The initial conversation was just so simple, and the numbers seemed so competitive ($150/hour). Was there any way to get a contract, to commit to this price and move date? No, you don't send out paperwork until closer to the move date. I know that "trust" only works when there's a contract to which all parties are committed, but was foolish enough to take your word for this.
We went through the details of the services, & you noted that your crews are professional movers who know how to properly pack and protect everything. There was an additional fee for refrigerators and washer/dryer, but your guys know how to disassemble, etc., as needed.
A week before the move, I called to check on a contract--yes, we'll send it right away. Oh, and let's re-check the details, because I think we'll need another person, so the price will go up to $200/hour.
Two days before the move, I call to again check on a contract. Oh, yes, we'll send it right away. Oh, and let's re-check the details, because it seems we'll need another truck, so the price goes up again.
The contract finally appeared 36 hrs pre-move, and the price inexplicably up to $240/hour, plus the extra truck. No additional mover, just + $40/hour for some reason. That's when you finally sent the contract; the day before the move, and with prices hiked. Had me over a barrel at that point.
Clearly, I was the fool for not finding a company that did their paperwork in a timely fashion, and would generate a contract in a timely fashion. But wait, there's more.
The crew of four showed up in 2 trucks when promised, at 9am. The crew of four included two experienced movers who understood that they were there to work. One of them, Chris, did all of the furniture packing, diligently.
The other two were kids. And when I say 'kids,' I mean they were immature, unaware that they were there to work, constantly checking their phones, needing continuous prompting to actually work. About every 30-45', those two would get into a discussion about their high school sports exploits. Until one of the other two guys or I would prompt them to do something.
When I realized how inefficient this crew was going to be, I got going disassembling the washer and dryer. As we watched all of the boxes labelled "fragile" get moved on to the truck to the bottom of stacks of boxes, we began loading up things into our cars and called family to load up their cars.
We were stuck paying for a crew of four, and getting a crew of two, plus a pair of kids who were almost useless, and never paid the slightest attention to what they were doing. Even Chris, one of the two experience movers, expressed regular frustration at the fact that he couldn't pack up everything on his own, and be outside prodding them to work.
Then came the odyssey of disassembling the refrigerator. It took 75' to take apart; then the removal of a sliding door to take another 35' to get the frig outside. As Chris said, no one on the crew knew how to do this. Twice during the nearly two hours of dealing with the frig, I suggested to the two kids that it wasn't necessary for them to watch--they could continue to move other things. To their credit, they did so; then came back in to watch.
That "professional crew" that could move anything? Not sure what job they were on, but it certainly wasn't our job. This 3 bedroom house, all boxed up except for furniture, finally found the crew driving away at 4pm. Seven hours to load this one house. Imagine what might have happened if we had a working crew of 4, and if they were as experienced as promised; maybe the 4.5-5 hours estimated initially.
The next part of the move, an additional one-bedroom apartment in the same town, went quickly. As Chris noted, the kids were starting to realize that the day was getting long, and they wanted to get home. Left this location at 5:30, began the 90' drive to Raleigh, arriving by about 7:30.
The unload went relatively quickly, and they were grateful to have the dinner we provided (in addition to the lunch we provided). And aside from the kids yelling at each other about their high school sports exploits in the driveway of this neighborhood until midnight--despite my repeatedly asking them to lower the volume--there was only one broken piece of pottery.
Since unpacking, we've only discovered scratches on furniture. Lots of scratches on lots of furniture. Only a few that qualify as deep gashes which will cost hundreds to refinish, but upwards of 50 surface scratches on end tables, dinner table and every other piece with a surface. And, magically, in moving the fragile boxes from the bottom of the stacks in the truck into the new home, the fragile boxes again were put at the bottom of stacks.
They drove away at midnight. 9am arr, 12am dep; 90' for meals, 90' for drive, that's 12 hours of "service." Imagine what it might have been w/a pro, experienced crew of 4; At $240/hour.
I'm the fool, and I paid for it. Don't repeat my mistakes; go pay for a professional mover. read more