I recently used Howard's Moving Co. to move from downtown Houston to Manvel, TX. My experience…read morestarted off very well, but unfortunately did not have the happy ending I was hoping for.
I found Howard's Moving after posting on Facebook asking for recommendations. Stephen, the owner, contacted me quickly, came to my home, provided a free estimate, and gave me a great first impression. His pricing was fair, and he was patient and accommodating as my closing date changed due to construction delays. My wife and I also did most of the packing ourselves, leaving only about 10% for the crew, along with the large items.
Day 1 was a three-packer/four-mover operation. They arrived later than agreed, but Houston traffic happens. Jason was the lead mover and clearly the most experienced. He led the crew well and even taught some of the less-experienced guys how to pack on the spot. Juan also went above and beyond and was honest that he had always been a mover but had not worked as a packer before. Despite that, everyone was extremely nice, professional, and communicative. Day 1 still left me at 5/5.
Day 2 started about 1.5 hours late. The crew efficiently loaded the first truck, but the lead from Day 1 was not there, and I immediately felt things might not go as smoothly. At the new house, the boxes were clearly labeled on multiple sides, including the top, but the crew repeatedly asked where things belonged. We eventually had them leave upstairs boxes at the bottom of the stairs because their shoes were getting the carpet dirty. One crew member was not wearing the same uniform as the others and seemed to move at a slower pace. I was paying for 4 movers, but effectively getting 3. My rating was now 4.5/5.
After unloading the first truck, I was told they would return to the old house after lunch for the second load. My old house was only about 16 miles away, and since most packing had already been done by my wife and me, I stayed at the new house to unpack. They left around 11:30 a.m. and I did not see them again until around 5:30 p.m. The remaining work should not have taken that long. Two items could not be moved for legitimate reasons, but communication during this portion was poor. At this point, my rating dropped to about 3.5/5.
When they returned, the pace and attention to detail had noticeably declined. I understand they were exhausted and dealing with the Texas heat, but blankets were not being used as carefully, several items remained wrapped, and some furniture was not wrapped completely. Overall, it felt like they were no longer taking the same pride in the work. That said, Issac and Juan continued to impress me. I tipped each crew member $70.
The next day, I returned to my old house to adjust the temperature and take care of a few things. What I found was extremely disappointing. Numerous items had been left behind, and my wife and I had to spend another two hours loading belongings into our personal vehicles. There were also many items that should have been boxed but were not. I was so frustrated that I forgot to take pictures.
I should have trusted my instincts and gone back to supervise the second load. I tried contacting Stephen because I did not want a refund--I simply wanted someone to listen and address what happened. Unfortunately, his responsiveness after payment was significantly different from before the move. It took several days and repeated calls before I was able to speak with him.
Mistakes happen in any business. What matters is how you take ownership of those mistakes and work to make them right. In my experience, this was where Howard's Moving fell short.
I would consider giving this company another chance in the future after it has had more time to grow and mature, because parts of the experience were very positive. Jason, Juan, and Issac deserve recognition for their effort, efficiency, and pride in their work. I hope those qualities become the standard across the entire team.
Overall rating: 3/5.
Sincerely,
Conrad Lyons
