BEWARE of Mess Masters PRICE GOUGING / $125 hourly "extra labor" fee on top if $450 load fee.
The pros first: Spencer McGuire and Jay of Mess Masters were on time, helpful and seemed like good guys. I like to hire locals and they sounded nice, if unprofessional.
The cons (or the con): they presented me with an exorbitant bill I had not agreed to.
Jay confirms they will add a previously-undisclosed $125 per hour to your bill (that's on top of their normal $450 per load rate!) if your job goes over their time expectation. Not that we'd talked time frame or (my bad) load rate. I expected the job to take the 3-4 hrs it took.
I've hired other local guys with pick up trucks in the area, and they generally bill at $60 / hour or load. So I figured $120 an hour for the two of them. So for my 3-4 hr move, $360-$480, right?
After a 3.5 hour move to a location only a few blocks away, I was ready to tip them and give them a case (it had been a stressful move) when Spencer and Jay presented me with an invoice for $450.00 / PER LOAD. Plus $50 per hr extra. They told me I was lucky they hadn't decided to charge me $125 hr extra, which they confirmed they normally do.
$$$1,050.00 TOTAL.
To compare:
a mover named Andrew out of Welland charges $60 to fill a large commercial cargo van.
Or, to step it up, Niagara Moving Company, which is bonded and insured, provides 2 professional movers with 10 years experience, who will wrap your stuff in blankets, provides a 16-foot cargo van, and guarantees a move like mine for $640 or under. No hidden or extra fees.
Or you can have 2 boys with dirty trucks (one borrowed from his dad) for $1,050. You decide.
When I called to discuss the discrepancies in their invoice, Spencer McGuire told me I might want to be more careful in the future and hung up on me.
PLEASE Don't use them. This is the kind of thing that gives movers a bad name.
Other cons, besides the obvious scam: their equipment is pretty basic - the back of 2 pick up trucks (one very dirty; must have just done a dump run) and a small drag-behind trailer. No dollies or blankets. Or much moving experience, I would say.
Definitely pass on these two.
I've reported them to Consumer Protection and the BBB for price gouging. If you've had a bad experience with them, please report them also. read more