Moving is expensive, no doubt about it. You may be moving to a larger apartment which costs more. You’re not only paying more in rent, but you also have to give the landlord a security deposit. If you’re moving into a house, there’s the down payment, mortgage, insurance and a host of other expenses. All of these expenses may have you wondering where you can cut costs. You may be thinking, “Is it worth it to hire a moving company, or should we just do it ourselves? We’re only moving a few blocks!” Yes, it’s definitely worth hiring a moving company. Here’s why.
Who Will You Get to Do the Heavy Lifting?
Before deciding you can move without hiring a moving company, just know moving is hard work! Think about who you’re going to ask to load up the truck with your furniture and dozens of boxes. Your family? Friends? It takes experienced movers to carry and load sofas, bookcases, credenzas, coffee tables, kitchen tables, mattresses, dressers, etc. onto a truck.
First, you don’t want anyone getting hurt because they’re not using the right lifting techniques. If they have to go up and down staircases in an apartment building, the risk of an accident is even greater. You also don’t want your furniture getting damaged during the move. If you have oversized or delicate items, this is even more of a reason not to move these things on your own. A professional moving company knows what they’re doing. No one will likely get hurt. They know how everything should fit into a truck for maximum space optimization. Movers will also ensure there are no damaged items. Should something does get damaged, the moving company is insured.
You Have to Rent a Moving Truck, Felt Pads, Packing Supplies
Even if you have friends and family to help you move, you’re still spending money on renting a moving truck or van, felt pads to protect your furniture, and packing supplies. The cost of the rental will depend on the size of the truck and the distance you’re traveling. On average, the rental fee for a moving truck can run between $120 and $200 for local moves. For long-distance moves, a truck rental can cost between $1,500 and $2,300. Also, there is the cost of purchasing truck rental insurance and gas.
Packing supplies include boxes and tape, crating (if needed), protective stretch wrap, and mattress protectors. What if you need furniture to be disassembled at your current location and reassembled at the new home? Do you trust this will be done correctly by inexperienced individuals?
Don’t forget you’ll have to feed your family and friends in helping you move. A “thank-you” gift is also in order to let them know how much you appreciate their taking the time to help you.
DIY Move Takes Time
In addition to the expenses (even if though they are lower than hiring a moving company), consider the time you’ll be investing in doing it on your own. You have to get the rental. And then pack and load everything up (along with your own “crew”). You may have to find parking (in some cities that may be hard), and unload everything in the new place, gas up and return the rental. It takes a lot longer than you may think.
Hiring a Moving Company May Not Be as Expensive as You Think
You may think hiring a moving company will cost you a lot of money. But in the long run it may be a lot less. Plus you’ll have peace of mind that your move will go as planned. You won’t be imposing on family and friends (more so now with COVID-19, safety and health concerns, and social-distancing rules which have complicated everything!). You don’t have to think about whether your furniture will be damaged if professional movers aren’t doing the job. If something gets damaged, that’ll cost you more in the long run, not only in replacing it but perhaps even by straining a friendship.
Go online and see for yourself how much a moving company will cost prior to making any decisions. Online moving booking services enable you to input all the information related to your move, including your to-and-from location, a room-by-room inventory list and any additional services, in order to get a quote. You may then decide to save money by packing up your own things but having the movers do the actual heavy lifting and move. You’ll get vetted, licensed and insured movers to do the work for you.
In planning ahead, it’s best to include the cost of hiring a moving company in your overall budget. You’ll sleep better knowing that you have one less thing to take care of – and it’ll be done right!
