Willamette Express LTD

We started out being satisfied with this company even though there were some signs early on that they weren't used to moving higher-end household goods....for example, they had no plans to protect an antique sofa upholstered in velvet (no covers/no shrink-wrap) until I saw how they were handling the piece and made a stink about it. They also underestimated the amount of packing that needed to be done which ultimately had some disastrous results for us because they were still packing as furniture and boxes were being loaded, thus distracting us from effectively supervising what was going on. We had specifically instructed them not to pack any of our artwork (Willamette Express has admitted that this had been made clear to them). Because our move was to a house only five miles away, we had moved all of the artwork ourselves; however, there were a few remaining pieces that we hadn't gotten to. Thus, it was a very unpleasant discovery during the unpacking process the next week to find that they had packed a fragile sculpture fashioned out of a walrus tusk (an investment piece purchased by us in 2004 for $2900) in a box along with items from our powder room (toilet plunger, cleaning supplies and two hand towels). The medium-size box was not labeled Fragile, but identified as "bath towels, paper, misc., and the sculpture had been laid on top simply separated from the rest by a single sheet of paper. Needless to say, given the labeling, opening this box wasn't high on the unpacking priority list. We submitted a claim asking for the depreciated value of this sculpture due to the damage which, of course, can be repaired, but will always detract from its re-sale value. Their response: a check for $6.00 (which we returned to them) based on the estimated weight of the sculpture . Willamette's management totally disregarded their failure to comply with our instructions not to touch any artwork and accepted no responsibility for this lapse. We realize that our move may have involved more than your average local moves. And, that's what we want anyone who is considering Willamette to know. If you have treasured items, this is NOT the company to select for your move. Their salespeople will tell you otherwise, but know that they can't be expected to follow even the most explicit instructions. And, if there is a problem, they will wiggle out of it. We have relocated several times and know that there is no perfect moving company or moving experience....damage happens. However, none has ever walked away from their responsibility like Willamette.

We moved with Willamette Express two weeks ago. All the individuals we dealt with were clear and professional from the woman who set up the move to Scott and Eddie who moved us. They were tireless, always upbeat and hard workers. They made a tough day go easier. Only downside is the tool (sq feet of residence) the company uses (standard practice) to estimate the size of job gave an underestimate of workers needed and final cost. I would definately recommend them to a friend but advise adding some additional time to the estimate.