Deciding between hiring a moving company and renting a moving truck are the two most common choices that people will have when moving. Surely renting a moving truck comes at a lower price tag but the added stress and exertion must also be considered, and while the initial cost may seem tempting there are several hidden costs you might be overlooking. Luckily, nowadays there are hybrid methods between the two, and you can hire professional movers to help with your specific needs.
Costs
It certainly seems less expensive to hire a moving truck than a moving company to handle your relocation. However, be sure that you are figuring everything into the final cost of the move. Many people forget to include toll costs, packing materials, the cost of their time and almost always the cost of fuel into the total for renting a truck. When those things are taken into account, renting a cheap truck isn’t always the bargain it initially seems to be. Start by checking out this comparison of rental truck companies to get an idea of the costs and terms of renting a moving truck. And remember, when you get a guaranteed price on the Unpakt website you know exactly how much you will pay and what will be included in the price.
Help!
Moving and packing is labor-intensive, so if you decide against hiring a moving company you’ll need some help. This means calling in lots of favors from friends and relatives. If you don’t have too many belongings and nothing particularly valuable or fragile to move your friends might well suffice. If you do have a considerable inventory to transport and some of it is quite valuable or irreplaceable, think twice. Good friends are not necessarily experienced movers and are almost always not insured for damages that may incur during a move. If your best friends drop your flat screen TV, will you sue them for compensation? Not likely! Professional movers can save you a lot of stress and you might be surprised how affordable full service moving can be.
Safety First
Can you picture yourself driving your rental truck off the lot and onto the highway with some degree of comfort and confidence? Unless you’re a professional driver, the answer is probably no. These are big, heavy vehicles that are harder to steer and require much more caution while braking, turning, merging and most other aspects of driving. Now imagine you’re also exhausted from packing and loading the truck before you’ve even hit the road… Unless you are not traveling a great distance and can fit your belongings into a pickup, a van, or other types of smallish truck it might be better to call in the pros.
Great Bargains
How do moving companies work? Most of their work is seasonal, which means summer is busier than winter. Certain days are also busier, especially weekends. In the low season and on weekdays you can find great bargains and get considerable discounts.
You can also take advantage of the expertise of professional moving services by having them load and transport your things while you pack yourself for a lower price than what full-service moving would cost.
However, be cautious when hiring a moving company. Some highly discounted movers have a reputation for being less than delicate with your things, or might even be unprofessional rogues. It’s important to read the company’s online reviews to learn from past customers’ experience and look into the track record of any companies you are considering.
So should you hire movers or do it yourself? Ultimately, it all depends on how much stuff you are moving and where. Provided that your inventory isn’t very big, i.e. you’re moving out for the first time or transporting the contents of a one-bedroom apartment, you and your friends will probably be able to handle the effort. If you’re not moving farther than 10-15 miles and can perform the entire move within a day, a rental truck may be the perfect solution for you. However, if your inventory is bigger than that or your new home isn’t within said distance from your old one, a moving company will probably be better equipped and prepared to handle your move.
You can learn more about moving truck rentals and easily use Unpakt to compare moving companies quotes with the total cost of renting a before taking a decision.
