needing local service on Long-Distance moving.
Question:
We will be moving long-distance for the first time ever and I have a
lot of questions. This move would be from Connecticut to New Mexico
and I will be hiring professional movers to both pack and transport
our belongings. My new employer is covering the costs (up to a
specified amount which should be more than enough) so the biggest
concern is quality and reliability of the moving company. Considering
we're moving with a very small baby, the most important factor for us
is an iron-clad guarantee of the pick up and delivery dates. I would
appreciate ANY information and tips you can give me. I also have
several specific questions:
(1) What sort of insurance coverage should we get? Standard, full,
etc.?
(2) Is it ever a good idea to go with movers that are not associated
with the famous national van lines (like Atlas, United, Bekins, etc.)?
From the www.moverquotes.com it seems like such movers can sometimes
be cheaper, but does it mean that their service is also going to be
worse. I'm hoping that maybe they offer better service since it's only
one company that's involved in the move (is it?), not three like with
national van lines.
(3) Does the quality of the move depend greatly on the particular
local franchise you choose? In other words, if there are three local
representatives of the Allied van lines, are they all going to be
about the same in terms of quality and reliability? If not, how do I
find out which local companies to avoid (except calling BBB)?
(4) There has been several negative posts about Bekins so I would
probably stay away from them. Are there any movers that come highly
recommended by many people?
(5) When a mover states that pick up and delivery dates are
guaranteed, what does it mean? What happens if they fail to fulfil
their obligation, do they have to give me a certain discount? If so,
is it really possible to enforce such fine?
Answer:
We had a very negative experience with North American Van Lines on a
move of only 500 miles. Our gauranteed delivery was 8 days late and the
driver had no help when he arrived and could get no help from the local
agent so my wife, daughter and I had to help unload the truck.
The guarantee meant nothing and they would only reimburse us for $10 a
day for food and the cost of renting a bed. We were fortunate that we
have a mini van and were able to bring our clothing and the important
stuff with us.
My advise to you is to check with you local BB, attorney general office
and any state or local consumer advocate that you may have in your area
before signing a contract. If you can afford it, have a lawyer look
over the contract before signing and try to get in writing penalties for
non-performance.
I do want to say that the pickup drivers and the delivery driver were
not at fault in any of our move. They were as helpful as posible, it
was the local agents and North American that were uncooperative.
_If the goods are packed reasonably well, most won't get broken.
Insurance is a waste of money. Resign yourself to the fact that during
any move, one or two things aren't going to make it through perfectly
and save your money.
Probably won't make a whole lot of difference. Packers are not the
same as movers - see my previous post attached below. At the national level, all the majors are the same. You'll see people
pipe up with comments based on their survey sample of one and assume
the entire company is the same.
_I will add the following to 73115.1041's excellent moving advice:
a) Some companies seem better than others but it's the local moving agent
and driver that holds most of the cards. Check with BBB and ask around.
b) Do whatever it takes to avoid a 'storage' situation. If you can't work
that out,
make sure that the company you choose in CT also has an agent in NM. This
is very important. Otherwise, when the stuff gets to NM, it will most
likely be
transferred to an agent of another moving company. If there is
damage/claims,
you will be given the opportunity to bear witness to and possibly referee
the
Super Bowl of p*ssing contests between the 2 companies.
Each may deny responsibility.
c) If you have an old Studebaker Golden Hawk or some other prized vehicle,
think twice before shipping it inside the van with your household goods.
Many are damaged this way. Even if you get lucky and it makes it without a
scratch, there
have been stories of mysterious extra mileage on the vehicle when it is
delivered.
I have many friends who shipped cars inside the truck. They all regretted
it
If you do it, an ace driver can minimize the problems here.
d) Many companies won't pay for damage if they didn't pack the item. This
actually makes some sense. Sometimes they will mark each box they pack
with "CP" [carrier packed]. If you have a lot of delicate/fragile/heirloom
type
stuff, bribe or tip the packers and loaders. Tell them this before they
start the job.
I have no experience with movers who guarantee pickup and delivery dates.
I
seriously doubt that they would be liable for anything if they missed the
dates.
I watched a TV show recently about a woman who moved from East to West
coast. She had a guaranteed delivery date. The company missed it big
time.
She finally got her stuff 5 weeks after the date. Keep in mind that moving
companies are 'controlled' by ICC (Interstate Commerce). In layman's
terms,
this means their actions are not punishable or regulated by normal laws.
During my last move, someone went nuts and stapled a padding blanket to my
piano. This was intentional, deliberate damage by a depraved person. The
piano was repaired but the companies could not have cared less about it.
Make sure you understand the contract. Verbal promises don't cut it; get
everything in writing. Some movers are notorious for underestimating the
weight. Be prepared for some cost overruns.
This is one industry that needs to be closely watched and laws need to be
changed to allow Joe Customer some heavy recourse when they get out of
line.
_It's probably best to look first for local agents (franchisees) of respected
national firms. I've heard good things about Paul Arpin, and have had a good
experience with an agent of Wheaton.
However, it's the local agent that is the most important influence on your
move. You might call the national phone number of the line. Ask if they have
any sort of system (Wheaton, for one, does) for identifying "outstanding"
franchises. It is no guarantee, of course -- in Wheaton's case, about half the
local agents qualify; then again, I'd rather not have one of the half that did
not -- but it's one other thing you might do.
On a cross-country move, you will most likely have one crew that packs and
loads and another one in the destination city.
In the city I just moved from, I did call the BBB, and the only thing they
would say was whether the firm had any complaints lodged against it in the last
3 years, or not. As some complaints may be frivolous and others major, this was
no great reassurance.
Van companies, understandably, like to fill up their trucks before sending them
out on the road. They may pack together 2 or 3 households in one truck. This
delays the trip. So if you have a LOT of stuff to move, you will probably be
moved faster.
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