Just How Much Should Moving Cost?

The moment in time you decide to go ahead and move, is a momentous one. However, once you have made the decision to pack up and leave, you'll undoubtedly find that there are a whole host of unanswered questions that will pop into your head either randomly or... All at once. Well, worry not! We are here to help. Today we'd like to go over what you can expect in this day and age when it comes to the cost of moving.

Whether you plan on hiring a professional to facilitate the heavy lifting or, if you have the notion of moving everything yourself, there will be costs involved that extend beyond what you are already spending on closing costs, and potential down payments/security deposits of your new home. Unless you already own a box truck, the very least you will need to spend is on the means of getting your possessions from point A to point B.

In factoring in the cost, there are many aspects which will affect how much you will spend. The first factor is how much stuff are you going to be moving? The bigger the home, the bigger the truck, the more people the moving crew will need to bring along. The other biggest derivative of cost here, is how long is the distance from your current residence to your future one. The rest of your costs will be nickel and dime sorts for moving supplies and such that, can be mitigated a bit with a little help from the outside. More on this in a minute...

Make a plan! The first thing you want to do is to ensure you have a solid plan in place. Having everything possible planned out can reduce the likelihood of unpleasant and often expensive surprises at the last moment. Expensive, primarily because, when time is of the essence, cost often gets pushed back. Planning ahead for any potentialities can ensure that you handle everything in the most cost effective manner possible.

Get estimates! As the only way a moving company can guarantee a rate is by performing a visual inspection, you want to cement in this part of your budget by having your chosen company provide you with a price quote. If the quote is to your liking, have them put it in writing and get the contract in order as soon as possible. All told though, mover's costs typically run between $800 or so for a small apartment move locally, all the way up to $2000+ for a larger home being moved locally. These prices can vary wildly between company to company and from town to town so, you're not going to want to take our word for it. You will need a written quote. Be sure to ask for one!

Ask around for packing materials! You'd be surprised at how much store bought cardboard moving boxes can cost. If you've planned ahead, you can largely mitigate this by hitting up local businesses that deal with influx of product in cardboard boxes. Most businesses toss these into the cardboard bin throughout the course of the day, and many will be happy to hand them off to anyone who might need them. Call around and we're confident you will find a friendly business to help you out. If there's nothing in your area, don't be ashamed to put the word out to your friends and family. You'd be surprised in this day and age how many Amazon boxes people have laying around their houses, waiting to be used.

How will the packing proceed? Be advised if you don't plan on packing your own stuff, that most companies can charge upwards of $35 to $50 per hour to pack your belongings. However, using a packing service (like ours) can save a bit on the packing material costs as boxes, tape, and the like are often provided in the service. Obviously, you can save yourself a good amount by handling the packing process yourself.

What other expenses can I expect? Typically, the easier you want your move to go, the more costly it can be. With either a packing service or moving company, you will pay more if there are additional people required to get the job done within the time-frame given. If you can get it done with the barebones crew, this will save you cash but, not time. You can also expect a mileage or travel fee, regardless of whether you are hiring a moving company or if you plan on renting something like a Uhaul. Other additional expenses can be derived from moving insurance or if you have to move large objects like automobiles.

If you plan on moving across the country, you can expect exponentially higher rates simply due to the expenses the respective companies involved will incur based on the mileage.

Should I hire a mover? Well that depends. You will save some money by doing the move yourself. However, there are a few things you should ask yourself before considering doing it on your own. If you can safely say yes to the following, you might consider doing the move yourself.
• Are you moving a short (less than 100 miles) distance?
• Do you have hearty, strong, and willing to work for pizza & beer friends to help?
• Have you moved yourself before?
• Are you an awesome organizer of items and boxes?

If you answered yes to all of the above, you might consider doing it yourself. Though, after my last self-move, I decided that I would never do it on my own again. Your mileage may vary.

Thanks for reading and be sure to send us an email or give us a call if you have any questions at all! You'll find that we are always happy to help.