I'm not really sure where to start. When I made the reservation, I specifically explained that we were moving from a 3-bedroom house with a basement, patio, and pole barn. I was assured that there would be no problem accommodating everything.
On moving day, four workers arrived on time with a 26-foot box truck. Thankfully, I had already loaded up the POD, which helped considerably. From there, the "Tetris" game began. The laborers were bringing items out to the truck while one worker was responsible for carefully arranging everything inside. I understand that loading takes time and that items need to be packed properly, but when you are paying by the hour, efficiency and quality are extremely important.
After approximately six hours, the professionalism started to deteriorate. The workers were yelling at each other and using profanity. Then we were told that there was not enough room on the truck for the pole barn and patio items, and that they would have to return the following day.
At that point, I was extremely frustrated. This was information that should have been addressed during the reservation process, especially since I had specifically disclosed everything that needed to be moved.
Once we arrived at the new house, unloading began. They also had to unload the POD. As we approached the 10-hour mark, I instructed them to put everything from the POD into the garage so we could at least get the move completed within a reasonable amount of time.
The following day, they returned to move the pole barn and patio items. I reminded them that they still needed to move the items that had been placed in the garage and made it very clear that I would not tolerate unnecessary delays or "milking the clock." Unfortunately, I had to put them in check more than once regarding the pace of the work.
Then came the damage.
Instead of telling us that a piece of furniture would not fit through the basement entrance, the workers apparently decided to force it through. In doing so, they damaged a wall all the way down the staircase and broke a light fixture.
Now I have to deal with the claims process to see how that situation is handled. That may very well be my next battle.
Despite everything, we still tipped the workers. They were the ones doing the physical labor, and I understand that some of the problems appeared to be the result of poor planning and a lack of management support, rather than entirely their fault.
Overall, this was an extremely stressful experience. I was very clear from the beginning about the size of the house and everything that needed to be moved. I expected the company to plan accordingly, communicate any limitations in advance, work efficiently, and take reasonable care of our property.
Unfortunately, that was not our experience. read more