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August 28, 2008
Ballpark cost for move & tipping movers?
Hi everyone. I saw the recent posts re tipping movers. We are moving in about a month. I called flatrate and they came by and quoted me a fee of $3450 to move our 1500 squarefoot 2 bedroom apartment. It is in a walkup (with a few large items up a spiral staircase as well). Is that a fair price???
More importantly, if we go with Flatrate (or any other company that charges a similar rate), are we really expected to tip 20%? That would be nearly $700! That seems a bit excessive, dont you think?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated....
Comments
Is this just a local move? If so, that strikes me as very high. I recently moved back to B'lyn from CT, paid someone else to do all of the packing, unpacking, and moving and ended up about $2500 or so out of pocket, including tips (I think I tipped 20% at the direct request of the movers). They were a small moving company. Israelis guys, in their early 20s. Seemed pretty trustworthy and they didn't break any of my stuff. Can't remember the name.
Stairs do increase the cost (our movers tacked on an extra charge for each flight of stairs, "first flight free"), but no way that should put you in the $3500 range before tips.
Posted by: lechacal at August 28, 2008 10:48 AM
Hmmm... Interesting, as I thought that Flat Rate was supposed to be the cheapest. The move is not local, but not that far. We are moving about a 45 minute drive away. The quote did NOT include any packing (other than furniture and the like).
Any other input?
Posted by: Splenda at August 28, 2008 11:10 AM
That sounds high to me as well. Having been through a huge move just this week, here's my two cents. I got a quote from Flatrate to move us out of a 3200sf 4 story house just outside NYC, put the stuff in storage for 2 weeks and move us into our new house. Their quote was $8,000 if we did all the packing ourselves. While the number didn't seem excessive to me, I found another local mover based in our town, who came highly recommended, and their estimate came in at $5,500 total - $3,500k to move us out and $2k to move our stuff from storage into the new house. The actual charge for the move out was $2400. I don't doubt that Flatrate would do a good job but there are a lot of good ones out there who won't be as expensive. Tipping 15-20% on the cost of the move is pretty standard, apparently though I think on a huge move, closer to 15% is fair (any thoughts?). We had a crew of six and they worked like dogs. We tipped $400 - just over 15%.
Get a couple more estimates. We used Big Apple a few years ago when we moved out of the city. they were also very good but couldn't accommodate our time frame this time around. And do your homework....go to the Better Business Bureau site and read the complaints!!!
Posted by: brooklyny at August 28, 2008 11:15 AM
Way too high a quote. Despite the OP yesterday I would highly recommend Movers Not Shakers. I packed myself, and they moved my packed-to-the-rafters (I really mean that) large one bedroom in about 3 hours (moved just a few blocks away). I can look up the amount I paid and tips tonight and let you know what they charged me.
They moved a friend to DC, and she was really happy.
No damage, and they fixed a table for me that was wiggly. And they were very professional. (And no poopy bathroom - just some dirty hands!)
Posted by: cobblehiller at August 28, 2008 11:21 AM
i recently did a local move from a 1,200sf apartment to a brownstone, using moishe's (yes, they actually are quite good). it included packing most of the kitchen and some other stuff, and involved a fair amount of stair climbing. the total cost was around $2,500 ($2,100 + $400 in tips), and the movers did a great job.
the estimate you received seems excessive, even adding in an extra hour of travel time.
Posted by: z at August 28, 2008 11:23 AM
Flat Rate USED to be the cheapest. I'd used them in the past and were always very professional and reasonably priced. When we moved from an apt. to our house in January they gave us a rate quote that I pointed out was almost double what they charged us to move essentially the same items from one apt. to another 2 years prior. I even showed him the receipt (which surprised the heck out of him).
He lowered the rate but not substantially. Gave me all the lines like that's a busy day, all my trucks are in use, your have a stoop and a second story blah, blah, blah. We ended up using them because I didn't want the hidden price hassels and I know they do a good job but I did feel like they scammed us.
I can only surmise that back when they were a smaller company they were reasonable now that they've caught with the public as being a good company they are jacking up their rates comparable to the big boys.
You can find better. Moishe's is also very good.
Posted by: TownhouseLady at August 28, 2008 11:38 AM
Oh yeah, I gave each guy a $50. which now that I'm calculating it is 19%. They worked their behinds off and it was an absolutely frigid day. They even managed to throw a queen boxspring up to a guy who caught it from the second story window because it wouldn't make the narrow turn up the stairs.
Posted by: TownhouseLady at August 28, 2008 11:45 AM
Cobblehiller, funny you should mention the bathroom issue. One of the guys we used "dropped the kids off at the lake" on his way out, which plugged up our toilet and made it overflow. It was disgusting. I had completely forgotten about that until now. So I guess I do have one complaint aginst the Israeli guys we used.
And FWIW our move was about a three-hour drive.
If you are actually interested I think I have a receipt at home and can probably give you the name. It would take a few minutes to find, so I won't look unless you actually want the name.
Posted by: lechacal at August 28, 2008 11:46 AM
i had flatrate give me an estimate. they are very professional, a guy comes over and actually inventories all your crap. i think i got a quote for $1600 (this was a move of 2 separate apartments to a house). i called movers not shakers and they undercut the bid to like $1300, so we went with them. of course, once you factor in the 20% tip we were almost back up to what flatrate quoted, which is why i wasn't totally indignant about the tipping business (just annoyed they'd be so cagey about it).
Posted by: Jimmy Legs at August 28, 2008 11:50 AM
We are big fans of "Moving Your Way Moving". They were referred to us by friends for a local move and we have referred them to half a dozen others. Everybody has been very happy with them. They charge by the hour.
718.788.4920
Ask for Igor.
They were also recently featured in New York Magazine.
New York Magazine - Best Cheap Movers
Published Mar 3, 2008
Moving Your Way
718-788-4920 or 212-832-5576 movingyourway.com
Those man-with-a-van offers that litter sidewalks and clutter message boards promise cheap, reliable moving, but they can break your spirit with hidden costs—suddenly there’s a mileage charge?—and surly workers. Not so with Moving Your Way, Igor and Karla Mironov’s twelve-year-old Park Slope moving company. Their crew members are pleasant and punctual, and they move with the urgency and athleticism of Olympic wrestlers—and have even been known to throw in a few extra rolls of tape in a pinch. For larger spaces, the heavily Russian-accented Igor will show up on-site for bids. And the final price is, unbelievably, always the same as the quote. A one-bedroom apartment costs from $260 to move, and larger apartments range from about $430 to $650. The tip is up to you.
Posted by: StoneReno at August 28, 2008 12:00 PM
We use Oz Movers. They come in like gang busters, careful, super fast, and professional. They should be able to give you a quote over the phone.
Posted by: mkop at August 28, 2008 12:22 PM
I moved on Saturday. I used Lucky Movers. They were 4120hr for three guys and a truck. Move took five hours. They charged me $600 and I tipped them $300.00. They were good guys who worked hard.
Posted by: deepBTUz at August 28, 2008 1:13 PM
I moved on Saturday. I used Lucky Movers. They were $120hr for three guys and a truck. Move took five hours. They charged me $600 and I tipped them $300.00. They were good guys who worked hard.
Posted by: deepBTUz at August 28, 2008 1:13 PM
I moved on Saturday. I used Lucky Movers. They were $120hr for three guys and a truck. Move took five hours. They charged me $600 and I tipped them $300.00. They were good guys who worked hard.
Posted by: deepBTUz at August 28, 2008 1:13 PM
Wait....did you move on Saturday and use Lucky Movers?
Posted by: lechacal at August 28, 2008 2:54 PM
I used All Star moving a few years ago and everything went smoothly. I know others who have had good experiences with them as well. See movingscam.com for what appear to be unbiased reviews and comments. They also have a thread on tipping.
Posted by: zgori at August 28, 2008 4:32 PM
Don't use Action Movers - they stored my furniture between moves and destroyed an old desk. They refused to either repair or pay for repair. They also damaged other furniture. I completed an insurance form they sent me but I never heard from them again. The guys also demanded more than 20% in tips.
Posted by: giovannina at August 28, 2008 4:42 PM
That quote is WAY too high. We are moving CROSS country from Brooklyn to the west coast and estimates for our 800 sq foot one bedroom came out to $3500. Even though your place is twice as big as ours, there is no way a local move should cost that much.
We've used All Star for our past few moves. They are really professional and won't scam you. I think someone mentioned that they were really highly rated by movingscam.com as well as a few other websites. But whatever company you go with, the estimate you got is crazy.
Posted by: brooklynstyle at August 28, 2008 5:44 PM
We moved this week, from Queens to Park Slope, using All Star. We packed ourselves. Moved into a 1,200 sq. ft. place, 4th floor walk-up. Paid about $2100. Tipped 15%. The All Star crew was wonderful - polite, burly and worked hard. Got a cheaper quote from another firm but were queasy about using them (they didn't show at first meeting to give an estimate, provided estimate a day later than promised).
Posted by: maj2010 at August 28, 2008 6:24 PM
has a bunch of recommendations from other people.
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=383407&sid=ff1b2afe4f2609f93f510b6ec2cf10af
Posted by: armchairwarrior at August 28, 2008 9:05 PM
We had a really good experience with Movers Not Shakers and then a really bad expeirence with them. Needless to say, the bad overshadows the good and I wouldn't use or recommend them to anyone ever again.
We are using Rainbow Movers for our upcoming brooklyn to brooklyn move. I like them so far Lenny the owner seems like a stand-up guy.
We got quotes from Flat Rate and Oz. Flat Rate was over double what Rainbow and Oz wanted for the job. Plus the estimator who came out was VERY unimpressive.
I think you've been over quoted.
GL
Posted by: Brooklyn11218 at August 28, 2008 9:24 PM
We moved two weeks ago and used Shea Movers. They were excellent: hard-working, efficient, friendly. They packed and moved everything from a 1800 sf apartment (and basement) for their $4000 estimate. I gave them a 20% tip. They really worked their asses off and didn't break a thing.
Posted by: statestreeter at August 28, 2008 9:36 PM
I saw the previous day's posting on Movers Not Shakers. I had the exact same problem with the head guy--grumbling about the tip 'this is not enough. we get 20%, like a restaurant'.
I always thought the amount of a tip was based on good service? Frankly their slowness, angry behavior ('there are too many boxes here!'...uh, it's a MOVE) and refusal to move larger items up the stairs i feel deemed them the tip we gave them.
After a day of frustration with these people it felt frighteningly aggressive to have them not LEAVE and wait in the truck until more money was brought out to them.
It was the worst move i've ever experienced.
Posted by: oblinax at August 29, 2008 2:04 PM
Movers and Shakers were reliable and efficient, BUT I would never again use them. When we were paying our bill, and giving the four men their tip ($25 per person to move a 1 bdrm apt, 100sq ft; less than 3 hour job), they complained that we undertipped them. Left us feeling stupid and cheap and scrambling in our pockets to come up with the 20% they felt they were owed. Then, a couple of weeks later when a different team showed up to deliver our belongings, we were all set with our 20% tip for each of them. AGAIN, they complained and asked for a bigger tip! And this was on top of the food and drinks that we provided to them. Plus....they lost several items (never heard back from mgmt. about that) and gave us a few boxes that belonged to someone else. Took several phone calls to get that resolved. Bottom line: they are slighlty cheaper than other companies, but the extra hassle from the movers is not worth it. It was a really bad moving experience with Movers not Shakers.
Posted by: cass at September 6, 2008 2:30 PM
Contact robridgeenterprises@gmail.com for more info if you are looking for a smile, courtesy and professionalism and of course very affordable rates without compromising the importance of your move!
Posted by: robridge enterprises at September 28, 2008 3:55 PM
Used Allied Van Lines (http://www.allied.com) - Overall, the move was really good.
Posted by: sashment at November 7, 2008 3:52 PM
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