Golden Valley Van Lines

My bill ended up being $1,022 higher than the $2,248 stated in the "Binding Moving Estimate" I received. That's almost 50% more - pretty hefty. After the move from Oregon to DC was done, I looked at the paperwork again, because of some damage to my furniture. It raised some serious questions. I thought the price increase wasn't justified, so I sent Golden Valley Van Line emails with the questions I had. I sent an email on December 12, 2018. I then tried again on January 5 and again on January 19, 2019. I never received an answer. By now I feel scammed.
I wasn't in Oregon when Golden Valley picked up my stuff at a friend's house. At the time of pickup the company representative claimed that it was much more than what I had estimated. He charged me $672 more. It was a take it or leave it kind of deal with my friend wanting my stuff out of her garage, and I wasn't there, so I agreed. When my stuff arrived, I did the math and found out that it was just 9 cubic feet more - kind of a steep surcharge. At arrival I was told that the large truck couldn't park in front of my house, so I would have to pay $350 for a shuttle. The surcharge for such a shuttle is in the contract. What's not in the contract is that the "shuttle" seemed to have been the main transporter. There was no large 18-wheeler outside the city, as the company representative had told me the day before and then again that day. The van and trailer combination that did arrive with my furniture had another client's furniture in it, and the guys told me they were in a hurry to deliver it to another city that day.

So, to sum it up:
Pros: It started outas one of the lowest priced offers (but of course it didn't stay that way). The furniture was well packaged with thick blankets all around. The guys delivering it were pretty careful and handled everything well.
Cons: One rail on my bed was damaged and my washer apparently dropped at one point. I feel cheated out of $1,022. Communication was terrible.

The last three emails being ignored was not the first time communications with "Christine S." completely dropped (there is no last name on any of the paperwork - interesting - I mean, social media is different, but there is no last name in ANY of her communications, not even the contract or receipt). When I tried to arrange delivery, I didn't hear from her for weeks and then only got phony excuses. When I complained about the surcharge for the van because the 18-wheeler couldn't get to my house, I was told that I was being "difficult" to work with. Same kind of take-it-or-leave-it deal, only this time with my stuff in the company's possession. At delivery the company representative immediately threatened to leave if I wouldn't sign the papers and handed over the money first thing. When I asked for a receipt from him he refused and didn't even want to tell me his full name (same deal as with Christine S., remember?).

Long story short, this California branch of Golden Valley Van Line is NOT a trustworthy partner I would ever recommend for your move.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3200

First of all, my price went from $5300 to $12000, after they loaded a small truck to take to a warehouse to wait for more loads. I was told that my furniture would be at my new house sooner. It took 2 weeks, luckily we had a place to stay without having to spend money on a hotel.
They have broken so much of our stuff, I am very upset that my expensive collection had about 30 pieces broken and had to throw away about 4 because they could not be repaired. They turned boxes upside down that said TOP and did not even read fragile, maybe they don't know what that means.
No one stayed in touch with us to let us know anything, we had to keep calling to find out where our furniture was.
This is the worst company ever. I am sure that I wont be compensated for the breakage or anything else .
Do not use this company!

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $12000

It has been the worst experience with this company. Christine ,who is the GM of Customer Service is a horrible person to deal with . To her the customer is never right , and she sticks to that . I had my stuff picked up on the 14th of sept . it is the 25 of sept and Christine told me it still has not left the dock in Washington and she can't give me a date when it will arrive . DO NOT USE THEM. I have never had a company yell at me . Christine has forgotten I and the customer and pay her bills.

Move size: Studio Service cost: $2000

My quoted price increased drastically at least twice. The woman I talked to on the phone, who said she was the general manager of Golden Valley Van Lines, was not helpful and rude. She would not listen to my concerns about the escalated pricing and instead responded to pretty much everything with “pay with a US Postal Money order,” no matter what my question or concern was.
The unload driver called me on a Friday to let me know he’d be there on Sunday around 3pm. He called Sunday morning around 10 to let me know he’d be there in about 30 minutes. Since it was much earlier than I anticipated, I rushed to drop off my dog at a dog sitter’s and to find an ATM….because, of course, there was another charge for stairs that could only be paid in cash. (The contract I signed said a flight was 10 stairs, but I was charged as if a flight was 7) The driver called again, about 20 minutes later, to let me know it would not be until three.
The movers showed up, and asked how much stuff I had. I said I believed it was approximately 1200 cubic feet. This statement was met with an “Oh dear, that’s a lot of stuff.” As they started prepping to unload, someone from my neighborhood came and asked the driver about the wires/cables they’d hit on the way into the neighborhood, and why the driver hit them, stopped, and then kept going. The driver said it was because he didn’t know what to do, and that he “was going to tell me.” They proceeded to have a verbal exchange for nearly 30 minutes.
My stuff started filtering in the house, and it was abysmal. Nothing was laid down to protect the carpet. My boxes where in awful shape, with many of my items damaged beyond repair. Plates and bowls were shattered, the movers dropped a glass TV stand in the driveway, and they proceeded to get upset when I told them I did not have a broom to clean it. (The broom was one of many lost items) They were also reluctant to move larger items upstairs.
The contract I signed, and the services I paid A LOT of money for include “full service white glove door to door moving experience” and “all standard furniture reassembled room by room at destination.” My bed is un-assembled. To be fair, they also broke it while moving it, so they could not assemble it. The furniture is not where I asked it to go, with some still in my garage, along with most of the other boxes. I have items still wrapped in blankets and plastic haphazardly all over my house. This constitutes a breach of contract.
I am missing a lot of items. I emailed the company as requested with a list of the missing items, and was told to give them "up to a week." It has been a week, and I have heard nothing. I'm stuck, not sure if I should move on replacing those things, or keep waiting. I also received a file cabinet that was not mine full of articles that were not mine. I can only wonder who has all the items I am missing..
Horrible experience from start to finish, interspersed with some of the WORST customer service I’ve ever experienced.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $7900

**Update: 4 months of requesting delivery, and I was finally told I would have to go get myself from a storage unit and now pay $4800. All the boxes were stacked on my tv, which was shattered. Half of items were missing. They claim they lost a pallet and would search. It was NEVER found and my pool cues were stolen from a bundle that did arrive. The boxes marked "FRAGILE" were tossed in pile and items were broken. They finally promised a refund of $480, and gave insurance claim information. No one called back. After months of hounding, they sent check for $240 that bounced. They reissued, and it went through. The remaining $240 check bounced. As it turns out, they've been investigated many times and their solution is to change name slightly: "Golden Van Lines, Inc." becomes "Golden Van Lines, Inc" or "Golden Van Lines Inc". It has been going on for years and they create fake positive reviews for BBB and online sites.**

Initially I sent out my information for quotes and this SEEMED the best. I measured all items and there was no surprise for furniture. I was quoted $1400 for my furniture and 20-30 boxes. I added 20 boxes and it became $3400. To my satisfaction, that has still not been explained. And I called for 2 weeks upon upon rechecking my destinatination before I spoke with a previous contact. They then cancelled pickup and I had to deal with very unhappy landlord who thought I'd be out 3 days earlier.
To date: I still do not have a scheduled move-in, and the only reason I'm "supppsed" to get one is because I kept calling and my texts were ignored. Weeks later and I still do not have a date for a moving company that costs MORE than the rest. I really am willing to pay to make this the last time I deal with them. We are now 3 weeks out from. When I first left a message.

I spoke to dispatch/manager last week, and 8 days later have no ETA. Make you're own judements--and believe me, they'll lie and defend. It still makes no sense for all furniture with 20-30 boxes to Florida to be $1400, and add NO furniture and 20 boxes to become $3400.

I still cannot get my furniture an I've been calling for a month.

NEVER! Use this company!!

Best of their customer service is to discredit the client instead of fixing. I already know the fun stuff they'll say.

But facts are: I want my furniture, and I'm really doubting it shall ever occur.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4500

Find another company. Much of my grandmothers furniture is damaged or destroyed, boxes crushed and the contents damaged. Items were dropped and damaged in front of me as they were unloading the truck despite asking them to be more carful. The company has not done anything but tell me I need to go through the claims process despite being told someone would contact me personally due to the magnitude of the situation. They charged us for crating a piano that we did not have. Overall experience is terrible and if you are looking for a company that will be careless with your belongings, over charge you at the same time and then not do anything to make it right but offer you pennies through the claims process then Golden Valley Van Lines is for you! But I would look elsewhere as this company has proven it is not interested providing even mediocre customer service.

We are still going through things piece by piece. Everything from poorly packed items that broke in a box, boxes were not kept upright and were rolled in some cases off the truck (I saw them do it and asked them to stop), smashed boxes, damaged/destroyed furniture, the way they loaded everything into the storage unit by throwing boxes to the back of it (I have not gone through them since I cannot get to them yet), careless handling, and I even have a picture of the fuel cap on the truck was carelessly left off while they were driving across the country. I say again, find another company.

Do not overpay for a company not interested in making things right with their customers.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $6076

If you want to get scammed, choose this company. So this is going to be lengthy, but PLEASE read this before you pick them, because I am going to be taking them to court. They quoted us $1800 for our move from Tacoma to Colorado springs. The receptionists were very nice on the phone, and the guys packing did a good job. BUT when they loaded up the truck, it went from 1800 to them needing $3700 more once they got to Colorado. The guys said, that's just an estimate, but we wouldn't have to pay even close to that much. Ok, fine. So we say you can't deliver before June 14th, because that's when we get our house. So the day of the 12th I get done with work I have several voicemails on my phone from a man with very poor english about how he is going to be there the 13th. I have to be at my house between 9-12 or its 200$ an hour for waiting, and that I HAVE to pay cash. He screams at me on the phone when I said I was told to pay credit card, and calls me an fing liar! Call the company, they say they will call him. He gets ticked off, doesn't show up til 1345 and he didn't unpack anything or put it back together like was in the contract. And they were supposed to have two men to unload, turns out the driver (from Uzbekistan) called up a local guy he found on craigslist to help him unload and that guy did all the heavy lifting. They didn't take any of the blankets off, or unpacking tape, didn't put anything back together, they damaged the wall, the craigslist guy dropped the coffee table on my toe as we were moving, and I had the cops on standby because the Uzbek guy was swearing up a storm and saying how much [EDIT] all this was. Thecompany has said they are going to refund me, and the last few times I've called they haven't answered or returned my calls. More to follow..but DO NOT USE THEM!!

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4900

As others have shared, if I could rate zero, that would be my rating! Charges more than double their estimate, delivery 3 days beyond the "absolutely latest delivery date" and sales & customer service that seemed like it was a hassle for me to understand what was going on with our delivery! In two simple words - STAY AWAY from these guys! Also, look at the Department of Transportation for the REAL number of claims with them! Their License has been suspended periodically!!

Their sales person Aaron committed to an "absolute" delivery on a weekend (as my daughter was starting her job on a Monday), but nope, not until late Wednesday. And they had 30 days advance notice to schedule the mere 1000 mile delivery (they held her items in storage for 30 days)! Finally, as I've tried to settle this reasonably, not only has the story changed numerous times ('yes, we overcharged you by 73 cubic feet" .. "actually I was wrong.. in fact we under charged you!")

Finally, the best was when I was informed that I do not have the right to take them to Small Claims due to their contract and some regulations! Seriously? These people wont own up to their poor service!! STAY AWAY!!

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3700