Simple Moving Labor

I am a cheep [EDIT] and therefore I wa planning to do much of this move myself.  But I need a couple of guys to help with the big items.  I hired 2 helpers for 2 hours on each end so I'd have a team there to move most of the heavy stuff.  Retired father, wife and I would bring in boxes and smaller pieces and fill the gaps.  So the only real issue was that only one of my team got there on time.  A little early actually.  I had him sit and wait hoping the second would arrive soon and they could start together.  Unfortunately no one appeared and I had to start the loading.  We managed pretty well for the first hour and a half with one helper and our rag-tag crew.  Then the second helper called and was lost and stranded at a random bus stop.  I sent my wife to pick him up.  In the mean time a third un-ordered helper arrived.  This was a very nice gesture but I have no idea it was happening.  So I had him wait on the curb while I spend 20 minutes in the phone with customer service.  This was the most frustrating part of my experience.  I am still paying while I have only one helper working and I am sitting on the phone not working either.  I negotiated keeping the original helper for an additional 2 hours to work with the second helper for his 2 hours one he arrived and sent the third helper home without using him at all.  I paid for 1 additional hour of help which seemed far enough to me.  The rest of the load when well nenough and everyone worked hard.  The unload was a breeze.  The 2 helpers were there early together and we got the whole thing done in just under 2 hours.  Out of the truck well packed into a storage unit and the truck readied for drop off.  If the front end had been like with back end this would have been a great move.  As is it went pretty well and I got a little extra needed exercise.

Service cost: $544

We ordered a truck with a lift gate because we had expensive & heavy furniture. The night before the move we received a call & were told that the loaders preferred a truck with a ramp. Our move was from state to state & we left our state after the truck was loaded to get a head start since it was a 9 hour drive to the next state. During our drive we received a call from the driver saying that he would arrive in the morning of the next day, but we were told he would arrive the following day. We called the office & told someone what was happening & the person said they would call us back, but they never did. The driver called us to tell us that he was not allowed to drive until the morning. If the driver had not called us, we would not have known what was happening. On the day the truck was scheduled to arrive, we were present at our storage unit, the moving help (who drove in from another state) were present on time, but the truck did not show as scheduled. We called the driver & he said that there had been a road accident & he was delayed 1 hour & 30 minutes. He was surprised that the company did not call to inform us. The customer service communication from the office is poor. The company needs to improve their communication service. .

Service cost: $4800

One laborer was half an hour late then quibbled about making up the time at the end. The other laborer showed-up pretty obviously hopped up on Meth, eyes dialated and overly excited. They did'nt listen to directions very well, mostly they just kinda did what they thought was expected. I wanted to supervise the actual placement within the truck because I knew space would be tight. They both thought they knew the best way to pack a truck; one guy was putting heavy boxes on top of fragile boxes and the other guy was trying to put a delicate, top-heavy antique bench on it's side without tying it down then rectifying it's prcariousness by wedging fragile items underneath it's legs. I spent more time undoing and repacking their "loading" than they actually worked. They spent an inordinate amount of time BSing with eachother as well. Terrible! I would have been much better off on my own.

Service cost: $275

Steve and Omar were great!  Unfortunately, we were paying for four movers and felt like we really only received three.  The fourth guy was not very capable.  And repeatedly let everyone know.  He pulled our furniture around in the truck and scuffed corners and bent metal balancing pieces underneath.  More than one piece was dropped in the driveway damaging yet more corners.  Overall, I was grateful for the help with the very heavy items but feel like for the price I was charged should have been provided with four capable movers.  Not sure if I would use this service again or not.

Service cost: $853

This company claims to have "Pro Movers". They have nothing of the sort, most of our items were damaged from abusive handling, the unloaders were not pros at all, just unemployed ex over the road drivers.
 
They threw our boxes around that were clearly marked as fragile, they destroyed our irreplaceable tiffany lamps, scratched and marred our furniture by bumping into door jambs and walls, and trying to force things in through smaller doorways.
 
They scratched our wood floors to the point that they have to be refinished and the only response from SML "from our investigation we are not responsible for the damages". 
 
They are crooked and irresponsible and totally inexperienced as well. 
Run like hell away from these clowns!!

Service cost: $1000

WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!They called 3 times while we were picking up the Penske truck trying to bully us into 3 workers instead of 2. One of the 2 Pro movers arrived with alcohol on his breathe! He kept going out behind the house & smoking crack. Turned out he wasn't a "pro" he had never worked for them before & they didn't have his SSI #. Yes we were charged for "pro" service! He took our Blu Ray player. They pulled the wires out of our 50 " Sony TV.. Not repairable! Oak furniture gouged & scratched. Antique ( well rapped ) lamps broken. The company keeps charging Moore money on our debit card 2 weeks after the move!! DO NOT HIRE THIS COMPANY!! Penske shame on you for recommending this business !! Sorry in Tucson.

Service cost: $1000

SML is the way to move!  We received several reminder calls to secure the date and time for our packers to arrive.  The team leader called ahead to be sure we were home.  Two young men arrived on time and ready to load.  Items were secured appropriately and we were consulted any time there was an item which needed special attention - a grandfather clock!  All items arrived to our Texas home, intact without scratches or chips.  Thank you SML!  We will definitely refer this company to our family and friends!

Service cost: $799

The Pro Movers didn't fill the truck to capacity and we didn't receive one complete room of furniture - had to get a storage unit and another moving company to complete their work.  The Pro Movers weren't local people which we were not aware of and if did - would have canceled SML and got local people to do the job.  These Pro Movers were more interested in loading boxes versus the furniture which we needed more and kept informing them to get it on the truck.  After this experience we will not recommend SML to anyone.

Service cost: $300

Hired two pro movers for the minimum three hours to pack the truck,  I drove the truck myself. Pleasant, friendly guys arrived well within the estimated time window. On the plus side, they worked hard on a hot day for the full three hours + one hour more - actually a little MORE than an additional hour, but they didn't charge me for the overrun. With the voucher credit, the price was pretty reasonable. We found some minor damage to an item or two at the other end, but nothing outrageous. Work did seem to slow down a bit during the latter stages, but it WAS a hot day and they'd been at it for 3+ hours, so I couldn't be too upset. I had to finish packing the truck myself, but that wasn't really their fault, as I had some final pieces to pick up at another garage. All in all, a satisfactory, if not mind-blowingly stellar, experience.

Service cost: $350

Hired the helpers for the minimum two hours to unpack the truck. The guys arrived at the start of the estimated time window. They were pleasant and friendly and worked at a good speed. The unloading took a fraction of the time expected. SML contacted me to verify the time and date a few days before the move and then contacted me the day of the move to ensure that their team were on site and everything was going well. They took the care on moving in the fragile and larger items. One of the larger cabinets received a minor scratch, but other than that, everything was perfect. I could not have asked for a better crew to help unload. I would use SML again.

Service cost: $241

I sort of found SML by accident, but what a great accident it was.  At both ends of the move their folks showed up on time in my opinion.  At the GA end they analogized for being late when they arrived 10 minutes past the 1 PM start, but explained that their instructions were a bit off.  I said no problem, I sort of allowed for 1pm +/- 15 minutes or so.  At the VA end they were 45 minutes early but said they got there early because they were not sure how long it would take them.  They also said if we were not ready they would be glad to come back closer to the 9 am start time.  I said no, if they were  ready we were ready, besides if we start now, we can beat some of the heat.  So we did.  In both cases they were pleasant, professional and carrying.  They treated our things as if they were theirs.  They completed the loading and unloading in just a little over an hour on each end.
I would highly recommend SML to any one that needs what they provide.

Service cost: $500

There was only one broken item, the glass on a a large picture, and it is easily repairable. However, The helpers filled in the work form for an additional 4 hours that they did not work and told my son to sign it while I was dropping my husband at work. Specifically, they told him they had to drive to our house to unload the truck and they always get 4 hours pay for driving.  They worked exactly 2 hours, 9 minutes, not 6 hours! The company was only willing to credit me 1 hour at $72.00 and as such I had an additional 3 hours at $72.00 per hour (total of $216.00) stolen from me. I suggest hiring professionals after you personally check their references. Oh, and do not give out your credit/debit/checking information in advance. This is how they take advantage of you.

Service cost: $216

The California crew did a good job of packing with two exceptions -- didn't use the wrap I got them to wrap the furniture or seat cushions (I should have insisted rather than just point out it was available); seat cushions were dirty at the end of the moved; placement of a lampshade and dining room chair (next to outdoor furniture) damaged the lampshade and scratched a chair.  Neither item is a big deal.
The Ohio crew showed up 1/2 hour early and did a stellar unload and delivery job.
No one is perfect; I would use SML again if/when the need arises.

Service cost: $900

These guys are crooks. They damaged some of my furniture so badly that it is no longer usable. They use the apparent "industry standard" policy of only awarding damages at .60 per pound. I received $269.40 for $2000 worth of damage. Additionally, their "helpers" are not insured, nor does the company cover anything in transit. Apparently, today's moving companies can treat your stuff any way they want with no accountability, and at outrageous prices.

Service cost: $700

We were going to use Simple Movers, as suggested by Penske. We paid our deposit as requested, but ended up not needing them. We booked this on a Thursday for assistance on Friday, but no one was available to assist until Saturday -- only 36 hours in advance. We packed all of our own belongings on Friday so we notified them via a phone call and again by an email that we would not need them. Apparently their website ad is a hoax as it states:

"What if I have to cancel or postpone my move? If you need to cancel your move, we need at least 72 hours notice in order to be able to fully refund your deposit. If you need to postpone or change the date or time of your move, we ask that you let us know as soon as possible - at a minimum three (3) hours before your move is set to begin, and we'll work hard to accommodate any changes free of charge."

They charged us the entire fee, the deposit plus the labor of the movers who were never there -- over $500 and we never used a single service from them. Their answer is that we did not supply them with a 72-hour notice and can't seem to figure out that when a booking is only 36 hours prior to the move, it is impossible to give a 72-hour cancellation notice.

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!! You will most likely be disappointed.

Service cost: $653

Unpacking at destination was done in an efficient and professional manner; thus was completely satisfied with the unloading.
The loading was a completely different experience. Had contracted to have loading work done by experienced, professional movers. Clearly only laborers with limited moving experience were provided instead. They were very reluctant to use moving blankets to wrap and pad items, although a large number were supplied and they were specifically asked to do so on several occasions. (In fact they used less than 1/2 of blankets provided.) The result was during transit some of the items rubbed, thus damaging some of the finishes. As they completed the loading they stacked a number of un-wrapped items on top of the load and did not secure same. The result was that I had to spend about an hour wrapping and securing them. Unfortunately, I was unable to get to the furniture items (loaded first) to add additional blankets.
I used this same service 5 years ago and the loaders--who were clearly experienced professionals--were excellent. Based upon that prior experience I expected the same quality this time; thus, was clearly disappointed in the recent service.

Service cost: $698

Sml "professional movers" (3) loaded the truck from a storage unit. They worked efficiently and cohesively and very compactly packed the furniture into the truck. On arrival, one marble desktop had a broken edge (unfixable), two cherry chests of drawers had their edges sheared off (unfixable), the tops of a stained and polished bed baseboard were abraded to the bare wood (will require restaining and finishing), and an ornamental feature on a mirror frame was broken off (can be glued back on but will mar the appearance).
sml "non-professional labor" (3) unloaded the truck. The leader was incompetent and the other two were helpful, willing to learn but inexperienced. None of them knew how to properly use a hand truck. They forced furniture through tight spaces without stopping to think how the task might best be approached. The leader smoked cigarettes and left his butts on my driveway. I would recommend to always hire sml professional movers if you are moving valuable furniture. In retrospect, I should have paid extra and hired professionals to unload the truck.

Service cost: $900

Excellent experience. Used professional movers to pack glass tables, and wrap furniture/load truck in Houston, Texas. They were on time, experienced, careful with my belongings and did not ride the clock. Very efficient crew. Used SML day labor for unloading truck in West Virginia. They were also excellent. They needed lots of instruction and supervision which was not a problem because I knew this up front. SML explained before the move that the professional movers are slightly are experienced and likewise more expensive (and worth it in my opinion) and that the day labor was less expensive and inexperienced and would need supervision and instruction. However, I knew this in advance. I did not opt for professional movers to unload my items. I was well informed by SML when I contracted with them. SML provided reliable, excellent moving help, provided exactly what I needed and agreed to and in addition, they provided movers at the spur of the moment. Would definitely use them again.

Service cost: $400

We relocated from Henderson, NV to Davie, FL. We were supposed to have 2 professionals load the truck in Henderson. They were supposed to have a hand-truck and tools. They didn't have either. Luckily, we own a hand-truck. We got the impression only 1 of the men was the professional, the other was in training.
We did have 2 professionals unload the truck in Davie, FL. They had the hand-truck and the tools. They worked quickly and efficiently.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience and we would use them again.

Service cost: $562

We've used SML three times. First crew of 3 ProMovers moved a piano and other heirlooms into a rental truck so expertly that not a thing was damaged or shifted in transport. They were helpful to ask about moving additional furniture within my house to use up extra time. They arrived later than expected but SML compensated us for the delay.

We were better prepared for the second crew of 2 ProMovers a few months later. We had extra tie downs, large sheet wrap, and lots of pads available. But they used only 1 tie and nothing else. The result was scratched table tops and two broken lamps.

At the other end of this second move were the best-of-all 2 ProMovers. They were efficient and pleasantly interactive. We would not hesitate to use this third crew again if we can request them specifically.

Service cost: $836

We hired two professionals to pack our 26ft truck in Gainesville Florida - we were excited at looking at a 3 to 4 hour load time and getting on the road - 1,000 mile drive ahead of us. They actually arrived early, they were supposed to be there somewhere between 10 and 11 and they showed up at 0945. Off to a great start, but from there things went very slow - would not let us assist in any way, except that I had a air compressor to put air in their hand truck tires because they all were flat. Worse part is they they would not let us carry things out to the curb to help in staging. One was a professional who definitely knows how to pack a truck (26ft Penske from front to back, bottom to top) and the other just for labor. We had everything apart already so they didn't have to do that (Thank God)- we had everything boxed and for the most part ready to put on the truck. Needless to say over 6.5 hours later we were packed and ready to get on the road. Think they could have moved a little quicker or let us help, but it was a good experiences non the less and saved us a ton of money rather than going to a VanLine for moving. Had some issues with the truck, but that was a whole other story, got out to Arkansas and with the families help, had it unloaded in about an hour and a half.

Service cost: $847