This particular experience describes a local move. I used Thumbtack to plan, which is a pretty cool site. You describe your project, then local contractors contact you with a bid. If you hire someone through Thumbtack and something goes south they provide arbitration / resolution services.
Five local companies contacted me. All of them had excellent ratings, but the prices were wildly divergent. I finally went with the second lowest. They would have come in second highest, but they were having a sale. And they offered a neat benefit. As the guys loaded the truck they’d provide empty wardrobe boxes for free. We could load the wardrobe boxes with any garments we had hanging up as they worked, then take the clothes out again first thing when we arrived. Nice! I signed up for a three-man crew.
What Happened:
The first sign of trouble was when the truck showed up 1 hour late and 1 man short. While one guy got to work loading boxes the other handed me a clipboard that had “TIPS ARE APPRECIATED” in large red letters at the top. Then he quoted me a price $20/hr over the original price – and that was with one man less than I signed up for! I called the office to ask what was going on. The girl who answered said she’d have to “check with the boss”. Hum.
A few hours later two more men appeared. One got right to work helping the first two. The second walked around looking at things. Then he started muttering about “crazy white women” and waving his hands around. Around then I noticed that my toolbox had been opened and some of the tools were missing. I asked who had taken them, so I could make sure they were put back. I didn’t mind they had taken the tools, I just wanted to know where they were so they didn’t get lost in the shuffle. The new guy acted as though I was insane for even speaking – defensive nearly to the point of hysteria.
It was about that time that one of the guys shattered a light fixture. I had enough and I called the office again, asking to speak to whoever’s in charge. What do you know? The crazy guy WAS the guy in charge! Great. I asked one of the movers about the wardrobe boxes, but he didn’t know so he asked the boss, who of course acted as though I’d lost my mind. “We’re still working!” he hollered. Um, yes. I understand. Still working. But that was the point. I was supposed to load the wardrobe boxes as they worked, not after everything was loaded. Or at least that was how it had been explained when I signed up.
By then the boss was so unhinged I could only wonder what drug he was on. I backed off and decided to record the proceedings. Mostly because I figured no one would believe me, but also I started wondering if either cops or lawyers would need to get involved. When he saw that he threatened to unload the truck and drive away. Movers have the upper hand on moving day – after all that planning and work it would be very difficult to start with a new company. So I grit my teeth and just let him carry on.
I noticed that his guys weren’t making eye contact, either with me or with him. They just ducked their head and kept hustling things into the truck while the ‘guy in charge” ranted and waved his hands some more. I was so hot, tired and stressed out by then that I decided to hell with it – I was calling the cops. The driver saw what I was doing and asked me not to. He said it would just take more time and make him worse. I’m guessing I wasn’t the first to deal with this nut! So I held off. Eventually everything was loaded and they drove away. As they did I seriously wondered if I’d ever see my worldly belongings again. I closed up then headed to our new place.
The truck wasn’t there when I arrived, even though I left about 20 minutes after they did. It took another hour for them to show up. Fortunately unloading was anti-climactic. “The boss” decided he had other places to be. With a 3 man crew and no one around to throw todder-style tantrums, unloading went smoothly. They promised they’d pay for what they broke and that was that. Then I got another strange message from the driver. He needed to come back the next day. Apparently the “boss baby” pitching a fit also kept his personal belongings in the truck. Some of them had been offloaded at my place by mistake. Because… of course they were.
What I Learned:
Try to get sleep the night before the move
- You’ll need your strength
- No matter how well you plan, something will go wrong on moving day
- Probably several somethings
- Even if you hire movers you’ll still haul boxes.
- Plan on providing the movers with water and high protein snacks.
- Tip your movers in cash. If local, on the day of the move. If cross country, the day your stuff is unloaded at your destination.
- Provided, of course, they didn’t break all your stuff
Bottom Line:
Doing it yourself is a great choice if you have the stamina. It adds to the physical exhaustion, but it cuts down on the variables to the point where it’s worth it.
Helpful Hints:
- Use your credit card whenever possible, especially in the hiring process
If things go south you can always dispute the charge - Going with Thumbtack was a wise move
- The moving company refused to replace the light fixture – arbitration was needed.
- Even when the moving company got strange, Thumbtack had my back.
Standard Disclaimer:
I’m well aware that there are wonderful, trustworthy moving companies out there. They are populated by hard working individuals who would rather die than drop something. I haven’t met these individuals personally, but I’m certain they’re out there. Just as I’m positive there are many stories of stress-free, blissful moves that went off without a hitch. That was not my experience, but I’m certain it happens.
Generational Confessional 