<p>Anyone care to share their really good (or really awful) experiences using professional long distance movers? And how far apart the estimated and actual costs were? We’re moving a 4 bedroom, 2200 sq. ft. house (no appliances), probably in August. Thanks everyone!</p>
<p>Ours was a fixed price move. I guess I’d try to find that rather than being unpleasantly surprised.</p>
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<li>But…they lie about delivery times. Our stuff showed up a full week late, and the truck driver said that isn’t at all unusual in the peak summer move period; they just build the cost ($50 a day back then, I think) into the move – and because it was a corporate move, all it did was reduce the price to the company. Meanwhile, we spent an extra week in a hotel. </li>
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<p>-- And, from our recent experience having stuff moved after my MIL died, when they come to pack up they do it really fast – take pictures of everything (all sides) first, before they start packing, and make sure any boxes you packed have decent descriptions of what it is (“Books” - 1st floor office) on the outside. </p>
<p>-- You might check with your homeowner’s insurance agent and find out if your stuff is covered by your homeowner’s policy while in transit, and if not, buy the extra coverage.</p>
<p>Thank you, I never even thought about insuring our things while they are in transit! Nor did I know about fixed price moves, that seems the way to go. I was up for going the PODS route, but DH thinks I’m nuts.</p>
<p>I have used United several times. I like them and no surprises on costs or delivery. Cost was very reasonable going cross-country.</p>
<p>It’s good to hear a good report. My friends only seem to have horror stories, and the furthest I’ve ever moved before was across town.</p>
<p>I have moved cross-country using large movers four times. 3 with United and one Graebel which was corporate paid move. They were fine too.</p>
<p>We’ll be paying, so cost is a factor. I got a few online estimates, and was kind of shocked at how expensive it is.</p>
<p>When we moved to Maine the company used Earl Noyes, a company local to our destination. They sent 3 guys down, who packed up all of our stuff, then loaded it on the truck. Some went into storage up here, and some went to our rental house. When we bought a house and moved into it, they moved the stuff from storage to the house. They did a great job.</p>
<p>I’m afraid I have no idea of the cost.</p>
<p>Our last move in 2003 from VA to Seattle included 2 cars in the trailer and about 1500 SF house worth of stuff and furniture. Filled most of a large van. We packed the boxes. Cost was about $6000 or so. Need to find my pix.</p>
<p>Last time SIL/BIL moved (short distance) the movers stole jewelry that was in the dresser, including her engagement ring. Take everything small of value out of the furniture, etc. </p>
<p>When it comes to moving, I always take whatever things absolutely can’t be broken or damaged in my own car, packed myself. This from experience of having things broken or damaged by people who don’t really care.</p>
<p>Good luck - moving is a headache, but always exciting!</p>
<p>I kind of figured I’d move my fragiles and valuables myself, I don’t have that many so it won’t be too hard. I think I spent too much time on Trulia’s moving blog, it seems like everyone posting got estimates over $10,000 and then the actual cost ended up being $13,000 or $14,000 so I kind of started flipping out and figured I’d come here for a reality check.</p>
<p>For some reason I read the title of this thread as you were proposing moving the city of Chicago to New England. As a midwesterner born and bred I was ready to fight you to death to keep it on the shores of The Great Lake Michigan.</p>
<p>Earl Noyes, mentioned by Consolation, is local to our area, but they are a United firm. We’ve had great experience with them and with the (I don’t know what they’re called) affiliate movers on the other end of a long-distance move.</p>
<p>We recently priced out PODS vs. United/Noyes for a cross-country move of a partial house. The potential savings were truly de minimus for using PODS… so we didn’t. Think of all the work we saved by not having to load/unload ourselves. Plus Noyes/United service was top notch, they threw in free packing boxes (and more of them when we needed them).</p>
<p>P.S. ROFL to lolou re moving Chicago!</p>
<p>You should understand that the long haul drivers are generally contractors who run their own business with a relationship to the moving company. The moving company rep, which may also be a franchise, is the guy who comes to your place and prices the move based on the quantity of your stuff and things like whether the carry on either end is “long” or multi-floor. The moving company then provides the guys who load and unload the truck, though the driver tends to be involved in overseeing where things go in his box. These can be as basic as day laborers, not employees. </p>
<p>A reason for problems is the people involved have different agendas. The company wants to price a sale but the driver is more interested in how much fits in his truck, how many jobs he has, where he’s going, etc. This is also why complaints tend to go nowhere and thus why insurance may make sense: the company will contact the driver and try to take the money from his pay. Would you want that if you were him? Good drivers go over stuff and make their own notes about condition. It places them and sometimes the moving company in a tough place.</p>
<p>Local companies are different. Many are bunches of guys who know each other really well. Moving is a pretty easy business to get into, even if you don’t speak English. A few trucks and some large people.</p>
<p>My advice is to have as many trusted people supervising the move-in as possible. The delivery movers want to get everything unloaded as quickly as possible and it can be overwhelming. Then, they ask you to sign-off that you got everything in good condition which is hard to do when it is all still packed up in boxes! The drivers pressured us about signing-off so we called the company and documented our concerns on the forms we signed. After unpacking, we did find a broken lamp and were able to get compensated for it.</p>
<p>lololu, you are too funny! Considering all the interesting “challenges” we’re having in this city, New England may have joined you in that fight.</p>
<p>Thank you for all the good advice, everyone. Never having done this before, I don’t even know what questions I should be asking. Lergnom, I never knew that’s how the whole thing worked, I just assumed everyone worked for the same entity. Very eye-opening!</p>
<p>See I thought the thread was started by some nice boy from Wisconsin who was stranded in someplace like Springfield, MA and just wanted a hot dog and a frango mint.</p>
<p>Oddly, my daughter was once stranded in Springfield, MA (an Amtrak adventure gone bad). All she wanted was a cup of coffee and all that was open were strip clubs.</p>