Here’s What My Pennsylvania to Tennessee Move Actually Cost
As told to moveBuddha
- Ross moved from Norristown, Pennsylvania, to Cordova, Tennessee, in late July 2022 to start a new job, a roughly 1,000-mile move covering a two-bedroom apartment of approximately 1,150 square feet.
- After comparing three quotes, he hired Bold Moving and Storage, and his Pennsylvania to Tennessee move cost $5,000, matching the original estimate exactly.
- This is Ross’s story, shared as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
This account is based on our conversation with Ross, where he shared about his Pennsylvania to Tennessee move in 2022 with Bold Moving and Storage. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
I took a new job in Cordova, Tennessee, which meant packing up my two-bedroom apartment in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and moving about 1,000 miles south. My place had standard furniture and appliances, a gaming cockpit, a wine cooler, and roughly 50 boxes, coming out to approximately 4,500 pounds.
Price was a factor, but what I really wanted was a hands-off experience with a company I could trust. I didn’t want my things getting damaged or mixed in with other customers’ belongings on a long-distance haul. I used moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to find and compare quotes from reputable movers.
My Bold Moving and Storage experience at a glance
rating
4.52 / 5
- Communication: Bold Moving and Storage’s communication was excellent throughout the process, from initial booking through delivery. The team called proactively when the loading crew fell behind schedule, which I appreciated.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: The $5,000 quote matched my final bill exactly, with no unexpected fees added at any point.
- Timeliness: My household goods arrived right in the middle of the agreed-upon delivery window, even though Cordova falls outside Bold Moving’s normal service area.
- Professionalism: There was a valuation mix-up and a late arrival on loading day, but I couldn’t have been happier with the delivery crew.
- Loss and damage: A few items were damaged in transit, but nothing I felt was significant enough to warrant filing a repair claim.
- Would I use Bold Moving and Storage again? Thanks to accurate pricing, strong communication, and on-time delivery, I’d consider using Bold Moving and Storage again.
My move at a glance
| Moved from | Norristown, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Moved to | Cordova, Tennessee |
| Distance | About 1,000 miles |
| Move size | 2-bedrooms, approximately 1,150 square feet |
| Moving company | Bold Moving and Storage |
| Moving quote | $5,000 |
| Actual cost | $5,000 |
Planning a similar move? Use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to compare quotes from interstate movers and see what your route might cost.
Quotes I compared
I knew about my new job two months before my move date, so I had plenty of time to research carefully. I used moveBuddha, the Better Business Bureau, and the USDOT to vet each company.
I also learned that checking a mover’s DOT number is a reliable way to confirm the company is properly licensed and insured. When comparing quotes, I focused on four things: price per pound, insurance options, online reviews, and my general impression from calls and emails.
I requested quotes from Mayzlin Relocation and American Van Lines before Bold Moving and Storage reached out by email with a link to an inventory form. The next day a representative called to review the inventory and provide a quote. I also had my rep add a long carry charge because truck access was limited at my apartment complex’s parking lot, meaning the crew would need to carry and dolly everything a few hundred feet to the truck.
| Moving company | Estimated weight | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mayzlin Relocation | 3,906 pounds | $3,983 |
| American Van Lines | 3,450 pounds | $4,421 |
| Bold Moving and Storage | 4,450 pounds | $5,000 |
Bold Moving and Storage’s quote included the following:
- Disassembly and reassembly: The crew would break down and reassemble standard furniture like beds and tables at both ends of the move.
- Moving equipment: Pads and dollies were included at no extra charge.
- Wrapping and protecting loose items: Unboxed items would be wrapped and protected before going on the truck.
- Loading and unloading: Both ends of the move were covered in the quote.
- Long carry charge: An additional $150 covered the extra distance between my building’s entrance and where the truck could park.
- Transportation: Door-to-door hauling from Pennsylvania to Tennessee.
- Full-value replacement coverage: The quote listed this with no deductible, though there was some confusion about coverage on moving day.
The quotes came in higher than I expected, especially since I was doing all the packing myself. That said, I thought they were reasonable given fuel prices and the fact that I was moving during peak moving season.
Why I chose Bold Moving and Storage
Bold Moving and Storage wasn’t the cheapest of the three quotes, but it had the right combination of price, reputation, and communication.
The company held an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, specialized in interstate moves along the East Coast, and my sales rep gave me a good impression from the start. I paid a $1,500 deposit by credit card to book.
My main hesitation was that Bold Moving doesn’t normally service destinations as far west as Memphis. The company was upfront about this early on, letting me know weeks before the move that my shipment might need to be offloaded into temporary storage before the final delivery leg. That extra handling wasn’t ideal, but knowing about it in advance made it easier to accept.
After booking, Bold Moving contacted me twice to confirm dates, services, and what to expect on loading day.
I bought heavy-duty cartons and packed a box or two each day in the weeks leading up to the move. I listed each carton and its contents in a notebook so I could verify everything arrived in Tennessee, and I used colored labels to make sure each box ended up in the right room.
I wrapped my gaming console in blankets and plastic wrap and the wine cooler in bubble wrap and cardboard. A few days before move-out, Bold Moving reconfirmed the arrival window, services included, and what I needed to have ready.
Pickup day
I was expecting the movers between 8 and 10 AM. Near the end of that window, they called to let me know they were running late and wouldn’t arrive until noon. The delay wasn’t a big deal, and I genuinely appreciated the heads-up rather than just being left to wonder.
When the crew arrived, they did a quick walkthrough and got started. That’s when a problem came up: I had been told my estimate included full-value replacement coverage with no deductible, but the crew leader informed me I only had the basic released-value coverage of $.60 per pound per item.
I wasn’t happy about the miscommunication, but since I was taking my most valuable items with me in the car, I decided not to purchase additional coverage on the spot.
I thought the crew handled my things a bit roughly, though I’ll admit I tend to be protective of my stuff and was probably too critical. The movers worked quickly and efficiently while I answered their questions, tidied up, and finished packing a few last-minute items. Loading took two and a half hours. I made a payment of $1,750 by personal check before they left.
If you’re booking a long-distance move, ask your mover to confirm your valuation coverage in writing before moving day. A verbal confirmation during the sales call isn’t enough, as this experience shows.
Delivery day
I didn’t hear from Bold Moving and Storage until two days before delivery, which is standard in the industry when there aren’t any unexpected issues. On the morning of delivery, I got a message with an estimated arrival time, and about five hours later, the 18-wheeler pulled up as promised. My household goods arrived in Tennessee 14 days after leaving Pennsylvania, right in the middle of the delivery window. Bold Moving delivered within its service commitment despite Cordova falling outside its usual coverage area.
The two-person delivery crew did a quick walkthrough to see where everything would go, then got to work. I was impressed with how careful they were. A few items did get damaged:
- A floor lamp: Damaged during transit.
- My headboard: Sustained damage, likely from wood-on-wood contact inside the truck.
- A few boxes: Got crushed in transit, though the contents were fine.
- The chest freezer and wine cooler: Both had minor dents that I decided weren’t worth repairing.
- One locking nut for the bed frame: Missing on delivery, but it was easy to replace.
My gaming console arrived in good condition, and the damage overall was minor. Before the crew left, I made a final payment of $1,750 via Venmo.
If you’re shipping furniture on a long-distance move, ask your movers to wrap wooden items separately rather than padding multiple pieces together in the same blanket. Wood-on-wood contact over hundreds of miles is a common cause of surface damage.
Final thoughts
Looking back, Bold Moving and Storage delivered on its most important commitments. The quote was accurate, communication was strong at every stage, and my things arrived on time. That’s more than some long-distance movers manage.
The frustrations were real, though. The insurance mix-up on loading day was the most annoying part of the whole experience. I had confirmed full-value replacement coverage when I booked, and finding out on moving day that I actually had basic released-value protection wasn’t what I wanted to deal with in the middle of a 1,000-mile move. The sales process also felt a bit too pushy overall, which made the shopping phase less comfortable than it should have been.
Some of the damage probably came from the loaders wrapping multiple wooden items in the same pad, which lets surfaces rub together over a long haul. The fact that my shipment was offloaded into temporary storage and transferred to a different truck before final delivery added extra handling and likely didn’t help.
Bold Moving let me know about this possibility weeks before the move, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it’s worth factoring in if you’re shipping furniture over a long distance.
In the end, I got an accurate quote, on-time service, and only minor damage. I wasn’t crazy about how the loading crew handled my things, but the delivery team was genuinely great. I felt like I got solid value for what I paid, and I’d use Bold Moving and Storage again, but only if they could guarantee door-to-door service on the same truck.
Planning a move like this one? Use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to compare quotes from interstate movers and find the best deal for your route.
My ratings
rating
4.52 / 5
Here’s how I rated Bold Moving and Storage’s performance on a scale of one to five:
- Communication: 5/5: Bold Moving and Storage kept me informed at every stage, called proactively when the crew was running late, and stayed in contact through delivery. No complaints here.
- Timeliness: 2/5: The loading crew arrived hours late, and I didn’t get a delivery ETA until two days out. My goods did arrive within the window, but the uncertainty around timing drove this score down.
- Accurate and transparent pricing: 5/5: The $5,000 quote matched my final bill exactly. There were no surprise fees, which is exactly what you want from a long-distance mover.
- Overall experience: 3/5: Between the valuation miscommunication, rough handling on loading day, and some minor damage, my overall rating lands in the middle. Bold Moving did a lot right, but the frustrations added up.
The low timeliness rating might seem surprising given that delivery was on time. Delivery windows are a frequent point of contention between movers and customers. Once a window has been established, a moving company can deliver any day within that timeframe and fulfill its contractual obligation. The late loading crew was the bigger factor in my score here.
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Ross’s experience:
- Keep a digital manifest: Create a spreadsheet or document listing every box and its contents, and save it to a cloud server. A detailed record makes it much easier to identify missing or damaged items on delivery day, and you’ll be glad you have it if anything goes wrong.
- Consider hiring movers to do the packing: If your budget allows, professional packing removes a major stressor from the process. Ross found packing far more time-consuming than expected for a two-bedroom apartment’s worth of belongings.
- Disassemble furniture yourself and pack the hardware separately: Break down tables, bed frames, and similar pieces before the crew arrives, and store all screws, bolts, and locking nuts in a clearly labeled parts box. Small hardware pieces are the most likely items to go missing during a move.
- Understand your valuation options before moving day: Ask your mover to walk you through the difference between basic released-value coverage and full-value replacement protection before signing anything, and get confirmation in writing. A verbal assurance during the quote call isn’t enough.
- Ask whether your items will be offloaded and reloaded in transit: Some long-distance moves involve temporary storage and a transfer to a different truck before final delivery. This is common on routes outside a mover’s normal service area, and it means more handling and a higher chance of minor damage. Knowing this in advance helps you make smarter decisions about how to pack fragile items.
Not what you were looking for?
Check out other categories that can help you find the information you need!
