Bay Area Small Moves Specialists
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6 am - 5 am
David E. said: "I don't write Yelp reviews often, but it occurs to me I am long overdue for writing one for Golden Bay after using them this weekend. I have lived in San Francisco for 5 years, and I've lived in 4 different apartments. Each time, I've…" read more »
29 reviews for Bay Area Small Moves Specialists
29 reviews in English
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Review from Ljótur H.
San Francisco, CA
6/26/2010
Jaime's helped me twice now. The first time was a NIGHTMARE - this idiot woman said it would be no problem taking her bed frame down a flight of stairs, but it turned out it didn't fit & it took five of us and Jaime taking a door off a frame & dismantling most of the bed frame just to get the damn thing out of her apartment. He reassembled on the sidewalk and zipped it over to my place.
This time, the seller was half an hour late, but Jaime hung out and chatted with me until she finally showed up.
He's friendly, trustworthy, strong, reliable & has totally reasonable rates. I don't know what more you could ask for. -
Review from m c.
San Francisco, CA
5/29/2011
If you've had a good experience with Jaime, then lucky you.
My experience was pretty much a run-around. I called Jaime about a month in advance to book time to move some boxes into storage. I didn't think the job would take more than one guy, or more than two hours.
When I contacted Jaime by phone, he didn't ask for any information to save for future reference. I asked his hourly rate and he said $40 for one guy to do the job. He told me to call back three days before I wanted to do the move and we'd set it up then.
Three days seemed a little last minute to confirm to me, since he hadn't taken my name, number or other particulars, I figured it'd be easy to forget.
I called him a week prior to my move date and indeed, he had no idea who he was speaking with. He seemed put off by the fact that my building has stairs, even though he'd never asked about them previously, and he seemed like he regretted giving me an hourly rate quote of $40.
He asked me to email my move information to him, which I did. Two days later, after receiving no acknowledgment of my email, I called to see if he had received it. He said, yah, he had, but he was waiting to hear from other people who'd scheduled jobs ahead of me but had not yet confirmed times. Really?
Never mind that I'd tried to book him a month ago and he'd not even taken my name & number. I get that it was a small job and he wanted to squeeze it in, but jeez, he just gave off the creepy vibes of flake. I had the unshakeable feeling he was stringing me along and was not going to book me after all, or wouldn't show up when expected if he did. He told me he would call the next day to confirm the move.
Surprise, Jaime did not call or email all the next day. The following morning I looked on Craigslist and found a guy offering a flat rate per truckload to move. I called him, he called back within ten minutes and the job was booked and I stopped being stressed out. I will write a separate review for this guy, who did a great job.
Two days after he was scheduled to contact me, Jaime emailed, then called in the late afternoon to offer me a moving time the next morning.
I emailed him back and told him I had booked the job with someone else the day after he neglected to email, because he just seemed too unreliable.
I can't review Jaime's professionalism once he is on the job, I can only speak for his booking/management skills, which were lacking. If you are the type who can wing it, don't have a tight schedule, or take your chances with last minute arrangements, maybe he is the guy for you. -
Review from Tom R.
Alameda, CA
6/16/2011
I needed a quick response small local move, relocating my son's old bed set from San Francisco to Alameda. I called Delancey Street first, who informed me the move was too small for them and recommended these guys. I called on Tuesday for a Friday move, got them on the phone, explained the move and also asked if they could dispose of my old bed. He told me that he would have to research disposal fees at his computer and said he would call me back shortly. He never called back, and did not answer the phone or my phone messages (probably 6).
I can understand perhaps not wanting to do the particular job, his right, but I cannot understand the lack of courtesy in not calling back when he had committed to do so. So I found another mover.
He eventually did call me back after the fact, probably in response to my review, and appologized, sort of. He had a story about not having my number on his cell phone, etc. That, after the fact, didn't work well for me. -
Review from Emily C.
9/11/2010
Found Jaime on craigslist in July 2009 to help us move a couch and a chair with an ottoman. He was on time, very professional, inexpensive and even taught my husband a quicker way to get to our place. We'd definitely use him again.
He was very prompt - he met my husband over at the place we were picking up the furniture from which was nice because he didn't have to wait around.
The set up is basically that he'll help you move something/stuff for those of us that don't have a truck. For our move he used a small (not full size) pickup. When we called to set it up he was really friendly and asked a bunch of questions about what pieces we were moving, from where to where, how many flights of stairs, etc etc before quoting a price for us (which was nice, because there were no surprises when we paid him). -
Review from Sari G.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2007
We bought a couch off craigslist. Now how to get it home?
Initially our only options were to pay $180 for a moving company that is used to moving entire households or we could have rented a uhaul which is pricey - we just don't have friends with a truck.
So we braved it on craigslist and met Himay (Jaime)!
I called him same day for an 8pm pick up. I emailed him all the details. He met us promptly at our destination. He covered his truck in blankets and neatly tied our brand new couch down to his truck bed. He helped us move it up and down the stairs.
A successful craigslist transaction - woooooweee.
Couldn't have done it without him.
He is very nice and easygoing. Great service. -
Review from Alan F.
Mission District, CA
6/23/2009
Jaime and I moved my stuff from a storage locker to my new apartment for a flat rate of $85! I called a few places less than a day in advance; Jaime gave me the lowest rate so I went with him.
We strapped everything down to the bed of his pickup and we were off. The operation was a bit ad-hoc but Jaime is a pro and the whole operation took just an hour and a half. Everything was moved, nothing was broken, nothing was lost, it could not have gone better. Well, almost.
He did show up a half-hour after we agreed, so if you're on a very tight schedule you may consider other options... however Jaime is even more careful with my stuff than I am and easy to get along with, so I'd definitely call him again the next time I need to move. -
Review from Adrian L.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2009
I needed a freezer moved from Pleasanton to my garage in San Francisco. Jaime (pronounced Himay) was very professional with great communication. It was a cinch coordinating with him, and his fee is very reasonable. Since I was able to lend a hand with moving the freezer, and it was a two-man job, this fit my needs perfectly.
He showed up exactly at the time we had arranged, and took a lot of care to prevent any damage to the freezer. He taped up the power cord, put plastic wrap around part of it, used shock-absorbing materials to line the bed of his truck, and covered it with a tarp before tying it down. He then drove away carefully (I was driving behind him for a part of the way).
All-in-all, Jaime provided very good service at a reasonable rate. I will be calling him again. -
Review from jill j.
Mill Valley, CA
10/1/2010
I was happy to give him a chance to get some business from me, but (like CL's review below) the phone number is (again) out of service. There are reviews within the last couple of weeks, but if you can't reach someone, it's hard to do business with them. Sorry Jaime.
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Review from Katie P.
San Francisco, CA
4/20/2008
This is my very first review. Normally, I have to be very impressed or really angry to share an experience, and I am SO happy that it is the former with Bay Area Small Moves.
I called Himay and left a message for him. He returned my call that day and we discussed the estimate for moving a sleeper sofa. To be honest, I was a little worried about calling this random stranger to move funriture into my home (I am a single female). However, Himay was professional, friendly, and even had a website I could check out which made me feel more secure.
As a student on a student budget, I called around to other people who posted on Craig's List or on Yelp about small moves, including "Andy" and "Man with a Van/Ron". It came down to Himay and Ron in the end since they could both move on the day and time requested by my seller. Ron wanted to charge me $85 flat rate for 2 guys, truck, and transport for one sleeper sofa. **Since sleeper sofas are heavier, the rates tend to be higher for everyone** Himay charged me a flat rate of $80 (on his website it talks about a $45 flat rate + $10 more per flight of stairs - CALL Himay and explain your situation - he'll give you a fair rate, often cheaper than if you added up all the stairs yourself).
At the last moment, the matching loveseat to my sleeper sofa became available the day before the scheduled move. Himay said he'd add on the new loveseat at NO EXTRA CHARGE. Ron/Man with a Van said he's have to add $30 more for a grand total of $115. There was no question - I went with Himay.
Himay arrived 15 minutes earlier than the appt. which was WONDERFUL as we scheduled the move during the last 30 minutes of the "ideal" time given by the seller. He was great to work with. He strapped everything done securely - nothing flew off (thank goodness, I was looking back every now and then to make sure :) He was VERY careful with my couches around corner and did not scratch or dent anything. I would definitely rec. him and his partner! I will call Himay first next time I find another Craig's list purchase! -
Review from nic d.
San Francisco, CA
8/1/2010
Is 1000 stars an option?
Jamie is the best! I called him w/6 hours notice to pick up a desk I found on craigslist. He was busy but squeezed me in. Jamie & Jorge (who's middle name must be Hercules) showed up right on the dot. We got the desk to my house and it fit through the door but not the tight They could have ditched it in the garage INSTEAD Jamie got out a drill and disassembled it, took it in the house and whipped it back together.
The words trustworthy, punctual & a bargain don't say enough. -
Review from Ken F.
San Francisco, CA
8/13/2007
Once I found the right furniture seller , I happened to find the right mover with about several hours notice. Himay smoothed the transaction out. He picked the stuff up and helped me move it in. It was like having a buddy with a pick up truck and ample "let's-get-it-done" attitude.
The next day, I found another deal and was able to book Himay again. He was efficient, reliable, and went with the flow. It was very easy to talk to this guy. I put everything on the table and he gave me a reasonable rate. He worked beyond the initial time estimate without quibble, so it was only fair to supplement to his rate accordingly. -
Review from Chris Q.
San Francisco, CA
8/7/2007
Don't have much to add to Sari's review. Himay rocks and we're very happy with the new couch. The whole thing was so easy, and the price was great.
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Review from Lily S.
San Francisco, CA
4/3/2009
Jaime was a total gentleman. I will absolutely call him next time i move.
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Review from LadyLongLegs L.
San Francisco, CA
10/20/2007
Based on the glowing reviews here, I called Himay to see if he would help me move a sofa that I'd purchased on craigslist. He didn't answer any of the three calls I made to him over two days. He also didn't respond to the voicemail I left for him. Too bad for him. Happily for me, I found Ron (Man with a Van) instead.
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Review from Jorge P. G.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 6/8/2009
Look, this guy is on time, inexpensive, reliable and professional. He treats your stuff with care. I cant say that for other moving people. why call other lame ass expensive moving people. This Jaime guy is pretty damn good at the right price.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/10/2008
Mr. Palma provided me with extremely good service and we went out for a burritto afterward. Rates… Read more »
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Review from Chris C.
San Francisco, CA
3/15/2010
I found a bargain on craigslist getting a great mover and a delivery without leaving my home for $30. (Delivery was for 1 heavy headboard in San Francisco; From Twin Peaks to Marina districts)
I ended up scoring a large headboard & Jaime (pronounced Himay) both on Craigslist. The headboard was huge so I needed a truck to pick it up. I felt comfortable in calling Jamie after reading the reviews here on yelp, so I gave him a call and he asked my budget and after pausing to see if was even worth the gas, he said..."ok, let's do it". His first move that Sunday was going to take 2 hours longer pushing my pickup time 2-hours later, but he notified me early that morning, so I had time to notify the seller. I was flexible. He then offered to pick up the headboard (by himself) in twin peaks SF, pay the seller, then drop it off at my place in the Marina SF. I couldn't ask for more and I got a great deal!! I will be using Jaime again. -
Review from jesse g.
San Francisco, CA
4/13/2008
We moved a big ass couch from Alameda to SF and it was much easier than I thought it would be, thanks to Jaime. Plus it was cheap as hell.
He's friendly, chill, reliable, fast, and strong. Not sure what else you need in a mover. I think he should charge more. Jaime, you should charge more. -
Review from J F.
Tiburon, CA
6/11/2008
Jaime is great! I've used him a couple of times for small moves, and both times him and his helper were very careful, friendly and professional. He returns calls quickly, and calls again before he gets to your house too. I've used other small movers, and decided that I'm just going to call Jaime from now on - he's the best!
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Review from J K.
San Francisco, CA
6/4/2008
Jaime (pronounced "hi-may") Palma helped me move office furniture from a commercial building in SF to a house in the Berkeley Hills. He was prompt, courteous, easy to work with, obviously had done this many times and had the best rates among the movers that I called. Thanks, Jaime!
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Review from ed n.
San Francisco, CA
4/7/2009
Himay helped me move my bed and mattress last weekend from portola to downtown. He was patient, friendly and knew what he was talking about and was very affordable as well. I will hire him again when I need a mover.
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Review from Ms. C.
San Francisco, CA
2/23/2009
Jaime is super nice and has an excellent rate. I just found him today on CL. I only gave him an hour's notice to move a couch and a TV and he was here in a flash and moved my stuff an hour's drive away and in the rain! Nothing got wet either (and he used a pick-up truck). Before I'd found him, other folks I'd found on CL failed to call back in a timely manner or didn't follow-up so I really lucked out when I found Jaime. Call him, his service is really super! Honest, fast, and does what he says. I'll definitely use him again in the future. A+++
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Review from Cece L.
San Francisco, CA
12/16/2009
called their number and was told i had the wrong number... are they out of business??
Comment from Jaime P. of Bay Area Small Moves Specialists 2/12/2010
CL, thanks for the comment. we have changed our telephone… More » -
Review from Ed F.
San Francisco, CA
4/8/2010
Jaime was out of town and he forwarded his calls to Lisa of another small moving company. While I can't say much about Jaime, I can say that his substitute was great, down to earth, and fair. That generally means that somebody is an upright businessperson, if they get substitutes like that.
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Review from Elena Q.
San Francisco, CA
3/24/2010
Jaime was fantastic! It was very easy to schedule a time with him to move a couch from my sister's house to my place. He was timely, communicative, professional, and very personable! I couldn't believe how easy the whole process was, and the rates were reasonable as well. I would definitely recommend Jaime to anyone looking for help moving!!
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Review from Chris R.
San Francisco, CA
3/12/2010
Jaime helped me move a bulky couch from one apartment to the other in his pickup. and up a complicated set of steps.. Emailed to confirm the booking, arrived on time, finished the job fast.
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Review from Linda G.
San Francisco, CA
3/5/2008
Jaime was phenomenal! All I had to do was drive to Ikea, buy the bulk amounts of furniture and wolah! I called him and he was there in a moments notice...very, very reliable and easygoing...not to mention STRONG!
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Review from Christopher L.
San Francisco, CA
10/29/2008
A few months ago I had a new flat panel and soundsystem to get home. HOLY HOLY HOLY you know what! This man and his helper are an absolute must!!!!! Just amazing to work with!! hands down will never use anyone else!! If you dont call him..... well I just cant help you LOL
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Review from Tina K.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2009
Very quick, right on time, flexible. Worked hard to move a heavy sleeper sofa - including taking the door off the hinges (necessary). The only con is that the sofa wasn't wrapped in blankets during the move so it scraped against doorjambs etc. - fabric shows small signs of trauma. But overall, for the $, the pleasant attitude, and the immediate gratification - worth it!
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Review from Y W.
San Francisco, CA
8/14/2008
Jaime has a flatbed truck and charges super-reasonable prices, was responsive, and was really great to work with for my small apartment move. I appreciated that he called the day before to confirm the appointment time. I have to dock a couple of stars though because of his workers. They were very nice but not too careful. I noticed one of his guys carrying boxes into the apartment on his back, which I didn't think much about. When I went to unpack, most of my boxes were upside down, on their tops, even the boxes with big arrows printed on them indicating "UP". I think he walked in with them on his back and then bent over and slid them down onto their tops. Also, one of his guys carrying an antique drawer ran into an open door frame which cracked the drawer. Not happy about that, but mistakes happen. I would still use him again for really small moves where I could keep an eye on things.
