Guys (and gals) who think they can rely on a few buddies and a pickup truck to move all the stuff they took years to collect should think twice. If you’ve been thinking about moving for a while now, you might have created a moving checklist along with a basement full of empty boxes waiting to be filled.
If you haven’t lived in your place very long, perhaps you can get by with a couple of pals, and a pickup truck, in exchange for some free pizza and beer. But there are situations when the help from your old college pals just isn’t going to cut it, especially if you have a family and lots of stuff that’s filled up an entire house. If that’s the case, you’re going to require the services of a professional moving and storage company.
But how do you initially begin your search for the right moving company? According to Just-In Time Moving & Storage, a Phoenix moving company, you need to go online and search for a mover with excellent customer service and stellar testimonials.
Why?
Because moving, while exciting, can be extremely stressful. This is why the first goal of any reputable moving company is to provide top-notch customer service, beginning with the request for an estimate to the time when you are safely installed into your new home, along with all your possessions and keepsakes. In fact, look for a moving company that can boast repeat clients.
But if the first thing you’re going to look into for the perfect mover is company reputation, then the second thing is cost. That said, what is the average cost of a reputable moving company? According to a recent report by Consumer Affairs, the basic average cost for a local move within your existing area is said to be about $80 to $100 per hour per team of two moving professionals.
The total expenditure for moving locally will depend largely on how long it takes the moving crew to load and then unload the van or truck. Think of it this way: the more stuff you have, the more the move is going to cost you.
For obvious reasons, long-distance moves will be significantly more expensive. On average, it can cost about $5,000 for a move that requires crossing state lines that runs the span of 1,000 miles or more. It shouldn’t surprise you that long-distance moving prices will usually range from $3,000 to $10,000. This price range depends on the distance you’re traveling and the size of the cargo load that’s being hauled.
What Will Affect the Total Cost of Your Move?
Several factors are said to determine total moving prices:
Your home size: It shouldn’t take you by surprise that moving all the stuff that filled a four-bedroom house is going to cost you quite a bit more than moving the things that only fill a one-bedroom or studio apartment.
When a prospective moving company provides you with a quote, they will typically ask you the square footage of your existing home and how many bedroom you’re planning on moving. This will give them the information they need to offer you a relatively accurate moving estimate. However, they might require a walk-through of your home if you require an even more accurate estimate.
Location, Location, Location: Should you live in an apartment complex that contains lots of stairs and parking that’s far away, you will likely be charged an additional fee. Living above ground level will only add to your total costs.
The neighborhood you live in will also affect the total cost of your move. That’s due to the fact that not all city streets are wide enough to accommodate the parking of a moving truck. Most movers will need to include a fee if the moving professionals need to walk more than 75 feet from your existing home to their truck.
Travel Fees and Distance: When considering long-distance moves such as from California to Florida, the distance between your existing and future home is said to be one of the main cost factors to take into consideration. The more stuff you have and the longer the distance, the more money you’ll pay your mover.
Additional stops: Having to make more than one stop can also cost you more out-of-pocket cash. Expect to pay more if you need the movers to load and unload items at multiple locations such as storage units and your house. Extra stops take time, manpower, and fuel.
Special Items: It’s a rule of thumb that movers tend to charge more when required to transport specialty items that are bulky and heavy such as grand pianos, delicate antiques, expensive artwork grandfather clocks, and more. You will need to factor in the cost of additional insurance for high-value keepsakes and items.
There are also items that movers do not move, such as perishable items, chemicals for a pool, and even car batteries. It’s also recommended that you move your most cherished keepsakes such as jewelry, family, photos, expensive instruments, laptops, and more, by yourself. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to put an accurate price on these items, so you will need to consider making arrangements on your own for their transport.
The Cost of Moving Services
According to Consumer Affairs, basic moving services consist of a team who loads a panel truck with your belongings, which they then transport to a new location where they will unload them. Additional charges are tagged onto the basic cost for local and long-distance moves. However, it’s said you can opt out of these additional services if you can find a cheaper way to fulfill them.
Some of these services include the following:
Packing Service: If you wish for your movers to do all the packing and unpacking, you should expect to pay an additional $300 to $500, depending on how much stuff you have accumulated over the years. There will be extra costs for packing supplies.
Storage Units: Storage services will cost you around $50 to a few hundred dollars per month, depending on the size of the unit or units you require and where they are located.
Movers Insurance: Movers insurance is said to be a necessity since it will protect you financially should items be damaged or lost during a move. The average cost for full-value moving protection is said to run between 1 percent and 5 percent of the estimated value of the insured goods. In other words, if you want to move $10,000 worth of items, you can expect to pay around $100 to $500 in insurance fees. The cost is worth it, especially for long-distance moves.
