Colonial Van Lines Colonial Van Lines Let me start by saying DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY FOR YOUR MOVE. Tamarac FL

I was overwhelmed with trying to determine the most cost effective way to move and then store about $2500 worth of furniture and personal items a distance of approximately 500 miles. I wasn't moving an entire house full of items, so I didn't want to spend a lot of money.  Moving myself was not an option.  When I contacted this company, my salesman Tom was very nice and reassuring.

They scheduled my move with an even slimier, less ethical company by the name of Moving Express & Storage out of Passaic, NJ.  DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY EITHER! The problem is, however, you don't know who will be conducting the move until they show up on your doorstep. The movers showed up on the day of the move and wanted an additional $75, claiming that my quote for a move from a second story unit only covered 7 steps. Since my unit was on the second level of my building, and it required more than 7 stairs to reach the second level, that was going to be extra.  

This was of course after Tom quoted me a price based on my unit being on the SECOND FLOOR of the building.  (Tom didn't mention that he was quoting me the "hobbit price", and that in hobbits' houses, it only takes 7 steps to reach the second level). Also, I failed to include one item in my pre inventory (a framed picture), and the movers wanted to charge an additional $20 to move that despite the fact that I was way under the minimum weight.

 Of course, I knew that I would also get dinged for the non-Hobbit extra stair charge of $75 on the delivery end. Only after threatening to cancel the move (which would have meant I would have lost my $290 deposit), did the movers relent.  When I called to complain to Colonial Van Lines, of course Tom wouldn't take my calls, and their "customer service" team would not return my calls.

 After calling them maybe 10 times, I finally got through to someone by calling from a different phone number they didn't recognize.  This person assured me that I would not be charged the $75 on the back end.  Problem is, the movers won't deliver your items off the truck until you pay them, so guess what? - since I'm as tall as Gandalf, I had to pay the extra $75

.  Also, forget about scheduling your delivery on a specific day - they have the right to take up to 21 extra days past your "earliest possible delivery date" to deliver your goods.   Several items were delivered broken, and several items were missing, to the tune of about $250 in lost or damaged items. But I have no recourse because I am only insured up to .60 per pound.

To get full replacement cost insurance would have cost another $250 on a move that was already costing $1000. The movers gave me a 24 page pamphlet entitled "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" when they showed up, but it was moving day, and I hadn't set aside any time for reading.  Read this book before you schedule your move!  That way you will understand in advance all the ways these slime bags can screw you.