Wheaton Van Lines/Crown Moving and Storage
Rod Ruger
Submitted this review about
Wheaton-World-Wide-Moving
Review made Live: 1/17/2014 3:47:00 PM
Most Americans do not understand how moving companies operate and, apparently, do not care. Because of their indifference, consumers pay thousands of extra dollars pursuant to what is, at root, a near fraud.
We obtained a number of quotes for a move of 700 miles. All companies said that their transportation rates are based on weight. There are other charges for packing, insurance, fuel surcharges, on and on.
Wheaton’s Phil Beanblossom provided a quote under which transportation, including insurance, fuel s.c., etc. for an estimated 7300 pounds, came to $49 per hundred pounds or $5.50/mile or some factor that remains hidden. Theoretically, if the weight was actually 6300, we would expect a reduction in the transportation price of 10 x $49. Makes sense? Wheaton’s reply – No reply, no explanation.
Another moving company agreed to refund $22 per 100 pounds under their estimate. They charge $49 per 100 pounds, meaning the consumer pays $27 - $49 per 100 pounds for freight not in the truck (the $49 is based on the estimated weight, thus the mover will always estimate high!) So, the statement by moving companies that transportation is based on weight is mostly hooey.
I think that we can agree that moving a load of furniture over the road is no different from moving bags of peat moss, nuclear waste, or supplies for your local big box store. It’s all trucking and the driver drives no differently with furniture on board. Moving companies charge more than double the over-the-road per mile rate (about $2 per mile to Wheaton’s $5.50 per mile). Reason? “Transporting furniture is different.” How/why? No reply, because there is no true answer.
Wheaton and other moving companies use truck trailers that can hold three or more households of furniture. Your furniture likely will not travel alone. At least two other families will be paying for the same truck/trailer at little or no additional transportation expense to the mover. Accordingly, movers essentially will be charging three families, including yours, for the same transportation cost. Near fraud such as this is protected by “Caveat Emptor” – It is supposedly your responsibility to be aware of all the cute money-making cons perpetrated by moving companies.
The Wheaton salesman said that we should insure our furniture through Wheaton, even though a consumer’s renter’s or homeowners insurance will cover the load. From other bids, movers charge $400 - $600 for insurance on our ESTIMATED valuation. Everything is estimated in favor of the mover. If true measures of anything come in lower, tough beans. We asked Wheaton to deduct their insurance fee from our quote as we would use our normal homeowner’s policy. No reply, no explanation.
Note that no moving company really insures YOUR furniture. Wheaton and others likely have a blanket general term insurance policy that covers every load they move for the year. That policy may cost them $100,000 or more. However, that amount is peanuts compared to how much they charge families to insure, unnecessarily, their thousands of personal shipments.
We asked Wheaton to include packing/crating in their quote. To pack one small dish box, they quoted $38 and estimated they would need eight such boxes. Total number of boxes they estimated at 57 and quoted varying prices per type of boxes, all itemized. We asked, “Would the packing charges be reduced if only 40 boxes were needed?” Seems reasonable, doesn’t it? No reply from Phil, no explanation.
How long would it take you to pack/wrap one small box of dishes? Wheaton’s charge to pack boxes was $1600 (another mover’s quote for the same stuff was $2400!). After calling around, we found several packing companies that would pack all for under $500. We asked Wheaton to remove the packing/crating charges from our quote as we would hire our own packers. Phil’s only answer to our queries was, “We would like to withdraw our name from consideration.” End of our dealing with Wheaton.
In sum, moving companies are in the business of befuddling consumers, knowing that almost no one understands moving freight or the residential moving business. Chose Wheaton if you want, but recall the realities and their rudeness in not responding to our seemingly reasonable queries. Again, be skeptical of all major moving companies. If you will pay for the move, arrange it yourself. We figure to save $3000. January 17, 2014
