Fry-Wagner Moving And Storage Co.

I hired Fry Wagner Systems to pack and move a number of pre-​packed boxes and other household goods from Arnold, Mo to California. Fry Wagner offered a service to pack the boxes and goods into a tote and deliver the tote to California in eight days. I used this service since I did not have the resources in Missouri to handle further packing and shipping through Pod or other self pack/​shipping services. Additionally the United Van Lines service provided a specific date for delivery in California instead of its standard 19 day window. Having a specific date instead of a two and half week window is important since I travel for business and not always in California for more than a few days at a time. This is a very expensive alternative, but the only one that worked on my schedule.
Initially, Fry Wagner sent me a contract that had a higher amount than the amount on the quote for the pack and move. The contract was signed only after Fry Wagner agreed to the lower amount of the initial quote. Almost immediately, Fry Wagner informed me that the eight day delivery schedule initially promised was not convenient for it or United Van Lines. As such, the delivery date then became ten days from pick-​up.
The shipment arrived in California on the tenth day after pick-​up. When the movers opened the tote, everyone present was very surprised at the condition of the contents of the tote. Even the United Van Lines movers on the California end said that the packing job was incompetent at best. As an example of Fry Wagner’s handy work, a mirror box was packed sideways with other boxes stacked on top it.
I used my credit card to pay at the time the move instead of a cashier’s check. Almost two months after the delivery and payment and without notice or explanation, United Van Lines tried to charge me an additional $ 205 for the move. Turns out the additional amount is what it tried to charge me on the first contract before I insisted on it honoring its original quote. I had to put a fraud alert on my credit card to stop the payment. More hassles as I had to wait for the bank to set-​up a new account and send me a new credit card. United Van Lines refunded the $ 205 after I called it out for the additional charge. The company apologized and said it was an accounting error. Yeah right, twice.
Based on my experience, I recommend extreme caution for use of Fry Wagner or United Van Lines for a move. There seems to be a bait and switch aspect to the way Fry Wagner and United Van Lines do business. Furthermore, United Van Lines tried to charge me an amount above the agreed contract price twice; and its packing service was incompetent. If you hire Fry Wagner and United Van Lines for your move be prepared for administrative trickery and trashed goods.

For a local move, Fry Wagner might be fine. For a long distance move, stay far away from this company.
It took a month for our truck to get from St. Louis to San Francisco because they picked up our stuff and led us to believe it would be a seamless process. In reality, they threw our stuff into a storage container for 2 weeks because they didn’t have a truck available.
Nobody was ever able to tell me why they even picked up out stuff to begin with if they knew a truck wasn’t available. On top of that, I had to spend weeks arguing with them about compensation for their error.
I understand logistics can be complicated when it comes to long distance moves. All I wanted from them was an apology and to pay a fair price for the service received, but apparently that was too much to ask.
If you absolutely must use Fry Wagner, here is my advice:
1. When they come to your house to estimate the weight of your belongings, review their estimate carefully. They will tell you that «you only pay for the weight you actually use» and the estimate is a «worst case scenario.» This is misleading because they credit back unused weight at a lower dollar value. For example, let’s say they are going to charge you $ 1/​pound and your estimate is 100 pounds. Let’s say your actual weight comes in at only 90 pounds… so you will only pay $ 90, right? Wrong. You will be credited back the unused weight at a fraction of the estimate. So you might only be credited .30 per pound rather than $ 1 per pound. (these numbers are for example purposes only, but you get the idea)
2. Ask them if a truck is actually available during the timeframe you need it. They are not forthcoming with this information, which seems unusual for a moving company, but apparently it is completely legal for these people to take your stuff and keep it in their possession for weeks before actually delivering it to you. It’s somewhere in the fine print of the contract.
3. Pack the items yourself. We were in a hurry (relocating for a new job) and decided to have them pack some of our items for us. It costs roughly $ 25/​box for them to pack, so it is in their best interest to use as many boxes as possible. We found stuffed animals and plastic toys (completely unbreakable and low value items) wrapped in gobs of packing paper so that the boxes filled up more quickly… hence…them using more boxes & charging as much as possible.
4. Get multiple quotes. Fry Wagner is definitely not the cheapest one out there, but I was OK with that because I assumed it meant they not «bottom feeders» so to speak. You can also ask them to remove things from your estimate (for example, let’s say you decide to get rid of your couch or washer/​dryer rather than moving it). Play with the estimate until it is in a comfortable price range for you.
On the positive side, I will say that the moving crew was friendly and polite. They worked hard and it’s not their fault that Fry Wagner is crooked so be sure to tip them well.

Fry-​Wagner was awesome! They were extremely professional, very concerned about our needs, and so, so careful with our belongings. Fry-​Wagner emptied our house, stored overnight, and delivered us the following day. Travis and Jordan were terrific and the crew was just amazing, a great trio of very strong, polite, friendly, and so, so accommodating! We would recommend Fry-​Wagner to anyone!!! Tim & Margie McNamee

I used Fry-​Wagner for a local move and the physical move and the customer service was nothing short of awesome. From the initial quote with Jon and Travis, to the coordination with Heather, the actual move with the crew, and the follow-​up, everything and everyone demonstrated the importance that Fry-​Wagner puts on customer service and making sure their clients feel respected and taken care of. Moves are stressful so companies like Fry-​Wagner with staff like that at Fry-​Wagner is much appreciated during a high anxiety time. Thanks to everyone for taking such good care of us!