Have you had experience with a "moving coordinator" or a moving company.

[binny]

DH and I have always moved ourselves so this will be a foreign thing for the company to move us. They have a moving coordinator who organizes everything from finding the realtor to making sure everything is on the truck.

we of course have the right to veto anything to coordinator wants to do so Im not too concerned but I really dont know what to expect.


I also have no idea what to expect from the moving company thy pack us up ( everything but unplugging appliances) and unpack us when we get there.


We have no firm dates yet or even where but theyve thrown around a couple of ideas so I think we'll know in the couple of months. Dh goes to fill in for a DM whos going on Maternity leave, that will be his "training" lol, that happens in a few weeks.

Anyway, I was just asking if anyone could give me some ideas of what to expect when this does happen?

 

[Helopoh]

Never delt with one of them my friend but WOW what I wouldn't give to have someone else pack me up right now.

I would suggest though to start by making a list of questions and concerns to ask and give them a call and fire away...

HUGS
Denise

 

[crazyme5kids]

We had one very good experience with a smaller family run business, and then a nightmare experience with a large nationwide company (Won't say the name but it starts with a B). We still shudder when we see one of the trucks pass us.

 

[Mishetta]

I don't mind mentioning names...

We had a bad experience with Mayflower & with Bekins.

Good luck with your move & if you have something that you truly treasure & is irreplaceable ~ pack it yourself!

Make sure everything is in writing also & be sure you can get a hold of the coordinator on moving day!

 

[crazyme5kids]

Mishetta, we should should swap Bekins stories They are the worst!!!!! My husbands boss used Mayflower, they had one of their cars towed for the move. Mayflower decided to leave it on the NJ turnpike. He was never really given a real reason for it.

 

[Pembo]

We just had movers who loaded and unloaded all our stuff. I was going to have them pack but decided to save $$ by doing it myself. I think the unpacking would be awesome though. I'm real tired to boxes. LOL!

My one suggestion would be to label all the boxes VERY CLEARLY and don't get lazy near the end. I spent 10 days looking for ds's calendar (a prized possession) that I knew I put in a special box so I could easily find it?! It was in with DD's stuff. Got lazy in the last days and didn't label the boxes well.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[Figment22]

I don't know if this holds true in your state but when we moved from NJ to SC last year we contacted several moving companies for estimates and then found out that there was a state regulatory board for moving companies that keeps records of major complaints lodged against specific companies. We were planning on going with the company with the lowest estimate but then found out that they had 8-9 major complaints lodged against them that were still pending.

Also, I see that others have listed the national chains with whom they have had problems. Be aware that although the national company name may be on the trucks (e.g. United, Allied, Bekins, etc.) it is generally a locally owned company that handles your move. You may actually have 3-4 United or Allied agents in your area; each with a very different track record. It will ease your mind to do some homework in advance of your selection.

Good luck!

 

[crazyme5kids]

You should also know that with some (I don't know if it is all) big name co., will sometimes drop your load, have someone else pick it up move it and drop it at another yard before it arrives.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I'll reserve my comments on movers here.

 

[crazyme5kids]

Alright, I am feeling a tad bad about my trashing moving companies. As I have stated, I had a very good experience with a moving company, they packed my stuff like they were packing their grandmothers prized possesions. They were so professional I really thought there was no other way to move. That is until those guys that start with a B.

 

[Figment22]

Originally posted by crazyme5kids
You should also know that with some (I don't know if it is all) big name co., will sometimes drop your load, have someone else pick it up move it and drop it at another yard before it arrives.

Very good point. Also, your load may not be the only load on that particular truck. Our load was shipped along with a Maryland family's load. For this reason, they may not be able to give you the exact date that your load will arrive, just a target date or a span of 2-3 days.

 

[mickeyfan1]

I have "been moved" 2 times by my company. Part of the plan is that I had to use their realtor, but I got a choice of 3 different major companies, had I not used one of them, I would not have gotten a percent of the commish. The movers packed everything, and would have unpacked it, but I didn't know where things were going the first time, and the second time we left everything outside or in the garage while we repainted and put all new floorcovering in. BTW the first time was Bekins and the second time was United. No problem with either one. And the second time I had 2 cars in the van along with all my furniture and boxes. My company had an excellent relocation plan.

I may be moving again this summer, but I will have to do a lot of it myself. I am thinking of selling most of my furniture and the "South West Decor" stuff, as I won't need it and it will be easier to move only personal items.

Good Luck Binny, it will be an adventure!

 

[ilike2moveit]

You may find this website helpful. www.moving.org
It is the American Moving and Storage association website. Lots of information here.

 

[Kimberle]

Yup! They didn't show up!!

If you use one, make sure you have a very detailed contract. They must come out & give you an estimate. Get at least 3-4 estimates. Be "wary" of a very low or very high one.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Here are my top 5 ideas that should help you with your move...

1. Keep contact information on your coordinator handy, they will be your #1 contact throughout the move.

2. If you are choosing your own moving company, and even if you are not, do your homework! The link that iliketomoveit gave you should be very helpful.

3. If you pack your own items, like pembo said, do not get lazy towards the end of your packing-laziness could actually cause you more work, heartache and damage when you go to unpack.

4. Valuable & collections should be watched, packed & quite honestly-moved, by you. No matter how reputable the moving company is, these are still strangers in your home; one dishonest person could cost you plenty.

5. Take your time with your paperwork-you will have to sign a lot of papers. Don't let anyone rush you. Read everything before you sign. Note any and all damages as soon as you see it; hesitation in claiming damage (to buildings and cargo) could give them cause to deny you.

Good luck in your new home!

 

[castleview]

Overall, both moves have been smooth for me. Nothing's ever been broken or lost. However, make sure they have a big enough truck. On our last move, they figured a smaller one would do the trick and would have a better chance of making it up our new steep driveway. Needless to say, they ran out of room. What should have been done in three hours took nearly six because my husband and father had to throw some extra stuff in the back of their cars (like workbenches, exercise equipment, etc.)

The people were more than nice, just make sure you're controlling the move.

 

[Ellester]

We've been professionally moved twice, both times it was OK. Not great, but not awful either.

Tips for when they come to pack you:

1-Be ready! They move quick. I thought I'd have time to run the dishwasher with our breakfast dishes. I had to talk them out of packing them dirty, they wanted to do the kitchen first.

2-Have a corner clearly marked for stuff you do not want packed. They pack EVERYTHING! You may find your full garbage can in a box if you are not careful.

3-I agree that you need to watch around the valuables. Most people are honest, but not all are.

The worst thing about both moves was the yahoos they got to help unload. The first time we had moved to a small town and the moving company didn't have a local rep. The driver's helper got thrown in jail on the way out, so he was alone. He got one helper from Job Service and one from the truck stop! These guys had no business moving heavy stuff. The one was easily over 60 and I was ready for him to drop dead any time! The second time was during an NFL playoff game where the local team was playing. The workers worked so fast, they didn't put half of what we wanted where we wanted it. They just wanted to get out of there and watch the game.

Don't be afraid to put in claims for damages to your stuff and/or your house. We had a few things that needed to be repaired. Also, be very diligent about checking off the boxes they bring in. The second time, it was raining and the mover talked DH into just putting the boxes in the garage instead of checking them off as they came off the truck. As a result, we had a box of someone else's Christmas stuff and we were missing a box of stuff. We did get it taken care of, but it would have been easier to do it right the first time.

Overall, it was a stressful experience but I'd much rather have someone pack us. Good luck!

~Ellen

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by Figment22

Also, I see that others have listed the national chains with whom they have had problems. Be aware that although the national company name may be on the trucks (e.g. United, Allied, Bekins, etc.) it is generally a locally owned company that handles your move. You may actually have 3-4 United or Allied agents in your area; each with a very different track record. It will ease your mind to do some homework in advance of your selection.

YEP!! And, not just the local company, but the driver matters as well, since he is sometimes ultimately held resposible for the quality of the move. Unfortunately, you don't get to pick your driver. I'd definitely research the companies they suggest and see about their complaint record.

You should also understand BEFORE you move the claim procedures for afterwards. There are definite procedures, involving lots of paperwork and documentation, and it depends on who is moving you (your company) whether you're insured, for what amount, whether depreciated value or full replacement cost value, etc. Know the deadlines ahead of time for claims just in case you need it!

Katie

 

[Planogirl]

We were moved twice by my husband's company and both times we used Bekins. I don't know if we were lucky but other than arriving late, they did well. I did pack our crystal and antique glassware before they arrived and loaded it in my car. DH packed the PC since we needed it to be handy and loaded it into his vehicle along with important papers, pictures and things that belonged to the cats. The cats were with a relative so that they wouldn't be underfoot.

I suggest packing and moving some items yourself if they're fragile or valuable. And always pack some clothes and your important papers and documents.

 

[kadaten]

Military wife here, veteran of 4 professional moves (so far). Had damage on 3 of the 4. Lots of good things pointed out above...

1. Valuables. Anything that can't be replaced at any price should be packed by you and moved by you (think family jewelry, fine art, insurance policies, wills, other important paperwork, etc). (Knowing what your coverages are will help you in this decision. We collect antique china, but it's available at Replacements.com. Anything they break they have to buy a replacement piece. Family photos, jewelry, etc. go with me. Always.) Anything that you are planning to move should be put in a separate room and locked off so that it doesn't accidentally get packed. We usually put all of our self-move stuff in the hall bathroom or guest room(after we empty it first) and lock the door so they can't get in to pack that stuff. We also put a sign on the door "DO NOT PACK"

2. We usually keep out a box of cleaning supplies so that when we get to the house ahead of the load, we can clean it before they put boxes everywhere. You'd hate to have to go to Wal-Mart first thing to get the basics. On a related note, we make sure the vacuum is held out to be the last thing put on the truck so we can vacuum the house one last time. As soon as they empty the first room of boxes, we vacuum and close the door. Follow them as they empty the house.

3. We ALWAYS let them pack us. What would take us weeks to do, they accomplish in 2 long days. (I'm a pack-rat with a 3000sf house...you do the math!!) Make sure your cannisters have been emptied of flour, sugar, etc. as they will pack them full if that's how they're sitting on the counter. Empty your trash can or they will move the garbage. No lie.

4. We NEVER let them unpack us. I do have them put the big pieces of furniture in place, reassemble the beds, and unpack the appliances. BUT, what they packed in 2 long days must be unpacked in 1, and they unpack it and put it on the floor and move on. (And as someone else said, the unloading staff isn't always up to snuff, especially if there isn't a local branch of that company where you're moving.) If they unpack you, there's WAY too much stuff lying around for you to move so you can't arrange things, can't clean the cabinets before putting the dishes away, don't have time to decorate or decide where things will go. Potential for lots of breakage... We do make sure all the boxes are in the right rooms and then we tackle it one room at a time...kids bedrooms first, followed by kitchen, then family room, then our room. I feel it's much more manageable this way and I don't have to trip over all my stuff until we have the time to arrange it. (We have had them unpack the clothes wardrobe boxes a time or two...that didn't cause too much chaos and it was nice to get those big boxes out of the way so we had a little more room to move around.)

5. Keep track of all your paperwork. Make sure you read everything you sign. Take special notice of the "damage noted at pick-up" section as they tend to exaggerate this area to reduce claims on the back end. We took pictures (love that digital camera) of everything before we moved so we had proof of condition. Make sure you understand the deadlines and procedures for filing a claim.

6. Always insist on an accurate accounting of the boxes coming off the truck. If you don't have that accounting, you can't prove it is missing!!

Anything else, just ask!
Katie