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About Colonial Van Lines
Colonial Van Lines specializes in long-distance relocations. It offers full-service packing and storage options for both household and corporate moves. The company is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and has over 50 years of experience.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Rents portable moving containers
- Free, instant quotes
- In-house training center for movers and drivers
- Easy booking process
Cons
- No local moves
- No international moving services
Bottom Line
Colonial Van Lines assigns a personal relocation assistant to take note of special transportation requirements and moving needs. Sometimes cost estimates change, but the company still offers competitive pricing.
Top Colonial Van Lines Reviews
… They just hustled. There wasn't a thing damaged and nothing was lost. My family moved from California to Massachusetts to Houston, Texas. We're familiar with movers and they wer...
Read full review… The coordinator was thorough. Things changed once we got stuff loaded and reweighed, but there was constant communication. If anything changed, it was easy to call them and fix ...
Read full reviewAbout Colonial Van Lines moving and storage
Colonial Van Lines moving company provides comprehensive support during your move with teams of professional movers equipped to safely and securely disassemble, pack, load, transport, unload and reassemble items at your new residence. Special requests can usually be accommodated if a Colonial Van Lines customer service representative is notified in advance.
- Long-distance moving: Since Colonial Van Lines is a leading cross-country and interstate moving company, it has the resources and equipment to provide customized moving services across the United States.
- Packing services: On moving day, Colonial Van Lines sends professional movers with top-quality packing materials to your door. With several flexible packing options, you can pack as little or as much as you want.
- Storage services: Colonial Van Lines storage facilities are climate-controlled and spacious enough to house large items like trampolines and commercial equipment. Full-service storage, storage-in-transit and commercial storage services are available and can accommodate both short- and long-term needs.
- Corporate relocation: A custom corporate relocation plan is first created to make the move as seamless as possible. A trained moving specialist will pack your inventory or equipment safely and quickly, and then a dedicated Colonial Van Lines customer service representative will keep you up-to-date throughout the whole moving process.
Colonial Van Lines packing options
Colonial Van Lines' relocation services include full and partial packing options. Pricing varies depending on several factors, including your location and the weight and density of items you’re moving.
| Packing option | Best for |
|---|---|
| Single-item pack | Those who can do most of the packing but need help packing an especially heavy or awkward item. |
| Kitchen pack | Those who want to pack everything but their kitchen. Colonial Van Lines’ moving team will safely pack all kitchen-related items. |
| Full pack | Those who don’t want to do any heavy lifting at all. Colonial Van Lines’ moving team will bring all their own supplies to arrange, wrap and pack everything securely. |
Colonial Van Lines costs
Colonial Van Lines pricing depends on your location and the weight of your belongings. Movers charge additional fees for express delivery, additional moving insurance and storage. Expect to pay more if the movers have to park more than 75 feet from your doorway or if they have to navigate stairs. We were quoted a range from $1,550 to $3,100 to move the contents of a three-bedroom house from Chicago to Houston when booking two months in advance.
Colonial Van Lines now offers a free in-home moving services app to help. You can upload pictures and videos of your household goods and request special services through your phone, and a Colonial Van Lines moving coordinator provides a quote. You can also order packing materials and access moving tips and checklists through the app.
Colonial Van Lines FAQ
Why do quoted prices from Colonial Van Lines sometimes change?
Many Colonial Van Lines complaints are left by customers who were annoyed that their estimate was lower than what they actually ended up paying. In some cases, initial estimates were more than $1,000 off. Colonial Van Lines’ pricing can fluctuate from the original quote for a variety of reasons:
- Weight estimation inaccuracy: Initial price estimates are based on individual customers’ descriptions. An inaccuracy in weight density estimation could account for a change in the final cost of a move.
- Weight changes: The total cost will increase if additional items need to be moved or if packing instructions change. For example, acquiring an additional piece of furniture after the in-home estimate will increase the weight of your inventory and, therefore, the cost of moving.
- Packing: If the movers arrive and have to do more packing than they initially planned for, there will be an additional charge for the labor.
- Long-carry: Colonial Van Lines’ policy is to charge extra when the distance from the doorway to the truck is more than 75 feet or if they have to climb stairs.
How do I book a move with Colonial Van Lines?
You should contact Colonial Van Lines at least two months before you move, even if you don’t know the exact date, in order for the process to go smoothly. Colonial Van Lines suggests finding at least two other quotes from different movers before you book a move with the company. Once you decide to move with Colonial Van Lines, the booking process is straightforward:
- Request information by filling out Colonial Van Lines’ online contact form.
- Describe the details of your move, such as origin and destination ZIP codes, the date of relocation and whether or not you require packing services, to a Colonial Van Lines customer service representative.
- Use the Colonial Van Lines app to get a quote. Through the mobile app, you can create a visual inventory of your property and get an accurate estimate.
- Contact a customer service representative if you have any follow-up questions or need to adjust any aspect of your upcoming move. If you have a special request for the movers, be sure to inform a customer service representative before your moving day.
Can Colonial Van Lines move on the weekends?
It’s possible to relocate on the weekends, but it could be more expensive. Colonial Van Lines suggests planning at least two months in advance to avoid scheduling issues.
Will Colonial Van Lines movers load boxes that I pack myself?
Movers will pack any item that they consider safe for transport, regardless of who packed it. Keep in mind, however, that it may be more difficult to make a claim against Colonial Van Lines for a damaged valuable if you packed it yourself.
What is the Colonial Cubes moving container service?
Colonial Van Lines offers Colonial Cubes as a moving container solution for both do-it-yourself and full-service packing. Colonial Cubes are 6 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8 feet, 11 inches tall. They hold 400 cubic feet of household items and carry up to 3,500 pounds.
Colonial Cubes can be a good option for temporary storage and long-distance moves. The cubes are impact- and weather-resistant, which means it’s OK to leave them outside for an extended period, even during rainy or snowy weather. Colonial Cubes are currently available within a 250-mile radius of the following cities:
- Chicago
- Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- Garner, N.C.
- Killeen, Texas
- Los Angeles
- Sacramento, Calif.
- Seattle
- Wyckoff, N.J.
Is Colonial Van Lines a good moving company?
Because of Colonial Van Lines’ large network, it can coordinate moving services all over the nation, even on a quick deadline. The family-owned company has over 50 years of experience in the moving and storage industry. The business claims to facilitate 12,000 moves each year. Overall, most of the company’s reviews and ratings are positive.
Colonial Van Lines Reviews
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I reached out to a couple of companies and got quotes but Colonial was the cheapest of them and they were more open about what the quote entailed regarding the packing and how much square footage I would need. That was kind of the big thing when you're doing a big move and with them being more open made me more confident to reach out to them.
The Colonial folks who came out on moving day were professional and on time and they quickly got to work, moving my boxes into the big truck. We had a little bit of trouble with the larger items -- mainly the washer, dryer, and the fridge, because I was required to disconnect them and they didn't tell me ahead of time that I was the one responsible for disconnecting my appliances. I wasn't particularly thrilled about that but it was not the biggest deal in the world. They also helped with some of the smaller items that I had thought they'd be able to take in the truck as they are. They found ways to make it work without having to charge too much extra for services and the boxes. Also, it didn't take them too long. They quoted me 10 hours and we were done in about six hours. They were fairly efficient.
Things didn't really go to plan. I was informed that the quote that I received wouldn't be set because there was no walkthrough done prior, which is something that I would have preferred but it wasn't an option that was offered to me. It's hard to get a feel for poundage and how many boxes I was going to have. Doing it over the phone doesn't really help much. That was a bit of a negative. Ultimately, I was told I didn't have to pay for any additional poundage but it did cost me a considerable amount extra for boxes and other items that I didn't think I needed due to not having that walkthrough.
I was anxious to get my stuff moved because I was trying to get my items in Alabama the same day I closed or the next day. Colonial gave me a one week range and they were able to deliver the day after that my target days so that wasn't too bad. And they worked with me on the fact that under normal circumstances, I would have had to pay storage. They waived the storage fee because it would have been for one day. I told them I'm not paying $2,000 for one day of storage. I wish the dates would have been a little bit more well-defined but I understand that it's how that type of industry works. Overall, they did a good job and they were responsive and had a good competitive price.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience regarding your recent move. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how we are doing here at Colonial Van Lines. We want to wish you all the best at your new location and in all your future endeavors. Thank you.
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I put my information into a site that basically gets quotes from a whole bunch of people. Colonial happened to call and they quoted me on the spot. They had a cheaper quote and they were able to move my jet ski which was positive. A lot of the other companies weren't able to do that. Colonial's customer service was really good and always kept me aware of what was going on. There were just a couple of times when I had to call them to get some updates on things. The only thing that I had a mark down on them was that I mentioned from the get-go that I wanted a full service move. I didn't wanna touch anything regarding the move. I wanted it all done.
They did the packing services and moved my stuff. But when I got to the house, I was a little shocked. They showed up and they were just dropping off boxes and they were like, "Okay. See you." I was confused. It was full service but you had to include unpacking services too, which Colonial did not make me aware of. I got screwed at the end a little bit there. When I asked them about it and talked to some of the people, they said there was nothing they could do about it. I understand I didn't pay for it.
Also, there were little bits of problems with the jet ski. The movers weren't prepared for something like that. We had to have it loaded onto a trailer. They had one of those lift gates. The jet ski was too long and they didn't have a way to get it up there. I actually had to go up there and help them out. It took us about an hour to get it up there. We had to figure out how to get it off too. They didn't have anything especially for that. They were just winging it. It was a little bit scary when you are dealing with that amount of money in equipment. That aside, Colonial did a good job and they were prompt. You just have to make sure that you talk to them about everything because full service doesn't mean what it does in most other industries.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience regarding your recent move. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how we are doing here at Colonial Van Lines. We want to wish you all the best at your new location and in all your future endeavors. Thank you.
I liked Colonial Van Lines' constant follow-up and the preparations. They had quality control people. They had various different functions going on at the same time. I couldn't believe the quality of people I got. And the messages they provided me with, helpful things for the most part, about what I needed to be prepared for. Moving was different than I remember it had been. For example, the one thing that wasn't obvious to me in the very beginning was that boxes were not included in the quote. They were included in the quote to the extent that they did the packing. But what they didn't do was up to me. That part surprised me a bit. We talked to people who had moved. And theirs was where more packing was done. They didn't pack anything. That's why I was misled on that end.
Once I questioned the boxes, “Where am I gonna get the boxes?” They said, “When you buy them. It's not in the quote because we're not packing the stuff. You are. We take care of the perishable stuff that's specifically outlined, and you get the rest.” That was the only real surprise I had in the whole thing. But the driver who was the crew chief was active in the process. It wasn't one of these where I heard the driver sits in the truck and everybody else does the work. He was active.
The load was smaller, so we were on one smaller truck, not a large 18-wheeler. And he took the drive all the way up from Florida to Indiana where we are now. He was on this end as well. He had exceptional people on both ends. I couldn't get over how pleased we were with the packing stuff that they did. The care they took to wrap the things, so with the material for quilts and things they use to wrap the things, it’s easy to see why we didn't have significant damages. Our things arrived when they were supposed to. Given it was one truck that went from beginning to end, I could see why all this worked out so well for us. My wife is more critical of things like this than I am. But even she was impressed with Colonial Van Lines.
In talking to others, they didn't do any of the packing, and the cost of their move was two and a half times that we paid. And they went from Florida to Kentucky to Ohio. We went from Florida to Indiana. We're a bit further away. After the move was over, it wasn't over for all the inquiries we got, how the move went and what went wrong. And we reported that nothing went wrong. We’re happy.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience regarding your recent move. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how we are doing here at Colonial Van Lines. We want to wish you all the best at your new location and in all your future endeavors. Thank you.
My son moved from Texas to California for a job and we went with Colonial. They were money-friendly and able to respond very quickly. I had a service advisor, Eric, and he kept me in the loop constantly. They used a subcontractor and the movers were very nice. They were very careful with the furniture and materials, and they wrapped everything great. One of the guys said that the stuff was under 2,000 pounds and there would be no problem. That was super to me because it's a little expensive to move. When we got down to California, they called to drop off the stuff and it went well. But they had to take it six stories up in a building. They had elevators, so that was no biggie. But the guy from the subcontractor called me and said that the stuff was over 2,000 pounds. He said that I owed another 300 and some odd dollars. That was weird but they had me by the arm and I had to pay it.
Other than that, there was a lot of follow-up from Colonial but they flipped around a lot and kept getting us confused. I got multiple calls saying the movers were going to come to pick up the stuff. Then they had to clarify that we were having the stuff picked up in Texas, not in California. They then said they'd call the other guy on the other end. But they kept saying they couldn't reach him. When I called him, he said he didn't get any calls. So there was a miscommunication. But other than that, everything went very smoothly.
Then, my son's job did not pan out the way it was supposed to, so we're moving him back. We called Colonial again because we had good service last time and we thought this time, we were going to have a smooth ride. They said they were going to do the move themselves and they were not going to use subcontractors because they have a base out of California. But then, I started getting these calls where they said they couldn't get the van line up to the apartment complex and that they were going to have to use a shuttle, which was going to be $350 more. It was the same stuff coming back, with the exception of one day bed, and all of a sudden, it cost more. It weighed more than it did when it went, but then I had to pay another additional. I ended up paying $3,700 for this move while I paid 2,800 the first time. It was a big difference to me because I'm on Social Security.
Also, I have not had the communication contact this time that I did the first time. It has not been as strong as it was on the first trip. They called a couple of times and they can't give me a delivery date. But I understand that. We're still in the middle of the move and the stuff is not due to be here until the week of the 20th. They have until the 26th to get it here, so they're within their window.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience regarding your recent move. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how we are doing here at Colonial Van Lines. We want to wish you all the best at your new location and in all your future endeavors. Thank you.
They sent me an online quote through my email and they advised me that I wasn't shipping a lot. The minimum amount that they were going to bill me for was a certain amount of weight and I could add stuff up to that amount without changing the price at all if I needed to. They checked in with me periodically until I booked the service. The only thing that really messed me up a little bit was when we originally discussed the dates. I gave them a window that I needed things to happen for both pickup and delivery and that was not really how things turned out. Ended up being last-minute stressful on both ends.
I specifically mentioned, when I was booking it, that my contractor would be receiving the delivery and that he was on location Monday through Friday and that it had to be delivered Monday through Friday. That is absolutely not what happened. They ended up delivering on a Saturday. My contractor was in Reno, not in California at all. I ended up having to give somebody a PIN code to a lockbox that had a spare set of keys in it to get them into the garage, and then just having faith that everything was going to be where it was supposed to be and put back the way it was supposed to be.
That was the most frustrating part of the whole process was that I had one control on the delivery part and it didn't get met. The same thing happened on pickup. Originally, they were supposed to pick up within a certain time frame and that was fine. But the driver got here 24 hours early and was like, "Okay, so we're going to come early and pick everything up." I said, "No, you're not." One of the ones that I was shipping wasn't even in the city where I was having everything picked up and I had plans to go and get it that night and bring it into town so that everything could be picked up at the same time. They said, "Okay, we're already here. We're just gonna go ahead and pick it up." I said, "No way." It felt very last minute and rushed on the pickup and on the delivery because of those two circumstances. But overall, the experience was really positive with Colonial Van Lines.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience regarding your recent move. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how we are doing here at Colonial Van Lines. We want to wish you all the best at your new location and in all your future endeavors. Thank you.
The moving coordinator was not returning calls. That needs work. Another thing is the moving was good, but the crew damaged some things. I was there when they loaded and I don't think anything was hurt when they loaded, so it had to be during the move or when they unloaded. Colonial said in their contract they'll pay 60 cents per pound. However, they damaged a piece of equipment, a specialized rock cutting saw, and the manufacturer doesn't make make that model anymore. I can't find parts for it. Also, it's thousands of dollars that I lost, so they're not gonna pay for that.
We called Colonial and the guy that I was talking to seemed real nice so we ended up picking them. The account manager was nice to deal with. He seemed concerned about the move and made sure he had everything right in the set. We packed a lot of boxes and then they came in, packed some stuff, and loaded everything up. The guys that came to move were really great. The only downside to the way they do this is that they go through your pictures online when you have your house for sale to see what you're gonna move. Then, we went through item by item and I told them we probably have 100 and some boxes. They said they move up to 150 and we ended up with a quote of like $12,000. It ended up being about $17,000 and they had to use two trucks.
Also, I had told them we couldn't be at the destination till a certain date. They knew this upfront. But then I got a call that said if we were not at the destination, they were gonna have to charge a waiting charge, which pissed me off. They charged me an extra $500 when they knew I wasn't gonna be here. That irritated the hell out of me. The guys that moved us were very nice but I don't know that I would suggest anybody moving because it ended up being almost a third more than what I anticipated it would be. And we found that our bedroom set had a little ding on it. I got a claim form and I haven't filed it yet. But I was dissatisfied because of the cost.
We apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. We would like to speak to you regarding the issues you have experienced. The resolutions manager has been advised, you can also reach her directly at 954-958-2253 so that she can work on your behalf on a resolution for your issues. Thank you.
The reps were very friendly. I had a couple of questions and I ended up underestimating my weight. They went through an explanation as to what the additional charges would be, which were very straightforward and understanding. So, the process wasn't stressful at all. We had a transition from people that picked up our furniture to those who delivered it. With both experiences, they did a wonderful job. I recommend Colonial if you have any interstate moving requirements. I'm pleased with the service.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience regarding your recent move. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how we are doing here at Colonial Van Lines. We want to wish you all the best at your new location and in all your future endeavors. Thank you.
We booked through Colonial but it was not Colonial that came to move us. When their contractor showed up, the truck was not big enough so they were not gonna be able to load. Plus, they found out that we had way more stuff than they thought. If they had come on Monday and started packing on Monday, they would have known and would have packed well on Monday and Tuesday, and then loaded on Wednesday. But because they waited and didn't come till Tuesday, they were rushed. We could tell that the stuff that was left till the end was not packed as well as the stuff on the first day.
Other than that, the moving crew was absolutely great. They worked the whole time they were there and did a wonderful job. They wrapped everything. If we had boxes that were already packed, they re-taped them so that they would make sure they wouldn't bust out. I was very happy with the service. I can't blame them for not understanding how the move completely worked.
Colonial Van Lines gave me a pretty decent quote. I checked with a couple of others and Colonial was competitive with what they were gonna charge for the shipping box that I had to pack myself. It was a little more expensive, but it was pretty competitive. They had a fairly quick turnaround on when I needed it, and then when they could deliver it because it was all on the East Coast. It was North Carolina to just South of Atlanta, Georgia and the company that picked it up was out of Atlanta. My moving coordinator was pretty good and I changed the dates and he accommodated me changing it to an earlier pickup without any issues.
The only thing is they subcontract the pickup to someone else. The other company was fairly late. They were supposed to show up on a Monday, and didn't show up. They didn't call until after the time when they were supposed to be there to say, "Hey, we're not gonna be there. We need to reschedule." Even on the day they rescheduled, they were over eight hours late. Other than that, my interactions with Colonial were good.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience regarding your recent move. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how we are doing here at Colonial Van Lines. We want to wish you all the best at your new location and in all your future endeavors. Thank you.
Colonial Van Lines Company Information
- Social media:
- Company Name:
- Colonial Van Lines
- Company Type:
- Private
- Year Founded:
- 2000
- Address:
- 1441 SW 29th Ave
- City:
- Pompano Beach
- State/Province:
- FL
- Postal Code:
- 33069
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- colonialvanlines.com