1-800-PACK-RAT® Reviews
Using 1-800-PACK-RAT was a positive experience start to finish. The pod was brand new and was delivered on time as scheduled for each step. The drivers were skilled, respectful and helpful. Customer service was knowledgeable and helpful during booking, pick up, drop off, and tracking along the way. All our possessions were delivered with no damage at all. I would definitely use them again and would feel comfortable recommending them to anyone.
The delivery and pickup of the pod at the old and new residences went smoothly. Unfortunately, they did not deliver the moving blankets and couldn't get them to us in time for the movers so we had to purchase our own blankets. They promised to give us credits but the billing was too confusing so not really sure we got any credit.
I was moving from New York City to Boston. The live load in New York City was pretty cool but a little stressful with the 4 hour window but I think it's the best way to handle an urban environment like NYC. I was moving out of a medium sized 1 BR apartment. I think anything bigger than a 2 BR in NYC would be cutting it close for a live load especially if you are hiring movers which is what I did. Coordinating the movers with the container delivery became a bit complicated and I was given different timeframes from 1-800-PACK-RAT. Overall, it saved me money and the container space accommodated my moving and storage needs. 1-800-PACK-RAT worked with me when negotiating the quote and found them more reasonable than other container companies I had been looking at. I also liked that you can go to the storage facility as needed to check on it or to move items gradually out of storage. Regardless of the container company it does requires more coordination but was worth it for my needs. The movers and I loved the hydraulic floor lift which allowed for more furniture and boxes to be lifted from the street level to the container which sat on a bed truck. I'm sure it saved them a lot of back pain too! One piece of advice is to look into and also ask 1-800-PACK-RAT about permits or other moving policies in the city you are moving from or to. When I arranged for the container to be delivered to Boston, I had to apply for a permit on my own for street occupancy permit through the Boston's City Hall for the days that the moving container was going to stay in front of my apartment building.
I chose 1800PackRat because I liked that their containers are all metal. Also, after calling some other companies, their price quote was less, and their phone agents were the friendliest and most helpful. Their customer service is easy to reach, and they are very informed, courteous and accommodating. They also have very good reviews. So far they have lived up to everything good I've read. I chose a 16-foot container for my heavily furnished 750sf 1-bedroom apartment and it worked out perfectly. I have yet to unload the container, but the delivery and pickup from my originating location were spot on. The guys were able to maneuver the container into and out of an extremely awkward location (a street corner with lots of trees) and the container itself seemed very sturdy. It was pouring rain the entire week I was loading, so I've been worried about mold, especially since I have to keep the container at the local facility while I apartment hunt. However, I called to arrange for access, and when I checked on my stuff it seemed like everything was fine. Some of that could be due to the moisture absorbing products I used inside, but the container is watertight. Nothing had budged an inch, either. I'm really happy with the entire 1800PackRat experience so far, and have already recommended them to my Dad.
I can't say enough good things about 1800PACKRAT. I'd never done anything like this before, and I executed a long distance move with 2 containers. They were MORE than flexible, and reasonably priced. I must have called them 20 times for big and little things over the course of 2.5 months, and they were happy to accommodate. Highly recommend.
They delivered the pod and picked it up as agreed. They e-mailed all paperwork quickly and they were great and answered all questions. Super company and excellant on customer service. We are storing our pod at their climate controlled facility at this time and are very satisfied with their rates and service.
Pack Rate is a great option if you are not able to move into your new location right away. It is a far better option than storing your worldly good into a storage compound. If you do that, you have to move it in and then move it out as well as move everything out of your house and then move it into the new place. Using Pack Rat cut out the middleman.
Pack-Rat was good overall, they were responsive over the phone and their drivers were courteous and professional, but watch out for hidden costs. If you want your container delivered at a particular time, you'll have to pay extra beyond their quote to get anything smaller than a 24 hour window. When you schedule delivery of your container at your destination, they will try to schedule you ten business days or more out from the day you schedule the delivery even though their contract says one should be aware that containers take "up to 10 business days" to be delivered. They will want to charge you for expedited delivery for anything less than ten days in advance.
Too early to evaluate PackRat. The pod was not picked up when scheduled and there is no notification process to advise me of the status of the pod (e.g. when picked up, in transit, when arrived at destination). Very accommodating when the need to cancel one of the pods became necessary. A follow up evaluation would be helpful once the pod is delivered.