I'm moving!

[amberlita]

Any thoughts or experiences on moving companies? I've moved a bunch of times in the past and always done it myself but at this point I've accumulated too much stuff and am planning to hire movers to do the work. I'm old.

My new place is about 4 hours away. I intend to do all the boxing up myself but I'm not sure if I should have them load/unload but I drive the truck or having them do the driving as well. I really don't want them doing the packing/unpacking though. My two biggest concerns are cost and reliability. Don't want some schmucks taking an eye to my big screen TV and deciding to tell their buddies to break in to my place.

[Ivan Drago]

Amazing coincidence! I'm moving too, back home for a week and then moving to Nashville, TN for an internship. Leaving Carbondale, IL (my college town for the past 4 awesome years of my life) tomorrow. I'm honestly just taking a good majority of my stuff home and then coming back to get it later though.

[Dukefrukem]

I've always rented a truck and done it myself. Good luck!

[Kurosawa Fan]

Last time I moved, I used Two Men and a Truck. Not sure if they're local or not, but they were great. One of the cheapest estimates I received, and the guys were great. I bought them lunch and tipped them nicely, and probably because of that, they were extremely careful with all of our stuff, and nothing was damaged during the move. We boxed everything ourselves, which they usually expect, and took apart anything (like beds) that needed it prior to the move.

Good luck! Hope you like your new place!

[Mara]

I hired movers when I went from California to Maryland, because... no way was I doing that.

But my experience wasn't good. It took about two months for my things to arrive, and although nothing was actually lost, I felt like the movers treated my things roughly and were condescending to me. Admittedly, I had picked a cheap company because I was strapped for cash, but it still cost, like $3K. Awful.

[[ETM]]

I just moved, today. I got a friend with a van to do the haulin', and a cousin (along with my brother and my dad) to help with the carrying. It went well, but I really wish I hired movers... there's no part of my body that doesn't hurt right now.

[amberlita]

Last time I moved, I used Two Men and a Truck. Not sure if they're local or not, but they were great. One of the cheapest estimates I received, and the guys were great. I bought them lunch and tipped them nicely, and probably because of that, they were extremely careful with all of our stuff, and nothing was damaged during the move. We boxed everything ourselves, which they usually expect, and took apart anything (like beds) that needed it prior to the move.

Good luck! Hope you like your new place!

Cool. This is who I was looking into as well. I meant to call today because I put in for a quote online two days ago but still haven't heard from them. I'll call again tomorrow. I thought for loading, driving 4 hours to, unloading, driving 4 hours back, I'd tip probably $100 a piece. Too generous? Too stingy?

[Lucky]

Depends, how much is your estimate? Unless it's dirt cheap, $100 per person seems like an awful lot.

[soitgoes...]

Cool. This is who I was looking into as well. I meant to call today because I put in for a quote online two days ago but still haven't heard from them. I'll call again tomorrow. I thought for loading, driving 4 hours to, unloading, driving 4 hours back, I'd tip probably $100 a piece. Too generous? Too stingy?

$100 each is way, way too much, especially if you're doing all the packing. $100 total is still way too much.

[amberlita]

I'm a big tipper. I could never go less than $50 a piece. Couldn't live with myself...assuming they did a good job.

[Lucky]

I'm a big tipper. I could never go less than $50 a piece. Couldn't live with myself...assuming they did a good job.

Yeah, but $100 each? That will probably come out to about $8-9/hr each just for tip. And 8 of those hours are driving.

[amberlita]

Yeah, but $100 each? That will probably come out to about $8-9/hr each just for tip. And 8 of those hours are driving.

Well that's why I asked for feedback! OK I get it. Too much.

Like I said, I don't have my quote so I don't know how much a reasonable percentage would be. But the way I figure it, these dudes are still working for me (including the driving to and from) atleast a 10 hour day. I think that's worth atleast a $50 tip a piece no matter what the quote is.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Cool. This is who I was looking into as well. I meant to call today because I put in for a quote online two days ago but still haven't heard from them. I'll call again tomorrow. I thought for loading, driving 4 hours to, unloading, driving 4 hours back, I'd tip probably $100 a piece. Too generous? Too stingy?

I was only moving about 15 miles, but I tipped them $50 a piece. The drive doesn't matter much, it's the loading/unloading, but I think $50 is a pretty solid tip. $100 and they should be dancing about it.

[amberlita]

Well I'm quite bothered now. I called Two Men and a Truck. The guy is coming to look the place over and they'll calculate the estimate by tomorrow but when I gave her the information over the phone, she told me it'd be about $2000 to $2200. I nearly choked. I have an apartment of about 900 sq ft and I'm only going about 200 miles. How in the world could it cost that much? I was expecting more like $1000. To even read that Mara moved all the way across the country for 3K tells me I think they're overcharging the shit out of me.

I'll be anxious to see this breakdown that's for sure. Unfortunately, just not sure what my alternatives are since I'm a bit down to the wire. Moving in a couple weeks. I guess I could call another place.

[Mara]

I guess I could call another place.

Do you have any friends with Angie's List? That's a great resource for looking up local movers. I'm sure you could get a better quote.

[amberlita]

Do you have any friends with Angie's List? That's a great resource for looking up local movers. I'm sure you could get a better quote.

I'm actually waiting to hear back on a few other quotes through usamovingcompanies. Otherwise I'll call around. If the final price is somewhere even 1500 or less I'd be okay but 2 grand? Jesus. I know gas prices are high these days but that's ridiculous.

edit: nobody that I know of with Angie's List, no.

[Ezee E]

Movers charge by step, weight, etc. That doesn't surprise me at all.

I say enlist friends, family, and pay in beer.

[amberlita]

Movers charge by step, weight, etc. That doesn't surprise me at all.

I say enlist friends, family, and pay in beer.

Well the problem is that my family isn't in great health. We used to do the moving ourselves but I just can't ask them to do it anymore. Each time I've had to move (about 3 times over the last 10 or 12 years) it's become increasingly obvious they can't help out much and when they do, they push themselves too far. And all my friends are medical professionals. For scheduling reasons I have to move on a Monday or Tuesday, meaning everyone works.

I'm hoping the price will get knocked down when I tell them that I'm moving from a first floor to a first floor.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I'm hoping the price will get knocked down when I tell them that I'm moving from a first floor to a first floor.

This might be the issue. They asked me this when they were giving me a quote. When I said I was moving from a first floor to a first floor, the number came in at $600. Though I was only moving 10 miles, and gas prices were a dollar lower. Well worth the cost. Hopefully your estimate goes down.

[Ezee E]

Well the problem is that my family isn't in great health. We used to do the moving ourselves but I just can't ask them to do it anymore. Each time I've had to move (about 3 times over the last 10 or 12 years) it's become increasingly obvious they can't help out much and when they do, they push themselves too far. And all my friends are medical professionals. For scheduling reasons I have to move on a Monday or Tuesday, meaning everyone works.

I'm hoping the price will get knocked down when I tell them that I'm moving from a first floor to a first floor.

Did you pack everything yourself? I think that's involved too.

[amberlita]

Yes I'm packing and unpacking myself, but that seemed to be understood when she quoted me the number on the phone though I didn't expressly say it. Obviously when the guy gets here to look at everything I'll be doing some bargaining. It changes a bit of the tip discussion, though. I'll be hard pressed to tip someone even $50 if I'm essentially getting charged $1000 or more just for labor.

Anyway, we'll see what the final number comes to.

[Ezee E]

I have a feeling the actual movers have no say over the price. They'll be expecting whatever was agreed upon.

[amberlita]

Well they won't have a say on the moving day because the price should be agreed upon but whatever representative they are sending out before hand to look at the things that are getting moved certainly factors into the estimate. I can say I have a 900 sq ft apartment but if I'm a hoarder then we're talking about a lot more work involved.

They are coming tomorrow now. Apparently there was an injury and the lady forgot to call me and tell me they couldn't come out today. *grumblegrumblenotthatbigadeal grumble*

[Gizmo]

Resurrecting a dead thread vs starting a new one.

You know how much moving sucks? THere's all this stuff you got to do and coordinate and pack and plan.... Now imagine you have 2 weeks to do all that, but you are not allowed to actually do any of it one your own. You have to talk to people who coordinate with movers who then come and coordinate with you how to pack and load things up. Now let's say that your stuff gets "lost" and when you thought you were packing up is no longer available, but you have plans to not be here after that day. That's what I"m going through right now with my Army move. I planned on being in Ohio next Saturday, because I thought I was going to have my stuff packed and on it's way to Germany by then. I went in today to inquire as to why I hadn't heard anything about my house hold goods being picked up in the month since I turned in all my paperwork. The guy literally flipped through stacks of paperwork for 15 minutes, then asked when I was trying to get things picked up. I told him the 18th, and he looked at me like I had a dick growing out of my forehead. Then he asked for my orders again and looked at the information on them, looked at the calendar, looked at his computer, looked back at the calendar and told me, "I can do the 21st - 23rd". So now I get to hang out an extra week alone in my house with no tv (canceled that for the 18th) and no family as they head to Ohio on time.
Luckily I hadn't yet put in my closing date for the house until I knew for sure when my stuff was getting picked up. And also I hadn't turned off my internet yet just incase something like this happened. I had planned on a 3 week vacation to Ohio before coming back to fly to Germany, now I get 2 weeks there following my extra week here. Guess I'll get a lot of reading and World of Warcraft in. And alcohol, that's gonna have to stay