Moving long distance (100+ miles away or out of state) is exciting yet stressful, and most people are usually stressed about how much the move itself will cost. Long distance movers prices are typically higher than local ones, and if you have large furniture or a big house, you’re looking at a few thousand dollars in moving expenses. But there’s a big difference between $1000 and $3000 — so how can you anticipate exactly how much your long distance move will cost? The answer to that depends on how do long distance movers set estimates. Here are 7 factors that long distance movers take into account to calculate moving costs:
How Do Long Distance Movers Charge?
While local movers generally charge by the hour, long distance movers tend to charge by the load — $2000-$5000 per load, to be exact, and $.50 per pound. This means that it doesn’t only matter how much stuff you have, but how heavy it is.
Another way movers calculate costs is using linear feet. See how linear feet are calculated in our blog post.
How Much Stuff You Have
Moving a 1 bedroom apartment cross country (from New York to LA or vice versa) costs approximately $2600. But what if you’re moving from a 4 bedroom house? The cost will go up according to how many boxes you have and how much large furniture you need to transport.
How Many Movers
The number of stuff you have will influence how many movers you need to actually move your belongings long distance. People with many, many boxes and lots of furniture may require more than the typical 2 movers, and the cost will go up accordingly.
Cost of Truck and Gas
Long distance moving companies not just charge per load, but also for the truck and gas mileage. Because moving trucks come in different sizes and the larger ones cost more, consult with the company to make sure that the truck isn’t too large — because why pay extra when you don’t need to?
Special Items
If you own special items such as a piano or pool table, the moving company is likely to charge an additional fee, especially if these items can’t fit up/down the stairs and need to be transported by lift.
Storage in Transit
If the moving truck sets out with all of your worldly belongings and then you get a call that your new home isn’t ready, you will need to pay for Storage in Transit (SIT), and the cost will depend on how much stuff you have and how long you need it stored.
Additional Fees
If you want your movers to pack for you (i.e., full-service movers), that will cost you significantly more than if you pack your own items. Additionally, if you make any last-minute changes to your inventory, movers may charge extra. And of course, don’t forget liability insurance. If you get some sort of coverage — and you should — it can cost approximately 1% of the valuation of your items.
Booking Online Can Save You Money
While moving may seem simple and straightforward, when it comes to cost, there are many factors that determine how interstate movers calculate quotes. Fortunately, when you get interstate movers quotes with Unpakt you can save up to 45%, which can translate into hundreds or thousands of dollars. So while you’ll still need to spend some cash on moving, at least you know you’ll be getting the best prices.
