I did some research and their estimate seemed competitive. I spoke to a woman named Erika who was very helpful. Turns out she was just a front.
As others here have said, they GURANTEED their estimate if the list I provided matched what was moved. I was moving very few things, and was told that $1,100 was their minumum, and that I qualified for that rate based on what I had listed. I actually moved less than what I had listed since I sold a large bookshelf at the last minute. Still, once they had all my stuff on the truck, they presented me with a revised estimate for $1794. This was after showing up about 3 hours late.
The street that I was moving to was narrow, so I needed to block off several parking spaces to make room for the large van. This process requires 72 hours notice with the city for the permit and signs. I told the movers this very early in the process and they said several times that it would be no problem. I even mentioned it to the lead guy the day of the move and he confirmed that it was noted in my contract and that it was no problem.
Fast forward about three weeks. I haven't heard from them. So I call. They let me know that the stff is on its way and assured me that I would get 72 hours notice.
Sure enough, I get a call on a Tuesday that it would arrive the next day between 11:00 and 2:00. Of course I explain that this can't happen since it doesn't give me enough time for the permit and their truck would block the entire street. The guy explains to me that he can't do anything, that he is a dispatcher who doesn't work for Destination. So I call Destination. Erika's not around, and they told me someone would call me back. Two hours later I call again and am put on hold forever (listening to a recorded message about their superior customer service) Finally, I speak to a man who says they have no record of me needing the notice and there is nothing he can do. I push the issue a little and he hangs up on me. Wow - that has never happened before.
So I called the dispatcher back to let him know I got nowhere with Destination but that his driver will be getting a large ticket if he blocks the street with the truck. His answer was that they will need to move my stuff into a smaller truck, costing me an addition $250. What? We argued for a few minutes until I realized it was futile - they had my stuff and I wanted it back.
The next day, I stay home from work to meet the movers in the appointed window, 11:00-2:00. Around 3:30, there was still no sign, so i call the dispatcher. He puts me on hold while he calls the driver. The story goes that the truck broke down about 80 miles away and they wont be able to make the delivery that day. When were they planning on telling me this?
The next day was July Fourth. Of course, I had plans to be with family and friends - which had to be cancelled to wait another day for the movers to show up. They eventually did, around 10:00 AM. The lead guy came into the house to see where things should go. We have a long hallway back to the kitchen/dining area. He told me that i would be charged extra for anything delivered into that area because they charge a supplemental fee for deliveries more than 75 feet from the truck. I was ready to scream at this point, so I just instructed them to leave everything in the living room and i would move it down the hall myself. Ridiculous.
Then I saw the condition of the boxes coming off the truck. Everything looked like it had been squashed. Even boxes marked "fragile - glass" came our of the truck bent, broken and clearly abused. Remarkably, miraculously, not one item was broken - but I think this has much more to do with my careful and thorough packing than with the care that they took. The damaged boxes were a pretty clear sign.
Bottom line, the entire experience was a nightmare. Moving is a stressful enough experience without incompetent and unprofessional movers - so DO NOT even think of using this company.
John
San Francisco, California
U.S.A.
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