I Moved From Maine to Georgia and Paid $1,100 Less
Fact Checked by: 
Welles, ME → Athens, GA
$8,800
Four-bedroom home
$7,700
$1,100 under quote
1,090 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I compared two quotes before I hired JK Moving for my Maine to Georgia move.
- My final bill came in $1,100 under the estimate because my shipment weighed less than JK Moving originally quoted.
- 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 Lori C., who moved from Welles, Maine, to Athens, Georgia, in February 2024 using JK Moving. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from Maine to Georgia
After my divorce, I wanted a fresh start, so I planned my move from Welles, Maine, to Athens, Georgia. I downsized from a four-bedroom, 2,160-square-foot house to a three-bedroom, 1,476-square-foot home I would share with my two dogs.
I did not have any specialty items, but I still wanted a top moving company, one of the kind you find on moveBuddha’s best interstate moving companies list. I was nervous about driving 1,090 miles with my two dogs on my own, and my work travel schedule was hectic on top of that. I needed a mover who could handle everything, packing, loading, transportation, unloading, and unpacking, with as little hand-holding from me as possible.
I researched using moveBuddha before I started requesting quotes. According to moveBuddha, users who compare movers this way save more than 30% on average versus booking the first quote they get.
My JK Moving experience at a glance
Here is what stood out most about my move with JK Moving.
- Communication: JK Moving was easy to reach by phone and email. They communicated clearly from start to finish and gave me a five-star experience.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: My move actually cost less than my original quote, which was a pleasant surprise.
- Professionalism: Everyone I dealt with at JK Moving was friendly, helpful, and professional.
- Timeliness: I had to fit my move around a busy travel schedule for work. I was nervous JK could not swing it, but they were accommodating and went above and beyond to fit my availability.
- Loss and damage: Aside from one broken glass item that was not worth filing a claim over, everything arrived safely and in good condition.
- Would I use JK Moving again? Absolutely. I would recommend JK Moving to anyone who wants a white-glove moving experience.
under my original JK Moving quote
Find out what a move from Maine → Georgia actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose JK Moving
JK Moving and Safeway Moving both impressed me, but JK won me over with their willingness to work around my travel schedule. I had to be in Maine to oversee the movers, fly to Las Vegas for a work trip, fly back to Athens to oversee unloading, and then fly back to Maine to drive down to Georgia with my dogs. JK did not blink at any of it. I also liked their high-tech quote process. A sales representative walked me through a video call, went room by room, photographed everything I wanted moved, and sent me a quote within 48 hours as promised.
The one hiccup in an otherwise smooth move was a single glass item that broke in transit. It was not serious enough to file a damage claim over, but it was the only thing that did not arrive in perfect shape.
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my move, including what I was quoted and what I actually paid for my Maine to Georgia move.
| Move date | February 13, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Moved from | Welles, Maine |
| Moved to | Athens, Georgia |
| Distance | 1,090 miles |
| Move size | Four-bedroom home (2,160 square feet) |
| Moving company | JK Moving |
| Moving quote | $8,800 |
| Actual cost | $7,700 |
According to moveBuddha, comparing quotes with a tool like the moving cost calculator can save you 30% on average compared to booking the first quote you get.
Quotes I compared
I spent three months planning this move, and once I had a new home lined up, it took me about a week to find a mover. I requested quotes from two full-service movers, Safeway Moving and JK Moving, both estimating around 7,500 pounds for my four-bedroom home.
| Company | Estimated volume/weight | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| JK Moving | 7,500 pounds | $8,800 |
| Safeway Moving | 7,500 pounds | $7,800 |
Pickup day
JK Moving showed up right on time at 8:30 a.m. and called me 10 minutes out to let me know they were on their way. Before they started packing, I walked them through my home to show them what needed to go. JK’s team asked questions, raised concerns, and talked through solutions with me before they got to work, which made me feel more confident going in.
While JK packed my things, I stayed in a different room that was not part of the move. The crew knocked before entering whenever they had questions. If you are booking a full-service move, it is worth spending some time in the room while your movers pack. It gives you more control over the process, and I would do that differently next time.
In total, JK took eight hours to pack and load 174 items onto the truck. I loved that they got it all done in a single day.
Delivery day
It took a week and a half for my things to arrive in Athens, though that was because I asked JK to delay delivery around my work trip. They made sure to arrive within my availability window, which I appreciated.
Aside from one broken glass item that was not worth a damage claim, everything arrived in perfect condition. Before unloading, I walked the team through the house and talked through how everything would come inside. Since most moving trucks carry multiple customers’ items, JK asked me to cross off an inventory checklist as they unloaded. They also rechecked the list on an iPad to make sure nothing got left on the truck.
It took about half a day to unload everything and reassemble my furniture. Best of all, my final cost was $7,700, well under the $8,800 quote, because my items ended up weighing less than estimated.
Final thoughts
I cannot think of a single thing I would change about my move. It went exactly as expected, and I believe I got great value for the money. JK Moving was helpful and quick to respond, and they worked around a genuinely hectic travel schedule without ever making me feel like a burden.
I have since learned that a virtual, on-camera estimate, especially an AI-assisted one like the one JK Moving used, tends to be far more accurate than a phone quote. That is a big part of why my final cost ended up so close to, and actually under, what I was originally quoted.
Every person I dealt with at JK was friendly, professional, and dependable. I felt stressed heading into this move, but JK took good care of me. My advice to anyone planning a move is simple: remain calm. Take things one step at a time instead of looking at the whole process at once, and trust that it will get done. Choosing a quality moving partner takes a lot of the stress off your plate, too.
Comparing full-service movers for your own move? Use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to gather real quotes from vetted companies before you book.
My ratings
Here is how I rated JK Moving’s performance on a scale of 1 to 5.
- Communication: 5 out of 5. JK was easy to reach and clear about every next step.
- Timeliness: 5 out of 5. They worked around a genuinely difficult travel schedule without missing a beat.
- Quote accuracy: 5 out of 5. My final cost came in under the original estimate.
- Overall experience: 5 out of 5. I would not change a thing.
More moving resources
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Lori C.’s experience:
- Avoid scheduling travel during your move if you can help it: Lori’s cross-country work travel added stress on top of an already big life change. If your schedule allows it, block off moving week and keep it free.
- Get a virtual or in-person estimate before you book: Lori’s video walkthrough with JK Moving, room by room with photos, got her a written quote within 48 hours and helped her final bill land under the estimate instead of over it.
- Label every box with its contents and your contact information: This cuts down on the chances of a lost or misdelivered box when your things are riding on a truck with other customers’ shipments.
- Stay in the room while your movers pack: Lori stepped out during packing and, looking back, wishes she had not. Staying present gives you more control over how your things get handled.
Moving soon? We’ll pay you $500 to tell it like Lori C. did.
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