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Last Updated: Feb 29, 2024
United Van Lines offers all the services that could ever be required by your long-distance moves, such as home cleaning, auto transport, full-service packing of your belongings, and storage services.
BEST PRICES
4.6
This makes the company the first option to be considered by anyone planning to relocate without stress. You will easily decide if you should go ahead with United as your mover or continue to shop around for a better mover when you read this review.
One of the notable qualities of the company is that United gives you the most quality services for your money out of all our favorite long-distance movers. All the services and prices offered by United have been explained by this post, alongside a number of its special features.
Regardless of who handles your move, there are always risks involved. Fortunately, United provides you with insurance on all your belongings – either small or big. There are many other features that make United a perfect match for your moving needs apart from the insurance. We will discuss everything here in this review on United Van Lines.
United Van Lines is one of the ever-present movers in the United States. The company is top-rated in the moving industry, and its headquarters is located in Fenton, Missouri. United was founded in 1928, and it have been a partner with UniGroup, which is also the owner of Mayflower Transit, LLC.
United Van Lines is one of the moving companies with the most experienced, having been in business for over 90 years.
The company’s over 5000 drivers have traveled on a distance of about 135 billion miles, as stated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. United Van Lines has become one of the highest-rated moving companies in the country since 1992 because of its years of experience and the knowledge it has on the moving process.
United Van Lines is one of the largest moving companies in the US, having over 7,500 moving trucks in its fleet.
United, as an organization, has over 400 standalone agencies that are affiliated to it so that they can have access to its resources and support.
They provide moving services to the local, interstate, and international movers, and they also offer cross-country auto transport programs.
You will also find different types of moving services that will make your move a smooth engagement with United depending on your needs. These include:
These additional services are available in 1 of 5 packages offered by the company to reduce cost and time spent, or you can as well add them to your relocation agreement individually.
To make sure you have a smooth and uncomplicated move, United help you with a series of included and paid moving services.
Below are some standouts services to understand before we discuss the full list of moving services available with United.
The company offers international relocation services to more than 180 countries. There is no cause to worry as the company’s representatives will be there every step of the move to guide you on things to know about the destination country, such as language, culture, travel, and even the customs to make sure you are fully prepared.
They make sure that your document meets the requirement via their visa and immigration arms, and the family moving assistance from the company is done.
It also offers school assistance to those who need it, as well as pet transportation. They also provide settling-in services such as utility connections, neighborhood orientations, and locating the right financial institution.
United offers one of the best local movers in the industry. You will find the calculation of local, residential moving quotes in your final moving estimates, as stated by the authorized moving tariff from United.
Your rate is determined by the time-frame, mileage, weight, as well as other additional services you opt for.
Long-distance move offered by United gives you all you need in a long-distance relocation. The weight of your belongings after being loaded into the moving truck and the distance between the two homes will determine the transportation charges for your long-distance moves.
It is advisable to make comparisons between moving quotes from different moving companies when planning a move, especially long-distance moves; however, you will find United one of the most cost-effective.
United Van Lines will help you store your belongings during the moving process. Storing your belongings with the company you are moving with always comes with ease and at cheaper rates.
Request for a moving package that includes both moving and storage when you contact an agent from United Van Lines. Also, ask the agent politely if there is any available discount for your moving needs.
Housecleaning is another excellent service that United Van Lines added to its already wonderful list of services. Having to clean your home after moving is one stressful and tiring task to embark on.
When you hire United, you may wish to include cleaning in your list of services needed for your move to cross out the tedious task from your to-do list.
The full value protection offered by United also gives United an edge over its competitors. This is being offered as a premium service by other moving companies.
This is really a very big deal. Most full-service moving companies provide only basic liability coverage during your move.
The moving company will only be responsible for $0.60 per pound per item in the basic liability coverage.
It means that your mover would be responsible for $60 for your sofa of 100 pounds regardless of how expensive it is. The full value protection from United is way more comprehensive. Your coverage is calculated by multiplying your shipment’s weight by $6 per pound.
You can always purchase more coverage easily with United if you need more for your items. You will only be paying $5.50 for every $1,000 of coverage you add.
United should greatly be considered if you are moving, and you want enough protection for your household items without stressing yourself while doing it.
Disassembling and re-coupling your tech is one of the top stressful things about moving. United is the only moving company that offers tech support as a service among all the moving companies we’ve researched.
You may need to consult them for help on some tech terminologies on your user manual before you can dismantle or set up your tech.
You will agree with me that this is a very unpopular feature if you have researched moving companies very well.
Below are the remaining services available with United Van Lines.
The rates from the United are very competitive. The price for an apartment move is between $2100 and $6,200, depending on the number of items you are moving and the services you need. You will be paying between $4,300 and $11,400 for house moves.
You will be required by many full-service best movers to go through the entire estimate process before you get to know information about their pricing. The transparency in play with United is great.
You can get instant moving estimates online and additional service package pricing without you providing them any of your personal information.
This is entirely different from what is being done by other movers, as they will require you to drop an email address and a phone number before you can receive an online quote.
A sample move is done by United on some different sizes of homes via the company’s online estimator to shed more light on how much your relocation might cost. You will find below the outcome for a 1,100-mile relocation planned about 30 days:
| Package | Cost | Service Included | Extra Choices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $195 | – $5,000 Extra Valuation Protection | No additional included |
| – Gold Standard Protection® | |||
| – Identity Theft Protection | |||
| – Claim Assistance | |||
| Plus 1 | $395 | – $25,000 Extra Valuation Protection | Choose one of the following: |
| – Gold Standard Protection® | 1) Pickup of Debris at destination | ||
| – Claim Assistance | 2) Disassembly of PC and Network | ||
| – Protection against Identity Theft | 3) Setting up of PC and Network | ||
| – Increased Waiting Time at Destination | 4) Disassembly of Home Theater Stand Mount | ||
| 5) Setting up of Home Theater Stand Mount | |||
| 6) Disassembly of Home Theater Wall Mount | |||
| Plus 2 | $595 | – $25,000 Extra Valuation Protection | Choose 2 of the following: |
| – Gold Standard Protection® | 1) Pickup of Debris at destination | ||
| – Claim Assistance | 2) Disassembly of PC and Network | ||
| – Protection against Identity Theft Increased Waiting Time at Destination | 3) Setting up of PC and Network | ||
| – Additional Delay Payment | 4) Setting up of Home Theater Stand Mount | ||
| 5) Disassembly of Home Theater Wall Mount | |||
| Plus 3 | $795 | – $25,000 Extra Valuation Protection | Choose 3 of the following: |
| – Gold Standard Protection® | 1) Pickup of Debris at destination | ||
| – Claim Assistance | 2) Disassembly of PC and Network | ||
| – Protection against Identity Theft Increased Destination Waiting Time | 3) Setting up of PC and Network | ||
| – Additional Delay Payment | 4) Disassembly of Home Theater Stand Mount | ||
| 5) Setting up of Home Theater Stand Mount | |||
| 6) Disassembly of Home Theater Wall Mount | |||
| 7) Cleaning Service (Move-Out) | |||
| Plus 4 | $1195 | – $30,000 Extra Valuation Protection | Choose 4 of the following: |
| – Gold Standard Protection® | 1) Pickup of Debris at destination | ||
| – Protection against Identity Theft | 2) Disassembly of PC and Network | ||
| – Claim Assistance | 3) Setting up of PC and Network | ||
| – Increased Waiting Time at Destination | 4) Disassembly of Home Theater Stand Mount | ||
| – Additional Delay Payment | 5) Setting up of Home Theater Stand Mount | ||
| 6) Disassembly of Home Theater Wall Mount | |||
| 7) Cleaning Service (Move-Out) | |||
| 8) Cleaning Service (Move-in) | |||
| 9) Setting up of Home Theater Wall Mount | |||
| Plus 5 | $1395 | – $30,000 Additional Valuation Protection | Choose 5 of the following: |
| – Gold Standard Protection® | 1) Pickup of Debris at destination | ||
| – Claim Assistance | 2) Disassembly of PC and Network | ||
| – Protection against Identity Theft | 3) Setting up of PC and Network | ||
| – Increased Waiting Time at Destination | 4) Disassembly of Home Theater Stand Mount | ||
| – Additional Delay Payment | 5) Setting up of Home Theater Stand Mount | ||
| 6) Disassembly of Home Theater Wall Mount | |||
| 7) Cleaning Service (Move-Out) | |||
| 8) Cleaning Service (Move-in) | |||
| 9) Setting up of Home Theater Wall Mount |
United uses only limited information for its online estimates. This means the numbers here will only give you an idea of how much you might pay.
The in-home survey and estimate, together with other factors, will determine your exact moving quote.
We cannot give you details on how the first three factors will influence your moving costs; however, it all depends on the United local agent.
We can, however, get you information on how some additional services will influence your moving cost.
You can choose whether to include packing in your moving needs, or handle it on your own. The two options are available for you. United moves people from one place to another, and they have the services you need for your move. Everything you need for your move is available with United Van Lines.
| Apartment size | DIY Packing | United’s Crew Packs |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1 bedroom | $2100 | $2700 |
| 2 bedrooms | $3500 | $4700 |
| 3 bedrooms and above | $4300 | $6200 |
Having knowing that, there are still some important pieces of information to know about United that can help your decision.
Although United has been in business for over 80 years now, its reputation online is remarkable. The company has just a negative review with the BBB with no rating. United has 18 and 14 formal complaints with the Department of Transportation in the year 2016 and 2017 respectively.
We went online to see what people write about United. The customers with no complaints often use words like ‘professional’ ‘friendly’ ‘excellent,’ and ‘courteous’ to describe the moving company. Others who are not satisfied with the services only complained of miscommunications and late deliveries.
The color coding used by various agents has been reported to be confusing by customers as they find it difficult to know which moving boxes should go to which room.
The customer satisfaction surveys filed on United is being monitored by a standalone research company known as BURKE. They have a rating of 4.22 out of 5 stars on their entire customer satisfaction based on 20,078 customer surveys done in the previous year.
A score of 3.68 out of 5 stars and an A+ rating was given to UniGroup, which is a parent company of United by Better Business Bureau.
This is generally charged by movers based on the combination of two factors: the duration of packing and the number of packing materials needed. The more belongings you packed, the higher the cost will be. That is why larger homes pay more for packing.
There is no condition as to the number of items that can be packed by United. You may select individual items to be packed by United, while you handle the packing of the rest of your belongings.
Your final moving cost will be affected by the number of items you chose to be packed by United. The company’s crew will still help you wrap your furniture with blankets on a moving day, even if you choose to do the packing by yourself.
Contact your local United agent as they may have moving materials that you can buy or free moving boxes to help you pack all your belongings. The transparency from United is appreciated, but it doesn’t reflect on its packing and unpacking.
Packing is arguably the useful relocation service a moving company can offer. It is, however, the most expensive moving service.
We expect United to be as transparent as it is on its moving pricing and its packing service pricing as well. Using our previous online quote prices, we can determine the packing costs.
| Apartment size | Cost |
|---|---|
| Studio or 1 bedroom | $600 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1200 |
| 3+ bedrooms | $1900 |
There are many moving services available with United Van lines that remove the stress involved in your move from your neck.
As important as the services are, there is one of them that stood out above others; it is called “tech services.” The tech services from United are unique in the full-service moving world.
Although other moving companies offer assistance with dismantling and installation of appliances, the pricing is way too much.
Many people looking to hire a full-service mover for their move will enjoy tech assistance as it is far more useful. The tech assistance from United is on disassembly and setting up of home theaters and PC networks.
Although we know what it is to move with United, in case you are curious, we will explain everything to you in.
The process involved in getting a quote from United Van Lines is more fun compared to a moving company like Two Men and a Truck. The process is initiated online, and you will, thereafter, be called for the moving quote.
Be sure that the company will conduct an in-home survey before they actually give you a number. You may be given a general idea of how much the move may cost, and how much the services can cost you before they conduct the in-home survey.
With this tool, there is no need to speak with anybody over the phone. All you need to do is to supply your ZIP codes of your destination and your current location, the number of rooms, and the planned moving date. The estimation might not be accurate, but it will give you heads up on what to expect.
For example, below is an estimated overview for relocation from Chicago to Dallas:
You will be paying more with United compared with what you will pay with Bekins or Two Men and a Truck. However, there will be no full-value protection from those moving companies. The decision is yours to make.
To receive a general estimate of the amount your move will cost, begin the process with five steps. Log on to United’s website and supply the following:
We tried using the quote tool on United’s website, and we get an estimated moving cost (by moving cost calculator) for relocation from South Carolina to Georgia (a distance of 250 miles) for a 1-bedroom apartment. The estimate totals $1,900 (excluding packing) and $2,400 (with packing services).
There will be a need for an agent from United to visit your home for an in-home survey of your belongings. The agent will determine the approximate moving cost based on the number of possessions you plan to move and their weight, and will issue a written moving estimate to you.
To get an accurate moving estimate, there must be a visual survey of the belongings. This estimate is free – kindly note that moving estimates are just guidelines.
A binding estimate shows how much a move will cost in advance based on the required services during the estimate. The total moving cost will increase if extra services are requested at the loading location. Binding estimates are only valid for a specific period but doesn’t exceed a month.
You will be required to pay additional fees if you add to the items, or you need additional services between the estimate and moving periods. You will have to sign an addendum prepared by the moving company. Discuss your need for a binding estimate with your United agent (if needed).
Most movers suggest you avoid moving during summer, weekends, and the end of the month or on holidays. This is because the demand for moving companies is always much during these periods. United Van Lines, however, suggests that you should move whenever you feel comfortable for you. Below are the factors involved in making the decision:
Many factors determine this, and they include weather conditions, required time to load and unload, the season, the size of your belongings and the distance to be traveled. Loading two or more belongings on a moving truck is necessary as the belongings of an average household will not consume the entire space in a moving truck.
Each belonging is carefully separated from the others to avoid mix-ups. Pickup and delivery dates are arranged based on the loading and destination locations of individual belongings on the moving truck, as well as the weight of the belongings using the computer-assisted dispatching mechanism from United.
If there is a change to your moving date, make sure you contact your move coordinator immediately. This person can help you process any modification to your moving plan and also discuss updates with you; note that this change may affect your moving estimate as well, depending on the newly selected dates.
There is no way to determine the actual cost of your move until your belongings have been loaded on the moving truck and weighed unless, of course, you might have received a binding estimate.
Additional charges will be added to your total cost if you requested for additional services or it was required for your move.
The actual weight of your belongings and the distance to be traveled are both factors that determine your basic transportation charges. Among the costs included in the overall cost are the charges for Full Value Protection, transportation costs, and charges for extra services you may request or required, such as packing and unpacking of your belongings done by the company’s rep upon request. Tariff rate arrangements determine these charges.
You are required by tariff provisions to pay all charges before the belongings are unloaded at your new home, except an arrangement has been made for you to make payment later. You can pay for your shipment with United in cash, using cashier’s check, money order, Discover Card, America Express card, and traveler’s check, MasterCard, or Visa.
However, there is a need to get approval before loading unless you already have an arrangement on payment. United does not accept personal checks. These payment forms are authorized for both binding and non-binding moving estimates.
You will have to pay nothing more than 110% of your estimated cost if your overall moving cost exceeds the estimated total on the non-binding estimate given to you.
If the increased cost of the estimated cost is over 10%, a period of 30 days will be given to you to pay the amount above 110%. You will be required to pay all transportation charges during the delivery of the belongings, especially if there is a need for storage in transit.
The valuation program you choose (whether Released Value Liability or Full Value Liability) with United will determine your level of coverage as well as the cost. Your claim will be adjusted based on the valuation option you choose and also the amount of liability of United.
The United Van Lines tariffs are the basis on which the company’s liability for loss or damage rests on, as well as laws and regulations from the government.
The liability also has some specific limitations and exclusions. There is a difference between valuation and insurance. Valuation is a liability carried by transporters based on tariffs. Contact your insurance company if you wish to purchase coverage for your belongings as United doesn’t offer insurance.
Regardless of the need to store your items for some time, you can store your possessions at the warehouse of the local United agent. There is provision for temporary storage for customer’s belongings on United’s storage centers until they need it. You will be required to pay for the storage charges, the valuation coverage of the warehouse as well as the charges for final delivery from the storage center.
You will be required to pay an extra charge for the valuation coverage given to your belongings if you store them in the storage center. The storage option you choose will determine the valuation coverage type and its cost. Discuss your storage requirement with your local United agent.
You can decide on how much belongings you want to pack during your move. We can pack all and part of your belongings, depending on your choice. You can even pack all your items yourself. United is here to lend you a hand in case you need it on your move.
Make sure you discuss with your United agent about packing services during the in-home survey and estimate. You can also consult your move coordinator or check our packing options online. There are different packing services available with United to fit all types of relocation and budgets.
You can move your frozen foods but under certain conditions. Make sure you discuss this with your United agent. In most cases, we advise that you schedule shipping arrangements with a local frozen food store, most notably when going for a long-distance relocation. The best practice here is to use up your perishable goods before the exact moving day or donate these items.
You can move your highly valuable items such as antiques, jewelry, photographs, money, and stamp collections, only that you will need to inform your United agent of these possessions before packing or before the actual moving day. We advise that you move your highly-priced and irreplaceable items with you or you ship them separately.
Any belonging that is worth over $100 per pound is considered to be items of great value. You will be required to sign the Extraordinary Value Article Declaration box and also fill the high-value inventory form on the bill of Lading. Just write “nill” on the form and sign it if you have no extraordinary valued items.
Because your plants require light and water to stay alive, and there are possibilities that temperature may change during the move, United Van Lines cannot take the responsibility of relocating your plants safely. You can instead transport your plants in your car or send them by plane.
Also, note that some states do not allow bringing plants, while other states will only allow it on certain conditions. Make sure you consult the destination state’s appropriate authorities for their regulations.
You cannot move pets in the truck. You can transport your pets such as cats, dogs and so on in your own car. Consult your United agent for other means, which you can use to transport your pets if the family car is not convenient.
If you are planning a long-distance move soon, United Van Lines is a nice option you can consider, as you will be able to benefit from its unique relocation services. Although the full-value protection from United is available for everyone, however, you may need to contact them if you are moving a PC network or a home theater.
The company’s readily available pricing is also a great advantage. Even though the online estimate only gives you an insight into how much a move will cost, the ability to determine other pricing information from the company’s website before scheduling an in-home survey is plausible.
Although the company’s customer service is good, the experience you have will significantly depend on the United agent you choose to partner with for your move. Make sure you check agent’s reviews by customers online before you contact them.
Thomas has a degree in literature from Stanford University and a profession in Mass Communication. Thomas is a member of the Moving Feedback research team, an expert in writing educative articles to help readers make the right buying decisions. He is well versed in moving industry matters to give the best advice on moving needs.