When it comes to choosing a reliable moving company, there are a lot of factors you need to consider. And without knowing the details about each company, choosing the right one often becomes a difficult task.
Colonial Van Lines is one of the oldest moving companies in the US and specializes in long-distance moves and corporate relocations. Besides, they also have a handy estimator app to provide you with a quick quote.
So, can you trust Colonial Van Lines with your move?
Yes, they are one of the most reliable long-distance movers in the market. However, there are a few things you should know before you pick them.
In this Colonial Van Lines review, we will take a close look at the various services offered by the company and the costs.
What Is Colonial Van Lines?
Colonial Van Lines was founded in the 1980s in Florida. In the past three decades, the company has transformed itself into a nationwide mover, focusing on long-distance moves. They also act as brokers by connecting customers with other independent movers.
The business has its headquarters in South Florida and also has other office and warehouse locations in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, and California. Colonial also uses the latest moving technologies to deliver a budget-friendly service to customers. The company mentions that it supports around 12000 customers annually.
Colonial Van Lines offer long-distance moving services for residential homes, apartments, and corporations. Along with its own fleet, the company has a comprehensive agent network that offers wide coverage.
One big plus of the company is its highly professional staff who are trained at Colonial Van Lines University (CVLU). Located in Pompano Beach, Florida, the CVLU Mover training facility has instructors to train drivers, movers, or packers about delivering customer-centric service.
Colonial Van Lines Moving Services
Unlike other movers with a wide range of services, Colonial Van Lines limits their services to long-distance moves only. In other words, Colonial will not support you for local or international moves,
Colonial Van Lines offer full-service moving to the customers. Here are the main services offered by the company.
Long-Distance Moving
Colonial Movers is a reliable option for inter-state or cross-country moves whether you are moving a large house or a small condo. The company has the necessary resources to handle moves of all categories. It also arranges for interstate car shipping and safeguards the goods with complete insurance packages.
Colonial Van Lines is fully licensed and registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Admin (FMCSCA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). Colonial also gets its fleet inspected by the DOT every 60 days to ensure safety.
Keep in mind, Colonial Vanlines may handle a move through subcontractors. If you prefer direct services, discuss the details with the move coordinator before booking.
Corporate Moving Services
Since the time elements are critical in a corporate move, Colonial Van Lines focuses on detailed planning of each stage of the move. The company supports the employees during the move and ensures safety in line with the relocation policy requirements. The details of the move can also be customized, based on employee needs.
The move is also covered by insurance packages that safeguard the household items from any damage. Apart from standard loading and unloading, the service also includes the disassembly and reassembly of furniture and other oversized items.
Packing Services
Colonial Van Lines offers a variety of packing options through its skilled team of packers. The team of packers and loaders operate together to ensure the best loading and unloading efficiency. Along with the best moving methods, high-quality packing materials are used to ensure safety.
Listed below are the four main types of packing services that they offer.
Full Pack- This is the best service you can pick for a hassle-free moving experience. The Colonial team will handle every aspect of the packing, no matter the shape and size.
Single-Item Pack- This service is for the special packing of a large piece of furniture or a fragile item. The Colonial moving team has the necessary training to handle bulky or fragile items in a safe manner while you can handle the rest of the packing on your own.
Kitchen Pack– Packing the various tools and items in your kitchen can be a cumbersome task. You can depend on the Colonial team to handle the task for you.
Specialty Pack– This is a specialized service to meet any particular packing needs of a customer. Many customers may have special packing requirements that do not come under the standard package.
Colonial Van Lines can also take care of any non-perishable food items that are not suitable for long moves. They partner with the Move for Hunger program to donate such food to needy families.
Storage Services
Colonial has warehouses and customer storage facilities across the country to provide storage in transit services. Once you have determined the storage unit size you need, Colonial can provide customized storage options based on your needs.
Both long and short-term storage is provided in temperature-controlled storage facilities that are completely safe and free from pests, molds, and dust.
Beyond that, Colonial also offers the modular Colonial Cubes packing facility. Customers can pack items in these padlocked storage cubes and hold onto the key. Once the goods are transferred, the Colonial team will pick up the empty boxes from your new home.
What Does Colonial Van Lines Typically Cost?
The price of a cross-country move can vary depending on multiple factors. Colonial Van Lines mentions that they provide transparent moving quotes and provides an expense breakdown to the customer. Their quotes include the taxes, fuel, and toll charges.
While Colonial does not offer any discounts, we found that their rates are lower than the average. Admittedly, they are one of the most affordable options for long-distance moves.
As with most other moving companies, the charges will depend on the distance of the move and the total weight of the goods. The inclusion of add-on services like express delivery, storage, and specialty packing will also affect the costs. The costs will also depend on the type of moving insurance you pick.
Long Distance Move Cost Factors
Here are a few points that you need to keep in mind while calculating costs.
- The material density will impact the weight of items. For example, a wooden cabinet may weigh more than a particle-board cabinet of a larger size.
- Costs depend on the quantity of packing supplies like cardboard boxes, plastic bins, bubble wrap, etc, being used. The quality of the packing materials you pick will also have an impact.
- The accessibility of the moving location will also affect the costs. For example, the charges can be more if the moving team has to climb up additional flights of stairs.
- Moving on weekends and during peak seasons will cost more. Likewise, moving in the winter when the weather can be a challenge, can raise the costs.
If you check Colonial Mover’s reviews online, you will find a considerable volume of negative feedback regarding higher-than-quoted prices. Additionally, there are issues related to the handling of goods and delays in the move timeline.
On the plus side, the reviewers also praised the customer service of the company which was helpful in resolving the issues.
Colonial Van Lines Availability
Colonial Van Lines is available in 48 states and functions through a dense network of 200 moving agents. However, its services are not available in Alaska and Hawaii.
How to Get a Quote for Colonial Van Lines
Colonial also has an in-home Estimator Moving App that makes the process of generating moving quotes super easy. No meetings or in-home visits are needed when you use the app. You can upload videos or pictures of your household goods and request special services through the app.
The other way is to input a few details about the move on their website to get a free ballpark quote. Lastly, you can also give a call to the company and a representative will help you with a moving quote.
How to Schedule Your Move
Once you receive a quote, you can hire the service and reserve a date. You will need to pay an initial deposit that is around 20%-30% of the estimate. The company assigns a personal relocation assistant to manage the entire move.
Colonial Van Lines Pros
- More than 25 years of experience in moving
- Handles moves of all sizes
- Good storage facilities
- Competitive pricing
- Easy-to-use mobile app and instant online quotes
Colonial Van Lines Cons
- Service is limited to long-distance moves only
- No international moving service
- Upfront payment is required for booking
Colonial Van Lines Reviews FAQs
Is Colonial Van Lines a broker?
Colonial Van Lines has its own fleet but also functions as a broker. It operates through a network of multiple moving agents across the country
Does Colonial Van Lines offer local moving services?
No, Colonial does not offer local moving services.
Does Colonial Van Lines offer storage services?
Yes, Colonial offers a full range of storage services for all types of long-distance moves.
What is the cancelation policy for Colonial Van Lines?
Colonial Van Lines does not share any details about its cancellation policy on their website. You need to get in touch with the representative to discuss the cancellation policy for your move.
Conclusion
Considering its experience and reliability, Colonial Van Lines is a good option when moving to another state. With a solid track record, Colonial’s moving and storage services are on par with other moving companies when it comes to long-distance moves.
However, we are a bit skeptical about the consistency of its moving services because of some negative reviews in recent years. While they are a reliable moving company, your experience may not be so great. We suggest you check out the customer reviews about the company in your locality.
Even so, we find the wide variety of packing services offered by Colonial a practical choice for homeowners. Besides, the processes of getting a quote and booking a move are straightforward. Moreover, their methodology of providing in-depth training to the moving team also gives a boost to their performance.
If you want to compare Colonial Van Lines with other moving companies, try using the Agoyu moving app. With its AI-based platform, Agoyu makes it easy for you to choose the best support for your move.
