Long distance movers?

drummerboy said:

As some of you may know, I'm moving to Ohio. In late November if everything works out.

I haven't picked a mover yet. Earlier in the year, I got an estimate of about 4k for the move. Forgot who the mover was though. Have to check my voicemails.

Today I received another estimate from a local company. 14k!

I have never employed a mover before. Does anyone have an idea of what a move for a 2 BR apartment, 6 hours away, should cost?

Anyway, at the moment I'm starting to panic.

I used General Moving Carriers in Maplewood several years ago. They charged about $3,000 to pack up my stuff and put it in storage. I just got a quote to have it delivered to my new home (Tulsa). It will be about $6,300, which is more than they estimated at the time of packing, but I'm guessing it's the increased cost of fuel, labor, etc. I had a lot of stuff that's difficult to move - big framed pictures, heavy vintage wrought iron patio furniture, floor lamps, etc. My job was a real pain, but they were fantastic. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. Especially after reading all the accounts of moving companies that give you a quote and then hold your stuff hostage. Scary. 

kthnry said:

drummerboy said:

As some of you may know, I'm moving to Ohio. In late November if everything works out.

I haven't picked a mover yet. Earlier in the year, I got an estimate of about 4k for the move. Forgot who the mover was though. Have to check my voicemails.

Today I received another estimate from a local company. 14k!

I have never employed a mover before. Does anyone have an idea of what a move for a 2 BR apartment, 6 hours away, should cost?

Anyway, at the moment I'm starting to panic.

I used General Moving Carriers in Maplewood several years ago. They charged about $3,000 to pack up my stuff and put it in storage. I just got a quote to have it delivered to my new home (Tulsa). It will be about $6,300, which is more than they estimated at the time of packing, but I'm guessing it's the increased cost of fuel, labor, etc. I had a lot of stuff that's difficult to move - big framed pictures, heavy vintage wrought iron patio furniture, floor lamps, etc. My job was a real pain, but they were fantastic. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. Especially after reading all the accounts of moving companies that give you a quote and then hold your stuff hostage. Scary. 

sadly, General Moving Carriers is who I used. I can't afford 14K.

And I wouldn't consider my move difficult. I don't have anything that's unusually hard to move.

Have you considered holding a garage sale and downsizing, and renting a U-Haul it to take very heavy items - books, records, and personal stuff to Ohio? might cost less to buy new furniture in Ohio. 

I used University Van Lines in Rahway for a  long-distance move a few years ago. Reasonable cost and all went well. (can't recall the total, around $5000 for a one bdrm apt and car. This was about 7 yrs ago)

just a couple of thoughts:

Interstate moves are (or were - see below) pretty heavily regulated, which makes estimates a little easier to compare.  Get a few, and see what the differences are:  weight estimates? extras like packing or storing?

They are (or were) bound by their weight estimate, when it comes down to it.  But still i'd strongly prefer somebody who actually comes out and looks at the stuff, over an estimate based on square feet and a chat.

When your stuff arrives, under no circumstances sign off on anything till you've done a reasonable inspection.

When we last moved interstate (2006), I think it was $10,000+ for most of a 3-bedroom house, more than a little "stuff," they packed.  I think the company was Graber, and we were very happy with them.  Never cheap....

all my sympathy, and happy landings!

mjc said:

just a couple of thoughts:

Interstate moves are (or were - see below) pretty heavily regulated, which makes estimates a little easier to compare.  Get a few, and see what the differences are:  weight estimates? extras like packing or storing?

They are (or were) bound by their weight estimate, when it comes down to it.  But still i'd strongly prefer somebody who actually comes out and looks at the stuff, over an estimate based on square feet and a chat.

When your stuff arrives, under no circumstances sign off on anything till you've done a reasonable inspection.

When we last moved interstate (2006), I think it was $10,000+ for most of a 3-bedroom house, more than a little "stuff," they packed.  I think the company was Graber, and we were very happy with them.  Never cheap....

all my sympathy, and happy landings!

Yeah, these movers did a virtual walk-through via zoom to see what I had to move, they said that since COVID they don't make personal visits, whereas the company that gave the earlier estimate was just a chat. 

Zoom sounds reasonable. 

Are you up for taking one truck or trailer of stuff yourself?  That's what happened on our 2006 move, since we weren't both going at the same time.

mtierney's suggestion of getting some new things on arrival is very tempting, esp. if some of your stuff is past its prime and/or you're unsure of your final location/spaces.

mjc said:

Zoom sounds reasonable. 

Are you up for taking one truck or trailer of stuff yourself?  That's what happened on our 2006 move, since we weren't both going at the same time.

mtierney's suggestion of getting some new things on arrival is very tempting, esp. if some of your stuff is past its prime and/or you're unsure of your final location/spaces.

Frankly I don't have much furniture. I do have a lot of stuff though - already boxed up. I've been working on thinning out that collection.

I don't know if these guys are still in business, but here's what I said when I moved to CA -

"I would NOT recommend "Global Relocations" for your move. No sign of my stuff yet, vague promises of a delivery next week."

It got worse. Not everything arrived, lots of stuff was damaged, they left stuff behind and delivered at least one full garbage sack, and the email they gave for complaints and queries was invalid. Also, the contract specifically included the clause that nothing they'd said verbally about delivery dates was enforceable,

jonesey said:

I don't know if these guys are still in business, but here's what I said when I moved to CA -

"I would NOT recommend "Global Relocations" for your move. No sign of my stuff yet, vague promises of a delivery next week."

It got worse. Not everything arrived, lots of stuff was damaged, they left stuff behind and delivered at least one full garbage sack, and the email they gave for complaints and queries was invalid. Also, the contract specifically included the clause that nothing they'd said verbally about delivery dates was enforceable,

yikes.

and now I have more stuff to have nightmares about. 

Unfortunately this falls into the category of :- if I don’t do it myself it won’t get done right-:

Rent a Uhaul, you drive it, if your son has his license as yet, let him drive the Benz. You will thank me later….