Simple Moving Labor

The professional moving help for loading was done relatively well. The unloading help did not go so well. Several walls and door frames were damaged from trying to place furniture in various rooms. If I were to use SML again, I would select the professional movers for both loading and unloading. The professional loaders offered additional assistance with our move the day after loading the majority of our possessions, however, they did not show up for this appointment.

Service cost: $700

We requested 3 helpers to unload a 16' truck at a storage facility on a Wednesday morning. Late Tuesday evening we learned that the company had scheduled them for Thursday. We ended up having to keep the rental truck an extra day, because the company could not get local help, we were told the helpers would arrive at the storage facility between 9 - 10:30 am. After hours of phone calls to SML, two workers finally showed up at 1:30PM. They worked quickly, efficiently and professionally. They were also extremely pleasant. While I gave SML a 3 Star, average rating based on the miscommunication on dates, I give them 5 stars for effort on resolving the problem, 5 stars on customer service and 5 stars for the monetary compensation for additional costs we incurred. I would recommend the company and would use them again.

Service cost: $97

If you hire just helpers for your loading, then please stay with them the whole time. My wife and I were called away to another storage facility and returned 1 and 1/2 hours later and viewed less progress than we thought and blankets were not used very often on our wood furniture, precious items, etc. until we insisted. As a result, we had scaring and breakage on many items. Just because a worker gives the appearance of knowing what to do, do not believe him. We learned from this experience and we pass our experience on to you!

Service cost: $900

HORRIBLE SERVICE! If I could give less than one star I would. We had "pro movers" to load our apartment. They DID NOT do what they were suppose to. They did not bubble wrap, which was provided. They did not use the U haul blankets, which was provided. They actually took off the blankets that were on my new furniture and rammed it into the metal truck taking a huge chunk out of the corner of my dining table. They told me once it was pointed out to them to just go through claims later. I had to rush to bubble wrap what I could. Before the truck even moved an inch, my dining chairs were damaged, my dining table was damaged and my travertine table was scratched and partially broken from scrapping it on the ground. All I could do was cry. I don't understand why they sent these two unprofessional "pro movers". I would NOT RECOMMEND this company to anyone.

Service cost: $436

We hired two pro packers to load our truck, and they arrived on time and did the job in the allotted two hours, but without much consideration to the furniture or the house. They left lots of scrapes, taking bits of paint off of the walls and ceilings.
The furniture was stacked into the truck with a minimal amount of blankets, leaving six blankets folded and unused that should have been used. None of the furniture was damaged, but it did leave me a little apprehensive.
The worst was the lack of proper handling of our pictures and paintings. Paintings should be stacked face to face and back to back, which they did not do. I was fortunate enough to catch one of the men holding four paintings together, all with wires on the canvas behind it, just before he was ready to just place them into the truck without separating them. Blankets are not an option when it comes to wrapping valuables, but fortunately, the canvases did not get torn, however, one painting's canvas had been stretched a bit. One other thing was the lamp shades, they were removed in the truck and stacked inside each other and placed on top of stuff. A somewhat thin paper shade received a small tear because of the careless handling. It is not a valuable shade, and does not warrant complaining about, but some caution should have been exercised because others are valuable. And that is the basic complaint: the lack of consideration and careful handling; this is not the mark of professionals.

On the other end when it came to unloading, we were contracted for two men, and only one showed up. I assumed, since I did not here from SML, that the other was on his way and just delayed. But after about 30 minutes of unloading with the one man, I finally called and the person at the other end had no idea as to what happened. I was told that they would check into it and call me back. SML called a full 15 minutes later to say that the fellow had called just five minutes before he was due at my apartment, and reported that he was sick and could not make it. They promised to start looking for someone else, but I never heard from SML again. I am not exactly in my youth any longer, and it was a rather difficult time for me to help the one man with the heavy stuff. We managed, but it took us 3 1/2 hours.

So it comes down to this: as soon as the fellow called in sick, SML should have started looking for a replacement, and notified me immediately. They did not, and no apology was made.

This was late in the afternoon, and I was rather angry and tired, especially after having driven for six hours, and hoping that I did not damage my back, so I waited until the next day to call SML to make my case. I told the customer care person at SML that they had dropped the ball big time, and I might be compensated in some way. I was not looking for much, an apology and just paying the one man for his two hours, with SML covering his overtime instead of me (we did leave him a handsome tip as he certainly deserved it). He said he would get a manager to talk with me, and I waited about 3 minutes on the phone before the manager answered.
I stated my case and repeated my request. In return, I got an argument and no apology. I was told that I was getting off cheaper as it was, because I was only paying for one man and his 1.5 hours of overtime, instead of two men at a full two hours apiece. As it turned out, the price I was quoted at the beginning of this venture was the exact same price I paid, and so did not get off any cheaper.

So, bottom line: keep a close watch if you use this company, and call the office ahead of time to make sure that the people you expect to help you, will be there when they are scheduled. Because, as I mentioned, SML will drop the ball when it comes to communication, and don't expect an apology.

Service cost: $568

I must say that I was very disappointed in working with (or working for) Simple Moving Labor. Service was for unloading only. The communication between SML and their Workers was terrible. I discovered your 1st worker in front of the Apartments at the correct time. No 2nd worker and after communicating with your office was told he was on the way. Anthony, the 1st worker, and I began unloading our Truck at 4:00 pm. I emphasize "I began" unloading the Truck. The whole idea of using SML was to eliminate me doing any of the work.This did not happen. Anthony, 1st worker, was fantastic and with his help we had 85% of the Truck unloaded and up to the 4th Floor Apartment. Your 2nd worker showed up 50 minutes later complaining about lack of communication from the SML office concerning location address. A 3rd worker showed up for the last 20 minutes in an apparent effort to make up for the overall disappointing experience. A $20 discount is at best a minimal offer with me acting as the 2nd SML worker for 85% of the unloading. I have no choice but to add to the negative reviews I had read online concerning working with SML.

Service cost: $220

The loaders were absolutely a Pro team. They were on time, knew how to load a truck correctly and did so in a timely manner. They took care to not damage anything. This part I would rate a 5. Unfortunately, the unload did not go as well. First, the team was scheduled to show up between 8 and 9. At 8:30 I received a call from sml that they were not going to show up as they could not pass the background check. Sml said they would try to find someone else. I also started to see if I could get someone to help. I called sml at about 10:00 to tell them I had found help and was told "I was just going to call you" She said she had a team "on their way" so I canceled the help I had found. This was probably the biggest mistake I made that day. The team was a Helper team, not a pro team. Well, it turned out they did not even make good helpers. They grumbled the whole time about how many boxes there were and kept asking how much more. They had NO respect for our brand new house. They dragged things over our new hardwood floors scratching them badly. They ran into walls scratching and gouging holes in them. They placed furniture upside down on the floor then sliding it so it carved grooves in the floor. While everything was marked where it was to go and it was explained to them, They put boxes anywhere they felt like it. Not where they had been told to place them. Last but not least, it took 3.5 hours to load the truck correctly which I thought was a good time. The unload took 5 hours because they did not have a clue. If you want to use this company to help you with your move, make sure you get a Pro team for both the load and unload. It appears the Helper crews are just picked up off the street and even with instructions can not do the job without destroying a new home.

Service cost: $800