1-800-PACK-RAT® Container Review
You should consider 1-800-Pack-Rat for its affordability and deals, durable steel containers, and personalized customer service
Updated Sunday, April 28th 2024
Pros
- 20 moving blankets included with each container for long distance moves
- Price is somewhat negotiable
- For the most part, the customer determines the schedule
- All-steel containers should be durable and weatherproof
- Someone else drives your stuff to the final destination
Cons
- Few locations often mean a higher price for the customer
- No online quotes for long-distance moves
- No online customer service representatives
- Many steps to the long-distance move process
1-800-PACK-RAT® Company Overview
1-800-PACK-RAT is a vibrant contender in the "you pack, they drive" marketplace. It offers clients a portable storage container to snugly fit all their stuff inside of. People can use the container just for storage (on their own property or in a facility), or have a driver drive it to their new home or apartment. Like PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT allows customers to take as long as they'd like to pack and unpack, charged monthly. But because they have a slightly smaller reach, you might have a harder time finding a location in your area, which can raise the price of your move.
1-800-PACK-RAT® Reviews and Pricing
Local Move
Under 50 mi.
Medium Distance
50-250 mi.
Long Distance
250+ mi.
Average Cost
$759
6.0% higher than other companies$1,418
8.8% cheaper than other companies$3,804
7.6% higher than other companiesAverage Review
4.37/5
1.8% lower than other companies4.53/5
0.9% lower than other companies4.40/5
1.1% lower than other companiesAverage Cost Per Mile
N/A
$14.66
0.1% cheaper than other companies$3.62
9.4% higher than other companiesLocal Move
Under 50 mi.
Compared to Other Companies
Average Cost
$759
Average Review
4.37/5
Medium Distance
50-250 mi.
Compared to Other Companies
Average Cost
$1,418
Average Cost Per Mile
$14.66
Average Review
4.53/5
Long Distance
250+ mi.
Compared to Other Companies
Average Cost
$3,804
Average Cost Per Mile
$3.62
Average Review
4.40/5
1-800-PACK-RAT® Container Sizes
|
Length
|
Width
|
Height
|
Dimensions
|
Capacity
|
| 16' | 8' | 8' | 830 cu. ft. | 3 to 4 rooms |
| 12' | 8' | 8' | 620 cu. ft. | 2 to 3 rooms |
| 8' | 7.2' | 7.8' | 404 cu. ft. | 1 to 2 rooms |
Photos of 1-800-PACK-RAT® in the Wild
1-800-PACK-RAT® Services Offered
Services Legend
- Available
- Not Offered
Small Containers
Medium Containers
Large Containers
Delivery
Storage
Packing Supplies
Local Movers
My move with 1-800-PACK-RAT®
Author: Francesca Di Meglio
Updated: Sunday, April 28th 2024
How does 1-800-PACK-RAT work?
The process for either a local or long-distance move begins with searching on their website. There, you're asked to input the ZIP Codes for your original and final destinations. For a local move, you'll get a quote. For a long-distance move, you'll be given a code to use when you call the company for a customized quote.
Either way, you need to determine the size and number of containers you will need and schedule a delivery date. After you book them, you will load up your containers to stay on your premises or remain in a storage facility until you're ready to move to the next destination. (Or you can hang onto the container for storage if you're, say, executing a home renovation or are between moves.)
Like PODS, 1-800-Pack-Rat allows customers to take a month to load and unload. They similarly charge you for storage on a monthly basis, so to keep your budget in check, you need to work diligently. (Also note: If you want the smallest container, you will have to call a customer representative. The 12' and 16' containers are readily available online, however.)
Protip: It's always in your best interest to be home when the container delivery happens. You have to also check with your local authorities to find out about the rules and regulations of parking. If you break any parking violations, prepare for a fine. Also, you might want to alert the neighbors as a courtesy.
How does 1-800-PACK-RAT work with local moves?
Organizing a local move with 1-800-Pack-Rat is actually pretty simple. You input your information on the website and choose a container sizes. Then, you schedule the delivery using an online calendar tool. Finally, your quote pops up and you decide if you want to proceed with the purchase.
Like PODS, 1-800-Pack-Rat allows customers to take a month to load and unload.
The container will be delivered and you will load it with your stuff. After that, you will schedule a pick up, and your container will be delivered to your final destination or placed in a storage center until you're ready to actually make the move.
My local move
A local move is downright affordable. For me to move one town over, it would cost $474.10 with one 12-foot container or $506.20 with one 16-foot container. I was able to get this quote online in seconds simply by inputting a bit of info. It was a very different experience than the one I had booking the long-distance move.
How does 1-800-PACK-RAT work with long-distance moves?
The process of getting a container is virtually the same for a long-distance move as it is for a local one. The biggest difference is during the planning process. Once you enter the ZIP Codes of your move and delivery day, you are prompted to call a customer representative rather than simply getting a quote online. If your experience is like mine, you'll be sent from a customer service rep to a moving liaison.
Together, you get to plan your move and get a customized quote. Once you settle on a container size and delivery date, you will get the lowdown. Just like in a local move, after the container is delivered, you load your stuff, schedule a pickup, unload your stuff at the final destination, and schedule another pickup.
Clearly, there was room for negotiation and a willingness to work with me to get the price down.
With a long-distance move, you have to consider the 1-800-Pack-Rat locations at both your original and final destinations. 1-800-Pack-Rat does not have as many locations as some of its competitors. As a result, you can't always find locations close to both destinations. For a local move, on the other hand, you will likely use the same location for both destinations. This is important because if the driver has to go further to drop off or pick up a container on either end of your journey, so it will influence the price.
My long-distance move
To get my long-distance move quote (about 1,100 miles), I planned to transport a 3-bedroom home from Fort Lee, New Jersey (New York City area) to Kissimmee, Florida (Orlando area), two places with which I'm familiar. I ordered the rental about two weeks before the move date. The price was $4,450, and it included the two containers, delivery and transport fees, two locks, blankets (20 per container for a total of 40), and coverage of any damage to the container and up to $25,000 on my stuff.
How much does 1-800-PACK-RAT cost?
Of course, prices vary depending on the size of the home you're moving and the distance of the move. Although 1–800-Pack-Rat is cheaper than its main competitor PODS, it's still on the expensive side, compared to other DIY options.
My quotes for a short-distance single container move:
- $474.10 with one 12-foot container or
- $506.20 with one 16-foot container
One way 1-800-Pack-Rat stands out is the ability customers have to use promos. For example, the agent gave me the chance to "unbundle," which meant lowering my included protection plan to coverage up to $10,000 and using my own locks and blankets (for protecting my stuff) to get another $100 knocked off the price, which would have made the total for the long-distance move $4,350.
The rep also assured me that if I decided I needed to keep my stuff in storage for another month, she would give me the discounted price of $169 per month per container as opposed to the full price of $199 per month per container. Clearly, there was room for negotiation and a willingness to work with me to get the price down.
This is convenient for storage and transport. Still, this was a more expensive option for a DIY, long-distance move than, say, rental trucks.
How does insurance with 1-800-PACK-RAT work?
There are two options for insurance:
- The Basic Plan, also known as the container damage waiver, prevents you from being liable for damage to the container and provides coverage of up to $25,000.
- The Silver Plan is the same but you can purchase coverage of up to $75,000 while the container is in 1-800-Pack-Rat's possession. This insurance does NOT cover any damage that happens to your goods during normal transit. It only covers your goods in transit if there's an accident, like if the container were to get hit by a tornado or broadsided by a semi-trailer.
There's good news, though. If you book movers through HireAHelper to load and unload your container, your goods will be covered during normal transit by $0.60/lb. insurance, for free.
Downsides of using 1-800-PACK-RAT
Fewer facilities can cost you.
Even though the customer service rep kindly did all she could to lower my fee, the price was higher than other DIY options. Northern New Jersey, where I live and would be the starting point of my move, has few 1-800-Pack-Rat facilities nearby, which meant the driver would have to go 50 miles out of their way to deliver my containers then pick them up, which also drove up the cost. However, with 60 or so terminals, you may be able to find ones closer to your destination, so check out your area.
The online experience needs improvement.
As a website, 1-800-Pack-Rat is … fine. It offers lots of information on how the service works, and all the basics, such as locations and company history. But there are no interactive dimensions other than the free quote. And that is really only for those who are seeking simple local moves.
If you book movers through HireAHelper to load and unload your container, your goods will be covered during normal transit by $0.60/lb. insurance, for free.
Long-distance move quotes are a hassle.
I hated being unable to get a quote online for the long-distance move. I like to be able to gather this kind of information ahead of a phone call, so I can ask more pointed questions when I'm talking to a person. I would be able to eliminate certain options from the start without having to reject a live human being, who will try to talk me out of my decision even if it's far out of my budget.
To top it off, there were not even online agents to answer general questions. You have to do everything on the phone. It's so 1999.
Getting passed off to different agents isn't ideal.
I had a great experience with the first representative. After all, she helped me get discounts to lower the price! We scheduled the drop off of my empty containers and pick up of them once they were loaded. When I started asking about when I could expect the containers for unloading at my Florida address, I learned that I was going to have to do this with another agent known as a "moving coordinator." From then on, I would have to deal with this new person, who would be getting in touch with me soon. Annoying.
The intention is good because the company wants you to have a specific person to whom you can turn for help. But I saw it as one more step in an already long process when I had no time as it is.
What I learned using 1-800-PACK-RAT
Know the Cancellation Policy
The cancellation policy isn't bad, but you have to follow the rules. You have until 48 hours before the delivery of the empty containers to cancel without getting charged. After that, however, you'll be paying a rather large sum if you cancel! For me, I would have to pay around $250 plus that extra mileage because I live so far away from a facility, which would come out to nearly $500 per container. Yikes.
Ask for Promos and Deals
You should definitely ask about promos or deals or simply if there are ways to lower the price. Explain that you're not sure if this is within your budget, and the rep is likely to help you find ways to bring down the cost.
Have a Schedule in Mind
Much like PODS, this service allows customers to load and unload their items at their leisure. You pay for every month you keep the containers. But unlike PODS, the customer service reps encourage you to set dates for delivery and pickup during reservation.
This was good because I could better plan my move with the set dates, but I had one setback. I had hoped to schedule the delivery of the empty containers for a saturday. It would actually have to arrive the day before - a friday - because there are no deliveries or pickups on saturdays or sundays in New Jersey, apparently. It was a minor glitch.
Who can complain about getting the containers a day earlier? Well, you would, if you couldn't be there!
Should you choose 1-800-PACK-RAT over other container companies?
Moving containers are a great option for anyone who wants the convenience of a rental truck without having to do the driving. It's also a fantastic option for anyone in need of storage, either because of a renovation, staging a home, or in between moves. This particular moving container company happens to be more economical than its largest competitor, PODS. However, 1-800-Pack-Rat only remains the most affordable if one of its locations is near both of your destinations. If yours is a long-distance move, you also have to like talking on the phone and getting your hand held during the process. Also, if you're good at locating and employing promos and deals, then 1-800-Pack-Rat could be right for your move.
Contributing Author: Francesca Di Meglio
Francesca Di Meglio is a writer, editor, and moving professional featured on Businessweek and About.com. As a wife and mother of two little ones, she is always on the move.
Real People Moving Stories with 1-800-PACK-RAT
1-800-PACK-RAT® Reviews
Affordable with excellent customer service and flexibility.
Containers are solid, metal, and won't leak like the ones we got once from another company which damaged some belongings.
Pack rat was great to work with. We originally got a quote from another container storage company and Pack rat beat their price. They also explained how their container is sturdier than others on the market and that showed. The driver who dropped off the container was well experienced. It was a small area he had to work with and he took extra time to make sure we could access our stuff easily and safely.
While this was a convenient solution for our specific situation of moving across the country with a complicated timeline, this was not a service I would use again. I think I would rather rent a truck in the future and drive it across the country myself. I scheduled delivery of the container on a specific day at a specific time and they failed to make that delivery window because their giant forklift broke down. This left our family without a bed to sleep on for that night because they couldn't deliver until the next day.
We went with pack rats because of the better build quality and barn door style containers. They had some mixed reviews, but more good than bad. The local company for drop off was amazing. The company they work with in Tucson is friendly, prompt, and really knows what they are doing. The loading/unloading trucks are a pretty slick design as well. However, the hauling company driver just "didn't show up" to pick up our containers. This resulted in a 6 day delay in delivery of containers. We had to change plans, buy some inflatable and folding furniture, reschedule our unpakers/movers, and multiple other expenses. Then on the day that the pack rat containers were meant to arrive the second time... radio silence. I had to call packrats as the day wore on, and sit on hold for multiple sessions ranging from 45 minute to 2 hr waits. I was assured I was on the schedule, and the driver had until 10pm to deliver. They asked the local dispatch to contact us, but nothing. 10pm came and went. I had movers scheduled for the next day that I had to cancel with no notice, and eat a charge. Absolutely no e-mail or communication is utterly unacceptable. I was ready to call the police to report our posessions missing. Without any word to the contrary, that is what we were left to believe. The next day, the website still indicated a delivery the previous day had occurred. Had to call MULTIPLE times and wait on hold... the folks at pack rats directly were extremely apologetic and professional, but they could not even get ahold of the local facility either. Highly suggest that they find a new partner in the area. We did finally get our containers... with no pre-call or notification. Had to buy air mattresses, folding tables, some temporary bedding, plates, cancelation fees for movers who had to be rescheduled TWICE, and the general inconvenience of "camping" in a house for 1.5-2 weeks with little/no communication. I really like the technology, and wanted to like pack rats, but next time I'll find another solution.
The container itself was fine but the communication from the company was awful. The driver dropping it off was fine but wanted to drop it off a day early which I was not ready for, but at least he called me. The local at the drop off site never contacted me and the central company hub would not let me contact them. If I was getting the container for 1 day I would expect it to get there before 6 pm and not be picked up at 9:30 am the next day, which it was (no call). I had to move my unloaders from one day to the next and luckily they were able to come in the morning. The driver picking it up did fine in a small space but if he had called or I had a later pick up time I could have blocked off a better area for him. Again, container fine, price OK but I felt like I was haggling the whole time, and communication via phone was pretty much non existent. Please get a local call center so your customers know what to expect and hire more service people at your main call center (an hour wait time twice)
Expensive. The customer service team works on commission and does not go over details with customers about parking location for the container. Every single truck driver that I've worked with has complained about the customer service team making their job harder and take longer, which means they cannot make timely deliveries. The container arrived at my long-distance move on time with everything in the same place I left it inside (this is my only positive thing to say). They do not communicate to confirm details and if you call to confirm day-of, expect to sit on hold for hours. If you call and ask for the sales department though, someone answers the phone right away, but try to call the service department and you listen to the same song on hold for hours. Also, don't expect the truck to arrive in the hour timeslot they tell you. I was told arrival between 11-3, at 5pm the driver called to say they were on the way. I confirmed which way the container was facing on the truck (it matters for the doors opening) and, even though I had confirmed with THREE different service department employees, my container was on the truck facing the wrong way. The driver did not arrive until 7pm because they had to take the container off the truck, turn it around, and put it back on before driving to me. These are problems with the service department, not the drivers, the drivers all work hard with what they are given. I think all staff should have to ride on a truck so they know what goes on outside of their computer screen and air-conditioned office.
Ordered an 8ft container, but got upgraded to a 12ft for free as they were out of 8ft. Container was delivered on time and was fairly clean. Packed it up with no issues. Pick up was delayed 2 days (over the week end) and there was not clear communication on what was going on there, or when it would be picked up.Still made the drop off on the scheduled date, on time. Next day pick up went smoothly as well.
The container showed up filthy dirty with junk and debris left inside. I had to clean and sweep it prior to loading it. After loading I called to get it picked up. Its now taking 3 weeks to arrive. NOT WHAT I WAS TOLD!
Absolutely no problems with anything! Drove off and pick up were flawless!
Delivered 1 of 3 on time. Will exchange containers a week apart as they get loaded. Not finished yet. So far so good.
Pack-Rats has been very good at communicating the status of delivery and pickup of containers and were on time as promised.
The 1-800-PACK-RAT® image above is used solely for identification purposes and serves as the primary means of visually identifying the subject of this article and provides an illustration of the entity that is represented.
1-800-PACK-RAT® is a registered trademark of 1-800-PACK-RAT, LLC. HireAHelper, LLC has no affiliation with 1-800-PACK-RAT, LLC. and 1-800-PACK-RAT, LLC. has not authorized the use of its trademarks.
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