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Limited Time Offer:<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\nGet 10% Off Your Next Move<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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What I Like<\/button><\/p>\nWhat I Don\u2019t Like<\/button><\/p>\n\n
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International Van Lines (IVL) has an extensive webpage dedicated to explaining how its moving and packing services operate and what the customer can expect when working with the brand. The company\u2019s professional packers are trained to deliver customized and specialized packing solutions for antiques, heirlooms, and pianos \u2014 reassuring to customers who are moving with these high-value items.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And since you\u2019re likely going to be moving more than antiques and heirlooms, IVL is also a great option for all of your other moving needs. The company tackles a majority of the services homeowners are going to be looking for when moving, such as packing and unpacking, car shipping, and junk removal. Instead of having to get a separate company to handle your vintage property, IVL is equipped to handle it all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Whenever I try to speak to International Van Lines, communication is tough. I\u2019d leave messages, call, and even use the chat feature on the website, yet very rarely left the conversations with the information I needed as a secret shopper. According to several reviews, this doesn\u2019t seem to be the norm, but it happened to me three separate times when contacting IVL. Although I was able to learn that IVL will move my grandfather clock through a third-party partner, I was not able to get a quote.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/p>\nBottom Line: 9\/10<\/h3>\n <\/strong><\/span><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n\n
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International Van Lines offers a wealth of services homeowners are looking for in a full-service moving company, especially if they\u2019re looking to move with antiques. With specialty packing solutions, customized services, and third-party crating, IVL is equipped to move priceless artifacts from Point A to Point B. The company also recommends going with its specialty packing services for antiques, as this will help ensure the items are properly insured before transit.<\/p>\n
IVL is our choice for the best full-service mover as the organization does offer plenty of packing solutions that can be key to getting your items to your new location safely, whether moving to the next state over or to one of the 150 countries IVL services. For customers looking to ship their cars or get assistance with disassembling and reassembling their antique furniture, this brand has you covered as well. IVL came in at a 9 based on its scores under basic services, customization, reputation, and transparency. The company didn\u2019t land a perfect 10 because of its lack of home staging solutions, clearly listed additional fees, and GPS tracking option.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, where IVL falls short for me personally is communication. Time and time again, I have struggled to get the most basic of questions answered from this moving company. For my initial conversation, for a move from New York to North Carolina, I had to call back four times in order to speak with a representative, with callbacks promised every one of those times. My second conversation was about a move from Alaska to Washington, where I was informed that IVL does not service Alaska. This is not clear on the website, and the quick quote feature will<\/em> give you an estimate for this exact move. Next, since calling had proven futile, I decided to try the chat function. Responses took a while to come in, and, in the end, I was simply directed toward the quick quote feature and a landing page for their packing services. I did receive a follow-up email stating that a third-party partner of IVL\u2019s would custom crate an antique grandfather clock, but I was not given an exact quote for this service.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/p>\nBasic Services and Cost: 10\/10<\/h3>\n <\/strong><\/span><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n\n
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When it comes to basic services, IVL earned a perfect 10 out of 10. The organization offers services for local, long distance, interstate, and international (to 150 countries around the world) moves. I do want to note here that the company doesn\u2019t perform moves in Alaska, though this can be confusing on the website since the quick quote feature will give you an estimate for moves to and from the 49th state. For homeowners moving antiques in particular, though, International Van Lines offers solutions for packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, and storage. For antiques, customers will specifically want to look into the specialty packing services as this will help ensure all valuable items are properly insured in case the worst should happen. The company also recommends utilizing temperature-controlled (or climate-controlled) storage for antiques, fine art, and fragile items to better control the humidity and protect the vintage items from damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nService<\/em><\/td>\nAvailability (Yes or No)<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nLocal Moving<\/em><\/td>\nYes<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nLong Distance\/Interstate Moving<\/em><\/td>\nYes<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nInternational Moving<\/em><\/td>\nYes<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nPacking and Unpacking<\/em><\/td>\nYes<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nLoading and Unloading<\/em><\/td>\nYes<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nStorage Services<\/em><\/td>\nYes<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\nCost<\/h4>\n IVL\u2019s representative was unable to give me an exact quote for moving a grandfather clock, instead telling me that a third-party provider would handle the crating. However, the brand\u2019s initial quote email is highly informative about the estimate and the additional fees you could expect to pay during your move. The quote I received included full packing (for $0.01), basic valuation protection, disassembly and reassembly of basic furniture, blankets and protective pads for furniture, and 30 days of storage. Customers could pay additional fees for packing services related to fragile items such as antique mirrors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a move with 55 pieces between Maybrook, NY, and Carrboro, NC, a distance of 573 miles, I was quoted:<\/p>\n
\nFull-service option with packing: $4,000.52<\/li>\n Unpacking service: $175.00\/hour at a minimum of 4 hours<\/li>\n Bulky item packing: $150<\/li>\n Piano handling fees: $150 \u2013 $350<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nEditor\u2019s Note: The cost data provided in this article is based on Today\u2019s Homeowner\u2019s standardized sample moving scenario from Maybrook, NY, to Carrboro, NC, for a single-family home, with a move date set eight weeks away. Please be aware that these estimates may vary depending on factors such as additional services required and market fluctuations. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.<\/em><\/p>\nAvailable Discounts<\/h4>\n International Van Lines does offer discounts to customers, including a 15% discount to seniors. The brand\u2019s blog also details that many moving companies offer 10% to 15% off to military members and veterans and that some drop the price by $200 to $500 if you simply ask them to. In addition, the blog notes that not many companies offer American Automobile Association (AAA) members discounts, but it never hurts to inquire.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\nCustomization: 9\/10<\/h3>\n <\/strong><\/span><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n\n
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IVL ticks all the boxes under customization except home staging, coming in at 9\/10. For those looking to move antiques, however, the brand covers all the bases, including assembly\/disassembly, packing materials, and specialty item packing. It\u2019s important to note that the quote I received said the estimate only included assembly\/disassembly of basic furniture, so antique furniture may come with an additional fee. Custom crating is available for vintage items through a third-party partner, and a follow-up email from the representative informed me that the partner would remove the chain and pendulum before making a specialty wood crate for a grandfather clock. In addition, International Van Lines does offer basic liability (for $0.60 per lb per article), and additional insurance coverage may be available for antiques upon request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nCustomization Options\u00a0<\/td>\n Availability (Yes or No)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nAssembly\/ Disassembly<\/td>\n Yes\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nSells Packing Materials<\/td>\n Yes\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOffers Valuation Coverage<\/td>\n Yes\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPiano Moving<\/td>\n Yes\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCar Shipping<\/td>\n Yes\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nSpecial Item\/ Antique Moving<\/td>\n Yes\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCustom Crating<\/td>\n Yes\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nJunk Removal<\/td>\n Yes\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nHome Staging<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/p>\nReputation: 10\/10<\/h3>\n <\/strong><\/span><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n\n
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IVL earned a 10 for reputation thanks to its A rating with the Better Business Bureau\u00a0 and 4.3 rating on Trustpilot as of this writing. Customers who left positive reviews often talk about helpful representatives from the company, even though that wasn\u2019t my personal experience, and a stress-free move. In addition, some customers noted amazing specialty packing services when they needed to move a grand piano and artwork. However, International Van Lines does fall short on Yelp, in particular, with a vast majority of the reviews coming in at 1 star \u2014 many stating items were broken upon delivery and that insurance offered very little in the way of restitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nRating Site<\/em><\/td>\nRating<\/em><\/td>\nNumber of Reviews<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nBBB<\/em><\/td>\nA<\/em><\/td>\nCustomer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nTrustpilot<\/em><\/td>\n4.3<\/em><\/td>\n53<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nGoogle<\/em><\/td>\n3.8<\/em><\/td>\n739<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nYelp<\/em><\/td>\n1.7<\/em><\/td>\n540<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\nEditor\u2019s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.<\/em><\/p>\nMost Common Praise for International Van Lines<\/h4>\n Customers leaving positive reviews for IVL praised the entire experience from start to finish, stating that the movers were professional, arrived on time, and made the move simple, especially thanks to the unpacking service. Clients also explained that their items and furniture were expertly wrapped and arrived without damage.<\/p>\n
Most Common Criticism for International Van Lines<\/h4>\n On Yelp, though, many IVL customers explain they had a negative experience, with one review saying, \u201cEverything that can break was broke!\u201d Another client stated that their grandmother\u2019s china was completely lost, and they were only offered $30 after filing a claim. In one instance, when a customer explained that their items arrived damaged and posted photos, it appeared to be a partner of IVL, which is always a possibility as IVL operates as a broker\/carrier.<\/p>\n\n\n
Today\u2019s Homeowner Tips<\/p>\n
Before selecting a moving company, always check if they are a broker, carrier, or broker\/carrier. A broker will work with you to find a moving carrier that serves your needs. A carrier will perform the entire move themselves. A broker\/carrier operates as both and, depending on your location and moving needs, could work with you personally or find a carrier in their network. Knowing who you\u2019re working with on moving day can help you more accurately check reviews and available services. <\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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