Rainier Overseas Movers

We moved from Chicago to Israel this Summer. We checked out different movers, and Rainer was the best priced from Chicago for the amount we wanted to send.
Additionally, the customer service was amazing! Mark was super helpful and responsive, always happy to answer any questions or deal with any concerns. (and easy to get in touch with, unlike some other places we checked out!)

The shipping was professional and efficient. The movers came and packed all our fragiles quickly but securely, and every single thing arrived safe and sound to our apartment in Israel!

We highly recommend Ranier Shippers!

Thanks!

Move size: 1 Bedroom Flat Service cost: $1900

I used Rainier for a move from Seattle to Thailand in March 2017 and the 2 star rating is a reflection of the unloading services in Thailand; the packing and services provided in Seattle were unbelievably bad and worth 0. I've moved many, many times over the years- both on my own and with moving services- and I've never had a worse experience. I've also never had nearly as much damage as on this move, despite the fact that as an international move using a 20' container, my items should have been more protected than during a local move with limited wrapping.

My movers in Seattle were very, very late both days of packing- as in, HOURS late. Only one person in the crew spoke any English, which complicated the process throughout, and none were particularly friendly. My items were packed uniformly from one packer to the next only in terms of complete lack of logic; while plastic bags of hair ties were wrapped in wads of packing wrap in some boxes, there was no wrapping of glass hollow globes in a box shared with heavy metal bases in others. I found cast iron skillets packed on top of fine china and expensive framed art shoved into badly bent boxes without packing material. All of this was discovered before the items even left the house as the mountains of boxes made clear that wasted space was an issue. I spent the second day, non-stop, repacking about 80% of the boxes myself, which was all I had time for. Sure enough, the boxes I did not repack were just as poorly packed, as revealed by the broken items and excessive paper found upon unpacking in Thailand. A very expensive Ames fiberglass chaise was broken before it was even wrapped in Seattle as I watched the mover smack it into the brick wall while picking it up, to which he unapologetically pointed out the large crack along the back and claimed it had been that way previously. Multiple calls for assistance from the lead office, which were so helpful during booking, were met with extreme attitude and disregard. The company did eventually send out extra support and a manager to review the process but only on the 2nd day and after it was clear that many, many errors had occurred. It was too late to do anything to salvage the move by then and the increased manpower only served to mitigate the time lost by the late starts and slowing packing both days- still running several hours later than quoted even with the extra help. Nothing was done to mitigate the issues in packing or to offset the extreme stress caused by this entire process. In fact, not even an apology was forthcoming, despite me sending photos of the problems and repeatedly requesting assistance.

Two months later, there were quite a few issues of communication and confirmation of my delivery, along with several changes to the delivery date. However, once we pinned down a specific date and my shipment cleared customs, the movers in Thailand were on time and well staffed with a large crew for the move. English language skills was again a problem, which resulted in a lot of boxes left in the wrong parts of the house and subsequent work on my part, but the crew was friendly and worked hard. It seems pretty clear that the damage to my things was part of the packing and loading process, not the unloading process, but the overall effect was damage to items I couldn't have expected. Metal floor lamps and the metal base of a vintage wood reliquary bent so badly as to now sit crooked, deep cracks in a vintage butcher block and lengthwise through the front panels of a solid wood bedroom dresser and along back seams of a hardwood nightstand, broken pottery, dozens and dozens of badly bent books in boxes that were underpacked and collapsed in shipment, heavy items packed inside large lampshades- bending them irreparably, and framed art that came apart at the corners from sideways torque. I did report this damage to the representative in Thailand, to which I received no response. It is clear that the company policy is one of helpfulness until something goes wrong and then it's all on you to handle it.

I will note that after spending literally hours and hours preparing the itemized inventory and preparing the replacement quotes required of each for the platinum coverage, I declined insurance with the company due to the insane restrictions on how any claim would be handled. Read the fine print before choosing this option, as my coverage, which would have been limited to coverage of named items (which is another limitation of the insurance offered) was going to cost more than 4k, not including the insurance fee they charge against the cost of the shipment itself, and would have allowed the company to seek local repair of anything damaged rather replacement. Knowing that this policy would never pay to replace, for example, the $6k custom leather sofa I shipped over (plus thousands to ship it to Thailand), I opted to risk damage less than the $4k+ rather than pay it to them and end up with shoddy repairs anyway. Note also that the movers noted EVERY ITEM I OWN as damaged on the inventory (patently false), provided only AFTER all packing and loading into the truck so that it can't be contested. It's obvious that this is a tactic to disclaim damage at delivery, further complicating any claim against insurance.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $8000

I have moved with Rainier Overseas (Doug is da man!) 3 times .. from the US->EU, EU->US and again from US->EU.
It's a relief to deal with Doug - he handles everything for you, you juts have to provide him some documents (for example when moving your car) and he just handles it all.
The companies Doug works with have proven to be very reliable and fast. In 3 moves I have not been disappointed.
If you plan on moving International, I'd HIGHLY recommend Doug.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $15000

The movers arrived in Perpignan exactly as scheduled. They were excellent ~ professional, friendly, careful, and quick. 10 out of 10. (And a Perpignan delivery is difficult, as we moved inside the pedestrian area of the old city.)

The movers in Miami were equally wonderful. In addition to being friendly and professional, everything was packed perfectly as evidenced by the fact that nothing was damaged in transit. And they coped with our excessive condo association rules without problems.

I must say we received estimates for less money, but I did not have confidence that those movers were professional or had the ability to move our things properly and without surcharges. This move went EXACTLY according to plan, and exactly according to budget. Remember, you get what you pay for. We wanted a fixed price to have our valuables delivered without damage within an agreed time frame. SUCCESS! We are 100% happy and would highly recommend these movers again.

Please feel free to contact us for confirmation: nthaw@juno.com

Final thought: Moving is very important and very stressful. Do you choose a Doctor based on price, or on competence?

Move size: 1 Bedroom Flat Service cost: $10000

We moved from Boston, MA to Switzerland in June. We decided to go with Rainier Overseas Movers because their quote was good and they seemed like a reputable company. We are overall very happy with how things went. Rainier had R.C. Mason Movers pack up our stuff and move it out of Boston and had World Freight Relocations deliver in Switzerland. I would recommend all of these companies.

All of the people we communicated with via email were:
- quick to respond
- courteous
- helpful
- accommodating.

The people who did the actual moving (Neil Lambert, Roger Muse, Harold Mir, Hugh McLellan in Boston; I didn't catch the European movers' names unfortunately) were:
- punctual
- careful
- fast
- courteous.

Our belongings arrived in about 8 weeks, faster than the 13 weeks they estimated.

I would recommend all three companies and if we move again, and I would hire them again.

PS: For some reason this website forces me to pick a destination country for our move, but Switzerland is not an option.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Flat Service cost: $6000

When I learned that I would be relocating from the San Francisco Bay Area to Maui, HI, among the many different items that I would need to coordinate (and perhaps one of the hardest) would be the move of our household goods from a 3000 square foot/four bedroom home.

I found Rainier Overseas Movers quite by accident, as I was researching sites designed to help with overseas relocations where shipping via container ships was going to be required. I collected four different bids, and Rainier's was by far the most favorable (nearly 50% less than others I investigated).

From the moment I met the origination agent who would move our goods from our home in California to storage and pack them for transport on the cargo ship, I knew I was making an excellent choice. Highly professional, attuned to my concerns and needs, and very clear in setting expectations, the entire process proceeded exactly according to plan. Every deadline, timeline, and promise for delivery was made and in many cases exceeded. And most importantly, there were no surprises when the bill arrived. It cost exactly what was quoted, and not one penny more.

The communication from Doug Wiviott at Rainier was always rapid, timely and very professional, exceeding my expectations every time. At times, Doug responded before I could even step away from my computer after sending him an email!

One of the most difficult aspects of our move to Maui was effortless, affordable and exceptionally well done. And while I hope that I never need to move back to the Mainland from our new home in Maui, I would only work with Rainier if that was ever needed again. I wouldn't trust my precious possessions with anyone else.

I have recommended Rainier to two other colleagues who are moving to/from Hawaii, and I would keep recommending them over and over. Doug and his team at Rainier made a 2000+ mile move across an ocean as effortless as if I were moving down the street.

So if your life takes you across an ocean for any reason, trust Rainier and their agents implicitly. You absolutely will not be disappointed!

Move size: 4 Bedroom Home Service cost: $20000

Everything went as well as one can expect for an international move, with that many involved parties.
The US moving company Movingstar was very good, both in the preparation phase as well as on packing day.
Doug from Rainier was very responsive during the whole process.
The time it took between arrival at harbor and delivery to our house was very short (maybe 3 days), and also the local company Bridgeway Relocations did a good job.
Overall I'm very happy with the whole move.

Move size: 4 Bedroom Home Service cost: $10500

Fantastic service all the way from to door-to-door. We couldn't have asked for better. The teams on both sides of the Atlantic were at all times professional, polite and punctual, which made what is an inevitably stressful experience--moving half way around the world--much, much easier. Everything arrived in good order and we were grateful for the regular updates with the progress of the shipment as it was delayed from its original date. Top marks to all involved.

Move size: 4+ Bedroom Home Service cost: $7800

We had a really good experience with Rainier and our contact there, Doug Wiviott. We were given a reasonable quote for our move from CA to NC and the packers in Los Angeles [California Relocations] were excellent — not a thing was damaged or misplaced and the team were very polite and respectful of our home. We had some customer service issues with the subcontractors on the Charlotte end, however, Doug was able to sort this out and ensured our delivery arrived as quickly as possible, after which the subcontractors did a fine job delivering our belongings. I would recommend Rainier for the customer service, quality of service and cost.

This has been my second fantastic experience with Rainier Overseas Movers and I can't say enough good things.

In June 2019, we moved across the country from L.A. to North Carolina. The packers in LA were very efficient and put cloth coverings on all the floors before beginning work, which I really appreciated. Our items made their way across the country promptly and the only hold-up came from the local moving service in Charlotte, NC, who weren't making space for us on their schedule. Doug was extremely helpful during this time and arranged for the movers to complete the delivery before my mother (who was visiting from overseas to help watch our then 1-year-old-son) had to leave.

Everything arrived in great condition and I was pleased with the process and end result.

We moved again this past March from North Carolina to Sydney, Australia. This move was very last minute and Doug made it easy for me to coordinate the packing and shipping process virtually as, due to COVID-19 and borders shutting, we had to leave the country before our items were packed.

The shipment took about three months, including time spent in customs here in Australia. Only one item was broken and another missing, both of which we have filed insurance. I received helpful advice from Doug on how to insure our items should the worst happen (the container fall into the ocean, for example), and was kept updated every step of the way.

Any time I needed to contact Doug via email I had a reply within 24 hours, if not before.

The total cost of moving our goods across the world was definitely cheaper than purchasing all new items here in Australia, and both the customer service experience and quality of movers on both ends have made this another wonderful experience with Rainier.

Hopefully, we won't be doing another big move like that in the near future, but if we do I will know who to call!

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $7000

I have moved with Rainier Overseas 2 times to New Zealand, from California and also Minnesota. Both moves were executed seamlessly and without drama. Moving with Rainier was initially a random selection, but the second move was a no brainer. Mark Lawson at Rainier makes the process very simple and very organized. Truly a very professional operation and literally the easiest decision to make. I have been very satisfied with both moves, door to door. All you have to do is lift the phone. They do all the heavy lifting. No need to waste your time and shop around for a better deal. Thank you Mark and thank you Rainier Overseas.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $7250

We would like to thank Doug and all of the good folks at Rainier for a quick and easy move from Olympia to Germany this summer. Rainier quickly and efficiently provided a good explanation of what paperwork was required (customs forms and local moving companies to pickup and deliver), quotes for transport and potential schedules for vessels and delivery. Doug was always responsive to our questions and provided good updates as the move progressed. The move went smoothly, our household goods arrived within the projected timeframe and we had no damage beyond one pottery item with a broken butterfly wing. We would recommend anyone moving overseas use Rainier as their broker.

Service cost: $8800

I learned of Rainier by asking online, where I could source information from others who'd "been there, done that." I'd already had two experiences which didn't turn out as well as they should, by a long shot, and I was nervous.
On top of that, my mother had just died, and these were precious family heirlooms being shipped.
Turns out, this third shipment was happening right at the peak of business for the industry, very hard to schedule and fulfill, but there was no way around it, really.
And, in the end, though I reached out to two other shippers, only Rainier responded. Their agent, Mark, subcontracted a local mover to pack things up, and the care given by that team was exceptional -- a huge difference from my previous experiences! The transit time was just as anticipated. And the delivery was subcontracted to the very shipper I'd previously given two chances to fail. They might have failed this third time, too, but for Mark. He stayed on top of everything, responded to every communication, kept me in the loop, remained patient and understanding even when I was struggling. I just wish I'd hired Rainier for the first two shipments!
Oh, and they charged less, too! Best service imaginable, and for less than others charged!
For anyone making aliyah, look at all the movers and shippers you have time to check into, but, if you want things done thoroughly and well, even to the very end, call Rainier, ask for Mark, and feel free to tell him I referred you. It's my way of saying thanks for a job perfectly well done.

Move size: Partial Move Service cost: $4340

After 15 years living and working in California, it was time to return to the UK.

Rainier Movers took care of all our stuff, carefully wrapped and boxed it up and packed it tightly into a 20ft container. Rainier then shipped it round the world and through Britannia in the UK delivered it safely into storage even though we were not there. It all went into a depot just outside London where it stayed for 3 years due to our own circumstances. Finally, we had settled in our new home and even though it was the beginning of the pandemic, they managed to complete the job and Leatherbarrows delivered it to us safely, (whilst keeping 'social distancing'.)

It is amazing, we have been unpacking and opening the boxes and it is like we waved it goodbye only last week.

All through the process, Doug Wiviot at Rainier has been great. He co-ordinated everything and was our point of contact throughout and for over 3 years has looked after us and our stuff, replying to emails immediately.. or in less than 24hrs, his team from start to finish have been totally professional, knew their stuff and cared.

My wife and I are very grateful to Doug and Rainier Overseas Movers Inc and thoroughly recommend this company.

Move size: 4+ Bedroom Home Service cost: $10000

May 7, 2020

A week ago today, I was reunited with my belongings from the United States. Many thanks go to a team of individuals at Gentle Giant Moving Company in Boston, DOUG WIVIOTT AT RAINIER OVERSEAS MOVERS NEAR SEATTLE WASHINGTON, and Jennifer Sloan at European Relocation Services in Marseille, France. They all worked smoothly and responsively together; each handoff along the way was well coordinated. I never once felt as if I was working with separate companies.

Doug and his team at Rainier were incredibly easy to work with over the Internet, extremely responsive and clear in their communications. Both Doug and Jennifer patiently guided me through the lengthy documentation process required for international shipments by governmental, transportation and customs officials. They made that complicated process which could have been a nightmare fairly easy. Doug made sure the container arrived on time for loading by Gentle Giant, arranged for the container to be loaded on the ship in Boston, and then worked with Jennifer to organize delivery in France. Though his work behind the scenes was invisible to me, except for our frequent email correspondence, Doug provided exceptional service at what I consider a very reasonable price in spite of all the challenges caused by the coronavirus epidemic!

Move size: 1 Bedroom Flat Service cost: $5700

The service from Rainier Overseas Movers was great from beginning to end. David Wiviott responded quickly to our emails and answered all our questions. Jordan River did an excellent job packing and loading our Seattle home contents. The move was interrupted by the Coronovirus pandemic but Shore Porters at the UK end were able to store our shipment and deliver it to us once the Scottish lockdown restrictions were lifted. Doreen and Colin at Shore Porters did a fantastic job of coordinating the delivery to our new home.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $10000

This was the second time we used Rainier for an overseas move. This time it was UK to USA in the middle of the pandemic. Communication with Rainier was great and all our questions were answered. We had some serious issues with lock-downs, etc., and Dave was exceptionally patient and helpful as we waited to be able to move. He quoted a price that really was the best we could find. His advice was invaluable. I would definitely use Rainier again.

There were some minor problems with the sub-contractors who did the load and unload. The initial volume was badly over-estimated (12 cubic feet for a step-ladder, etc.) but Dave took care of that immediately on being made aware of it. Both work crews were exceptionally pleasant and hard-working. In the UK, we paid extra for PPE for the loaders, but aside from wearing paper masks when they first arrived, the guys did not have masks on while working in our home all day or appear to have any sort of sanitizer or paper towels as we were told they would be bringing. They used ours. As we could not afford any delay, I didn't want to challenge them over this - we just kept all the windows open and tried to stay in another room.

We had given the loaders specific instructions about four boxes that needed to be specially protected, and asked that they be put in a larger box. They were, instead, wrapped and loaded "as is". When they arrived one was damaged and had significant water damage to it. We had a desk-top that had bolts sticking out on the bottom and warned it needed to be carefully packed due to the bolts. It was also only wrapped and placed (apparently) on our Ikea wooden dresser, with more boxes stacked on top at some point. The bolts were driven by the weight into the wood on the top of the dresser, leaving several deep gouges. We pre-packed roughly 150 boxes, but left them unsealed per instructions. When we were ready to unpack them at the other end, the majority were properly taped closed, but roughly one-third of them were sealed only with one strip of tape across the top, sometimes not even all the way along the opening seam, or only perpendicular to the seam only in a few cases. Some of the boxes had popped open when that tape failed. A few of the boxes looked like they'd been forcefully thrown around. One the lighter-weight boxes heavily marked "fragile" and "do not crush" was partially crushed and split open down the side. As damage to each of the above items didn't exceed the insurance deductible we will not be filing a claim, but it was disappointing.

On the delivery end the guys were prompt, courteous, and ~incredibly~ fast workers. One managed to pull the bathroom door off the hinges, but fixed it - not sure how that happened. All the guys, except one, were masked the entire time they were in our home. We did not want to challenge the one guy as we just wanted our stuff unloaded without delay. The crew seemed dismayed that they were not helping us unload all our boxes and I had to sign-off to that effect on their packing sheet (help unpacking not required), but as we did not have bookshelves, etc., set up we preferred to do it ourselves and had planned to do that from the outset. They got our whole shipment into our apartment and the wrapping on our flat-packed items and large furniture out of there in about three hours. To my knowledge the unloaders only damaged one plastic bin - we found the bits of the plastic on the floor where they'd hit the door jamb and nothing was said to us about it.

I would use Rainier again, definitely. Dave was really good about responding to inquiries in a timely manner and as transparent as possible given the circumstances in which the move took place.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $9000

We moved our household goods from Oregon to New Zealand in August 2020. Don was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. Great communication - explained the process thoroughly, responded quickly to emails and phone calls, etc- which was essential with such a major move in a stressful time. We were so happy with his help and the companies he chose for each step of the way that we used Don and Rainier with a second, unexpected shipment about 5 months later in January 2021. Again, easy from start to finish. I highly recommend using them for an international move. They are awesome.

Move size: 4+ Bedroom Home Service cost: $12700

This was the second overseas move we made with Rainier Overseas Movers. The first was 27 years ago when we moved from Portland, Oregon to Jerusalem, Israel. We were more than delighted with the courtesy and professionalism of all the people we dealt with. Rainier was available and in communication with us by phone and e-mail throughout both moves.

The recent move from Jerusalem involved the careful packing of 2000 special books. They professionally packed the books in boxes marked according to our instructions to retain their sequence based on their original location and organization. They packed our clothing and miscellaneous items in boxes to conserve space in the container and labeled them accordingly. The furniture, rugs, paintings, and other artwork were all carefully packed in cardboard covered with waterproof bubble wrap. They carefully packed our china and crystal in boxes and labeled them “glass.” Included in our shipment was a reinforced concrete fountain which required a custom built crate to insure safe delivery. All our belongings fit precisely in the container.

In Portland they unloaded the container and carefully placed our belongings exactly as we instructed them. They arranged the boxes of books in the order marked on the boxes. They unpacked and assembled the reinforced concrete fountain. The packers and delivery personnel performed their service competently. Our choice would be exclusively Rainier Overseas Movers were we to make another overseas move.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $9000