There are a heap of expenses involved in moving house. Before you book your mover, there is a lot to consider. Getting full and thorough quote(s) will help you plan your move and to make an informed decision. Finding out what movers charge takes a bit of time, but it’s essential if you want to find the best fit for your pocket and your requirements.
Read full articles below:
What Services Do You Need?
Movers rates vary depending on your needs, so it’s not so simple to put your finger on an average cost to move house. Your best bet is to get a few quotes. This way you can compare both the total amount and the individual costs of hiring staff, paying for a truck, paying for people to pack your belongings, packing equipment and more.
Before you book a full-service move, you want to figure out where you can cut costs and what unavoidable aspect(s) of your move will be the most costly.
Consider the following:
- Do you need movers to pack your belongings or will you pack them yourself? Movers cannot take responsibility for boxes which they have not packed.
- How big is your house and do you have a lot of belongings? It may be worth your while to sell or donate some of your items and replace them later (if essential) to cut costs.
- Will you buy boxes and other essential packing materials? Remember, you are taking a chance if you use secondhand boxes as their integrity may have been compromised.
- Are you going to insure your belongings? If you need to insure your belongings the moving company may be required to pack them for you to qualify for moving insurance.
- Are you moving far? Moving long distances or to another country will cost more, while moving 15 minutes away will be cheaper. (Matt, isn’t this somewhat self explanatory?)
- Do you have a lot of valuable items? These items will require special care when packing, and the help of movers is highly recommended.
- Consider the cost of your time too. Is your time more valuable spent working or packing boxes?
- Movers will charge for the time taken to load and offload your belongings; some movers have a minimum amount of hours they have to charge for. Watch out for this hidden cost.
Moving Costs to Compare
Before you accept the first or the cheapest quote you receive from a moving company, make sure all the services you require are included. The total cost of the move may pleasantly surprise you, and you can likely negotiate the total moving fee (this doesn’t make sense to me). Some movers may charge more to pack your belongings, and others may charge more for their transport.
When comparing various companies quotes make sure thwey are all quoting on the same parameters and volume to be moved, the same number of man-hours and the same distance travelled (again, Matt this doesn’t make sense to me – surely all companies will quote to the same destination!) You also want to compare the cost of each line item so you know where you can save money and where you can spend more.
Potential Hidden Costs
There may be a few additional costs which you didn’t account for so make sure you ask about overtime rates, booking fees, freight services and storage.
The Cost of Not Using a Moving Company
If you’re thinking about moving your home without the help of a moving company, it’s important to remember that your costs could increase. If your items are damaged, replacing them could quickly cost as much as the movers.
Contact us to get a competitive quote now. We can help you decide which services you need and which you don’t need and where you can save money. Let us get you on track for moving day.
