# Looking into moving companies



## debodun (Jun 28, 2021)

Just in case the house I'm buying passes inspection. I was a little disappointed to find only three locally and one only does pianos, whis is ONE thing I DON'T have!


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## Remy (Jun 30, 2021)

I hate to say I don't trust movers. When you move, take anything that's important to you by yourself. I liked the idea a poster put here of numbering the boxes. I have been ripped off by movers.


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## Pepper (Jun 30, 2021)

How about using a national, known mover like North American, and get a binding estimate.


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## Jules (Jun 30, 2021)

How many miles are you to your new home?  As suggested, move anything valuable yourself.  Just a few at a time.  

If your furniture is old or worn, replace it.  I said if we ever move again, I’m selling/donating almost all the furniture and just taking the things that I love. It would keep the cost of moving down.


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## Marie5656 (Jun 30, 2021)

Jules said:


> How many miles are you to your new home?  As suggested, move anything valuable yourself.  Just a few at a time.
> 
> If your furniture is old or worn, replace it.  I said if we ever move again, I’m selling/donating almost all the furniture and just taking the things that I love. It would keep the cost of moving down.



I agree. When I moved, I downsized a lot. Granted I moved from a house to an apartment. But I did fill a couple dumpsters with stuff. Sold a few things like my chest freezer. Some stuff I put out by the road, and it disappeared on its own.
I know I needed new furniture. So, when I bought it, had the store hold it, and then had it delivered to the new place. Less to move.


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## bingo (Jun 30, 2021)

i know  you're not  from the south...but you saying something about  the  company only moves pianos  reminds me of  Jerry  Clower telling the joke about the  Marcell Ledbetter  moving company....look that one up deb  if you need a laugh....good luck on quotes


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## Aunt Bea (Jun 30, 2021)

Another vote for moving the things that are important to you in your own vehicle over a few days.

Also, make sure you understand the moving agreement and the pricing.  In this area, the movers will not insure any items that are packed by the homeowner, and if you hire the movers to pack it raises the price significantly.  It becomes a sort of catch 22.

I would move as little as possible and use the savings to invest in a few new items.  It just doesn't make sense to move old clothing, televisions, mattresses, etc...


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## debodun (Jul 1, 2021)

There's a 30 minute short (if you want to invest that much time) with Laurel and Hardy titled "The Music Box":


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## debodun (Jul 1, 2021)

Jules said:


> How many miles are you to your new home?


Exactly 2 miles according to MapQuest.


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## Jules (Jul 1, 2021)

Good.  You can slowly move lighter weight fragiles and valuables yourself.


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## debodun (Jul 1, 2021)

House inspection this coming Wednesday. Then, if it passes, closing is on July 23rd. After that, I don't know when the owner will be vacated. Kinda rude to be moving in before she's out. I suppose I will be told at the appropriate time.


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## Murrmurr (Jul 1, 2021)

Whatever movers you go with, will they do the boxing up? Not many of them do anymore.


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## debodun (Jul 1, 2021)

My buying agent probably can recommend good moving companies that clients have used before.


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## debodun (Jul 1, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> Whatever movers you go with, will they do the boxing up? Not many of them do anymore.


Not many people do anything anymore, and make you pay high prices for it. 

I was thinking of packing and moving small things like my knicknacks and let movers do the large items like book cases, beds, dressers. sofas, etc.


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## Murrmurr (Jul 1, 2021)

debodun said:


> Not many people do anything anymore, and make you pay high prices for it.
> 
> I was thinking of packing and moving small things like my knicknacks and let movers do the large items like book cases, beds, dressers. sofas, etc.


Yeah, I'd say that's your only option.


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## debodun (Jul 1, 2021)

Then I can only blame myself if anything gets broken with the small stuff. Are movers insured?

I put an ad on Marketplace for a moving sale and only had one response - a woman whose said her son does moving. I asked if he was bonded and insured. No answer back yet and that was almost a week ago. Sonuds fishy to me. He loads up his truck and you never see him again? That's one way to get rid of things.


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## Buckeye (Jul 1, 2021)

Two Men and A Truck is a nationwide franchise moving company for local moves.  They seem to be everywhere.


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## Don M. (Jul 1, 2021)

You might also consider renting a storage shed....if there are any in your area....for a few weeks/months, and packing up things you won't need for some time, and storing them there.  That way, you can save a fair amount of time, and money, by reducing the amount of things the movers need to handle.


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## Jules (Jul 1, 2021)

debodun said:


> House inspection this coming Wednesday. Then, if it passes, *closing is on July 23rd*. After that, I don't know when the owner will be vacated. Kinda rude to be moving in before she's out. I suppose I will be told at the appropriate time.


You will own the house on July 23rd.  They have to be out by then, probably by midnight on July 22nd.  It’s your house.  You’ll have to arrange that all utilities be put in your name for the 23rd.  

Your realtor should have a check list of all the things you need to do.


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## debodun (Jul 1, 2021)

Don M. said:


> You might also consider renting a storage shed....if there are any in your area....for a few weeks/months, and packing up things you won't need for some time, and storing them there.  That way, you can save a fair amount of time, and money, by reducing the amount of things the movers need to handle.


I appreciate your suggestion, but that means moving the things twice and paying for storage.


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## Madwurth (Aug 21, 2021)

As far as nationwide movers, I've used Three Men and a Truck and would recommend them too. I'm not sure where they come down on the piano moving aspect haha ... but they were easy to deal with and fairly cheap. Would use them again.


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## debodun (Aug 21, 2021)

https://m.facebook.com/pg/Three-Men-And-A-Truck-839349676123042/reviews/


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## Marie5656 (Aug 21, 2021)

*I used Two Men and a Truck   different from the three men one. The helped me bring big things out to the dumpster I had rented, and stuff to the truck. They were great

Here are some reviews..the top one is mine.   two men and a truck reviews - Google Search*


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## Colleen (Aug 21, 2021)

debodun said:


> https://m.facebook.com/pg/Three-Men-And-A-Truck-839349676123042/reviews/


Ouch! That review isn't very good, is it? I read other reviews (not on FB) that they're a "risky" place to deal with. Be careful.


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## Lara (Aug 21, 2021)

I've used movers long distances 3 times....I can't even talk about it


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## Colleen (Aug 21, 2021)

Lara said:


> I've used movers long distances 3 times....I can't even talk about it


Oh, no! Have you moved across the country like we're going to do? Our only option here is with Atlas Van Lines and I'm cringing at spending $14,000!


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## Lara (Aug 21, 2021)

Well, keep in mind that there are some good reviews online and some negative. I only saw a few with the issues I've mentioned. But most were short trips, not coast to coast. Read all the negative reviews everywhere online you can find. Do your own packing. It takes twice as long as you think so count on that. The biggest problem areas were when [I think] they would park the truck(s) overnight at the rest stop or "weight station", wherever, and a new shady crew would take over for the rest of the trip. They have all night to go through your things and steal from a 3200sqft house. 

Warning, just know that the nice educated gentleman who comes to your house to give you a competitive quote is NOT the type of guy who will be moving you. In fact,I never saw mine again and it's possible the nice lady answering the phone for the company is also someone you will never talk to again...at least that was my experience. My movers that came were all high on something.

Again, try to do all your own packing. Don't label a box saying "jewelry" or "silver". I didn't but still had many valuable things stolen, that can't be replaced. Number your boxes and check the condition of the box. Don't have your mother check off the items as they come off the truck. Some boxes were taken to the attic and weren't opened for ages. So all the while you're thinking, "I'm missing this and that but they're probably in the attic."

At the end of the moving, you will be so tired and therefore not at the top of your game. they know that. They will add charges for nefarious reasons like "extra boxes" used, or "extra padding needed". I needed 3 boxes at the last minute which they charged me $400 for. They will pull you away from the trucks while still being unloaded to sign papers and payment so you dont notice the stuff is missing and don't have time to unpack the boxes because "our guys have to get going".

They wrapped my white couch in clear wrap but I didn't notice it didn't cover the whole couch. Then they shoved it, on it's side, into the truck on a dirty floor. 

I used American Van Lines and they were horrible but apparently the reviews are different from state to state. Ask yourlocal police department at both ends of the trip and ask if they've ever had complaints. I read a review once that said they had asked, and the police said they got more complaints about movers than anything else.


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## Pinky (Aug 21, 2021)

I've moved numerous times .. both locally and internationally. I've always had to itemize everything I packed myself. All cartons were numbered, and everything was insured. Only once, was something broken, and that was a life-size Jack Russel Terrier sculpture that shouldn't have been placed at the bottom of the carton.


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## Jules (Aug 21, 2021)

We packed up our house, the professional movers provided the boxes.  A number was applied to each item and notes were made if it was a box, chair, table, fragile, etc.  Everything was cross-referenced.  It was a short drive but our items were all kept in the moving container for a few months until our house was finished.  When everything was unloaded, a head man & my husband each checked it off their own lists.  Nothing was missing, a couple of things got scratched.  We didn’t have moving insurance, just our household insurance.

Nowadays, I’d be taking a photo of everything that goes in each box.


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