Moving from CT to GA - Joyce Van Lines?

[CTmove]

Hi,
My family is moving from CT to GA in Feb and we have been collecting estimates. Most companies have come in with approx. 1800 for the move estimating 3000 lbs. , except Joyce Van lines in Oxford CT. (JOYCE OF NEW ENGLAND, INC. 195 Christian Street Oxford, CT 06478 800-451-0653).
I read some posts, but nothing definitive about this company. Has anyone here had any experience with them? The person I spoke with says they are an independent van line. My other options are:
Fallon Moving and Storage (Mayflower), Ace Van Lines (United affiliate), and Amodio(Mayflower) (I am tending against Amodio). Thank you

[PMueller]

Hi,
Most companies have come in with approx. 1800 for the move estimating 3000 lbs. , except Joyce Van lines in Oxford CT. (JOYCE OF NEW ENGLAND, INC. 195 Christian Street Oxford, CT 06478 800-451-0653).

If most have come in with approx the same weight - then in most cases you can be assured they are accurate. In making this statement, I am assuming they have done in-home estimates. Why are you considering Joyce and since they were the exception to your statement, is it because they were lower? If you have 3-5 estimates and one is lower than the others - that should be a red flag.

[CTMove]

The only difference with Joyce is the amount of the discount. Most companies figured it at 62, but Joyce did it at 65. It doesn't seem like enough of a difference to make me nervous, but I want to make sure that the company I choose will do a good and reliable job.

[Diane]

There could be a legitimate reason that Joyce says it will give you a 65% discount, including that they want to fill a truck they have going that way. I haven't heard anything definite about them but I think they are probably OK. I believe that their HQ is in CT. As Pam Mueller says, all this assumes that these companies have actually come to your residence to see your things. In addition, you should get a Binding Not to Exceed estimate from each.

[CTMove]

Most places that seem to have good reputations are refusing to give Binding Not to Exceed Estimates. I have only one confirmed BNTE Estimate which is from Fallon Moving, a Mayflower affiliate. She said that as long as I move what I say I am moving ( that I don't add anything that is not on the list) that I will be ok. She did say that the driver would call her if he believed that the move would be more and thst they would make sure there wasn't a whole lot more that I had added at the last minute. Joyce is coming out this week, he based the amount on a previous estimated weight. I don't recall if they will give a BNTE.

[Diane]

I assume that you've looked at the previous posts about Fallon and Amodio. For what it's worth, another Mayflower agent emailed me this about Amodio: "Amodio has been with Mayflower since 1982. They're a good size agent with lots of equipment. I have had no problem relying on them for destination agent services. Their internal customer satisfaction scores compare favorably with Dahill's."

This sticks in my mind about Fallon:

I called the Fallon office this morning and after discussing the costs she agreed that she had overcharged me over $850 - http://www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5676

Might have been an honest mistake, but not something that inspires confidence. There is a person who posts here as "Rick" who knows a lot about moving companies nationwide. I'll send him a Private Message to see whether he can comment on the companies you're considering or offer alternate suggestions.

[EastCoastMover]

the reason joyce can discount a little higher is that they are not connected with a major vanline and dont lose a chunk to them..will joyce runs a real tight ship and they are a very good company..a close friend of mine went to work for them in dispatch 2 years ago after 20 years with another mover and has nothing but good things to say...

[Diane]

Thanks - that's the testimonial I was looking for.

[ecm]

I no a guy who left CLARKand REID and went to work at Joyce.

[twalker]

I no a guy who left CLARKand REID and went to work at Joyce.

ecm,

What's your mission here. You've posted two nonsensical messages so far. Is there something that we can help you with?

Tim Walker
MovingScam.com

[Diane]

And Clark and Reid is supposed to be the creme-de-la-creme of moving companies in terms of low claims ratio, white-glove service, etc.--all coming at a price, of course. Thanks for this second testimonial, ECM.

In general, all other things being equal (which isn't often the case), I tend to favor the independent companies like Joyce because they can and must control the move from start to finish. If things go wrong and Mr. Joyce starts pointing fingers, he will be pointing them only at his own employees. With a van line agent, you often get divided responsibility and things like this happening - http://www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1735

[Note to Tim: ECM is a driver for NAVL who has posted many good things here. He is trying to say that Joyce is a good company since his friend left a premier moving company to work for Joyce.]

[ecm the original one]

Tim, Diane, and ecm, the one from IL . Having two of us with the same user name is becoming very confusing. G Because you registered, and I did not. I will change the user name I use. Henceforth I will post as I95 mover.

[Diane]

That's fine, but why not register, ECM? It's simple and free, and then you would be signed on automatically every time you post. Just click on the Register button above. Or I think Tim can do it for you. All of your information would be kept completely confidential, even from moderators like me.

[cjmsmom]

My family is moving from CT to GA in Feb and we have been collecting estimates. Most companies have come in with approx. 1800 for the move estimating 3000 lbs. , except Joyce Van lines in Oxford CT. (JOYCE OF NEW ENGLAND, INC. 195 Christian Street Oxford, CT 06478 800-451-0653).
I read some posts, but nothing definitive about this company. Has anyone here had any experience with them? The person I spoke with says they are an independent van line. My other options are:
Fallon Moving and Storage (Mayflower), Ace Van Lines (United affiliate), and Amodio(Mayflower) (I am tending against Amodio). Thank you

HI, I HAVE USED FALLON MOVING OUT OF WINDSOR,CT. THEY HAVE EXCELLENT SERVICE FROM THE SALES, OFFICE STAFF AND DRIVERS. THEY HAVE MOVED ME THREE TIMES IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS WITHOUT INCIDENT. TWO OF WHICH WERE INTERSTATE MOVES. I AM COMFORTABLE USING A MOVER THAT HAS A NATIONAL AFFILIATION. WHEN THE DRIVER GETS TO DESTINATION, WHO DOES HE CALL, IF NOT AFFILIATED WITH A VAN LINE? WHEN YOU HAVE A GOOD SIZE MOVE, THE DRIVER NEEDS TO GET HIS LABOR FROM A LOCAL AGENT, WHO IS ALSO AFFILIATED WITH THE SAME COMPANY.
IN JOYCE'S CASE, WHO DO THEY CALL FOR LABOR OR ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARISE. IT CANNOT BE COST EFFECTIVE TO HAVE A WHOLE CREW DRIVE FROM CT - GA AND WHERE-EVER ELSE THE TRUCK IS TRAVELING.

[Diane]

Well, Joyce's website at www.joycevanlines.com shows that they have 9 facilities in the lower 48 including one in Atlanta, and the original poster is moving to Georgia.

The above "out of the blue" testimonial is highly suspect and just reinforces my feeling that the $850 overcharge by Fallon referred to above may not have been an accident.