Simple Moving Labor

  I used the ProMovers on the loading end and the helpers on the unloading end. This was a cross-country move, and the cities were very different. The ProMovers on the Houston (loading) end were awesome. Efficient. Knowledgeable. Strong. Hard working. Good at packing the truck. Great team work. I was highly impressed. The Helpers on the Baltimore (unloading) end, however, were lackluster by comparison. They got the job done and nothing was damaged, which I really appreciate. But, they were kind of lazy. They were almost 2 hrs late and didn't seem at all bothered by their tardiness. Not once did they even get into the truck. My mom moved all of the boxes and furniture to the end of the truck while I directed apt operations. The Helpers avoided all of large furniture until the very end, going out of their way to take all of the small boxes first. I hired them because I needed help with the big stuff, not the small stuff. They got everything done and within the two hr time window, but really, it could've been done in an hr if they were more efficient. I would use SML again, but would consider doing the ProMovers on both ends because the Helpers seem like luck of the draw. .

Service cost: $617

We hired SML to load our heavy items because im a disabled vet and am unable to carry anything.
1) my contract said pro movers with tools. What I got, per a supervisor on the phone when my wife called to complain, was two laborers with no tools.
2) they had to borrow my neighbor's tools because one guy left them at a previous job and they had no moving straps so they used my motorcycle tow straps and kept them so I had to buy more to get my bikes to GA!!
3) they didn't know how to move large items that I clearly spelled out on the sheet..my wife had to direct them on how to get the fridge and stove up the stairs..amoung other things!!
4) they improperly loaded truck and told us we should of had blankets, bubble wrap and tow straps. I was told the PRO MOVERS would have e erything. Items shifted and new my grill was destroyed my entertainment center was gouged and ruined and my son's dressers was scratched up because of the items THEY placed on top of them. And they threw my wheelchair on top of my flat screen.tv!! And then SML wanted multiple pics which is not possible because our stuff is in storage but we had pics of the damage but that wasn't good enough.
3) it took them 8 hrs to improperly load this ONE truck because they kept standing around asking my wife for instructions on what to do next and how to load the truck!!
4)I spent $1000 on two horrible (but polite) movers and all SML refunded me was $100!!

Service cost: $1000

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