a big relief
eric
Submitted this review about
Ori-Van-Lines-Inc
Review made Live: 2/11/2009 9:51:00 AM
My wife and I used them this past Saturday and it was great. This is the 3rd time we've used them, once for our own moves, then now for our combined. We chose them over others because 1) their rates were straightforward, 2) they didn't charge for extras (like blankets, clear plastic to wrap or hold items, mattress bags), 3) they were courteous on the phone, 4) had flat rates for travel times, and 5) had a cheaper option to pay by cash vs. credit card, 6) were giving a good impression that they had integrity over the phone, which was a good sign (this turned out to be the case in our 3 moves)
All 3 moves were great. The first one, I had not inventoried my items well, when they showed up (2-man for a one-bedroom apt), I had of course boxes, particle board dressers, etc, kitchen appliances, small table, coffee table, etc. It was a surprise for them. They got it done in 5 1/2 hours.
The next, from a 4th floor building with a tiny elevator, to a flat in SF. 2-man crew, little more than 5 hours, got everything in one move.
This most recent move was done in 5 3/4 hours, moving within SF (2br, LR, DR). Got the inventory list ahead of time, and a confirmation call the next day. We had written down the contents of each box and had a printed copy for them to look at. We ended up with 100+ boxes, plus furniture and some garage items. See notes below on box recommendations.
3 guys showed up at 8:45. They put cones on the street, signs to redirect traffic, chocks on the truck wheels, etc. We walk through the house, this goes, that doesn't, then they start loading boxes. Boxes go first, then furniture, then probably garage / miscellaneous, including odd shape items, bicycles, plants, etc. Two guys were experienced, one guy on the job for 4 months. He did less heavy lifting, the other guys took the sleeper couch, bed, etc. Well coordinated overall. They did a nice job moving everything out. Break for lunch (see notes below) then we met them at 12:45 at the new place.
Parking less of an issue here. They park, start unloading using the labels on the boxes (master bed, kitchen, etc). We were inside and outside directing them. Went really well, some mix-up on boxes as to which room, but not a problem.
Cost at the end was very reasonable. Not having to do this myself is a great help and having a good crew and company that is reliable is a big relief.
Also got a call back at the end of the move the following day to make sure everything went well.
SUGGESTIONS FOR EVERYONE PLANNING A MOVE:
1. Fill out the inventory form completely (include a separate page if needed).
2. Label boxes with ROOM NAMES, and fill out the inventory form as completely as you can. Anything you can box, do so. Ex: fire safes are heavy items, list those.
3. Boxes that are consistent size, and are not painted or have decorative coverings are best for the movers because they don't slide. You don't want stuff to break, now do you? They carry 2-3 boxes at a time, so standard boxes are best. LABEL BOXES WITH ROOM NAMES OF THE PLACE YOU ARE MOVING TO.
4. Tips work just like a restaurant. 15% is standard. If everything goes well consider it a good move and give them a little more.
5. If you have a morning appointment, the guys will probably take a lunch for 45 minutes. They stop the clock for lunch. They were fair about the timing, and before leaving we estimated when we should meet them at the drop-off, and they were on time (20 min driving, 45 min lunch).
6. If you have parking problems, try to get your car parked in front to reserve a space. We had a bus line to worry about, so they double-parked at first to be closer to the entrance. Meter maid showed up about 2 hours into loading and made them move. Luckily we had some spots reserved so it was ok, but could cause problems if they can't park the truck away from traffic.
Things we learned:
1. don't label boxes by your old apt/house setup.
2. Don't label boxes by compass directions (Northwest, Southwest) of either place. Names work best. It will save confusion when they unload at destination.
3. Computer boxes are great. Ones that are not wide or tall, but about 1 1/2 feet tall at most, and 2 feet wide, work great. No glossy covers / labels so they stack and don't slip. Makes it difficult to have impossibly heavy boxes. When they say 30 lbs per box, it doesn't take much to get there.
4. They like water during the move.
5. Ok to ask questions but it's on your time. They are free with info and were good about answering our questions.
6. Anything that is in a shopping bag you can carry yourself. We had about 4 carfuls of stuff we brought over which we did not want to go in the truck. I plan on this every time, and usually make 4-6 carload trips myself for those items I don't want them to move
