How Much Does It Cost To Move

Moving from one home to another is indeed very stressful and tiring. Moreover, moving can cost a serious sum of money. Whether you do the move yourself or hire professional movers, the cost of moving normally ranges from thousands of dollars upwards. So if you have plans of moving, learn more about the cost of moving nowadays so you don’t end up getting a lot of surprises when it really is time to do the relocation.

Typical Cost Of A Move

The cost of a move depends on how you intend to do the move. DIY moves cost $500 to $2,500.

Self-service moves cost $1,000 to $5,000.

Full-service moves cost $2,000 to $25,000.

Check out the difference between these three types of move as well as the inclusions in each of the price range:

Factors That Affect The Price Of Moving

Type of move. The kind of move you want to do will be the biggest determinant of the cost of your move. As indicated above, a full service move where you delegate the entire job to professional movers is the most expensive decision when moving.

Size of the move. Do you live in a small apartment or a very large mansion? Where you live will basically determine the size of the move. The smaller your house is, the fewer things you have for sure. Hence, the cost of moving becomes lower. If there are more furniture and boxes to move along the move, the more time the movers will need to complete the job, making it more expensive. Plus, the more items you have, it means that more packaging materials such as boxes and tapes are needed as well as a larger truck is needed to haul them to the new destination.

Things. Besides the number of things to be moved, the quality of the items to be moved can greatly affect prices. For instance, moving a piano can be very costly as it requires special care during its packing, loading, and unloading stages. The same is true for high-end equipment such as LCD TV, antique furniture, and the like. These items require a special kind of packaging and special kind of handling to ensure safety at all times.

Distance. The distance of your move is also a great determinant of the price of moving. Local moves or those within 100 miles are the cheapest type of move. Cross-country moves are more expensive but overseas move is the most expensive of all.

Home. The kind of home you have will also affect prices here. If your old home has stairs and the movers require going up and down the stairs to load items, the price is usually higher. More is added to the price if your new home has staircases as well that will make unloading a lot more difficult.

Mover. Your choice of mover also greatly determines prices. Based on the reputation and experience of the moving company, they can charge you cheaply or expensively.

Season. Some movers may charge you lower if you move during off-season. The same is true for weekdays.

Additional Costs

If you choose a self-service move, you may need to hire the help of professional packing and unpacking services. This can cost $25 to $35 extra per hour.

Gratuities for the mover can also be an added expense. This is usually seven to 15 percent of the total cost of the move.

Getting insurance for all your belongings while on the move is always an extra cost. Insurance coverage is very important to secure your things from damage, loss, and the like during the move. The amount of insurance depends usually on the type of belongings you have with you.

If you are hiring a professional moving company to transport your belongings, you have to spend extra cost on your own travel to the new house. Travel includes fare or fuel costs, meals, and accommodation along the way. Add your pets to the calculations of moving as well.

Photo by Moving Simplified

Tips Before You Decide To Move

Analyze your needs first, especially on whether you can do the move yourself or you may need to hire professional movers. If you have plenty of items to move to the ne destination, hiring professionals may be a good idea. Although you will be spending more usually, you'll save yourself from a lot of stress when speaking of a serious move.

Plan the move carefully, especially if you are going DIY. A very good moving plan before the move can save you from a lot of last-minute troubles.

If you decide to go DIY, make sure you can attend to everything you need for the move. Take note of things such as packing things appropriately, renting a good truck for the move, and a lot of other details. As much as possible, you must work with a checklist so you don’t forget anything.

If you will be hiring a mover, go pick one that is reputable, efficient, and experienced. An efficient mover will be a good partner even if it is just a short-distance move. An efficient moving company knows what they are doing in terms of handling all your belongings and transporting them safely to your new destination.

Get quotes from different movers to see where you can get the best moving deal from. Read the fine prints as well as the inclusions in their service package.

Don’t forget to get insurance for your items. The extra cost of insurance will be worth it especially if you have very important items in the u-haul.

If you want to save money on your move, carry as little item as possible. You can choose items to bring and just donate other things to charitable institutions. Or, you may want to sell them in a garage sale. Your sales can be a good addition to cover some of the expenses of the move.

Before getting started with the move, make sure everyone in the family is ready. Also, the new home must be cleaned and ready for your belongings. In terms of your old home, make sure the utility expenses are paid and cut already as well as you deal with post office in terms of forwarding your mails to your new address.