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Moving Companies

The TVClubHouse: Archives: 2004 January - Arpil: Moving Companies users admin

Author Message
Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 12:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
We are in the process of moving. We got at least 10 postcards in the mail from various moving companies. I plan to have each one come out and give their free estimate. Anyone know of a faster, easier way to whittle down the choices? (In lieu of having each company come out?) Or is that the best way to go?

Eliz87
Member

07-30-2001

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 12:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julie, we're moving too, and I plan on calling Wheaton & Mayflower for estimates. Two Men and a Truck I heard is good too, but they won't move you if you're moving across state lines.

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 2:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I have worked with the moving industry for over twenty years and where you will find a difference is in the packing and packing supplies. Check which boxes you need, for example a dishpack box is more expensive than another type of carton and the only difference really is in the size. So check that stuff out. Compare those costs. If you arent busy, do the packing and unpacking yourselves. Do not go with the computer cart for your computer equipment, you dont need it and they charge a lot for it. If you are paying them to do the packing, they will charge you for two men and also the truck that brought them to your house. You will pay for that truck for the whole eight hours.

When the move is over, they will offer to break down the boxes for you and cart them off, what a great deal right? Well consider this, they will sell those same boxes back to someone else.

Mygetaway
Member

08-23-2000

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 3:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Also make sure and check the companies out with the Better Business Bureau. There have been so many news specials on companies that offer such a great price, only to hold your belongings hostage afterwards, asking hundreds to even thousands more to get them back. Just an FYI..

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 4:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Something covered more than once by our local trouble shooter Tom Martino.....

Before the move, take a complete inventory, and make notice of the condition of all your property (scratches, dents, etc).

After they unload your stuff, take a complete inventory again, and make sure everything arrives in the same condition....and DO NOT SIGN anything until you do so. The movers will gripe and complain about how they have a schedule to keep, and they don't have time to wait around for you to check everything out. They'll insist you can check over your stuff on your own time, and you should just sign the papers so they can be on their way. TOO BAD. Once you sign the papers as delivered, and then you find out they put a gash in your antique cedar chest, its too late. You'll get the standard, "too bad babe, you signed the papers as delivered in one piece."

Now, granted, not all moving companies are like that, and hopefully you'll find a reputable one. But, its always good to know what to be on the lookout for no matter who you hire.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 11:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I moved with the gov. several times and always got that advice about checking everything before you sign for the load, but it turns out to just not be practical. You absolutely can't unpack and check every piece of furniture before the movers leave. What IS a good idea is to have somebody there with the checklist of the numbers of each box and piece of furniture as it is unloaded and to check it off as it comes off the truck. Then you can sign that you received every piece that was loaded on the truck.

My moves were of course paid for by the government and they chose the moving companies which were, of course, major companies, but I had no problems whatsoever getting paid for whatever claims of damage I had, some broken glass in picture frames, a couple broken pieces of fine china.

Sia
Member

03-11-2002

Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 12:04 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julieboo, I don't think this will apply to you since I don't think you're military, but I wanted to throw out here something I wonder if anyone else has experienced: my sister's husband is career Army and with every move they've made over the past 14 years they've been forced to use movers contracted by the Army--and they're not allowed to pack ANYTHING themselves. But they've had horrible amounts of "lost," damaged, pilfered, and outright-STOLEN cartons and furniture. It's awful, just a crime, some of the things that have been ruined by the movers. The claims are a pain in the behind, too, and sometimes things are never reimbursed. Anyone else ever have this problem?

Konamouse
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 11:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Sia,
We're Air Force. Same deal - gov't contracted moving company. However, they will let you "self-pack" (the boxes are labeled SP) so they are not responsible for anything inside of them. I did that for my first gov't move. However, the second time I let them pack but was present and supervised everything. I did not let them unpack. I was watching and counting every item put on and off that truck (trouble happens if they end up changing trucks because stuff goes into 'storage'). Only one damaged item in two moves.

Eliz87
Member

07-30-2001

Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 9:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I just got an estimate from Wheaton and I was expecting something much higher. It's $3,600 for everything. We have a 1162 sq ft living area plus a full basement, and a 2-car garage. Now, granted, we don't have a whole lot of stuff but my husband was expecting the cost to be $7,000 or $8,000 including packing and unpacking. But no, it's $3,600. I called to check to see if there was some mistake. Apparently there's not.

To those of you who are experienced with this (I'm N-O-T), does this sound about right? (We're moving from Northeast Ohio to Central New York, BTW.)

ETA: The best answer I can give myself at this point is that Mayflower is coming tomorrow and will also provide an estimate. If it's about the same, then I guess everything's right. But I just wanted to hear from you all about it too. (Also, have you heard any bad/good Wheaton stories?)

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 10:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
What is the rate per hour? We got several estimates and they figured 4 men at 8 hrs. For 4 men and a truck is about 152/hr. Did you give them a date? Some companies charge more for dates after the 21 or 27th of the month. Some rates are higher around memorial day and 4th of july...Some are also higher on weekends.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 10:05 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Eliz, have you sold your house yet? Have you found a new one? when do you hope to close/move?

Eliz87
Member

07-30-2001

Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 10:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Our house is still on the market, but we have found a new one in NY. We plan to close on that on May 10th.

Eliz87
Member

07-30-2001

Friday, April 09, 2004 - 5:27 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Well, I have two estimates now, and both are about the same. The estimates are from Wheaton and Mayflower. Has anyone had good/bad experiences with either company?

Froggiegirl621
Member

02-14-2003

Friday, April 09, 2004 - 9:06 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
No personal experiences Eliz, but I will say that all the big ritzy houses around here always have a Mayflower truck or two out front when people move in or out.

Riviere
Member

09-09-2000

Monday, April 19, 2004 - 4:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Many, many military moves later (MI, WI, CA, AK, MO) we always had Allied Van Lines or Mayflower. Both did a good job, never a broken nor missing item.. Whoami is correct about the paperwork, and assessing your entire inventory. I found it more convenient to not have them unpack every item, but if it's your antique china or other fragile item (aquarium, glassware, small counter appliances) by all means get them unboxed to see if they survived! Keep a positive, friendly, but all business attitude with your movers. Offer ice water or juice and a plate of cookies. Under no circumstances let them think you may not just have them unpack everything, your contract is hopefully covering total packing & unpacking. I had one fellow admit a $7k set of Snap On tools might have went missing but for Granny telling the crew she'd made an angelfood cake for them to enjoy on a break! In repacking the load those tools ended up way in front, they had to unload part of their next delivery to get to them, so I knew the man was serious. They just couldn't bear to rip off a sweet old lady who baked them a cake when the time came to lie about the tools!