International Van Lines

I’ve moved a few times and it always seems to be a stressful situation. I chose IVL because of their reputation for providing a good service. I was in a time crunch and needed a fast pickup. They made it happen. They showed up on the agreed date and packed all of our stuff with precision. I would also like to thank Alex, my sales rep. He did an amazing job dealing with my million questions and getting my move set up. I was very pleased with the move. They were on time, did a great job and all of my stuff was delivered with no damage or missing items.

I have used movers in the past and I have to say that IVL has been the best so far. Make sure you request a virtual tour and speak with the right people there. It’s good to know that there are still good moving companies out there and they have my business for life.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $7000

International Van Lines handled my move from New York to Miami back in early Jan of 2023. I did not have a chance to leave any feedback, but I'm happy to because it was a job well done. They sold me on a specific service, including quicker transit time, full packing, and shipping two cars. They got the job done on time and without incident. I have hired moving companies in the past and had a few good and bad experiences. My case with IVL was great! They did everything they claimed they would and even went above and beyond. They provided excellent customer service and were always quick to pick up the phone and answer all my questions. I don't plan on moving anytime in the near future, but if I do, I would hire IVL again. Also, I would like to give a huge shout-out to Daisja, Sean, and Jason, who were all very pleasant to deal with and made me feel comfortable.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $8000

I thought International Van Lines did great with my move, hence the excellent star rating. The cost was good, communication great and the move itself went according to the plan. My sales agent, Veronica, was awesome, and she showed that she cared, unlike other moving companies that were pushing me for money. We received everything with nothing missing or damaged, minus a scratch on one of my dining chairs. They did reach out to fix the problem, but honestly, I did not want to deal with it. All in all, they did a great job, and we had a good experience, so I would plan on using them again.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $7500

Our move was contracted by International Van Lines, but they subcontracted the move to American Knights Moving, which we were informed the day before the move. IVL disparages moving brokers on their web site, but they appear to commonly broker all their moves.

When AKM called they informed us that the total move should take place in one day. Previous discussion with IVL had indicated one day to pack and the next day to move, which is how we had based our hotel arrangements. In feedback to IVL, they said that they may allow the move to extend over to the second day.

First day of move – AKM reviewed the house contents to be moved, and increased the cost by 10%. In discussion by phone with the movers’ supervisor, he said that the initial estimate was only good to +/- 30%, while the in-person estimate was 100% accurate. AKM movers also stated that they could not pack any food or liquids, contrary to a specific previous discussion with IVL about these items. In reviewing this with IVL, they stood by the inventory assessment by AKM, but agreed to reduce the increase by 10%, or 1% of the original estimate. They said they would direct AKM to take food and (nonhazardous) liquids.

When we asked IVL, we were assured that the movers were “professionals” and knew how to pack several antique clocks. On the first day the movers were about to place an antique wall clock in a box, only with paper wrapping, without stabilizing or removing the weights inside. When we questioned them about this, they stopped packing and held off till the next day, leaving us to address the packing. Second day of move - about 1:00 PM the movers came to us and stated that we needed to prioritize what we wanted to move, because it would not all fit in the truck. When asked when they would return for the rest, they said that the contract was for the one truck and they would not be back. They did not offer any alternative, nor did they try to check for other arrangements. Upon discussing this with their supervisor by phone, he told us that they would fill the truck and then go, leaving us to try to make other arrangements. This is despite the fact that they had performed a “100% accurate” assessment of the total load the day before, and that they had originally said the move would take place in one day. After calling and leaving desperate messages with the only two contacts we had at IVL, we contacted someone at the main customer service number. After many anxious minutes while the movers were getting ready to leave, the person was able to confirm that IVL had contacted AKM to discuss arrangements. At the same time the movers were contacted and were waiting at the truck for resolution, for about 45 minutes. Eventually the movers said, at first, it was agreed they would drop their truckload in Richmond, 5 hours away, then return at 5 AM the next day for the remainder. Then they modified this and specified that they would arrive between 4 and 5 AM, and call 30 minutes in advance, and if we were not there when they arrived, they would leave immediately. On the third day, AKM arrived about 6:30 AM. At this point many items became contentious, and they did not want to take items that had been reviewed for the “100% accurate” inventory:

• Rugs – 2’ x 5’

• Cables and remote for TV

• Items they had overlooked and not previously packed in the Master Bath and a kitchen drawer –

they accused us of adding these in afterwards. These were all thrown in a large box together, with no packing or separation.

• Similarly, in laundry room, many miscellaneous items were just dumped in a box.

• Executive desk (36 x 72”) and hutch – said that it could not be moved without damage, and that typically a third party is hired to separate. However, we assisted in the separation so the move could proceed. Desk was completely disassembled to move down stairs.

Delivery

Items which had been disassembled did not have the hardware available to reassemble. AKM said that we needed to continue to search for the missing hardware before they could do anything about restoring:

Kitchen table – never found the hardware. Purchased additional fasteners.

Executive desk – Upon further unpacking, 3 weeks later most of the screws and dowels were found sealed inside of one of the empty rolls of tape, at the bottom of one of the boxes into which many items were dumped on the third day of moving. In the meantime these pieces of desk (8) and table (5) were laying on the floor in the house. A month later a different crew from AKM finally returned to reassemble. Much of the desk had been damaged during the disassembly and reassembly, and did not fit together as before. With the number of damaged assembly locations, it could be subject to collapse at any time.

Many damaged pieces of furniture were discovered during the unpacking, as well as some items, such as electronics, which were “missing”. Only 2 of the 5 clocks survived in working order, with some antiques irreparable.

Move size: 4 Bedroom Home Service cost: $13431

I was let down just 2 days earlier of my house move by another moving company who was even very unprofessional in the way canceled my move. Then I found international van lines. They picked up the call and understood our problem. I was so surprised that they managed to give us a schedule. Their team was fantastic! Arrived very early in the morning and very professionally and quickly packed all our belongings. The job was done within the allocated time. They are really a savior for us and we are lucky that we didn’t have to deal with the previous company. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone and would definitely give them a call in my next move.

Service cost: $5120

I hired International Van Lines for their previous records and well reputation. My friend actually recommended this moving company to me for their wonderful experience. I called these guys for a quote and they offered us the best price. We confirmed the deal and made a schedule with them for the moving job.
The guys came early, planned their moving. divided into teams and started moving the stuffs. Their work strategy pleased me so much. They safely moved my bedrooms to my new house. They are safe and reliable. Thank you guys for your brilliant turnaround and wonderful service.

Service cost: $4355

We relocated to Jupiter, FL from Buck County, PA. We hired International Van Lines to help us with our move. From beginning to end the move was a nightmare. We experienced little to no communication regarding pick-up and delivery, a complete disregard for the manner in which our furniture and belongings were packed and transported, damaged and missing furniture and most heartbreaking the loss of over 100 years of family pictures due to gross negligence and lack of organization.
On our scheduled pick up day, they did not show up until after 3:30pm. The crew consisted of two guys and 2 U-Haul trucks. One truck was already filled with someone else’s belongings. Halfway through the move, the crew ran out of packing supplies and moving blankets. We had over 7 pieces of furniture transported unwrapped. The crew assured my husband that when we saw the pieces delivered they would be wrapped. At 2am (YES, that’s 2 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING!!) when the truck was finally packed, the crew informed my husband that it was going to be additional $1828.54 for their services. When asked why, they said “you had more stuff than on the estimate”. Looks like 10 extra boxes and one car seat equals $1828.54. (I have asked for an itemized bill but have still not received it.)
Moving on to delivery day. They were scheduled to come between 8am and noon. At 10:30 am we still had not received a call regarding their ETA so I call them. One of the guys on the crew called back and asked “Is it okay if we come tomorrow? It’s raining here”.
When they arrived the next day, the crew was making comments that whoever packed our things did a terrible job and that several items were unwrapped. One by one we watched as our damaged belongings were being wheeled into the house. Broken, chipped and scratched furniture everywhere. We are missing a dining room chair and the legs to our kitchen table. We had wine glasses packed under pots and pans and my favorite…A MIRROR PACKED UNWRAPPED IN A BOX WITH 4 DUMB BELLS!!

When I contacted International Van Lines to file a complaint, a gentleman called me back asking me to email him with the details and he would see what he could do. He said that he saw that we had insurance so that was good. He also asked that I not post anything on social media until he could process my complaint. When I followed up with him over a week later, he asked me to please be patient because he deals with 100’s of customers a month. Two days later he replied “After reviewing everything with my team, we can offer you $500, if you are willing to sign a nondisclosure agreement.” There was no mention of what they were going to do to find our missing items or the itemized receipt that I requested.

That my friends, must be why I did not find many negative reviews for International Van Lines when I did my research. I did not respond to their $500 offer in hopes that I can help someone in the future when they are researching their upcoming move.

Service cost: $6400

AVOID THIS COMPANY LIKE THE PLAGUE !
I moved my daughter's 1 bdrm apt. from Chicago to North Carolina this month. My daughter took off work for the scheduled pickup. They showed up 5 hours late to pick up the furniture. We were told it would be delivered in a 10 day window. After a week, we made repeated calls during business hours and left messages to see where the furniture was. No one answered the phones or returned our calls. We finally talked to a live body who initially could not even find our shipment. One agent asked if we had filed a complaint yet and said they might throw a little money our way if we would not report our problem. After two weeks we were told that everything was still in Chicago. They could not ship it because "they had no Trucks"? The agent told us they would try to get a truck up from Florida and have it delivered in a couple days. Of course, that did not happen! After repeated calls, messages left on a daily basis, and three more broken promises to deliver the furniture, it finally showed up, 30 Days after picking it up!! That wasn't bad enough, the furniture was damaged; lamps were broken, a hole in the front of the entertainment center, there was a big gash in the corner a one piece completely through finish, a leg was snapped off one of the cabinets, a handle broken off one of dresser drawers, boxes were crushed breaking glassware inside, and there were obvious signs of water damaged. It took some time to determine whether we received all our boxes as some of their numbers had fallen off. Now were going to have to deal with the insurance company. Can't wait for that. EASILY THE WORSE EXPERIENCE WE COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE! I gave it 1 Star because there is nothing less than POOR.

Service cost: $2000

I have yet to receive my shipment but at this moment I am extremely nervous. I too saw all the great reviews online for this company on multiple sites. I contacted them via the web and received a call back immediately. I spoke with Lisa Catalno and Justin Davis. They were so responsive until after I made the reservation, communication decreased significantly. On my scheduled move date, they showed up in a U-Haul truck and not IVL truck. They hired day laborers to assist with the move. The driver tried many fast talking tactics. I was told that my binding estimate was incorrect and that I had more merchandise. The driver laughed at the 7 day delivery time frame that I had been told over the phone by Justin Davis. The workers were aggressive in moving things, literally dragged washing machine down the steps and I had to constantly remind them to be more careful.

Immediately that day, I emailed Lisa and Justin about my concerns. I was more concerned with the issues regarding delivery and the driver stating that my estimate was wrong. I did not want any surprises when merchandise was delivered.

Lisa assured me that I would not have any unjust charges. Jason Morgan from dispatch was brought into the conversation regarding time frame. He constantly told me that he would provide followup but never did and I had to constantly followup with him. I was told 2 time frames and right now it is the day before the end of the time frame and I have heard nothing. You pretty much only have email contact, because they stop responding to telephone calls. I am worried that this company may not be up to the standards reflected in these reviews and I am hoping I get my furniture soon and it is not severely damaged.

6/26/2017 Update: It has now been over 15 days since my pickup. Today after following up with Jason Morgan in dispatch, I was informed that my stuff did not fit into the shipment trailer to Texas and he is still trying to find out more information and will get with me tomorrow. I can guarantee you 100% that he will not follow up freely and I will have to follow up with him.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2100

I moved from Nashville to Pittsburgh in June and used International Van Lines for the move. When they gave me the initial estimate of the moving cost based on all items, they quoted me around $3,000. When the mover came to load up in Nashville, unfortunately I was not there but my real-estate agent was there to give them access to the condo. They changed the terms and added additional costs about $2,000. My agent, not knowing the details, signed off for the move. The International Van Lines should have notified me via email and phone. They had a frequent communications when giving me the quote but nothing at this point. This is just the beginning of the problems. When I asked them to give me the arrival date, there was no answer on the date but just told me that they will call few days in advance. No one called and on Sunday morning, I get a call when I was at the church service. It was from the driver saying that he is at my Pittsburgh apartment ready to unload. I had to hurry to get to the apartment to let him in. There was only the driver and no helper. He started unloading and then gave me the bill of $3,000 (balance of what I paid for deposit and to the loader in Nashville). Also told me it had to be cash. First of all, I didn't realize the moving cost has changed from $3,000 to $5,000 and also didn't know about the balance having to be paid in cash! Who has that kind of cash on Sunday? someone from the moving company called and said if we don't pay cash, they will take all furniture and charge for storage and re-delivery fee. It is basically a blackmail! Frantically I gathered cash from friends and etc. to give the driver to unload. Now one piece of furniture was missing and there were damages in 4 furniture items. When I contacted the International Van Lines, they said they are willing to pay me $150 if I sign a non-disclosure agreement. Meaning I cannot talk about this move. I refused and I am pursuing to get paid for damages at least. Terrible company to deal with. Do not use them! You will regret it big time!!

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5082

My move was in March 2017. I began writing a review a month ago, but it raised my blood pressure so high I had to stop. Karen at International Van Lines had told me to leave all items in drawers, buffet and desk, but when the movers came they unloaded all the stuff from this furniture into boxes. Some items we did not want moved, were moved, and some items we wanted moved were left out. Overall I was mostly satisfied with the staff and it moved along swiftly. They brought their own lunches and water. The helpers were professional and friendly. Fast Forward to destination. Company had assured me a guaranteed move date, as I was moving into a retirement home and had family who had taken time off from work available to help me at the arrival Promise was for a Monday, movers did not arrive until Saturday, the following week, which is a low staff day for the retirement home. I had stressed the Monday move-in date with Karen because of the availability of staff in the retirement facility on the phone and she said that because I was arranging this move well ahead (11/28/2016) of the moving date (4 months) that the arrival date for that Monday would not be a problem. Driver, Horacio, called me the Thursday before scheduled arrival date, saying he was not sure if he would make it on Monday, but he would do his best. Friday he called and said he was in Virginia but still could not promise to be there by Monday. By Sunday he was making it sound like he had no control; the company was doing this to him, he was sick of it too, he planned on quitting after he was done with this. Horacio said that he would have been on time but that the company made him go back to Florida when he was in Virginia, in order to pick up another load. On arrival Horacio immediately asked for another $450 for the distance from elevator to my door and also the elevator fee. I showed him the contract and told him that the elevator fee was paid. He also asked for more money than stated on my contract. He tried to argue about that but eventually he found an email that corroborated the amount I was given by the company. By now, at the beginning of moving in all my stuff, I was already stressed to the hill with this unpleasant, argumentative person. I witnessed Horacio with his hand in a drawer with money (dollars) in it. He put it back when I caught him. Several of my furniture items were nicked, including a fine antique desk, which was badly damaged, which he tried to fix, by drilling holes on the bottom, inserting screws to hold the broken pieces together. One of the dowels was broken off and un fixable. He did not disclose that the piece was damaged until I did a close up and discovered the broken areas. He initially refused to put my bed back together properly. When I got very angry de did it, with an unpleasant attitude. The two helper were professional and friendly, they were most cooperative. Many items, such as a large mirror, were not unpacked as was sated on the contract. When I discovered this I was afraid to bring it up with Horacio and I was looking forward to having him out of my space. This was the worst move I have ever experienced. I am deeply disappointed with International Van Lines for allowing a person like Horacio to work for them and intimidate their customer, as I felt intimidated.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5000

This company doesn't even deserve a one-star rating. Horrible customer service all around! Stay far away! They claim to be the best and are far from it! When they showed up at our house they brought to small of a truck and we had to get rid of a lot of our stuff or pay an additional $1500 to "Fit" it. The guy who was in charge of our move threatened my husband that he would leave all of our sh* and leave because he was pissed that we were so frustrated! Unprofessional! The other guys assisting him came up to us to tell us what you know what he was, they weren't wrong, but also unprofessional! Then we were told our stuff was being stored in a state where it wasn't. Once we got them to our new house to unload, they broke our tv, bed, lamp and a ton of other stuff. We have been in the house for over a month now and we have yet to hear back from their claims manager Steve Newland. Have sent multiple emails and voicemails and nothing! Stay away! Trust me!

Move size: 4 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5400

I'll admit, I was a bit hesitant to move my furniture over state lines with all of the horror stories I'd heard - but I quickly realized that renting a u-haul with a 5 month old and a large dog was out of the question.

I did a LOT of research, and was surprised to find that literally every company had SOME bad reviews. That was a bummer, because I was imagining myself finding a company with a perfect reputation - but then I realized, perfect isn't realistic. You can't make everyone happy, mistakes do sometimes happen, and some things just can't be avoided, which is why I chose International.

Their customer service and realistic tone helped me to rationalize the fact that if something out of the ordinary were to happen during my transport, I would want it to be with a company that was honest and straightforward with me from the get-go. They were upfront in explaining that they, above all, provide friendly and reliable service, at all costs necessary. I am a realist, and I don't like things to be sugar coated, so that right there sounded like an offer I couldn't pass up.

I am now pleased to report that although they gave me a fair expectation of the process, I received my belongings on time, and in the same condition I left them in. I think everyone can admit that accident's 'can' happen, but what's most important is finding someone you can rely on to avoid those accidents, when possible.

I very much hope that I won't need to move, ever, ever again.. however if I do, I wouldn't hesitate to call International again.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4800

Used IVL for my move from New York to Los Angeles. The movers that showed up to handle packing
did a great job making sure all of our personal items were packed properly. I also had them crate my piano.
The piano was my biggest concern because it had been damaged in the past by another moving company.
The foreman (John) made sure the crating was done properly and I rec'd all my items with no damage.

The entire move took about 2+ weeks from pick up to delivery. One gripe that I had was the delivery date.
The driver showed up 1 day later then expected, but I understand that stuff happens. The crew upon delivery
was different then the crew on pick up, but did an equally good job. I only had one insurance claim on
my glass coffee table, but IVL handled that outside of insurance. All in all the experience was good.

I've moved over 7 times and this was in the top 3 of my moves. I would highly recommend IVL and I would
use them again.

Service cost: $4652