Big Ben's Moving and Storage Inc

7 Reviews: Add Review

1. Move Over Charging and Incompetence

   Moved from Minneapolis to upstate NY. Online estimates placed the cost of the move at about $6k. Was told we could update our inventory list anytime before the truck arrived and get the good rate on additional items but pay a higher rate if items were added after the truck arrived. We sent 2 inventory updates. The first was acknowledged the second was ignored. When the driver arrived he inspected all our property and told us the move would cost "at most $7500". After loading the truck we were informed that the cost would be $10,500. We were given the option of agreeing to the charge or having the truck unloaded. Of course the closing on the house we were vacating was 2 days away.
   
   Our property when received in NY was seriously damaged. Not one wine glass ( that they were paid to pack) survived the trip. Serious damage was done to virtually every piece of wood furniture. Glass and ceramic items were stuffed in boxes unprotected and shattered into prices.
   
   Moving Claims.com was the designated arbiter of our claims for overcharging and damage. After spending hours completing their online form on one of the most poorly designed websites I have ever visited I was offered $75 in settlement. What they appear to do is pass on the information to the moving company and let you know what they are offering you. There is no sign of any arbitration or independent assessment of the evidence of damage or over charging.
   
   My advice to potential movers is stay away from both Big Ben's and MovingClaims.com.

2. DON'T USE THIS COMPANY

   THIS COMPANY IS THE WORSE COMPANY IN BUSINESS! THEY WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY AND NOT SHOW UP ON TIME AND WILL NOT ANSWER THEIR PHONES WHEN YOU ARE PANICKING AND LEFT TO CALL ANOTHER COMPANY.
   
   DO THE SMART THING AND CALL YOUR LOCAL MOVERS WHO ARE VERY ACCOMMODATING AND TRUST WORTHY.
   
   YOU WILL BE GLAD THAT YOU DID AND SAVE YOURSELF A LOT OF FRUSTRATION. I WOULD HAVE GIVEN NO STARS BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT WAS NOT AN OPTION. SO "PLEASE HEED MY ADVISE!"

3. Movers stole items moved right out of living room.

   FMCSA complaint - Big Ben's Moving and Storage DOT #2564827 I recently was going back through the moving damage pictures and noticed that one of the items I told the delivery movers at drop off was missing vintage art piece was delivered to my living room and then STOLEN by the very same movers "Brandon" who told me it was not put on the truck. Brandon even went so far as to write on the inventory list the item was missing WHEN HE KNEW FULL WELL HE AND HIS PARTNER "John" HAD STOLEN IT RIGHT OUT OF MY LIVING ROOM verifiable by photo. Big Ben's Moving and Storage sent thieves to my home and charged me thousands for the traumatic experience. I could have been killed. I want the following 1) reimbursement of cost of illegal service, damaged heirlooms, for stolen items. 2) CRIMINAL CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST THE THIEVES AND BIG BEN'S THE COMPANY WHO EMPLOYED OR COLLUDED WITH THEM who not return any of my phone calls and emails regarding the experience and robbery. 3) PUT THESE BUSINESSES/PEOPLE OUT OF BUSINESS SO THAT NO OTHER CONSUMERS ARE SWINDLED, HURT AND ENDANGERED AS I WAS. Police report filed. Complaints with Attorney General and BBB filed as well.

   

4. Daily Review if This Entire Move!

   LET THE REVIEW BEGIN! I will be logging on every day until we have our furniture and it is all accounted for and inspected.
   
   ^^ Today is 7/7 - 24 hours from pickup - STILL 5-STARS :)
   
   Got a call yesterday at 3:45pm from dispatch, kindly alerting us to a 7/8 pickup. She told us she'd give us another call today at about the same time to give us a "time window" for when they're picking us up tomorrow. Super helpful!
   
   ^^ Today is 7/6 - 24 to 48 hours from pickup - STARTING @ 5-STARS
   
   SO FAR, the quoting and contract process has gone smoothly. Natalie has been great to work with. We began this process on 6/9. Moving from Santa Cruz, CA to Charlotte, NC. We are quoted $7K for 1,411 cubic feet (based on their inventory sheet and our very careful measurements and counts). We have been told we will be getting picked up by the truck either tomorrow 7/7 or Wednesday 7/8.
   
   Stay tuned for a day-by-day update!

5. Great movers, terrible customer service.

   I was very disappointed with this company. Their sales agent seemed great until he got the sale, then borderline radio silence when I continued to have questions. I was told I wouldn't have to pay for anything that wasn't moved (if my cubic footage actual move was less than my quote I wouldn't be charged for the difference). The contract said we would be charged for the quote unless we had the quote updated 7 days in advance. The sales agent told me just to call a few days ahead to update the quote and it would be fine (note I had asked to have contract language amended prior to signing to ensure this wouldn't be an issue, and he said it would all be ok). I called and he told me to update with dispatch, and dispatch said I could just update with the movers on-site. The movers themselves were great--very fast and efficient, and handled everything with care. However, when I was told I would still be charged the full cost of the quote even though I had about half of what was in the quote, I was put in touch with customer service. The agent was beyond rude, and then said they would audit all my calls/emails with my sales agent to see if there was a discrepancy in what I was told vs. what my contract stated. No one called me back. I've repeatedly asked for an update to the cubic footage amount in order to file a claim based on all the inconsistencies with this company. Customer service took over a week to call me back to tell me I could find the cubic footage on a document that I was never given. I would never recommend this company again purely because of their terrible customer service. It's very disappointing as the movers themselves were great, but everything from an admin perspective is terrible with this company.

6. Horrible company. Avoid at all costs.

   Please do yourself a favor and avoid this company. We tried to save some money and ended up with missing and broken items and paid $2000 more than we were quoted. Also, they didn’t tell us and used a “sister company” known as Great Moving who were HORRENDOUS and have 1 star reviews online. At the start, we were sold by talking to Joe on the phone. He told us that delivery would be 7-10 days, 7-14 days maximum. I’m aware that the company legally has 30 days to deliver items, but he assured us that this was “very rare” and said there was a truck headed our way on the route anyway. We overestimated the number of things we had following the initial quote from Joe. Meaning that we should have had room for all of our things in the truck, right? Wrong. When the movers arrived, we were told that our bed, desk, bookshelf, AND desk chair were more than the estimated amount. We ended up having to pay over $600 extra to ship the bed and decided to leave the other furniture instead of moving it. With regard to moving day, they first told us they would arrive on a Friday. Then, the night before, they called for an inventory check and happened to say our move date was Sunday (good thing nobody notified us). On Saturday morning, they called and gave us 3 hours warning that they were arriving. This is for a cross-country move no less. The following 3 weeks were a mess with regard to communication. Our things were taken to a warehouse where they sat for weeks. At one point, I called every day, and the woman on the phone said our things hadn’t been loaded onto a truck yet. A few days later, on a Friday, a different woman said our things had been loaded 4 days previously. When I had been told differently. In the meantime, they would not answer the phone, I left a voicemail with Joe and he never returned my call. Long story short, the items arrived 3 weeks later. The driver changed the drop-off day three times last minute (at one point saying ‘see you today’ and then not showing up). When they arrived, we had a missing grill, broken bed, and broken headboard. Boxes had been opened, the bed had been completely unwrapped. They also refused to wear a mask despite it being the law in our county and overcharged us for a shuttle despite the fact that they could have fit their truck in our area. Awful. Please avoid.

7. This is a totally fantastic company.

   They are helpful and accommodating beyond my wildest dreams. Their prices are modest; their service is fantastic. They show up on time; they work carefully; they work quickly; they let you pay any way you want to. I recommend them, for sure!