Can someone recommend a great moving company (DC to CA) ??

Answer 1

Ok here is the deal with that. I was in the tucking business for 20 years so I know EXACTLY what I am talking about.

To start with DO NOT go through a broker that you might find online or other wise. They take your money and assign your load to anyone who has the lowest bid on it. Example: They want to charge you 5,000.00 they then post the load on a load board, Mike who has crappy trucks, crappy drivers and a coke habit will tell them he will take the load for 2000.00. The broker gets 3 he gets 2. So they will now come out and toss your stuff into the back of a truck. They can not go to California for 2,000.00 so now your furniture will go right to the truckstop and sit until he finds more stuff going that way. May be a day may be a month. The lies will flow when you want to know where your stuff is.

Also watch out for bumping weights. They will show up on empty (fuel wise) give you a scale ticket that shows that weight, load your stuff, go to the truckstop, fuel up, then weigh the truck. That will bump the weight up another 2-3 thousand pounds that YOU will be charged for. Dont buy it. Ask to see the fuel gage.

Damage, stolen goods are everyday with these people. THEN they will hold your stuff hostage until you pay, and dont try to collect from their insurance, they wont have any.

STAY AWAY from brokers.

IF I were going to do it, I would go with United Van Lines. I have never heard a lot of negitive about them, but make sure they have a truck load set up going that way before you book. When the truck shows up if there is anything and I do mean anything that feels wrong, get rid of them. READ the contract and make sure that your renters/homeowners will cover the move. Also when they load they have a sheet that they use for invatory. They will put a sticker on your..lets say end table and then write the number down on the sheet. They will write it is chipped, etc. so if they do mess it up, they will say it was like that when they picked it up. If they do that make them show you where it is dented, scratched....

Answer 2

all i can say is make sure you have at least 3 companie come into your home and give you and estimate. Ask them HOW they do the packing and what insurance they use, the terms of the insurance and cost. many even have CDS showing how they do it. But make sure you are there supervising them. We were 80% of the time, but with a one year old, could not be watching all the time. As a result, they slacked at the end and somethings were not packed properly and broke. They did the packing over 2 days and the last day they brought in people who were on their first day of the job with a moving company ever. They were nice, but at the end, the results were dissapointing. Oh, we moved our car with them and they lost the tittle for 3 months!!

Answer 3

you are going from one extreme to another. Call different companies and take bids.