Moving from Texas to Massachusetts Over Christmas Cost Me Big
Fact Checked by: 
Austin, TX → Stockbridge, MA
$11,175
About 5,600 pounds, full packing
$15,960
+$4,785, mostly short-term storage
1,900 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I contacted three companies before I hired JK Moving Services for my Texas to Massachusetts move, and booked before the other two sent estimates.
- My final bill landed $4,785 over the estimate, almost entirely short-term storage I needed because I moved on short notice over Christmas.
- 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 Adam P., who moved from Austin, Texas, to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in December 2022 using JK Moving Services. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from Texas to Massachusetts
With the 2022 holiday season less than a month away, I bought a house in Massachusetts near where I grew up, and moved 1,900 miles to be closer to family. Being back in familiar surroundings was an exciting prospect, and after four moves in five years I knew how much could go wrong on a long-distance move this complicated.
Three things made mine harder than most. I was moving over Christmas and New Year’s, truck access was limited at both the old house and the new one, and I had fragile antiques that needed real attention. Price mattered, and I was willing to pay extra for an experienced company that could manage every part of it. What worried me was paying top dollar for mediocre service and finding my antiques damaged at the other end.
I used moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to budget and contacted three companies from the best interstate movers list. According to moveBuddha, users who compare movers this way save more than 30% versus taking the first quote they get.
My JK Moving Services experience at a glance
Here’s what stood out most about moving with JK Moving Services, good and bad.
- Communication: Adequate throughout, with room for improvement. I got multiple confirmation calls and useful email reminders before the move, and I’d have liked a text or call before the crew turned up on the day.
- Quote accuracy and transparency: This is where it went wrong. I paid $15,960 against an $11,175 estimate, because my things had to go into short-term storage given the timing and the last-minute nature of my move.
- Professionalism: High marks. The drivers and movers were efficient and careful, and the wrapping and crating of my fragile antiques was genuinely white-glove.
- Timeliness: JK picked up and delivered inside the agreed window, in bad weather, over the holidays.
- Loss and damage: Nothing was lost and nothing was damaged between Texas and Massachusetts.
- Would I use JK Moving Services again? I gave them 4 out of 5 overall, and I’d probably use a different company next time, mostly because of the cost.
over my original JK Moving quote
Find out what a move from Texas → Massachusetts actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose JK Moving Services
I planned on getting quotes from three or four movers, and the process collapsed into a single day. I submitted requests through moveBuddha, and JK’s sales representative got back to me first, went through my move details by phone, and showed me how to use the company’s 3D visualization app to inventory the house.
I got such a good feeling from JK that I told the other companies I’d picked a mover before they’d submitted estimates. At $11,175 the quote was slightly more than I wanted to spend, and it seemed reasonable given the size, timing, and complexity of what I was asking for. In hindsight, that’s the decision I’d take back.
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my relocation, including what I was quoted and what I actually paid for my Texas to Massachusetts move.
| Move date | December 24, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Moved from | Austin, Texas |
| Moved to | Stockbridge, Massachusetts |
| Distance | 1,900 miles |
| Move size | 3-bedroom home (2,000 square feet) |
| Moving company | JK Moving Services |
| Moving quote | $11,175 |
| Actual cost | $15,960 |
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
My quote table is mostly empty, and that’s the point. I booked JK before the other three companies came back to me, so I never found out what they would have charged.
| Company | Estimated weight | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| JK Moving Services | 5,600 pounds | $11,175 |
| American Van Lines | NA | No estimate provided |
| Safeway Moving | NA | No estimate provided |
| Air Van North American | NA | No estimate provided |
JK’s estimate was non-binding, and it covered full packing, origin and destination shuttles, loading and unloading labor, door-to-door transportation, custom crating for three particularly fragile items, partial unpacking for the mattress and mirror cartons, full-value replacement coverage with no deductible, and a fuel surcharge. Storage wasn’t included, though estimated storage charges were listed separately under Additional Services. That detail matters, because moving on short notice over the holidays made storage likely from the start.
Pickup day
I paid a $250 deposit, started discarding and donating what I didn’t want, and set aside the things I planned to carry myself. JK called several times to confirm details and sent emails with tips and reminders in the run-up.
The crew arrived early to coordinate the shuttle, because my driveway was too narrow for a tractor-trailer. I’d have preferred a text or call before they turned up, and I was impressed by their professionalism, care, and efficiency once they did. The wrapping and crating of my fragile antiques was exactly the white-glove service I’d been hoping for.
I spent most of the day in my office on virtual meetings, checking in periodically and answering questions as they came up. The crew worked about eight hours, and I tipped them before they pulled away.
Delivery day
My household goods reached Stockbridge 20 days later. Nobody enjoys being without their things over the holidays, and JK delivered inside the window we’d agreed on.
The crew had a lot of winter weather to deal with, so I hired a snow removal company to clear the driveway and lay down sand before they arrived. I was impressed that they protected my floors with rug runners, moving pads, and cardboard before starting. Unloading went surprisingly fast despite the snow and ice, and nothing had been lost or damaged across 1,900 miles.
Final thoughts
JK picked up and delivered my things on time, without loss or damage, in bad weather, over Christmas and New Year’s. That’s a genuinely impressive feat, and I paid a lot more than I wanted to because everything had to go into short-term storage.
I wasn’t happy about the storage charges, though they weren’t a complete surprise, since they were listed on the original estimate even if they weren’t included in it. I wish JK had found a way to work around my dates without storing my things, and I accept it was largely unavoidable given the timing. What I really regret is not getting quotes from the other three companies, and not pushing harder on guaranteed delivery dates that wouldn’t have required storage at all. Other than the cost, the move was remarkably free of stress and service problems, so I felt I got my money’s worth.
Planning a long-distance move? Use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to compare real quotes from vetted movers before you book.
My ratings
Here’s how I scored JK Moving Services on a scale of 1 to 5 based on my end-to-end experience.
- Communication: 3 out of 5. Multiple confirmation calls and helpful emails beforehand, and no heads-up on the day the crew arrived.
- Timeliness: 5 out of 5. Picked up and delivered inside the agreed window despite the holidays and the weather.
- Quote accuracy: 1 out of 5. My lowest score by far. I paid $15,960 against an $11,175 non-binding estimate.
- Overall experience: 4 out of 5. Nothing lost, nothing damaged, and crews I’d happily have back, held down by the cost.
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Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Adam P.’s experience:
- Wait for every quote you asked for: Adam P. told three companies he’d chosen a mover before they’d sent estimates, and it’s the decision he most regrets. A good first impression is not the same as a competitive price.
- Read the Additional Services section, not just the total: Storage wasn’t included in Adam P.’s estimate, and it was listed underneath as a possible charge. That section is where a $4,785 surprise hides.
- Push for a guaranteed delivery date: Moving over a holiday on short notice made storage nearly unavoidable. Ask directly whether the company can hit your dates without warehousing your things, and what it costs if they can’t.
- Know whether your estimate is binding: Adam P.’s was non-binding, which is why the final number could move as much as it did. Ask which kind you’re signing and what specifically can change it.
- Clear the driveway before a winter delivery: Adam P. hired a snow removal company to clear and sand ahead of the crew, and unloading went quickly despite the conditions. It’s a small cost that protects both the schedule and your floors.
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