I Got $500 to Share About My New York Move
Syracuse, NY → Fresh Meadows, NY
$1,850
One-bedroom apartment, 818 square feet
$2,225
+$375, about 20% over
269 mi
Long-distance, within New York
- I contacted five companies before I hired Instant Movers LLC, negotiating down to $1,850 for my move across New York.
- My final bill landed $375 over the estimate, about 20% more, from fees that were never itemized for me upfront.
- I shared all of it, my quotes, my bills, and my ratings, as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
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This account is based on a conversation with Joey H., who moved from Syracuse, New York, to Fresh Meadows, New York, on January 5, 2026, using Instant Movers LLC. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move across New York
I moved from Syracuse to Fresh Meadows for a new job, taking a one-bedroom apartment 269 miles downstate. Because both ends were in the same state, I booked it as a same-day, long-distance move, which meant everything had to happen in a single day.
Instant Movers LLC is a family-owned company based in the Syracuse area, and I picked them partly on price. What I’d tell anyone reading this is that a single review is one data point, so do more digging than I did, and treat any quote as a starting point until you’ve confirmed in writing what’s included and what isn’t.
While researching the best moving companies, I found moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project. According to moveBuddha, users who compare movers this way save more than 30% versus taking the first quote they get.
My Instant Movers LLC experience at a glance
Here’s what stood out most about moving with Instant Movers LLC, good and bad.
- Communication: The company was most responsive over text, which worked fine for quick updates. Confirm the important things in writing anyway, meaning the arrival window, the fees, and what they expect at payment.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: My final bill came in $375 higher than my quote, and some fees weren’t clearly itemized in advance, including taxes. Ask for a detailed breakdown of what’s included and what triggers extra charges before you sign.
- Timeliness: Both pickup and delivery ran late, which made for a stressful end to the day and a rushed unload. Ask what happens if the crew arrives outside the stated window and whether there are cutoffs for same-day delivery.
- Professionalism and preparedness: The crew was polite and seemed inexperienced, and they showed up without basic equipment like dollies and straps.
- Loss and damage: I had minor breakages and some furniture damage. Photograph your high-value items beforehand and set aside the essentials you’ll move yourself, and know how to file a damage claim if you need to.
- Would I use Instant Movers LLC again? Possibly, with clear reservations about cost transparency. Next time I’d want the all-in price locked down and every add-on fee explained before move day.
over my original Instant Movers LLC quote
Find out what a move across New York actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose Instant Movers LLC
I contacted four other companies before booking: Syracuse Moving Company, Reliable Movers, Safeway Moving, and We Get It Done Movers. Their quotes ranged from $2,000 to $2,400.
I went with Instant Movers LLC because they’re a local, family-owned Syracuse company with decent reviews, and because I was able to negotiate down to $1,850, which beat everyone else. The biggest factor, though, was responsiveness. They got back to me quickly even during the holiday season, and at the time that felt like a good sign.
rating
4.23 / 5
- Specialty packing services
- White-glove reputation
- 80+ years' experience
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my relocation, including what I was quoted and what I actually paid.
| Move date | January 5, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Moved from | Syracuse, NY |
| Moved to | Fresh Meadows, NY |
| Distance | 269 miles |
| Move size | 1 bedroom apartment (818 sq ft) |
| Moving company | Instant Movers LLC |
| Moving quote | $1,850 |
| Actual cost | $2,225 |
I paid $375 more than my original quote, about 20% higher, and the increase came from additional fees that were never fully itemized upfront.
Comparing options for a move within New York? Start with moveBuddha’s list of the best moving companies in New York, or run your route through the moving cost calculator.
Quotes I compared
Five companies quoted this move, and the four I didn’t hire clustered between $2,000 and $2,400. Instant Movers came in under all of them after I negotiated, which is the whole reason I chose them, and my final bill of $2,225 landed right back inside that range.
| Company | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Instant Movers LLC | $1,850 (negotiated) |
| Syracuse Moving Company | $2,000–$2,400 |
| Reliable Movers | $2,000–$2,400 |
| Safeway Moving | $2,000–$2,400 |
| We Get It Done Movers | $2,000–$2,400 |
Pickup day
Pickup didn’t start when it was supposed to. I was given an 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. window and the crew arrived around noon, which pushed the entire day back before we’d loaded a single box.
Once they were on site the movers were courteous, and they seemed underprepared. They were missing equipment like dollies and straps, which matters even on a one-bedroom move, because it slows everything down and raises the odds of bumps and scrapes during loading.
Loading took about four and a half hours, longer than I expected for an apartment this size. Between the late start and the slow load, my same-day delivery was already in trouble.
Delivery day
My things were delivered the same day, and not until after 10 p.m. That made for a stressful unloading window at the end of an already long move day.
There was also an unplanned fee attached to the late-night delivery. If your move is scheduled to run into the evening, ask ahead of time whether after-hours charges exist and exactly when they kick in.
Because it was so late, the unload felt hurried, and I think that’s part of why I found minor damage afterward.
Final thoughts
Overall I’d call the move satisfactory. The job got done and the crew was polite. The drawbacks were the late pickup, the very late delivery, and a price that felt higher than it should have once the extra fees landed.
If you’re considering Instant Movers LLC, focus on two things: get a genuinely itemized estimate, and confirm timing expectations, including any fee for late-night delivery, before move day rather than after.
Planning a move of your own? Use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to compare real quotes from vetted movers before you book.
My ratings
Here’s how I scored Instant Movers LLC on a scale of 1 to 5. My overall rating lands in the okay-but-not-ideal range, because the move wasn’t a disaster and the late timing and unclear fees made it hard to feel good about the final value.
- Communication: 3 out of 5. Responsive by text, and I had to chase the details that mattered most.
- Timeliness: 3 out of 5. Pickup ran two hours past the window and delivery landed after 10 p.m.
- Quote accuracy: 2 out of 5. My lowest score. I paid $2,225 against an $1,850 quote, with fees I couldn’t have anticipated.
- Overall experience: 3 out of 5. The job got done by polite people, and the day was longer and pricier than it needed to be.
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Joey H.’s experience:
- Give yourself time to compare quotes: Start gathering estimates early so you aren’t forced to book the first company with availability. More time also means more leverage to ask detailed follow-up questions without feeling rushed.
- Ask about every potential add-on fee upfront: Specifically ask about taxes, late-night charges, stairs, long carries, and any minimums that can move the final price. Get the answers in writing and make sure the estimate is itemized.
- Confirm what happens when the crew runs late: Joey H.’s crew arrived two hours past the window, which cascaded into a 10 p.m. delivery and an after-hours fee. Ask what recourse you have if the arrival window slips.
- Ask what equipment the crew brings: Joey H.’s movers turned up without dollies or straps, which slowed the load and raised the risk of damage. It’s a fair question to ask before you book.
- Protect fragile items like you’re the last line of defense: Set aside valuables and fragile items you can move yourself, and over-pad anything breakable with bubble wrap, towels, or moving paper.
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