Trace the path from the truck to each room
In a local move, a piece of furniture makes two short trips: from a room to the truck, then from the truck to a room. A crew's time is spent partly along that route, and so is the handling of your things. Before you call a mover about a Dothan move, trace it at both addresses with a tape measure in hand.
- Where can a large truck stop, and how far is it from there to the front door?
- Is there a steep drive, a narrow gate, a long front walk, porch steps or an inside staircase?
- How wide are the doorways and hall turns at the new home, and will the sofa, the dresser and the bed frames clear them?
- If either home is in an apartment complex or a neighborhood with an association, what does the manager say about truck hours, parking spots, elevator bookings and paperwork the mover must send ahead?
Write the answers on one sheet, add the heavy or awkward pieces that are coming (a piano, a safe, a treadmill, a large freezer, a glass-topped table), and hand that same sheet to every company you call.
What the Alabama Public Service Commission says
The Alabama Public Service Commission says an APSC certificate or permit is required when household goods are moved by motor vehicle for pay from one point in Alabama to another, unless exempted by law. The household goods application (Form 14H) carries a $100 filing fee.
Ask every company you contact the same question, and write the answer on its quote: "Does this move call for an Alabama Public Service Commission household goods certificate or permit, and if so, what is the number?"
A quote built on a walk-through
Before the walk-through, put a colored sticker on anything you plan to sell, give away or leave, so it stays off the price. Then ask each company to see your belongings, either in person or over a video call. Open the closets, the garage, any storage building and the attic during that walk-through, and point to the pieces on your list. Then ask for the quote in writing, with:
- the size of the crew and of the truck;
- whether the price is by the hour or a set amount, and when any clock starts and stops;
- how travel time is charged;
- separate lines for packing, boxes and tape, and taking furniture apart and putting it back together;
- any charge for stairs, an elevator or a long walk from the truck;
- the deposit, how it can be paid, and what happens if the date moves.
Ask what could change the final number, and have that answer written into the quote itself.
Items a crew may turn down
A mover may keep a list of things it will not carry. Ask each company for its list early. Such a list can include gasoline, propane cylinders, paint, solvents, pool chemicals, fertilizer and loose batteries. Decide how you will move, use up, give away or dispose of what is on it. Pack a separate bag that rides with you, not on the truck: documents, medicines, chargers, keys, jewelry, a change of clothes and anything you could not replace.
Coverage questions
Ask each mover what its own coverage pays if an item is damaged or lost, and whether fuller protection is offered at extra cost. Ask for proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation. Then call your homeowners or renters insurer and ask what, if anything, your policy covers while your things are on a truck or in storage.
Dothan's drinking water
Dothan Utilities says groundwater from shallow and deep wells is the city's only source of drinking water, drawn from the Lisbon, Tallahatta, Hatchetigbee, Tuscahoma Sand, Nanafalia, Salt Mountain Limestone, Clayton and Providence Sand formations. From 31 wells (32 million gallons per day capacity), the system provides an average of 12.7 million gallons a day; about 4.6 billion gallons were pumped, prepared and distributed during 2025.
The last evening at the old place
- Finish packing every box except a small one for the morning's toiletries and bedding.
- Take beds and tables apart if the crew will not, bag the hardware for each piece and tape the bag to it.
- Label each box with the room it is headed for in the new home, plus a few words on what is inside.
- Photograph furniture and valuables, including scratches already there.
- Clear a path from each room to the door.
Truck day
Be there when the crew arrives. Walk the rooms with the crew lead, point out the fragile pieces and anything that stays, and agree where the truck will park. Keep children and pets out of the path. Before the truck leaves, open every closet, cabinet and drawer one more time.
At the new home, tape a room name on each door to match your box labels and stand where you can direct the crew. Look over each piece of furniture as it comes in, count the boxes against your own list, and write any damage or shortage on the delivery paperwork before you sign it. Keep your copy, with the certificate or permit answer you noted on the quote.