I Compared 5 Quotes for My California to South Dakota Move
Fact Checked by: 
Citrus Heights, CA → Vermillion, SD
$3,091.25
Approx. 650 sq. ft.
$3,091.12
$0.13 under my quote
1,613 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I compared five quotes before I hired Bravo Moving for my California to South Dakota move.
- My final bill landed $0.13 under my estimate: I was quoted $3,091.25 and paid $3,091.12.
- 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 Ana-Lisa S., who moved from Citrus Heights, California, to Vermillion, South Dakota, in May 2024 using Bravo Moving. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from California to South Dakota
On May 21, 2024, I moved myself and my dog, Dylan, from Citrus Heights, California, to Vermillion, South Dakota, to be closer to family. I’m a 62-year-old retired travel nurse who has lived in seven states, and I’m hoping this is my last move. It wasn’t my biggest, either: I had more than 30 boxes and household furnishings that weighed less than 3,000 pounds.
I’ve moved 21 times since 2004, and I had never worked with a mover I loved enough to keep using. This time, I researched top moving companies and collected quotes from full-service movers months in advance. Bravo Moving was the first to follow up by phone and email, and it gave me both the lowest quote and the best customer service, which made my decision easy.
Before I called anyone, I used moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to compare rough estimates before I called companies directly.
My Bravo Moving experience at a glance
Bravo Moving delivered a smooth move with one communication gap before pickup. I shared the details through moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project in exchange for a $500 relocation stipend, so here is how it broke down.
- Communication: Bravo’s team was helpful and responsive at the start of the process and during the move itself. They fell short when I asked about custom crates and insurance for my art, so I ended up transporting the art myself.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: My final cost landed within pennies of my binding estimate: I was quoted $3,091.25 and paid $3,091.12. That estimate was also significantly lower than my other quotes, and it reached me faster.
- Professionalism: Bravo’s movers and driver were friendly, careful, and efficient.
- Timeliness: My household goods were picked up and delivered on time. The driver estimated a June 1 delivery, and my belongings arrived on that exact date.
- Loss and damage: I had one damaged item, a $70 desk chair that wasn’t wrapped. I didn’t blame the movers, so I didn’t file a claim.
- Would I use Bravo Moving again? Absolutely. It was one of the smoothest moves I’ve had, and I would recommend Bravo to friends and family.
under my original Bravo Moving quote
Find out what a move from California → South Dakota actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose Bravo Moving
I chose Bravo Moving because its sales representative made me feel respected and understood. My antiques and artwork were worth more than the move itself. That included a signed picture of Bob Dylan, and movers have damaged my belongings in the past. Bravo also took my inventory over FaceTime and gave me a binding estimate before any other mover did.
The main drawback was communication after I paid a 30% deposit by check to secure my date. My sales representative answered my questions about custom crates and extra insurance for my art only minimally by text, then canceled multiple FaceTime calls to inventory the pieces and go over my insurance options, so I decided to transport the art myself.
rating
- Focuses on California moves
- Fast & accurate
- Guaranteed delivery window
- Residential, corporate & military moves
- Highly trained, full-time crews
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my California to South Dakota move: what Bravo Moving quoted me and what I ended up paying.
| Move date | May 21, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Moved from | Citrus Heights, CA |
| Moved to | Vermillion, SD |
| Distance | 1,613 miles |
| Move size | Approx. 650 square feet |
| Moving company | Bravo Moving |
| Moving quote | $3,091.25 |
| Actual cost | $3,091.12 |
We found that when you use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator, you can save 30% on moving costs compared to customers who go with the first quote they receive.
Quotes I compared
I started my search on Google, which led me to moveBuddha. After I read through several reviews, I double-checked my favorite companies on other review sites like Yelp, then requested quotes from five movers, Bravo Moving included.
The volume of negative reviews about moving companies overwhelmed me at first. According to moveBuddha, reviews of long-distance movers deserve a grain of salt, because sites like Yelp and Google don’t separate move types, and long-distance moves tend to draw more complaints since companies partner with smaller movers across the country. Service can change with the location and the crew that handles your move.
Bravo gave me the lowest quote. Many of the companies with higher estimates either seemed disinterested in my move or harassed me with constant calls. After many phone calls and emails, I compiled these quotes:
| Company | Estimated weight | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mayzlin Relocation | 3,010 pounds | $3,600 |
| U-Pack | n/a (quote was for a 7-foot truck) | $3,430 |
| Safeway Moving | 3,437 pounds | $5,825 |
| JK Moving | 5,000-pound minimum | $10,100 |
| Bravo Moving | 2,275 pounds | $3,091.25 |
Pickup day
My crew arrived on May 21, a day before the May 22 date my sales representative had texted me, and they showed up at 11:16 a.m. instead of between 3 and 6 p.m., as I was told.
Bravo had called me on May 20 to say the crew would arrive between 3 and 6 p.m. the following day. When I asked my sales representative to clarify, he insisted my move day was still May 22.
I had already lost trust in my sales representative’s ability to coordinate my move, so I went with what the other Bravo representatives told me and planned to move on May 21. I was already packed and ready to go, so the early arrival didn’t throw me off.
From that point on, Bravo’s service could not have been better. From loading to unloading, the crew was professional, efficient, and careful with all of my furniture and belongings.
After the mix-up, I stopped contacting my original Bravo representative. I messaged Bravo on Instagram instead, then spoke with the delivery driver directly, who kept me updated by cell phone along the way.
Delivery day
I knew the driver’s large semi-truck wouldn’t be allowed into the tiny town I was moving to, so I expected my belongings would need to move to a smaller U-Haul rental truck. I gave Bravo a heads up before delivery day.
The driver handled the transfer without charging me extra or delaying delivery. He gave me an estimated delivery date of June 1, and he showed up exactly on that date.
My home wasn’t ready, so I moved some boxes into storage and hadn’t unpacked them yet. Everything I did unpack looked like it had been handled carefully, apart from the $70 desk chair that wasn’t wrapped. I was understanding about it and didn’t file a claim.
Final thoughts
Bravo Moving picked up and delivered my belongings on time with only minimal damage, and I was grateful for the level of attention my move received. Bravo’s movers and drivers went above and beyond what I expected. Before they arrived, the lack of communication had me worried my belongings wouldn’t be handled properly, and I was relieved to be wrong.
Looking back, the one thing I would do differently is talk to someone else at the company when my sales representative’s communication became inconsistent. That way, I could have arranged custom crating and added insurance for my art instead of handling it myself. Doing it myself did save me a little extra money on additional services, though that was not the plan.
Communication problems are a common complaint about the moving industry, and it’s not just Bravo. A company can do almost everything right, and one unanswered question can still throw off the whole process. According to moveBuddha, problems are far less likely when you stay on top of your move with a detailed moving checklist. When something does come up, a plan B takes the sting out. My autographed Bob Dylan picture made it to South Dakota safely, and that’s proof.
Several of my friends are moving out of California because of the rising cost of living, and Bravo Moving is a mover I’m happy to recommend to them. If you want to see how other Bravo customers fared, read Yvonne’s move from California to New York and Greg’s move from Oregon to California.
Compare a few movers before you commit. According to moveBuddha, users who compare quotes with the moving cost calculator save more than 30% versus taking the first quote they get.
My ratings
Here is how I rated Bravo Moving on a scale of 1 to 5:
- Communication: 5. My sales representative went quiet after I paid my deposit, but once I switched to Instagram messages and then the delivery driver, I got the answers I needed along the way.
- Timeliness: 5. My belongings were picked up and delivered on time, and delivery landed on the exact date the driver estimated.
- Quote accuracy: 5. I paid $3,091.12 against a $3,091.25 quote, which is $0.13 less than I was quoted.
- Overall experience: 5. It was one of the smoothest moves I’ve had, and I would use Bravo Moving again.
More moving resources
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Ana-Lisa S.’s experience:
- Be precise with your inventory: Do a FaceTime or in-person walkthrough with the mover before you get a quote, if possible. That is how Ana-Lisa S. got a binding estimate from Bravo before any other mover sent one.
- Tell your mover about add-ons ahead of time: If you want to add items or services, say so before move day. Ana-Lisa S. strongly recommends this over trying to slip add-ons in at the last minute.
- Find a secondary contact if your first one goes quiet: If your main contact isn’t communicating effectively, reach out to someone else at the company. Ana-Lisa S. eventually did this through Instagram and wishes she had acted sooner.
- Ask about valuables early: If you own art or antiques, ask about custom crating and extra insurance as soon as you book. Unanswered questions on both are what pushed Ana-Lisa S. to move her art herself.
- Be packed early and keep a plan B: Dates and arrival windows can shift. Ana-Lisa S. was ready ahead of schedule, so a crew showing up a day early didn’t derail her, and moveBuddha’s detailed moving checklist helps you stay on top of the details.
- Plan for truck access: If a full-size semi-truck may not fit at your destination, tell your mover ahead of time. Ana-Lisa S. gave Bravo a heads up about her tiny town, and the transfer to a smaller truck added no cost and no delay.
Moving soon? We’ll pay you $500 to tell it like Ana-Lisa S. did.
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