Moving to a new home is an exciting time. Whether you’re moving across town, across the state, or across the country, relocating gives you and your family a fresh start and a new perspective on life. Unfortunately, if you’re like most people, the thought of packing up your stuff can also give you a serious case of anxiety. Hiring professional movers is one way to relieve some of that stress, but it can be costly. On the other hand, relying on friends and family is inexpensive, but you could be biting off more than you can chew.
In this post, we’ll try to make your decision a little bit easier by exploring the pros and cons of using a moving company for your next move. For starters, let’s talk about how much it’s going to cost you.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Professional Movers?
The biggest con associated with hiring a moving company really comes down to the cost, which depends on several key factors. The most important factor to consider is whether your move is local or long distance. That’s because moving companies use a completely different pricing structure depending on how far away your destination is.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Local Moves
- Your location: The average cost of hiring local movers is about $25 per hour, per mover, but depending on your town or city, it could vary.
- Number of movers: Most moving companies will send a minimum of two movers. For larger jobs, more may be necessary. In short, more movers = more money.
- Number of hours: Local moving companies tend to charge by the hour, regardless of what kind of work they’re doing. That means you’ll pay the same rate for packing up your stuff as you will for physically loading it into the truck.
Bottom line: An average two-bedroom apartment could cost between $375 and $525. For a three-bedroom house, expect to pay between $700 and $1,000.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Long Distance Moves
- Distance:The further away your new home is, the more you’ll pay. Pretty simple.
- Shipment weight: Again, it stands to reason that the total weight of your stuff will help determine the cost of your long distance move. This is why it’s a great idea to get rid of or donate anything you don’t want at your new place.
Bottom line: A small apartment could cost between $1,800 and $2,500. Relocating a small house could run you between $3,500 and $4,200.
The Plus Side of Hiring a Moving Company
Let’s face it. If you’re moving across the country, hiring professional movers is probably the best way to go. And despite the extra cost of a moving company, the benefits are hard to ignore – especially if you don’t have an army of friends and family to help you. Here’s what money buys you:
- Loading: Arguably the most back-breaking part of any move. Take care of the packing yourself, but leave this to the pros!
- Transport: If you’ve moving across the country or even across the state, driving a giant moving truck is never a fun time.
- Unloading: After you arrive in your new town, the last thing you’ll want to do is haul countless boxes into the house. Kick back and order a pizza instead!
- Stress: Avoiding the stress of planning, moving and keeping track of breakable belongings – if you’re prone to being a worrier, hiring a moving company could be well worth the money.
If you decide that hiring professional movers is the right decision for you, make sure you choose a reputable moving company. For more information about what to look for, check out our post on how to find a top-notch moving company.
When Moving Yourself Makes Sense
Hiring professional movers may not be worth the expense for people who are moving relatively short distances or who don’t have very many belongings to worry about. If this sounds like you, consider asking your friends and family for help. As long as you do the groundwork of packing and organizing your stuff into boxes, a few extra hands and an inexpensive moving van rental could be all you need to get the job done. For those of you who decide to go this route, here are 10 tasks to complete before moving day.
Make Moving Easier with a Self Storage Unit
Anyone who has ever purchased a home or started a new lease knows that closing dates don’t always line up when you want them to. This means you may not be able to move into your new place as originally planned. If this happens to you, don’t forget that you can easily rent a self storage unit to store your belongings while you wait for your housing deal to go through. Or if you’re currently renting an apartment and you need to be out by a set date, you can use a self storage unit as an affordable, short-term solution for storing your things.
At StorageMart, we don’t require a long-term contract or a minimum length of stay, so you can rent our units for as long as you’d like. And, since moving is already expensive enough, we’ll even give you your first month’s rent for free (on available units). Learn more about our self storage units or find a unit near you today.