Hollister Moving & Storage

Where do I start…
First of all let’s start with the fact that I am a Realtor. Not only would I NEVER recommend this company to a client but I will NEVER EVER use them again personally.
It started out ok with Carl when he showed up to give us a bid for moving. Turns out he is personal friends with a family member so I felt like I was in good hands… Turns out, not so much… I had to repeatedly call for my quote as I was very close to my move and would have appreciated the time to compare pricing. By the time I received my quote, there was no time to compare and the price came in at almost $ 10,000 to move from Hollister to Southern California in Temecula with packing I would say 98% of my belongings myself. Part of the agreement was to move my husbands Harley-​Davidson. The staff did not prepare the ramp correctly which failed as my husband was riding it up the ramp and it dropped him and the bike from at least 4 feet. Blood everywhere…
Fast forward to delivery of belongings…
Apparently they hired 3^rd party people to help unload. I spent a month carefully packing and labeling boxes for which room they belonged. When they started unpacking the truck, there were 4 guys with hand carts with at least 6 boxes on each dropping them in any room they felt. I had boxes in the kitchen that belonged in the garage, I had boxes in the laundry room that were labeled master bedroom. I even had 10 or less boxes that were marked with a blue «X» that were to be loaded last and removed from the truck at the destination first that were literally buried under 50 boxes in the garage that had important keys and medication that was needed immediately only to be found a week later! Why? All because they wanted to leave as soon as possible. They could NOT have cared less where the boxes landed…
Further, they broke the desk drawer of my fathers antique desk from Belgium (who recently passed away) and never said a word. I guess they threw the piece away!!! If I would have the giant missing piece, perhaps I could have it repaired! Additionally, they broke all four wheels off of my filing cabinet & strategically placed the broken wheels under the cabinet for me to discover at a later date. They also broke off another piece of an antique hutch but were «kind» enough to throw the piece inside of the cabinet for me to find and repair at my own expense.
Today I am 3 weeks in trying desperately to finish unpacking to see if any other items are missing or damaged.
Speaking of missing… Everyday since the movers left… I have searched high and low… What is missing is my WEDDING RING!!! Which I put in a drawer in my bathroom… Apparently, I had an audience.
Carl, who I contacted offered me $ 300.00! THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS??? So my husband & I could take a little stress off and have a «date night». & then failed to even send that!!! I even followed up with him to say «You must have lost our address» to which he never responded!
A COMPLETE JOKE OF A COMPANY WHO I AM NOT THROUGH WITH!!!
Hey Carl!!! Let’s start with sending the $ 300.00 YOU offered! OR refund me at least 50%

Using Hollister Moving and Storage for a 50-​mile move last month added unnecessary stress and expense to a stressful enough event. They had been recommended to us by some friends that had used them for a similar move around one year prior. Unbeknownst to us all, the business had changed hands in February of this year and that apparently has made a dramatic difference in their service.
We received a quote from Carl, the new owner, after he visited our home and saw everything that would need to be packed and moved. He was personable and followed up with a quote which was roughly the same amount as another company’s, but we went with Hollister because of our friend’s recommendation and because Hollister’s was written as a not-​to-​exceed quote. On the day of the move though the job foreman told his crew not to start until he basically extracted from us a 40% increase in the amount of the contract, saying that there was a lot more to the move than he had been told, even though his boss had seen everything that was involved. We felt we had no choice but to agree at that point but it seemed very much a bait-​and-​switch maneuver.
Not to elaborate too much on other issues with the packing/​moving but one final insult was the job foreman refusing to make good on his boss’s verbal commitment to not charge for any wardrobe boxes that were used if they were returned after being emptied. On a follow-​up call to Carl, who was again playing the good-​cop role, he promised to be in touch after he got back into town to see about making things right. We did not hear from him again.

The rating is based on my most recent experience with Hollister Moving & Storage. I’ve done 3 local moves since 2011, the first 2 were done by these guys under Doug & Olivia, had zero complaints, were fairly priced, the guys who came were great.
When moving, I put more priority in the actual worker bees so when I got ready for move #3, I didn’t really care that the company management had changed, I wanted the guys actually doing the work which is supposed to be the same crew, so I didn’t even think twice about not getting multiple estimates. I wasn’t absolutely set on a date, but my first choice was less than 2-​weeks away, and 2^nd choice the following weekend and since it was short notice, I knew I had to be flexible. I sent an email and Patty the front desk girl was very helpful in getting me setup with an estimator quickly, which was Carl the new owner.
Carl came out on a Tuesday, toured the house, came prepared with my last 2 estimates for a point of reference and even showed me a trick on how to disable my low battery alarm beeping (which was real sanity saver). He left and said he’d have my estimate to me by Thursday. Thursday came and went, and I sent an email Friday afternoon to make sure the email they had was correct. The response from Patty on Monday said «I’ll get a status for you». Tuesday, sent another email, no response. Wednesday, called and was told that Carl was in meetings all day but should be able to get something out later that day. Being that it was only 3-​days till my 1^st choice date, I told her that I was going to go ahead and push to the 2^nd choice date. Thursday nothing. FINALLY on Friday, 8 days after I was supposed to, I get the estimate.
As anyone who has moved knows, it’s always a stressful time regardless of how many times you’ve done it. With the estimate being a week late already and no indication it was coming, I was unsure that they actually wanted my business, so I called another company. They came out on that Thursday and worked up the estimate on the spot. Since it was only a week till the move date, I had to respond quickly or I’d lose the date and have to push it out again which wasn’t an option. So, that Friday morning I signed the contract with the other company and about an hour after is when Carl’s estimate shows up stating that they’ll see me on the next Saturday. Uh no. First they communicate absolutely nothing with me that they’re even interested in the job and can accommodate my move date and second came in $ 600 more than the folks I signed with and considerably higher than my first 2 moves, which I might’ve worked with knowing I was going to get a quality crew to move me.
In a nutshell, I was little disappointed with the whole experience unfortunately and my only advice to folks looking to use this company is make sure you have plenty of time to spare and get a plan B, just in case so you’re not scrambling last minute.

My first time using this service; highly recommended by a recent customer of the movers and by my realtor. The team was extremely efficient — showed up on time, provided an estimate for the move in terms of hours and dollars, and stuck to their estimate. The three guys who actually did the move were extremely helpful, and offered to do whatever it took to get the job done and maintain a satisfied customer. I’ve dealt with several contractors for this move and this team was by far the most customer-​friendly and put satisfaction at the very top. I couldn’t have asked for more. Thanks, guys!

We have used Hollister Moving and Storage 3 time In the last 10 years they were fast and took great care of our Furniture they put runners down on our hard wood floor. What a great experience.
We would recommend Hollister Moving to anyone.

Overall we had a great moving experience with Hollister moving company. They arrived on time we’re very polite, worked hard and got everything packed quicker than expected. We asked if they could deliver early, they said they would try. They showed up a day early, (it was a surprise they never called to let us know they were coming early but luckily we were home. The guys in the truck said they thought the office had called apologized and even offered to give me some time to get ready since they surprised me.)

We used Hollister Moving 3 times when it was owned by Doug & Olivia. We had no complaints were more than happy for their excellent service. We are ready to do another move across country and I talked to Patty and she could not give me any information but assured me the new owner, Carl Freese, would call me. After two calls talking to Patty, Carl never returned my calls and obviously does not want out business.

I worked with this company yesterday, moving my 94 year old grandmothers things from one senior home to a new one. In some ways an easy job because we were downsizing, in others not so easy. The guys who came, Jesse & Juan were great! They were so patient while I was sort of running around like a chicken with my head chopped off, and while my grandma decided each and every book she wanted to take. It was also great because I’ve worked with a couple moving companies before who will set a price for you, and then try to hard sell you on paying for boxes, tape, etc after the move. Hollister moving co did NOT do that. We weren’t sure how long it would take, but they quoted me a max price, even if we took a little longer that’s what it would be, and that’s what I paid for. Nice & simple. LOVE that when moving! Thank you Jesse & Juan for making a pretty epic move (for a 90+ yr old) go so smoothly!!! You guys took a huge weight off my shoulders after over a month of dealing with crazy caregiver drama. I will definitely keep this number for recommendations or if I move again! THANK YOU!

Hollister Moving and Storage helped us make our move smoothly as possible. We had to store our stuffs which they wrapped the furnitures real well and after 3 months of storage my sofa looked like new. The crew were real helpful and go out of their way to make sure that things are done right. Patty kept our records well for 3 months as well. I highly recommend this moving company because moving is hard and stressful. You can’t go wrong with them helping with your move.

These guys are very good. This is our second move in two years, first time using them.
Wonderful. They were referred by our realty agent, Marc Gallardo, who said «You’ve got to use them». He was right on the money. And btw, Marc is great. BlueFin Realty.
Carl, the owner, gave us the bid. All inclusive.
The crew arrived on time. The crew was super: Al, Juan, Greg, Senen.
No questions, no hassle, no problems, no discussion. DONE!!!
Wonderful. Packed, out and gone. Even moved my 88 key upright piano.
They knew what they were doing.
I recommend them over any others.
Best

HM&S was referred to us by a relative who had used them twice before. Moving is stressful and hard enough as it is. Carl and his team made moving easy. Hiring them was the best money we ever spent. They are courteous with your belongings and efficient with time management. The movers are a tight knit team and look like they are having fun and enjoy doing what the are doing. They didn’t break or damage a thing.
MH&S will come out and asses the job first and also make contingency plans incase of bad weather, we moved in the winter. You will get a quote with a min and max amount which is a good thing and might cause sticker shock at first. But remember, moving is hard work and your cost depends on how prepared you are on moving day. They will explain every service and cost. Other outfits will quote you less even without inspecting the job. Their quote was spot on and they completed our move as quoted, even saving us money.
Hollister Moving & Storage are true professionals. They show up on time, prepared, and ready to work.
They also take donations for a program to help women transition from shelters.
We will definitely use them again. And I will say it again, hiring HMS was the best money we ever spent.

We completed our second move using Hollister Moving and Storage on 11÷21÷14. The gentleman that helped us were all very courteous and respectful of us and our things. The crew leader took the time to sit down and go over all of the costs with me on the day of the move. They were careful to explain that our quote was an amount that was not to be exceeded even if the move took longer than expected. In the end they worked so hard that I actually saved $ 300 off the quote. All of our things were moved and nothing was damaged. I hope that we wont have to move again for a really long time, but if we do I will definitely use HM&S again.

We used this company for our local in town move — we had so much going on with renovations on our new place we had to keep changing dates — they were totally accommodating! Completely professional thru the entire process — the estimate, the actual move — the nicest, polite, hard working 3 guys ever! Thanks for getting us moved!

Absolutely blown away by the service my family received during our move. From the walk through with additional help provided for other services, the office staff happily, willing to get you what you need, checking in to keep updated and on schedule. The trucks arrived promptly on time, the crew was happy and worked very hard, at every turn they made sure everything was perfect. On the unload, a few pieces of furniture needed to be moved and rearranged after a long day of work, the smiles never went away. Great company, great attitudes. I compared it to flying first class even though I paid for a coach seat.
Thank you Doug and everyone at Hollister moving and storage!!! The BEST!!!

We had a rather complicated move and Hollister Moving and Storage did a fantastic job. About a third of the things were packed and shipped for storage and the other two thirds got packed and loaded on their trucks and were brought to the new home a couple days later, due to us being unable to move in right away. Doug came out and went over everything and explained the process and costs, which seem reasonable. The two crews that came to pack and load, as well as the crew who came to unload and set things up, were fast, efficient and professional. This was the most logistically difficult move we’ve ever had to make and Hollister Moving and Storage made everything so much better. We would definitely recommend their service.

We had a split move — first we got packed up and our stuff moved into storage, then 2 months later got our stuff delivered and moved into our new home. The crew Doug sent for both loading and unpacking had obviously worked together before and knew the best way to do things. They were focused, polite, thorough, professional. They worked the better part of one day on the load and aside from taking a short lunch break, they just kept working; we never saw them goofing off or just standing around not doing anything. They loaded our stuff into crates, which was like watching a humongous game of Tetris, fitting odd shaped furniture into whatever space they could find. While they were unpacking, we saw the same focus. They knew the process, they were patient with me while I crossed off the box numbers, and put everything where we asked, even moving them when we realized some things were in the wrong place. As others have mentioned, these guys weren’t the cheapest on the block, but they weren’t that far out of line, and I felt like our stuff was in better hands. We would definitely recommend them to anyone who asks.

Had a great experience with this company on my recent move from Gilroy to San Jose. The owner came out and gave me a written bid to do the job and then they sent a crew of three out the next day to do the move. Showed up on time and we’re very professional and conscientious. All went perfectly. Not a cut rate mover, but worth the price to get the job done right.

These guys are over the top great! They moved us out of a three story Condo on Beach Hill into our new house in Seabright in one day! The stair wells were skinny and steep, the access for the truck was limited and the largest pieces of furniture were on the top floor.
The crew showed up and covered the floors and stairs with protection and proceeded to pack and wrap and pad and hustle to my hearts delight. It went perfect. nothing damaged or missing including both the condo and the house.
Doug and Olivia were fantastic to work with and everything they said was right on. I felt the cost was more than reasonable, especially after observing their crew at work.
I will hire these folks for anything I need moved in the future. Thanks!

We used this company on the recommendation of a friend. The owner’s wife came out to our house and discussed with us every item we wanted moved. Doug (the owner) emailed us a guranteed not to exceed proposal which we quickly signed and sent back.
The day of the move we had a 3 man crew. They were prompt, polite, efficient and FAST! They wrapped all the mattresses in a bag before taking them out to the truck. They disasembled and reasembled the bed frames. They took special care to wrap each piece of glass individually with pads and shrink wrap.
I felt bad for them going up and down the stairs all day but they never stopped. We had some really expensive and heavy furniture that we were concered with getting down the stairs. Not only did they pad the furniture itself, they padded the banister and the door jamb to ensure no damage.
They asked where to place every piece of furniture in the new house. They cleaned up their mess as they unwrapped and took all the trash with them. They stayed on task all day. Not once did I see any of them look at their phone. None of them complained or slacked off in any way. I was amazed at their pace. They are rockstars. We were extremely happy with our guys and I highly recommend this company for your next move.

I decided to book this company for my in town (Hollister) move based solely on price. I noticed the bad Unilocal reviews and I actually discussed it with the owner (Doug) before hand. I was worried based on the Unilocal reviews, but went with the cheaper option against my normal better instincts. I was given a fair flat-​price estimate, something that I can’t say for the other three moving companies I called. With the others, I may have had to pay several hundreds of dollars more at the end of the day.
Three guys and a truck showed up promptly on the date of my move. They immediately made contact with me and after a walk through, started placing protective film and boards around my home.
They wrapped every item carefully. never complained or gave me any sort of attitude even once during the day. I think they only stopped once for a 15 – 20 minute lunch break. The guys even moved a large air hockey table up to my second floor without as much as a tiny complaint about it.
The move took a few hours longer than I was quoted, but that wasn’t a concern for me since I had a locked-​in flat rate. I feel I got more value than what I was charged. They provided free wardrobe boxes for our clothes.
I also have to say that this was the first time I’ve ever used a moving company without having a single item broken. No dings in the wall, no scratches on the floor, no dirt on the floor/carpet…these boys really went the extra mile for me and I couldn’t be more thankful. Very hard workers with their leader keeping them on task all day. Called my Wife and I «Sir» and «Ma’am» all day without fail.
I liked them so much that I called the owner at the end of the day to compliment his workers professionalism and respect shown towards my home and my family. We gave the three workers a nice tip at the end of the day even though it was not expected or asked for. I almost had to chase them down to give them a thank-​you tip. That says a lot about them in my opinion.
I realize that every person may have a different experience with a company and I’m not trying to invalidate their bad experience. All I can say is that in this interaction with them, I was 100% satisfied with their work and value.
I would recommend. We had a wonderful experience.