Please note: this page contains reviews and opinions sent in by Berkeley Parents Net subscribers. Your own experience may be different. Please always check references before hiring!

2011 - 2012 Reviews

Have you used Lightning Van Lines?

We're moving and considering using Lightning Van Lines to move us. Has anyone used this company before? What do you think of it? Thanks!

This website was very helpful for me in choosing a mover. Ruth

Small moving company to help us move across town

Looking for a recommendation for a small moving company to assist in our move across town. We will do the packing and carrying of boxes. Need help with the furniture and larger items. Does anyone know of a good company that does this? Any experience with Starving Students or some of those guys that hang out on 4th street? Thanks

Movers for cross-country move

We're planning on moving cross-country in a couple of months and need to hire movers, as opposed to renting a U-Haul as we've done in the past. Looking for recommendations for reasonally-priced and reliable moving companies. on the move

When his rig pulled away from my deceased mom's garage my sister and i looked at each other... in that, ''wow, wonder if we will see that stuff again?''

But, as promised, he arrived in CA with a much larger truck (he manages the consolidation) and unloaded. While we unloaded he and my brother in-law discovered they went to the same high school in LA...

an excellent experience, all in all. oren

I Need A Reputable Mover for local move

We are selling our home in Berkeley and looking for a reputable company for a local move. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. W.H.

Moving from Berkeley to Massachusetts

We are moving from Berkeley to Massachusetts this August, and were wondering if anyone had any recent good or bad experiences with a full-service moving company and/or auto transport company. Because of a recent back injury, we'd like to pack as few of our own boxes as necessary. I have been reading the BPN archives on this topic, but am interested in recent experiences. future prof

2009 - 2010 Reviews

Moving from the Bay Area to New Hampshire

My family will be moving from the Bay Area to New Hampshire in August. Anyone have a recommendation for a moving company they have used for this kind of cross- country move? headingeast

Delancey Street's enterprises that we've used, including moving, restaurant, and cafe (the latter being at Brannan and Embarcadero in SF), provide excellent quality and value. The social reasons just make it all the more pleasurable to support them -- theirs is a nationally acclaimed, very innovative program for people recovering from serious bad patches (e.g., drug and alcohol abuse) that's based on mutual support and learning. It, and the individuals in it, are very impressive. But this is just the icing on the cake of service that's as good as any around, so even if you didn't care about this at all, they'd be an excellent choice. Jamie O'C

Moving locally, have lots of stuff

We're moving yet again and are bummed that the mover we had used for the last 2 moves isn't around anymore (or are they - Five Star Movers??). Looking for recommendations - we're only moving locally but still have lots and lots of stuff accumulated! THANKS!

Help moving heavy and delicate furniture

Would love your recommendations on movers - a company you've had a good experience with. Need help moving some heavy furniture, some more fragile pieces, but nothing out of the ordinary. I've used Delancy Street in the past, and had a great experience but they are not available within our timeframe. Thanks! mel

Moving from Chicago to the East bay

Our family is moving from Chicago back to the East Bay. We're looking for a reliable long-distance moving company. My husband has alot of crap, er, possessions, so anything that is reasonably priced would be much appreciated. Phuong

Get the wardrobe boxes and dishes boxes; its worth the extra cost, if any. They are prompt, work quickly and safely. make sure you put EVERYTHING in boxes; even lamps and plants. If you need a car transporter, the company can make arrangements for that also.

I found that planning well in advance and giving myself a month to pack helped a lot, so that it is not overwhelming. good Luck and keep your sanity!! interstate mover

Someone who can help pack

We need to find someone who can help us pack up our house and move. I would actually like to clone myself! I need someone who can work with me as I pack up, but who can also do a lot of work her/himself. Someone who is smart and intuitive, who can help me purge, sort, organize, pack smartly. My husband will already have moved to start his job and look for a new home, and I'll be here for another month or so with our 18 month old, packing and tying up loose ends here. I'll need a lot of help! - sad to leave Berkeley!

Reasonable mover for local move

Nothing too recent in the archives, so thought I'd check for fresh recommendations on reliable, reasonably priced moving companies. We have a 1000 SF house, moving within the East Bay in early May. Thanks! movin' on up

Mover who packs everything up and then unpacks it

I have some friends in London who bought a new house across town. They went off to work and school in the morning, movers came to their house and packed up every little thing, moved their stuff across town, unpacked every little thing and put them all in exactly the right places. When my friends got home from work with take-out dinner in hand, their new house was ready and waiting! I also have friends in the military who have had similar moving experiences. Anyone around here perform a miracle service like that for a move across the country? - not good at moving

Moving from Oakland to San Leandro

We will be moving next month from Oakland to San Leandro and are looking for a moving company that won't rip us off. Can any of you recommend a company you have had good luck with and isn't super expensive? We want to make sure they have a good track record and that we don't have to worry about scams, theft or some of the other horror stories we have heard about. Thanks! Rebecca

I am looking at a local (?) move from Berkeley to the Clear Lake area. I would need to have a 3 bedroom 2 car garage moved and possibly packed. There are a number of recommendations, especially for Delancy St Movers - but they are all over 2 years old - has anyone had any recent experience with Delancy St Movers or other mover recommendations? cc

It was a TERRIBLE experience. First is the cost. Delancy movers usually show up early, but they always end up marking the start time as the original appointment time. They don't mark the time that they spend driving (you pay separately for that I think). I could be wrong there. But for sure they don't charge you for the times when they're taking a break! They show you the timeline at the end before you pay. Ben's Movers didn't do any of that. Basically, we ended up paying about $300-$400 dollars more for Ben's Movers for same amount of furniture!

The second are the movers. Delancy people are careful and polite, though some movers are better than others so be sure to ask if you want something done. They wrap anything you want wrapped, they use two people to move heavy furniture. Ben's Movers do this weird carry everything on your back system. They ended up spilling my boxes, marking/gauging both the walls AND my furniture. They broke my potted planter. I'm still discovering things wrong w/ my furniture months later.

From what I heard, the original owner is no longer working there. His son took over and doesn't do the work either. So whatever glowing review that was on BPN doesn't apply anymore.

I guess this turned into a review for Ben's Movers. Basically, I had my nightmare experience w/ them and realized just how good I had it w/ Delancy. Next time I'll make sure I call early! anon

I'm looking for someone with a truck to help me move a bed, couch, desk & armoire from 2 locations in SF to my home in Oakland during the first week in August. I'd appreciate any recommendations for reliable help. Thanks! Dev

I am looking for a good small local mover, just to move some heavy and awkward furniture items in my house. Does anyone know of someone reliable for such a small job? Laura

Our family of 4 will be moving from Oakland to the LA area at the end of August. I would like to get some moving company recommendations for movers to come in and pack up our belongings, drive them down to LA, and unload the boxes. Has anyone used a company recently that you would recommend? Thanks! desperately seeking movers

They were totally wonderful and I highly recommend them. I have no intention of moving again as we move it here, but if we did I wouldn't hesitate to hire them and I keep recommending them to everyone I know who's moving. You might check them out on Angie's list, I know they were included and rated high in 2008. Here's the person I worked with in LA: Gadi 800-275-7767 gadi@gmail.com I suggest contacting him and he could tell you who to contact up here. He might remember me so you can tell him that Reva gave you the lead. Good luck reva

I am planning a move to the Midwest with my family, and would very much appreciate recommendations for reliable interstate movers (the kind that pack your belongings). There are many moving companies out there, but I understand that scamming is quite common. If you have had a good experience with a certain company and your belongings have not been damaged, please do share. Maya

Bekins ''lost'' our stuff for over a week -- we learned later, a driver had parked the truck ''somewhere'' and went to celebrate Thanksgiving without updating the system -- mind you, delivery was scheduled for the Monday BEFORE Thanksgiving, so between that Monday and the following Tuesday no service rep or higher-up could tell us where our stuff was, while we ended up staying the holiday at a hotel, and they eventually delivered 12 days after the contracted date... not going into the details of the claim here...

Allied were punctual on all accounts, no broken/damaged stuff and everything was well accounted for - not a perfect score because they're too pricey, but I guess, as always, you get what you pay for. Moved-a-Lot

I am looking for a trustworthy mover to move my family to the east, east bay. Moving

2007 - 2008 Reviews

We need some local movers [a Berkeley to Berkeley move] and, having heard the horror stories, were looking for some recommendations. The recommendations already listed on the BPN are not terribly recent, and I was wondering any one had had some more current ones that they might like to offer. Sally

Hi, My husband just got a job in San Diego and we need to move in a month. Does anyone know of any trustworthy moving companies? I've read you have to be careful, that they can take off your stuff or hold it for ransom for more money. Thanks!

We just had our third move with Stu Miller. His moving company first began moving me when I was single about 15 years ago. As always, the move went wonderfully. His crew were very mild-mannered, quick, friendly, polite, and sensitive to our situation. They seemed to be enjoying a competitive sport about who could carry the most heavy boxes at once. Now that we have a family, some nice furniture, and tons of stuff it was great to watch everything move so quickly and knowledgeably in one trip in their huge truck.At the end of our herculean project our furniture and home all still looked great and the crew were still smiling. Excellent work! Eric

If any of you have recently moved out of the area to another state, can you please let me know if you have a full service moving company you recommend? Thank you. martha

The binding estimate I got from them was not the lowest one I received (I got 5 I think!) However, I chose them because I felt a great deal of confidence after meeting with Sandy and hearing all about their procedures, and then researching their reputation on movingscam.com (A MUST read site for anyone choosing a mover), the BBB, etc.

On moving day, our driver and team arrived right on time, were clean, polite and efficient. I stood around with a latte and just watched! Because we had a smallish load (around 4100 lbs.) we had a fairly large delivery window - around 7-10 days. The van arrived on Day 2 of that window though, which was great! Nothing was lost or broken. What more can you want? Another nice thing was that we could track our shipment as it made its way across the country on Mayflower's website.

Also, Sandy was fairly cautious in her binding estimate for us. So, when our load was actually weighed, it came in about 400 lbs. lighter than the estimate, which meant we got a refund for that weight we didn't use (so it ended up costing about the same as the lower priced quotes I'd received.)

I recommend AVOIDING putting your details in to any online moving quote website. You'll end up getting hounded by dozens of shady companies via phone & email (trust me!)

Hope your move goes well! amy

I'm seeking recommendations for a moving company to pack and/or ship some furniture up from Southern California (city of Torrance.) I can do the driving in a rented van, but need to have someone else do the packing. Would consider hiring a company to do it all, but need to compare price, service, etc. Any recommendations or caveats? azmoss

Kudos to Delancey Street Movers
I'd like to give a shout out to Delancey Street for their great service - I really could not have moved without them - and I cannot imagine anyone else being as helpful, funny and un-stressed as they were. I really felt they had my back and were doing everything possible to make my life easier. They had to get a second truck and 2 additional guys and they still came in under budget. They were the greatest and I would trust them with my most prized possessions! Yay Delancey Street! Jennifer

So I have decided to use a moving company for our move this summer, and am at a loss as to which moving company to use and how to compare value. Does anyone have any feedback on this issue?

We are moving from emeryville to oakland and this will be our first time hiring movers. Can anyone recommend a company, tips for hiring movers and general cost? The move is not that large-a 2 bedroom, approx 900 sq ft apt. However, I'm pregnant and cannot help. Plus, we've recently bought new furniture that is heavy and it seems better to hire professionals. I know people have recommended Delancey Street a lot, but I called them and that would be about $400. I am hoping to pay around $200. I'm not sure if that is realistic. Thanks! Mazu

Someone who gives you a cheaper quote might pack everything up and show up at your new place and refuse to unload the truck unless you fork over more money because you ''had more stuff than they thought.'' Or break things and not pay for them. Or move everything as slowly as possibly to drive up the cost by spending more hours. Or, as happened to us once when we chose based solely on price, simply not show up at all. Read some of the stories at www.movingscam.com and decide if you want to pay a little bit more for the company that is the gold standard for reliability, honesty and service around here.

Also, Delancy is known for quoting on the high side, so they almost never go over and often come in under the quote.

There are other reputable movers besides Delancy, but the point is that I'd rather pay more up front and know what I am getting than think I am getting a ''good deal'' but have to pay more in the end. Go with a company recommended by people you know and trust.
satisfied Delancy movers customer

Also - be sure to get a binding estimate from whoever you choose to move you. That way you'll be guaranteed that you'll pay absolutely no more than whatever the estimate was. We were told by the guy who came out to do the estimate that if we were prepared (i.e. everything really ready to go on the truck so that the movers didn't have to pack or wait for us to finish) that it would likely take two to three hours less than what he estimated and he was right. Our binding estimate was almost $400 too high - but we knew what our limit was going to be.

As far as tipping the movers: my husband gave them each $35 (for about 7 hours of time (including the double-driving time mentioned above)). Personally, I thought that was generous, but I have NO IDEA what is appropriate. I'll be interested to hear what others do. Good luck with your move!

Does anyone have recommendations for a moving company? A

2005 - 2006 Reviews

I am looking for a local mover, reasonably priced who will help us move a few boxes and two pieces of furniture to our new home. We are only moving within Oakland steff

The cost was average - not expensive and not outrageously cheap - but everything made it here in one piece. They have boxes and bubblewrap for items that are hard to wrap or if you don't know how to wrap it (like our 8 foot tall 70 pound mirror). They even moved our 5 foot tall tomato plants and wrapped them in bubble wrap too :-)

I have heard so many nightmare stories about movers stealing items, or changing the delivery prices once all your stuff is in the truck - go with someone who is approves by the BBB - we wholly recommend Northstar Movers. Good Luck! Happily Moved

We need a couple of strong guys (or gals) to move some awkwardly large pieces of antique furniture to our new upstairs apt. next month. Most recommendations are old ('05 most current) and so I'd like to put this subject out there once more. Does anyone have a more recent experience that they'd like to share? Good, bad, we want to hear it all before we sign on the dotted line! [specifically, anyone used "Strong, Young Movers"??]
Do it ourselves? Not this time!

I am looking for a recommendation for a resonably priced, local mover. We are moving just within Oakland and looking for a reasanalbly priced mover who will move our prepacked boxes steff

We're moving from Oakland to El Cerrito, and we need to find reliable, relatively inexpensive local movers. Many of the recommendations on the website seem rather old, so I wanted to see if anyone had moved locally recently. Any recommendations? Thanks! Jennifer

I recently moved with NorthStar Moving Corporation, and I enjoyed such an amazing service that I am so happy I have this opportunity to share my experience.

The professional courtesy NorthStar showed me during my move was so remarkable that I was left after the move with the most profound respect for the company and its employees. From the sales representatives (who were so extremely professional and pleasant to talk with) to the actual movers (who had moving down to a science and were very good-humored to boot), the move which I had so nervously anticipated was entirely stress-free.

They didn’t waste time, the movers worked really hard, and the pricing was very fair considering the amazing service I received. Every one of my belongings was wrapped and protected with moving blankets, bubble-wrap or boxes, not even a little coffee table leg was exposed. Because of this, nothing got broken, nothing even got scratched!!!

And the best part was when everything was unloaded and into my new home, they helped me arrange my living room, dining room, and bedrooms several times till I had the exact placement I wanted. I literally did not lift a finger.

NorthStar (800) 275 7767 will definitely be my lifelong moving company, and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for the highest-quality moving company out there Yaffa

Does anyone have a recommendaiton for good movers? We'll be moving to the University Village apartments in Albany in late July and need 2 or 3 people to help unload the 24' Budget rental truck we'll be driving down. We'll be driving on the 23rd and will need help unloading on Monday July 24th. I've checked the Berekely Marketplace site for recommendations but they're all quite dated. The only relatively recent and also positive review is for Delancey Street Movers. Unfortunately they do complete moves only and can't provide labor for our kind of situation. morrison

We recently did a local move (less than 5 miles) and we couldn't be more pleased with our experience with Five Star Moving! We were most impressed by both the transparency of the process (the movers literally took our detailed email of what needed to be moved and checked off the items before they moved anything), and the high quality service of Virgil and Brian (professional, polite, diligent). When we were clearly over our estimate, they threw on a bunch of extra boxes - as much as would fit in the truck - and did not charge us anything additional to the quoted flat fee. They are probably one of the very, very few that understand what it means to be in the service industry - particularly one as stressful and prone to shadiness as moving! And we've moved ALOT!

Five Star Moving Service 877-408-9500

Craig Gilliam is the owner, who gave us the quote, and was very responsive from answering random questions to lending us wardrobe boxes! Amy

MovingScam also continues to identify excellent full-service movers for people who need their things loaded and unloaded as well as transported, including Delancey Street Movers and a new company called Moovers, Inc. that was started by people trained in the Delancey Street program.

People wanting to know more about moving are most welcome to visit our message board at http://www.movingscam.com/forum, where volunteers answer questions around the clock. We offer reports on auto transporters and rental van companies, packing and loading tips, advice about international shipments, ideas about pet transport, and information about where to find good loading and unloading helpers. Diane

I recently relocated from the Los Angeles area to Alameda. The moving company I used Lightning Van Lines was wonderful, believe it or not I am one of the few people who had a postive moving experience. I found Lightning Van Lines on Citysearch and based on their recomendations, then the customer service; I received a FREE visual estimate and the fact that they checked out with BBB I decided to entrust them with my two bedroom move. From start to finish it was smooth and trouble-free. They arrived early, were professional and courteous at all times. The prices are not the lowest but are competitive, reasonable and well worth it! SSince I received a visual estimate my contract was a binding agreement therefore no surprise fees at delivery! I highly recomend them for any job, the corporate office is in San Leandro, and they will give you a home visual estimate at any time.
Reidun

We have hired Stu Miller many times over the years and highly recommend him. He is very conscientious, extrememely professional and recently moved friends who were very satisfied with his work.

Stu Miller-Household & Office Moving
(510) 848-9395
Berkeley, CA 94702

My family recently moved from Alameda to Dublin Ca. For a previous move, we had used Tomkat moving and hauling (may also be known as TomCat). We had a good experience with them the first time around and wanted to give our business to them again.

We dealt directly with the owner, Tom, and would have rather rented a u-haul when all was said and done. He was a day late, canceling 6 hours after he was supposed to initially arrive. He came the morning after he was scheduled, 45 minutes after the revised time. Within 15 minutes of arriving at our Alameda home, he tracked tar and mud all over our carpet. I asked him to remove his shoes and pointed out the mess he made, and he continued to make a mess. I asked him if he was going to pay for the carpet cleaning, he said he would walk out on the job. We were in a bind, as most would be, and had to beg him to complete the job. I left the house and my husband managed the move to Dublin.

We had our carpets cleaned as soon as Tom and his crew left for the Dublin house. Most of the stains came out, but we now have to disclose the damage to the new owners. Tom never apologized and did not pay any of the $188 carpet cleaning fee.

Tom's crew was very nice and respectful, we wish we had dealt only with them. Let me know if you would like further details, but overall I would not recommend dealing with TomKat on any size job, ever.

I am in need of a mover to pick up three pieces of furniture in Malibu and bring them to Berkeley. Does anyone have a recommendation for someone that would be willing to do this for a reasonable fee? I don't need a professional mover - could be someone with a truck interested in earning some extra money. Would love to hear recommendations! Thanks.

My family recently moved our home with Stu Miller and crew. They did an exceptional job. They listened, were swift, very careful, had equipment I never knew was out there, and performed a very difficult move with a smile. My furniture and home all still look great. It was a very pleasant experience and I would very highly reccomend them. Jennifer L

I would recommend Zhang's Moving Company. their number is 1.800.747.9979. This is the 3rd time we are using them. They moved for our home twice and this time was my office located in Downtown. I referred Zhang's Moving Company to all my friends, as well as my dear sister. They all were very satisfied. Their price was good. They were professional, polite, careful, and organize. I would definitely use them again. Anna H.

We used Delancey Street Movers for two moves in the past six months. Both teams were extremely efficient, polite, and professional. One team literally ran in and out of our house as they loaded the truck, saying they saw it as their daily workout. They loaded our 1300 sq ft house in under an hour! The price was very reasonable and they DO accept tips (to amend a previous posting by someone who said they don't). The only difference is that they send you a letter listing the tip amount as a donation to their foundation. Happily Moved (twice)

Our family of two adults and one toddler are relocating to the Portland OR area this summer. We need some info advice re movers. I know there are companies that will transport your stuff if you load the truck, but does the opposite service exist? We are not physically able to load a truck and do not know the best way to place furniture in said truck, but we are quite capable of driving the truck. Does anyone know of ''professional loaders''? Failing that, which moving company would you use if you had to move again? Thanks for your help. Margy

We are moving five blocks near piedmont avenue and need a recommendation for a reliable, friendly movers who won't charge us an arm and a leg. Thanks mari

2002 - 2004

We are moving our household within Berkeley. Can someone please recommend local movers who work in this area and who you have worked with in the past two years?

I recently expanded my house and need to have some heavy furniture moved within the house up a flight of stairs. I called Delancey Street based on the rave reviews on this board and they don't provide this service for the East Bay. Some of the other recommendations for movers are a bit old and I was hoping for updated recommendations. Barbara

We will be moving in a few weeks and can do about 80% of it ourselves. However, we have a number of pieces of furniture that will be tough for the two of us to move as they are heavy and we will have a toddler running around. I always notice guys down in the 4th street area looking for day jobs and thought perhaps we could hire several of them for a couple of hours to help my husband with the heavy stuff. Any recommendations on how to do this respectfully, ethically and legally? Can I just drive up and ask if anyone is interested in the job (I speak Spanish), or is there some sort of person unofficially in charge? Fair wages for this sort of job? Any other hints? thanks

I thoroughly recommend Stu Miller. 848-9395 His crew is very careful, thorough, professional and nice. Your stuff and your house will be taken care of. For example, when he moved stuff in our house he was careful to put padding on all the doorframes. Nothing got scratched. He installed pads on the feet of all our furniture, free, to protect the floors. Jim

I am contemplating a local move and wondering if anyone has experience with movers who could come in and pack up my 1 BR apartment for me, and then transport it to the new place all in one day. I looked on the website and didn't see anything... Also, any ballpark estimate of how much it would cost?

I don't see why they couldn't get your job done in a day, as long as you didn't have lots of complicated items to pack. Bear in mind that in order to pack breakable items quickly with the least risk of damage, they use A LOT of packing materials. They used 38 boxes and 90 pounds of newsprint paper to pack our kitchen and breakables--it took a lot of time to flatten out 90 pounds of crumpled newsprint and put it out for recycling. But they did a fantastic job, worked their butts off and were unfailingly polite. Heidi

I recently had Stu Miller move my home. I was delighted with his operation. His final bill was considerably less than the in-person quote I received. Stu himself actively participated with his staff of competant, cheerful, young men. He freely offered to and repaired a damaged antique I was worried about before he moved it with the skill of a seasoned surgeon . He amazed us by disassembling and reassembling an intricate multi-faceted french armoir. Throughout the move I knew that his crew were out for our best interest by exercizing the greatest diligence, swiftness, and attention to our needs.They left us with furniture in better condition than when it left, our nerves intact and feeling inspired about the integration of mastery of a trade with a good heart. Stu Miller Movers
Nancy

We went with Bekins when we moved from Chicago to Oakland. The price of the move ended up costing less than if we had driven a U-Haul ourselves. They were very thorough and caring. When they could not find one chair of our kitchen set, the insurance paid for ALL of the chairs in a new set, so now we have even nicer chairs at our kitchen table then we started with. Happily moved

Re: In-state movers
I unequivocably recommend Delancey Street movers. See the website at http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/services/movers.htmldelancey.html for all the glowing recommendations of Delancey Street (one of which was mine). We will use them again when we move sometime this year. Lori

We used Stu Miller this past Spring. He was very pleasant on the phone as well as in person. Very mild mannered. The move went well... no problems. I could have not even been present and I'm sure the move would have went well. We moved from a 4 bdrm to another 4 bdrm. His staff was very pleasant. I think he does charge more than other companies, but we felt we needed someone reliable and dependable and he had a lot of recommendations on the Parents web site, so we went with him. One company NOT to use is All My Sons. My friend used them and had to call the police. This company wanted to hold my friend's furniture ''hostage'' until my friend signed a form that would state they would pay a specific fixed amount for the move. When the police came, the police said these movers are notorious for this problem.

Re: Moving a Piano
Delancey Street moved our piano (and everything else) last August. We were going to hire a piano mover, but Delancey Street persuaded us to let them do it. The movers maneuvered it expertly and carefully through the tight spots and down stairs in our old house and up stairs into our new house. Not a scratch. Robin

Re: ''Help Unloading Truck''
We moved twice in the past year, both times into upstairs apartments, and used the same company- Checkered Flag Moving, 408-269-2100. Nothing was damaged, they were on time, and they cost significantly less than everything else I priced both times. Dana

My husband, daughter and I will be moving to San Francisco in a few weeks - in fact, my husband just rolled out of town today in our rented U-haul. Does anyone have any recommendations for moving companies that will help unload the truck, paid by the hour? We're moving into the Presidio. Thanks! Molly

Can anyone recommend a long distance moving company (to use or to avoid)? The posts on the website are quite old. We are moving from Oakland to Knoxville, TN and have never used a commercial mover before. Cost is a big concern, but we'd also like to avoid making our baby drive across country. We're looking in to Delancey St. Movers and also ABF U-pack. The current plan is to have our household things driven by a commercial company, dad and dogs will go by car, and mom and baby will go by plane. Any other solutions out there? Anything to watch out for? Thanks for your help! Marguerite

We used Delancey Street movers when we moved from San Francisco to Walnut Creek 6 years ago. They were GREAT and I can't recommend them highly enough. Regarding typical cost and tip, we found that we saved a ton of money by doing a really good job packing our own stuff and labeling each box very carefully with the destination room in the house. The movers told us that what ends up costing so much is when folks aren't completely packed and ready to go when the movers arrive, and when the people who are moving don't know where they want the movers to put each box. We were so thrilled with the job Delancey Street did that we gave a tip to the foreman or whatever you would call the mover in charge. We later got a receipt for our donation, as it turns out the movers are not allowed to accept tips. If you are not familiar with Delancey Street, by hiring their movers you are also helping folks get back on their feet. We will absolutely use them again next time we move. Lori

When we relocated from Los Angeles to Berkeley six years ago we were very pleased with the company that packed and moved us. So happy in fact that I have kept the paperwork all this time, just in case we needed movers again. It was Tri-Valley Bekins. We dealt with the Livermore office (510) 373-0511, but I see on their letterhead that they have locations in Pleasant Hill (510) 935-9797 and San Ramon (510) 838-1024. The person who actually performed the packing and moving was Shawn Stewart, and he was terrific. I don't know if he is still with them or not. I realize this recommendation is rather dated, but I hope it is still a good one. Janie

Six weeks ago I hired Stu Miller, based on recommendations from the PN web site. He and three strong young men moved my boyfriend and I from two separate one-bedroom apartments into a new two-bedroom place, about two miles from our old neighborhood. Stu is a true professional. He has protective pads, wardrobe boxes, etc. and knows how to move furniture and pack his truck very efficiently. The move took just over three hours and cost about $600. It was worth every penny and my BF and I still talk about how it was the best money we ever spent. We tipped his crew ($10 each) and they were really appreciative. DO pack well and know where you want stuff to go. That saves time. DON'T hire a fly-by-night mover. IMHO peace of mind is worth more than the $50 to $100 bucks you might save. Joanna

I had a very nice experience with Al at Alstar moving and Storage in Oakland 839-4862. There prices were better than the rest and they did a fine job. They are not lhigh-endn, they donmt wear uniforms, they are not limpressiven but they do a good job and they showed up EARLY! Daniel

I can recommend Emerald Moving and Storage (510)839-3939 for local moving and storage. We had to move out of our Berkeley home recently during a remodel. The move was a bit complicated. We packed everything ourselves but needed some of it to go to storage and some to our short term home. Emerald moved us out, stored our long term stuff at a reasonable monthly rate, and then moved us all back in without any mixups. They were very flexible and pleasant to deal with.

We used Delancy Street to move the contents of our 1200-square-foot house (including a piano and some garden furniture) within Berkeley (about 2 miles) in August 2001. As all the previous recommendations have said, Delancey Street was GREAT.

We did most of the packing ourselves. They brought a big truck and four men, and they worked for five or six hours. The cost was about $650 (slightly more than half of what they estimated) -- and so totally worth it.

They charge by the hour, not the space, so you pay more to have them move more stuff only to the extent that it takes them more time to load and unload it. We ended up having them move a few things that we initially thought we'd move ourselves, just because they were there and it was so easy to have them put the things in the van. Based on the previous comments on the website, I did not tip them (oops, did I mess up?). We moved on a Saturday; I don't think there was any extra charge for the weekend. Weekends may be more popular, however, so reserve your date early.

Everything arrived at the new house in the same condition that it left the old house, even the cheap particleboard bookshelves that they warned us might be damaged in the move. We'd recommend them highly and without hesitation. robin

2001 & Earlier

I highly recommend Delancey Street Movers. Delancey Street is a drug treatment program for serious offenders. They accept people in their program who they believe can handle a rigorous program -- and it is rigorous. It is a 12 month, residential, very difficult program. Among the components is job training (and responsbility). They have a restaurant in SF which is wonderful, staffed by their residents (bus people, waiters, chefs, etc.), the moving company, and they have Holiday Tree farms every December around the bay area. Their prices are fair and the people who come to your home to move you will work very hard and be very careful. I can't recommend them highly enough. Laurel

Stu Miller Movers, in the Yellow and White-business pages. I used him in April, and suggested him to my boss, who used Stu's services in May. I was very happy, as was my boss. A bit expensive, very very good. both were in Bay area/East Bay moves. Sara

My family has used Stu Miller Moving twice in the past 5 years, and we have had positive experiences with them both times. The owner, Stu, worked on both of our moves and he and his crew were efficient, professional, and well priced. (We were well organized, and knew what went where, so I am sure that helped.) Their phone number is 510 848-9395. They really delivered the 'good vibes' (to us anyways) promised in their Yellow Pages ad!

We just moved and used Delancy Street Movers (based in SF). They were really, really, really goodycareful, friendly, extremely hard-working, and very conscious of the fact that our two-year-old was darting about. The moving company is part of the Delancy Street Foundation, which helps rehab felons, so you're supporting a good cause, too. (One of our movers, who was about 6' tall and 225 pounds was also scared of our rabbits, but that's a whole other story...) One of the movers was a father and he took apart and then put together our crib, which we greatly appreciated, given how horrifically stressful moving day can be. I would use them again in a heartbeat, although I might spare that poor guy the sight of our FEROCIOUS house bunnies.

I've had good experiences with Delancey Street Movers on two occasions. Their prices seemed reasonable and they definitely hustle. They're in the phone book. Call ahead to book.
Timothy

I recently had to move several heavy items of furniture from my house in Berkeley into an apartment in Albany, then stuff from the Albany apartment into either a storage unit in Berkeley or . . . back to my house! It was really a waste of an afternoon for me and an awful drag, but TOMCAT MOVERS (864-1900) did it all pleasantly and without complaint, and I thought for a very reasonable price. I recommend them without reservation. (Their dispatcher got all of my complicated instructions down perfectly the first time.) Becky

I have an old fridge in my kitchen and a newer one in my garage which is down a flight of steps. Any ideas about what sort of person to hire to switch the fridges so I have the newer one in the kitchen and the old one in the garage? Should I call a mover, a handy person or what? Any recommendations appreciated.

I strongly recommend Delancey Street Movers. We used them to move from San Francisco to Walnut Creek. They were extremely efficient and we saved a lot of money using them, and they were very honest. We were so pleased we gave them a big tip at the end. A few weeks later we got a letter thanking us for our donation to Delancey Street. Apparently they can't take tips, so we ended up getting a tax write-off instead. In addition, the folks who work there are recovering drug addicts and you are helping them earn an honest living and get their lives back together.

Park-Tilden movers because: they were prompt, kept all commitments, the movers moved fast and didn't wreck anything, including finagling a washer and dryer up a narrow freshly painted stairwell, and everyone was extremely polite. Their hourly rate is higher than the other company I called but I just got a sense of greater organization skills and experience, translating into efficiency and therefore perhaps similar costs. They will deliver moving boxes and packing paper prior to the move, a service for which they charge. Sally

Great mover Stu Miller Moving 510/848-9395 Stu is extremely professional, fast, courteous and totally reliable. He is punctual, efficient and friendly. His crew follow instructions, offer suggestions and are very helpful. I highly recommend him.
Kristin

I strongly recommend Stu Miller movers of Berkeley. Stu and his crew did a superlative job in our local move in 1993. I've had enough negative experiences with movers to view them all with fear and loathing, but Stu and his guys did a better job with our stuff than I would've myself, at reasonable cost. His ad in the phone book says "good vibes" and it's really true. His number's 848-9395. Richard

Moving Companies: I've had recent experience with Ernie's (6th Street in Berkeley) and Macy's Movers (Oakland). They are both very good. Good people. Used them both for moving as well as container storage for several months while looking for permanent housing. Tamara

We had a horrible experience with Starving Students of Oakland about a year ago that I have since found out is really common. Although I reserved them a week in advance and called to confirm, Starving Students did not show up on the day, flat-out lied to me that the van was on the way several times, then just quit answering calls. The next day, they didn't show up until 11 am when the office told me at 8 am the van had just left, I was first on the list, blah, blah.

The other scam that Starving Students is famous for is the double drive time policy, which I guess is stardard in the moving industry. This is where you are charged double for the time it takes them to go from old house to new house. Our old house was about 6 blocks from our new house, but we we charged for an hour because the driver pulled in front of the house, told us he would go around the block in order to be pointed the right way and was gone for 45 minutes. At the time we didn't realize that cost us $85 and didn't complain (plus the fact we didn't want to complain when our furniture was still in the truck.) A friend later told me that when she used Starving Students, she saw them eating at McDonalds on the way to her new house.

I wrote numerous letters to Starving Students to complain and got a check for 10% of the move - $58. I spoke to the head of the agency that governs movers and he said that he gets more complaints about Starving Students than any other company. Tracy

In response to the person looking for a good mover with a clean storage. I recommend Bekins at 1-888-251-5840 ask for Rich Coldwell. Susan

Re: moving I would NOT recommend Starving Students; I used them twice and both times the movers were careless and the charged ended up being considerably more than I expected. Dianna

I can recommend Eagle Hauling Service - Randall Broder He is the next step above do-it-yourself. He has a big truck, dolly, blankets, etc. and you help him (or he brings a helper for an extra charge). He charges $50/hr plus a $15 gas charge. Randall has done big and small jobs for me, is very trustworthy, soft-spoken, and methodical. Ginger (March 2009 update: phone 519 223 6335)

I HIGHLY recommend Delancey Street Movers. They were highly recommended to me when I moved 3 years ago. They arrived promptly, worked quickly (they were even willing to take stuff that I was planning to take myself!) and were EXTREMELY polite and helpful. I had a side-by-side refrigerator and queen sofa sleeper that needed to be taken down a flight of almost 30 wooden steps and they managed both without a problem. They even set up the furniture in the new house! It cost about $300 for 3 men and a huge truck and I think the whole process took less than 4 hours.

I want to second the recommendation for Delancey Street Movers. Two guys came to evaluate our move and provide an estimate on the cost and time it would take. When the movers showed up, there were four instead of two (at no extra charge) and they were simply wonderful, taking great care with our possessions and loading up most of the items we were going to take ourselves. I found they needed very little oversight and understood immediately where things should go (e.g., items taken from the living room should go to the new living room). They finished in less time than they had estimated, and charged us less than the quote. These guys were so wonderful we tried to tip them the difference, but they asked that we make it a contribution to Delancey Street instead. We will definitely use them if we ever need to make another move and I recommend them highly to all our friends.

I'd like to strongly second the recommendation for Delancey Street Movers. After an unpleasant experience with an S.F. moving company the first time we moved, we used Delancey to move from S.F. to Berkeley. They were hard-working, pleasant, and honest. I HIGHLY recommend them. Furthermore, it's a good cause.