Allied® Van Lines Review

Allied^® Van Lines Review

Author: Francesca Di Meglio

Updated: Thursday, April 17th 2014

Does Allied Operate During COVID?

Indeed Allied does operate during COVID. (I worked with reps at the company's nearest location to plan my move.) However, unlike its competitors, Allied makes no mention of the pandemic on its homepage. In addition, the representatives with whom I spoke didn't really refer to any changed policies and never mentioned anything about mask policies during the move, which was a little surprising. Still, I was able to conduct a virtual home survey, which is a safer option than their traditional in-person survey.

Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of hiring Allied Van Lines and whether hiring them makes sense for you.

What Does Allied Offer?

What Types of Moves Does Allied Do?

• Household
• Corporate
• International
• Local Moves
• Corporate
• Interstate Moves

Quotes will vary and depend on the size of your home and the distance to your next residence. But your full-package quote will include:

• Loading and unloading
• Furniture disassembly and reassembly
• Transportation and shipment tracking
• Basic liability coverage
• Personal Relocation Consultant

Add-ons that could increase your cost include services such as:

• Appliance disconnection, reconnection, including hot tubs and pools
• Additional insurance

You can bring down the cost if you are flexible about the time of year you are moving. Also, you can take on some of the packing duties instead of hiring Allied to do it to stay within budget. And just like with most van lines, you can bring down the expected total of your estimate by selling or giving away some of your stuff, because your cost goes up the more your stuff weighs.

What Services Does Allied Van Lines Offer?

• Loading
• Transportation
• Unloading
• Unpacking
• Crating
• Cars/Boats
• Assembly/Disassembly
• Third Party Services (e.g., disconnection, reconnection of appliances, cleaning services)
• Shuttle Services (for those who cannot have a giant truck parked nearby)
• Storage

There is flexibility to pick and choose the services you want to use to control your budget. You can forego full-replacement value coverage. Check with your own homeowner's or rental insurance to see if you even need to pay extra for this add on. Of course, there are some services you might not need, such as connecting and disconnecting appliances, storage, or moving cars and boats.

How Much Does Allied Van Lines Cost?

Like other full-service van lines, Allied is super expensive. Interstate or cross-country moves tend to cost between $2,000 and $5,000 per move, according to HomeAdvisor.com. Allied shares the following on its website:

"The average cost of an interstate move is $3,500. This is based on an average weight of 7,000 lbs. (7 rooms) and a traveling distance of 1,000 miles (roughly the distance from Chicago, Illinois to Dallas, Texas)."

Just hearing the price can cause a panic attack to set in! Take a deep breath, the good news is that more flexibility than ever is built into their moving packages. In light of strong competition from other less robust moving service companies, Allied and other full-service moving companies have begun to offer customization, which means you can pick and choose services without having to agree to the most expensive full-service package..unless you want to and can afford it.

How Do I Get an Allied Quote?

You will have to either fill out the form on the Allied website or call to speak with a representative. Either way, you will be connected to someone from an Allied location near the start of your move. He or she will ask you a few basic questions about your planned move. Then, they'll schedule either an in-home or virtual survey to provide you with an estimate. This is the only way to get an idea of what the cost will be. Allied won't even give you a price range without doing this.

Here's what is taken into consideration when you are given an estimate:

• Where you are going - The mileage to and from your destinations is one of the two most important factors in your estimate.
• Weight of your load - The amount of stuff and how heavy it is is the other most important factor in your estimate.
• Move date - Both the season and the day of the week can play into the price you pay. Flexible dates can help you bring down the cost.
• Insurance coverage - If you buy into the additional coverage, you will increase the total of your estimate.

For an interstate move of a 3-bedroom home on the east coast, my cost would be a little over $11,000, which is to be expected for a full-scale van line move of a large home.

Allied's base pricing for a full-service move includes:

• Transportation of your belongings
• Weight of your stuff
• When you're moving
• Basic liability coverage
• Personal Relocation Consultant

Your estimate may be higher if you purchase add-ons, including this one:

• Extra Care Protection (ECP), which comes at an additional charge (at least $689 to cover full replacement value up to $100,000)

How Moving With Allied Van Lines Works

Assessment

During the course of the in-home or virtual estimate, Allied's representative will observe the parking situation at your current residence. Then, he or she will determine if a large trailer or truck will have a place to park for hours on move day. If not, the rep will suggest a shuttle that will transport smaller volumes of your belongings from your home to a location for loading the larger truck. They will also look at all the items you plan on moving, even inside drawers and closets to take inventory and estimate the weight you'll be loading onto the trucks.

Moving Day

On moving day, Allied will pack up all your belongings with special care paid to fragile items, such as crystal and fine china. (The company will pack flat-screen TVs, too, but they say you have to take them off the wall.) During this time, they will disassemble any large furniture, such as hutches and king-size beds. Once the representatives have boxed all of your smaller items and finished taking apart furniture, they will load everything onto the truck.

Then, Allied will drive your stuff to the next destination or storage facility, depending on your unique needs. Finally, they will unload the items and place them into rooms as you prefer. Then, they will reassemble furniture. If you have paid for any add-ons, such as cleaning or disconnection/connection of appliances, they will handle that as well at appropriate times during the move.

How My Estimate Went

I had the option to get an estimate online or in person. I opted for the virtual survey because it's more convenient, plus it minimizes the risk of spreading coronavirus! But there are limits to the accuracy of the virtual survey, according to the representative. She said it can be hard to tell exactly how heavy items will be over Facetime, but she could give me an idea of what the cost would be. The virtual home tour and estimate process took about an hour. In-home surveys usually take longer, but might be more precise.

Still, I was able to get an idea…and a bit of sticker shock.

Estimates for full-service packages include:

• Packing and unpacking
• Assembly and disassembly of furniture
• Loading and unloading of the truck
• Transportation
• Basic liability coverage
• Personal Relocation Consultant

For an interstate move of a 3-bedroom home, my cost would be a little over $10,000, which is to be expected for a full scale full-service move of a large home. But think about the service I will receive… I won't be doing anything except organizing and helping to label boxes.

Undoubtedly the second most recognizable orange moving trucks – wlos.com

However, I brought down my cost by agreeing to move in November before Thanksgiving instead of October, as well as by selling and giving away some of my stuff. I immediately started putting price tags on my husband's shot glass collection to get ready for a yard sale.

To save even more money, I could do all the packing myself, and Allied would load and unload the truck and transport everything. That's where the customization of your package comes in, and this can help you better control your budget.

How Allied Van Lines Insurance Works

For protection of your stuff, Allied offers just two levels of coverage:

• Basic liability coverage, which is included in any estimate
• Extra Care Protection (ECP)

The Extra Care Package can add a hefty price-up to your quote, as they say on their website. However, ECP is actual insurance, whereas basic liability only gives you back $0.60 per pound. Have fun replacing a broken TV on that kind of return.

Your "Personal Relocation Consultant" will work with you to help you determine what deal might best meet your needs.

Pros of Moving with Allied Van Lines

This isn't Allied's first rodeo.

The moving industry has a bad reputation for fly-by-night companies that take advantage of consumers. Allied, in stark contrast, has been in business since 1928. In the last 15 years alone, the company has conducted 750,000 moves in the United States. While you have to find out specifics regarding the service provided by your local Allied affiliate, you can be sure that the mothership is reliable and enduring.

Reps were exceptionally focused on my delicate items.

Throughout my home tour, the representative working with me zoomed in on fragile items, such as electronics, champagne flutes, and serving platters. She noticed my grandmother's china and described how carefully Allied staff pack and transport those items. Newsweek recently called Allied one of America's best customer service providers from any industry, and I saw firsthand why!

You don't have to look far to find an Allied affiliate near you.

The company is national and has affiliates from coast to coast. As a result, you can probably count on being able to at least consider Allied for your move. Of course, you'll have to read reviews about the nearest Allied organization to learn more about that specific store, but it will likely be there as an option.

Van lines are great when you don't want to drive long distance – Allied.com

The company works with your budget.

Whenever I spoke with an Allied representative whether at the national or local level, she provided tips for bringing down the cost of my move. Picking and choosing services - rather than going all in on the full-service package - was the most popular suggestion. I also always spoke to women throughout the process, and they all had lots of advice on saving money, which made me feel as though they cared about their customers.

Cons of Moving with Allied Van Lines

Van lines are just super expensive.

Yes, you'll be sitting pretty on the couch while Allied staff whisk away everything you own, but you'll have to also pay a pretty penny for the service. While you could go broke if you buy into a full-service package, utilize the option to pick and choose services to bring down costs.

You can't easily get a price range that easily.

The only way to get an idea of what a full-service move will cost you with Allied is by going through the laborious process of an in-home estimate, online or in person. And frankly, the lengthier in-person process is your best bet for getting a precise estimate. Without having any idea of the price, you can end up wasting time on services that are way out of your budget. It's inconvenient and frustrating, especially if you're on a tight schedule for your move.

Reviews vary by Allied location.

You have to do your homework about the Allied affiliate in your area. According to online reviews, each location is different and experiences vary from one to another. Sure, there is some sense of reliability because of Allied's national reputation. But the level of service and efficiency and even pricing could seriously depend on who is working that day.

Should You Choose Allied to Move?

A full-service move with Allied is a great option for anyone who can afford it and optimally is at least one month out from their move.

Of course, if you're flexible and want to pick and choose the services you need, consider Allied if other van lines in your area are stricter. You'll have to do the due diligence to learn more about your local affiliate, but in general, Allied is great for those who have fragile items that need to be packed and shipped. And of course, this is a great option if you don't want to do any of the driving, especially for a long-distance move.

Be prepared for some sticker shock but realize Allied is willing to work with you to help you stay within some sort of a budget.