor billed in 15-minute increments starting from the time movers leave the warehouse.
Deposit: This mover didn’t mention any deposit requirements when it reached out via email.
Payment methods: This mover accepts checks, cash and credit cards.
Per federal and state requirements, Local Moving LLC provides released-value protection for all local and long-distance moves it provides. This protection offers 60 cents per pound per item in reimbursement for loss or damage during your move.
This mover currently has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews and more than 1,000 individual customer testimonials. Positive reviews report quality service for everything from simple labor for loading and unloading storage units to furniture delivery and full-service moves.
Cowboy Moving & Storage is locally owned and operated and has provided quality service to Colorado residents since 1968. This mover offers local and long-distance moves.
Service area: This mover serves the entire state, with a focus on the greater Denver area, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs.
Quote type: This mover provides ballpark quotes based on hourly rates for local moving services.
Pricing: Local moving costs are based on hourly rates, which are set by the number of movers and moving trucks needed for a job.
Sample cost: We emailed Cowboy Moving & Storage for a ballpark quote. We got a weekday rate of $225 per hour for three movers and a truck. They estimated it would take 10 hours to complete our 70-mile, three-bedroom move between Denver and Colorado Springs. This would mean a base rate of $2,250 with a $70 charge for the mileage. This brings our total to $2,320.
Deposit: No deposit was mentioned in this mover’s correspondence.
Payment methods: This mover accepts cash and major credit cards.
Cowboy Moving & Storage provides basic released-value protection with each move. If you require additional coverage, you should ask your move coordinator about your options.
This locally owned mover has more than 1,800 reviews on Google Reviews and a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. Repeat clients have left positive reviews commenting on the quality of their moving crews. Other reviews mentioned positive experiences for both commercial and residential clients all around Colorado.
iHaul iMove Moving Company is a local moving company that was founded in 2008. Since then, it has expanded to a six-truck operation and assisted with more than 4,000 relocations within the state of Colorado. This mover offers highly rated local services, including packing, storage and more.
Service area: This mover services all of Colorado and offers long-distance service to Arizona and New Mexico.
Quote type: This mover offers ballpark estimates based on hourly rates for local moves.
Pricing: Local rates are based on the number of moving trucks and movers assigned to a move.
Sample cost: We contacted iHaul iMove for a ballpark quote and received a prompt email reply. The email stated that we would have to book an in-person or video call estimate to get pricing for our move. If you plan to get a quote from this provider, you should set aside at least 30 to 60 minutes to ensure that this process is thorough.
Deposit: No deposit requirement is mentioned online.
Payment methods: This mover didn’t mention specific payment methods in our email correspondence. However, most movers accept cash, credit cards and checks.
iHaul iMove provides the minimum required 60 cents per pound per item in reimbursement for damaged or lost goods. You should ask your move coordinator about your options if you think your move requires greater protection.
This mover has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews. The 300-plus reviews mention simple personalized booking processes and attentive customer service representatives during quotes. Some negative reviews mention poorly quoted moves, but even these reviews praise the moving crews assigned.
Before you book your move, ensure that your moving company of choice is licensed and provides the services you require. Below, we’ve listed several factors that can help you find a reputable provider.
A key initial step in finding a mover is determining the services you’ll need from a professional moving company. To do this, conduct a walk-through of your home and compile an inventory list of all the goods you intend to take with you to your new home. Break this list down by room and note any additional services you may require. These can include the following:
Before booking with a moving company, be aware of its service model. Movers operate as two general entity types: carriers and brokers. Moving carriers are conventional moving companies. They operate by directly handling each move booked through them.
Moving brokers, on the other hand, act as middlemen between clients and moving carriers. They operate as booking agents that schedule moves for customers through other movers and take a fee as a deposit upfront. When you schedule with a broker, your actual carrier will assume any liability for broken or damaged items.
All moving companies must comply with specific regulations depending on the scope of the moving services provided. You should confirm a mover’s registration status before booking.
All long-distance and interstate movers are federally regulated. They must comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations and carry active United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) numbers. Use these to look up a mover’s registration status on the FMCSA database.
All Colorado moving companies are regulated by the state Public Utilities Commission, which requires them to carry active Household Goods (HHG) numbers. Be sure that your intrastate moving company is properly registered before you book.
Your moving estimate structure will depend on your move type. Long-distance relocations are assigned more inclusive overall rates, while local moves are billed at hourly rates.
Two main factors determine long-distance moving costs: move distance and shipment weight. Add-on services, such as packing or vehicle shipping, will increase the cost. In most cases, your rates will not increase unless your move inventory does between quote day and moving day.
Local moves are billed at hourly rates, which depend on the number of movers and moving trucks assigned to your relocation. We got a few quotes from local movers in Colorado, and the hourly rates ranged between $225 and $239 for a three-bedroom move. Most local movers also assign minimum charges to these moves, which often amount to two to four hours of labor at whatever hourly rate is assigned to your move.
All moving companies must provide a base level of moving coverage for goods in transit. Released-value protection provides 60 cents per pound per item in coverage and is included in all full-service moving packages.
Many movers also provide other options, such as full-value protection, at an added cost. Under most full-value coverage plans, you’ll be able to set a declared value for your entire shipment and pay a percentage of that dollar value as a premium ahead of your move. Such coverage usually grants you full reimbursement for lost or damaged goods during your move.
We recommend starting your Colorado moving plan with quotes from Allied Van Lines and Local Moving LLC. Allied’s Denver and Colorado Springs offices provide highly rated long-distance moves, and its 500 locations throughout the U.S. provide accessibility to short- and long-term storage after your move in most areas.
Local Moving LLC’s quick response time and numerous positive customer reviews make it our top choice for local relocations within Colorado.
Get quotes from at least three moving companies before booking to ensure that you lock in the lowest rate for your move.
Our moving recommendations are all backed by our detailed rating methodology. To fairly assess both interstate and local movers, we have tailored two sets of review standards for long-distance and intrastate movers.
Both sets of review standards assess factors including reputation and customer satisfaction, availability and range, services offered, pricing and quote practices and customer service. We rate each moving company out of 100 possible points. We then divide the final score by 20 to obtain the 5-star rating we feature in our reviews.
BBB and Google Review ratings are accurate as of March 2024.
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
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