I hired this company to move from MD to GA in December 2007. When I emailed them a complete list of items (complete with dimensions for each and every item), a relocation specialist, Raphael Oliveira, emailed me an estimate of $1,605, with no extra or hidden charge. I had spent a lot of time in measuring each item in my 1-bedroom apartment and knew total volume of my items was 346 cubic feet. But, when I asked him for a binding estimate, he refused to provide it, saying, if I knew exact volume of my items, I would be fine with this estimate.
On the moving day I had actually removed 2-3 bigger items. But, after everything was loaded on the truck, the moving specialist, Mike, suddenly told me my stuff was about 600 cubic feet by pointing to one-third partition of the truck space my stuff had taken up. I was stunned. I told him I had 346 cubic feet, but he said he could take me to a storage company where I could get my stuff measured for a payment by me. I had no choice but to sign the "binding contract" that he produced. I had to agree to pay him $2300 instead of the original estimate of $1605. Before he left I asked him what the truck size was and he told me it was 1200 cubic feet. Later I thought that my stuff took up less than one-third partition of the truck space, and so it was less than 400 cubic feet (one-third of 1200). I had correctly measured my stuff. But it was too late for me, because I had already signed the contract and they had already left.
Finally, when my stuff arrived here in GA, I asked the driver about it. He promptly said "about 400 cubic feet". They loaded my stuff on time and delivered it also on time, per agreement. However, the moving specialist (Mike) cheated me for $655 thus: I should have paid only $1605 + $40 ($20 each for 2 vinyl covers for mattresses I bought from Mike) = $1645. Loss (out of cheating by Mike) = $2300 - $1645 = $655. The movers took away (stole) those 2 vinyl covers. Total loss = $655 + $40 = $695. I complained to Better Business Bureau about it, but, as I feared, they could not help me because I had agreed on the contract to pay that much to this company.
My sincere advice: Do not ever hire this company, else you will regret it. Also, if you know exact volume of your stuff (or even a good estimate), then always ask for binding estimate no matter what. If the mover refuses to provide it, then you better look elsewhere. Also, talk only bare minimum with the driver/mover on site, lest you expose your weakness to him, such as you do not drive or you have to report to your new job on Monday so you want your stuff delivered by Sunday. Trust me, he will exploit you real badly if you talk too much with him. Finally, have courage to show him the door if he acts funny.
