Do you know anyone who thinks moving is fun? If so, then you might need to reconsider your relationship with them (lol). Depending on how far you're going to move soon, maybe you can just bid that person farewell, because you know the truth - which is, moving stinks! Agree?
Moving isn't just physically cumbersome, as it can also be very expensive. Figuring out how moving companies charge for their services in advance can help you prepare and plan for going from one home to the next. Or for example if you own a small business and you know you'll be relocating soon, then you will need to consider what a commercial moving company will charge. Especially one that has the right experience and track record for moving businesses!
Keep reading to learn about how they charge, what you can expect them to do, and how you can save money on it.
How Moving Companies Charge Customers On Average
There are two moving cost averages you can start your calculations with. First, a local move with professional movers runs from $300 at the low end and $1,500 at the high end. Second, long-distance moving is probably going to land in a range of $2,400 to as much as $5,000.
Factors Determining How Moving Companies Charge You
No moving company has flat-fee pricing (or most I should say), because there are many variables that go into determining their costs. Just be sure you know how you are choosing between flat rate or hourly moving rates, so you don't make a mistake. The following are the predominant ones you should know about:
Distance Covered
Historically speaking, the data for moving costs across the country are broken down into four categories. The first is anything under 50 miles, often considered a local move, which averages anywhere from $250 up to $4,900. The second is anything up to 250 miles, ranging from $840 to as much as $4,800. Anything over 1000 miles sets you back from $950 to a whopping $8,200. Truly long-distance moves of more than 2,500 miles will run a spectrum starting at an average of $1,300 to over $8,500.
Load Size
Are you wondering why there is so much spread in each distance range? It's based on the move size, often determined by how many bedrooms of things you are moving. A 1-bedroom move will cost less than a 2-bedroom move, and 3, 4, or 5 bedrooms get more expensive. Consider the quoted 'local' range under 50 miles of $250 up to $4,900. The $250 is usually going to be for a 1-bedroom apartment or even a studio, whereas the $4,900 is more likely for a couple moving themselves along with two kids, an older relative in a mother-in-law suite, and a guest room or two.
Seasonal Fluctuations
The time of year is going to matter a lot. Many families prefer summertime moving because the weather is better for driving, more daylight means more safety, and kids don't have to switch schools in the middle of an academic year. However, this is also the peak season nationally for moving activity, and the increased demand increases prices across the moving industry.
Specific Moving Dates
Aside from the macro-peak of summer activity, another common surge in moving activity clusters around the start/finish of a month, often due to job contracts and lease agreements. Another smaller peak of activity is just every weekend, as more people are off of work and can get friends and family to help them move. If you can move in the middle of the month, you can save money, especially if you can also move in the middle of the week, too.
Extra Costs
Additional expenses can include moving specialty items such as safes, hot tubs, pool tables, a piano, a motorcycle, or the like. Also, you might need to pay more for full-service packing and unpacking, actual packing supplies, shuttle truck fees, and long carry charges.
What Can You Expect Full-Service Movers To Do For You?
When trying to determine how moving companies charge for their services, you need to know what specifically they are going to do for you. Not every full-service mover will have the exact same set of features, but you should be able to expect some, if not all, of the following:
Supplying Packing Supplies: This spares you buying endless materials on your own, as they show with boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, tape, padding, and furniture blankets.
Packing Everything Up: This is what they do for a living. These professionals can get it done faster than you ever could, and they have expertise in handling valuable and fragile items.
Disassembling Furniture: Some furniture pieces simply can't be moved as they are, and others just shouldn't. Trust your moving crew to take them apart and put them back together again.
Loading/Unloading: Just making the arrangements for moving is your heavy lifting. Leave the physical heavy lifting to the professionals who are used to handling this routinely.
Moving Things: Once the truck or trucks are loaded, the professionals drive them to wherever you are moving so you don't have to. You're probably not used to driving a big truck anyway.
Unpacking And Cleaning Up: Getting there isn't enough. They also put everything into your new home and then clean up all the packing materials that are ready for disposal.
How To Save Money On Moving
Unless you live like a minimalist monk, moving will cost more, and that can hurt on a tight budget. Use the following 7 ways to save lots of money on your move:
1) Declutter: Go through all your things and try to imagine where each item is in your new home. If you can't see it, don't take it along.
2) Pack Yourself: Anything you can box up and wrap up on your own might take you longer than the professionals, but it will reduce their hourly labor charges.
3) Ship Things: USPS has a media mail option for books and printed materials that is far cheaper than a lot of other packaging options. See if you can use it to ship your own collection to yourself.
4) Use A Shipping Container: Have a company drop off a pod in your yard and then stuff it up as much as you can. This can be cheaper than using a full-service truck. Pods can work great for clothes and boxes, leaving just the furniture to the truck.
5) Keep Your Valuables And Breakables With You: Dishes, electronics, jewelry, and the like should possibly all stay in the comfort of your car as you drive along with the truck.
