Hi, Ive been in the moving industry for about 7 years now, and I've seen the trade i've gotten into fall into a marketing scheme for customers to pay brokerages and lose tons of money, where the moving companies themselves do not have direct access to the market because the search result that will pop up on google for the average person will be a brokerage like Safe Ship or Mayflower. If you choose a typical moving company you may have someone low-ball you and then show up and give you the real price when they get there, just to lock in the job (it might be a brokerage pulling the strings). Many companies will lie about the weight or cubic feet of the belongings to make a profit after the brokerage takes their cut. I'm sick of it, as a laborer who started their own small moving company doing labor only. Everyone wants more money, but my first thought is paying my guys right and taking care of my customer.
DONT GO THROUGH A BROKERAGE OR A COMPANY THAT IS TRAINED IN MARKETING. They are good talkers, but their movers may not be great. If they are good, then the movers will tell the customers to leave the BROKERAGE a review so the brokerage keeps getting them work - The people who are doing the brunt of it. It's a deception loop.
Hear me out when I tell you that the majority of moving companies are incentivizing profit over a good job. Ive worked with many Interstate Van line companies and small moving companies in Denver, Portland, Dallas, and Seattle. There are many options to get a move done, whether it be through a third party labor marketplace, a large van lines company, regular moving company, hiring help off Craigslist, ect. Recently I moved a woman going 30 miles with a 1 bedroom apartment that payed thousands, When in reality she could've gotten it done for less than $1000. (brokerage took over half) That peace of mind that's sold over the phone is there for a reason.
Let me give you a good quote. We are based out of Puyallup but cover the Seattle area and ALL OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON. We rent box trucks currently. We provide all supplies and it is included in the quote. My names Jordy, and if you are in Seattle, I will come to you personally and get your cubic footage and give you a flat rate quote that will not change if you are moving over 50 miles. If it is a local job, we provide reasonable hourly rates for two, three, or four man crews. We handle Pianos and Safes and have have shoulder straps and handling techniques that will ensure your belongings are delivered safely and in-tact. I have been listing with the Uhaul MovingHelp marketplace for over 3 years and we have over 300 5-star reviews. They take a percentage, so we are branching out directly to customers. Feel free to call, text, or email.