Moving Experience: Kyle’s Move With North American Van Lines
Kyle and his husband needed to relocate from Washington, D.C., to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in late July 2024 for graduate school.
Kyle started planning their move four months in advance, and spent about a month selecting a mover. After asking for personal recommendations and doing research with Google and moveBuddha readers’ moving experiences, Kyle and his husband selected North American Van Lines (NAVL).
- Custom crates for electronics & art
- Satellite shipment tracking
- 1,500 local agents covering all 50 states
- Self-packing option
- No deposit required
In exchange for a $500 stipend through our Better Moves Project — and out of a desire to help others by sharing his feedback — Kyle agreed to document his relocation with NAVL. Read on to find out what he thought about this top-rated long-distance mover.
Move day takeaways for NAVL customers
- Communication: Kyle experienced great communication with NAVL throughout the move, with regular check-ins from the moving coordinator ahead of the move and a phone call from the driver 20 minutes before the truck arrived on moving day. This high level of communication continued through the delivery process and with post-move outreach from the moving coordinator.
- Pricing transparency and accuracy: Kyle received a binding quote for approximately $5,331 — and that is exactly how much he and his husband paid. They did pack a few items themselves to save money, but the cost ended up coming out the same because they had more items than originally expected.
- Professionalism: NAVL’s moving coordinator and movers were friendly, efficient, and communicative throughout the move. They also treated all of Kyle’s items with care during packing, loading, and delivery.
- Timeliness: NAVL’s moving truck arrived a little early on moving day. Delivery to North Carolina was completed within 48 hours and could have been done the day before, but Kyle wasn’t at his new apartment to facilitate early unloading.
- Loss and damage: Two items were slightly damaged but otherwise, everything arrived in perfect condition – including a 6.5-foot tall mirror. Kyle didn’t feel the need to submit a claim for the very minor damage.
- Would Kyle use NAVL again? He would. He felt truly appreciative of the hard work NAVL’s team provided and the excellent service they offered throughout, even though he felt the price tag was a bit steep.
Kyle needed help moving from D.C. to NC
Ready to begin their next stage in life, Kyle and his husband were preparing to relocate from Washington, D.C., to Chapel Hill, North Carolina for grad school. With roughly 50 boxes and 4,300 pounds’ worth of items, Kyle knew they would need professional help to make the move go as smoothly as possible.
Going into the move, Kyle was anxious the many moving parts (no pun intended!) involved in the move – including things that could go wrong. From the “day of” process of loading the truck and unloading it later in the week to potential elevator problems or weather issues, Kyle wanted the peace of mind that would come with using a professional moving service.
Kyle’s move at a glance
| Move Date | July 31, 2024 |
| Moved From | Washington, D.C. |
| Moved To | Chapel Hill, NC |
| Distance | 270 miles |
| Move Size | Two-bedroom apartment |
| Moving Company | North American Van Lines |
| Moving Quote | $5,330.92 |
| Actual Cost | $5,330.92 |
Kyle contacted four moving companies before picking NAVL
Kyle and his husband began planning their move four months ahead of their actual moving date, which gave them plenty of time (an entire month) to compare options and find a professional mover they felt comfortable with.
While researching moving companies, Kyle found moveBuddha and used our overall reviews of major moving companies and Better Moves Project experiences as part of his comparison process. Kyle also evaluated potential movers using sites like Google, Yelp, and Angi.
Based on his research, Kyle decided to get quotes from Georgetown Moving and Storage, Allied Van Lines, Olympia Moving and Storage, and North American Van Lines. He also tried to get a quote from Safeway Moving, but couldn’t get hold of them.
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Interestingly, NAVL wasn’t the first moving company Kyle contacted – nor did they offer the cheapest quote. However, NAVL was willing to match his quote from Allied Van Lines.
NAVL also set up an appointment to visit Kyle’s current space to provide an in-person estimate, an essential part of getting an accurate quote.
Here’s how Kyle’s quotes compared:
| Company | Estimated Move Size | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| North American Van Lines | 4,300 pounds/569 cubic feet | $5,330.92 |
| Georgetown Moving and Storage | 4,300 pounds/569 cubic feet | $3,214 |
| Allied Van Lines | 4,300 pounds/569 cubic feet | $5,374 |
| Olympia Moving and Storage | 4,300 pounds/569 cubic feet | $6,208 |
Kyle chose NAVL for their friendly staff and easy quote process
While NAVL’s quote wasn’t the cheapest one Kyle received, he decided to move forward with them anyway because they had the friendliest customer representative, who was willing to work with him to match a lower quote.
After the initial phone contact and in-person estimate, Kyle and NAVL’s customer service rep communicated via email to set up the move.
As part of his move, Kyle purchased:
- Labor and transportation
- Transit transfer
- Partial packing services
- Valuation coverage
Kyle packed some boxes and clothes himself in an effort to save a little bit on the total quote. While Kyle did have some coverage for his items through his renter’s insurance, he ultimately decided to also purchase additional coverage from NAVL for added peace of mind.
To help Kyle and his husband prepare, NAVL gave them a booklet with tips on how to pack and what to expect on moving day. They also got additional phone calls from their moving coordinator to provide a moving timeline, explain payment options, review moving preparation, and address any questions the couple may have.
Moving day was fast and efficient
Thanks to consistent communication before moving day, Kyle and his husband felt adequately prepared for the move. As NAVL promised, Kyle received a phone call from the driver 20 minutes before the moving truck arrived to confirm the best street for loading access. The driver called again when he arrived.
While Kyle would have preferred texts for some updates, the phone calls worked fine, and the movers arrived shortly before 9 a.m. – a little early!Upon arrival, the NAVL team immediately got to work, and Kyle was impressed by what he saw.
The moving team came fully prepared with boxes, packing paper, moving pads, and other supplies and treated all their items with care and respect. They even created a custom box for a large, 6.5-foot tall mirror.
Because Kyle and his husband had already packed some boxes themselves, loading began right away while two workers started packing other items. Kyle and his husband stood in the kitchen to review whether items should go or stay. Aside from coordinating with the front desk staff to temporarily move the truck so someone else could access the loading dock, Kyle had time to process a few bags of recycling and plan unloading with the new apartment complex.
The initial estimate had underestimated how many boxes would be needed for the move, but the movers came prepared with extra boxes, and their professionalism and friendliness helped him feel at ease.
Delivery as smooth but longer than expected
Kyle was told to expect delivery at his new home in North Carolina approximately 48 hours after everything was picked up in Washington, D.C., on a Monday. To his surprise, he received a phone call on Tuesday informing him that the moving truck was in the area and available to do a full or partial unload a day early.
Kyle wasn’t yet at his new home, so this wasn’t an option. Instead, NAVL showed up on Wednesday as originally planned, with two individuals assigned to unload and assemble everything.
Upon arrival, the NAVL team collaborated with Kyle and the apartment building’s administrative team to determine the best route and process for navigating the building and identify available doors and elevators. This allowed them to get underway quickly and without any hassle.
Overall, delivery went smoothly and efficiently — and crew members were all courteous — but it took 4.5 hours to unload the moving truck. Kyle felt that it could have gone quicker if NAVL had sent a three-person crew, but he was still pleased with the work provided by the two movers, who even helped remove empty boxes on their trips back to the truck.
To Kyle’s relief, no items were missing. Only two items were damaged: cracked glass in a picture frame and a quarter-sized hole in the living room ottoman. The mirror that required a custom box arrived in perfect condition.
Kyle was pleased with the results, and ultimately felt that the two items that were damaged had such minor issues that it wasn’t worth filing a claim.
Our take on Kyle’s move
The success of Kyle’s move largely comes down to two key factors: proactive communication from NAVL’s moving coordinator and the moving crews’ courteous and professional work.
As we’ve heard quite often from our Better Moves Project participants, poor or spotty communication from the moving company can leave customers uncertain about what to expect, which can sour the whole experience. NAVL kept Kyle informed every step of the way, helping to ease his anxiousness.
Even more importantly, however, NAVL’s team lived up to their promises. The movers arrived on time for both loading and delivery. They worked with Kyle and building administrators to ensure a streamlined and efficient process and treated everything with care.
Kyle made himself available during loading and delivery, which also played a big part in the move’s success.This made it easy to answer questions and work with the movers to find the most efficient solutions. Although it’s tempting to do other things while movers are working, we strongly recommend staying close by to oversee the process, just in case.
- Custom crates for electronics & art
- Satellite shipment tracking
- 1,500 local agents covering all 50 states
- Self-packing option
- No deposit required
The verdict
From start to finish, NAVL provided Kyle with a dream moving experience. Proactive communication before, during, and after the move helped him have peace of mind and know what to expect. The movers were courteous and efficient and treated his items with care to ensure everything arrived safely and on time.
Kyle said, in the future, he would try to pack more boxes on his own to reduce overall expenses. Next time, he could also use our moving costs checklist to help make and stick to a budget. Still, he was thrilled with his experience and would gladly choose NAVL again for a future move. Their clear, kind, and professional approach helped address his concerns about moving and saved a lot of time and energy.
Here’s how Kyle rated NAVL on a scale of 1 to 5:
- Communication: 5
- Timeliness: 5
- Quote accuracy: 5
- Overall experience: 5
Do you have an upcoming move? Share your moving experience with the Better Moves Project to earn a $500 stipend. Sign up now.
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