Kings Moving & Storage Inc

I contacted the company, Kings Moving & Storage, for a quote and their availability. I felt fortunate to find someone available, since it was a busy time of year and most companies were booked. I called several times and even went by their office in Junction City prior to the move to make sure everything was on schedule. There was some confusion, a mix-up with my file and another client's, but they remedied that. The packers and movers called ahead on packing and moving days. They worked steadily for the most part. Several, but not all, acted in a professional manner. I even called and bragged about what a great job they were doing. Everything seemed to go fine until delivery, or so I thought. It was then that I realized none of my wood pieces had been wrapped and several items were damaged. Fortunately I had paid for extra insurance. The company sent someone to fix the items: two damaged table tops, a chair, a mirror, and a piece of pottery. The mirror looks fine and he was able to fix the chair. Unfortunately, due to where the breakage occurred, we can no longer use it. While the antique tables look better, I'm not completely satisfied with one. The table had two deep scrapes that took the finish off down to the bare wood. Due to this, I was told, it was challenging to get the new finish to take which is very obvious on one of the spots. I'm not completely satisfied with it and will have it refinished again with a professional restoration expert in Topeka. I did not have him glue the piece of pottery hand-made by my daughter, because I knew it also needed professional restoration. Instead I called a company in Kansas City to have it restored. I mistakenly didn't write down an inventory as this was always done by the moving company in our previous moves, nor did I check off each item as it was unloaded or even go through all of the boxes immediately after the move. Several weeks later, we realized more items were damaged and an antique side table was completely missing. When I contacted the company, I was told it was likely too late to find the piece but he'd try. Again, I was relieved that I had paid for extra insurance. Ultimately, the extra insurance was of no help. I was not reimbursed for the missing antique side table (from the 1800s), restoration of the broken piece of pottery, or even two damaged lampshades on the original claim. I was told it was too late to file a claim. (Most companies I've dealt with before would have allowed such a claim, but perhaps this has changed. Then again, in twenty-five years the most I've ever filed a claim for was a smashed lampshade and a broken CD.) The company basically told me they won't pay for anything other than the few repairs that were made by the contractor they hired. I'm not new to moving or dealing with moving companies, so I was organized, ready, and assumed I knew what to expect. We moved from Marysville to Manhattan but had only lived in Marysville two years. Prior to that we had relocated to several Midwestern states while my husband worked for a national telecommunications company. We've hired moving companies seven times before this move. While I've noticed in the last couple of relocations a slow degrading of professionalism among movers, this move ranks at the top as the worst in terms of damage and missing items. In 25 years of moving, we've never had the amount of damage that occurred with this move nor have we ever had items stolen. My advice to others trying to select a moving company would be to shop around as early as you know you'll need a mover. Read lots of reviews on Angie's List and other sites. Get recommendations from neighbors and friends. Ask many questions, especially about what happens if something is missing or damaged, when you need to let them know, how your items will be packed and wrapped, how repairs will be made, etc. Organize and label your belongings. Make an inventory of all boxes and non-boxed items. Take photos of valuable pieces or entire rooms. This will help with future claims. Leave someone (or preferably several people) at your home at all times during the packing, loading, and moving. Most important of all, move items yourself that are of great sentimental value. When everything has been moved in to your new home, don't sign any paperwork until you have checked off the inventory - and this is important- whether the movers want to leave or not . Make sure they've put all items in the proper rooms, have assembled all furnishings, and that all boxes and unpacked belongings are accounted for. Do a walk through with the movers of each and every room to make sure everything is completed to your satisfaction. Moving is stressful and exhausting. Having damaged and missing items can happen, and if they do, you need to make sure you realize it quickly, can file a claim, and are able to be reimbursed. A few of the packers and movers worked hard and were always courteous, but beloved items were broken and a favorite antique is missing. In addition to the $300 for extra insurance and $3,000 for moving/packing costs paid by my husband's company, we personally paid over $700 for tips and food for the packers and movers. The grand total spent: over $4,000 not including our future out-of-pocket costs due to unreimbursed repairs and replacements. I certainly take responsibility for mistakes I made. I waited too long to hire a moving company, didn't check reviews, didn't make an inventory and check it, left packers and movers alone in both homes while I purchased food for their lunches, didn't notice when items weren't wrapped properly, was alone during the packing and move-in, didn't do a final walk-through, spent too much time unpacking while they moved items into my home rather than checking that everything was accounted for, and waited too long to check everything and submit a claim after the move. I also didn't check Angie's List for reviews of movers, or I might have been able to use their mediation services. More than likely I would have found a much better alternative.

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The team that King's sent me was a team that step dad used to have to grade on Fort Riley every time they were used by military personnel. I actually went to school with the team leader and he used to own his own moving company in Kansas City. The team was extremely responsible, helpful and industrious. I thought I was going to need a box for one of my TVs and thankfully they let me know I didn't and they saved me over $100. I was quoted for a minimum number of hours plus additional hours based on the size of my move (number of bedrooms in each place plus distance and number of flights of stairs). It was an over estimate, but not grossly. I saved more money there and had plenty to tip my movers (they didn't take a lunch and only a 15 minute break once in the day). All in all, my experience was great with King's Movers. I would definitely use them again. They did an amazing job and I have recommended them on several occasions.

On very short notice King's Moving was able to commit to moving my 3 bedroom apartment (which was a third floor walk-up) furnishings a mere 7 blocks to our new house. Instead of underestimating to get the job they estimated 7 hours plus the cost of a box for a tv that they couldn't move unless it was in a box due to it's fragility. That box was going to cost me $125, which I didn't think was too bad so I would have to move my giant tv by myself. When the movers arrived, surprisingly I knew one of them and he said that my big tv in the living room didnt need the box only the smaller one in the bedroom so that saved me money since I was ok with moving the smaller one by myself. Then to make things better, the movers padded every doorway to keep from scuffing or breaking the woodwork. They also skipped thrip Ed their lunch to get my move done in 5.5 hours. I was so excited I tipped the movers generously. I cant explain how happy I was with King's and I would be happy to refer them to anyone in need of help with a local move.