The cost of hiring local movers can depend on a variety of factors. Some of these factors include the size of the move, the distance of the move, or how many specialty items require moving. Here are a few factors that determine the costs of moving services:
Size of the Move
The fewer things you plan to move to your new home, the cheaper it will be for you. Moving from a studio apartment is different from moving out of a three-bedroom apartment in terms of the number of household items. The smaller your home is, the fewer household items you have, which usually lowers your moving costs.
Local movers are also interested in understanding the number of items you have. You may live in a small home but have many household items, which can increase the cost of moving.
Move Distance
The distance between your current and future home determines the transportation costs that will impact your overall moving costs. Short distances are more affordable than long distances due to low gas fees and tolls.
Local movers calculate the distance they move your items to determine transportation costs. If you travel long miles with a large number of household items, costs will potentially be higher.
Moving Specialty Items
In case you want to move special items such as pianos, cars, animal sheds, and swing sets, you pay additional fees for these items. They require a skilled workforce to move and pack them to avoid causing any damage. Because these items are usually large and unwieldy, they are not normally things that you would be able to move without assistance.
Shipping your car as part of your items also increases moving costs. Movers require protective wrappings to make sure your car is safe during the move. They might require you to pay a separate fee for moving your car.
Move Date
The date you move can influence your costs as different times may be more or less expensive. The first and last weekends of all months are usually busy as most people move during the end of lease cycles. Moving in the middle of the month can potentially save you moving costs.
When demand for moving services is low, movers may charge lower prices than when demand is high. Do your research and consult a local moving company to see if prices vary depending on the time of your move.
Additional Services
Additional services are charged separately and increase the cost of moving. Some of the additional services you may require from movers include:
Packaging Services
If you want the movers to pack your items and unpack them in the new home, plan to spend a little more money on packing fees. The number of items to pack, how heavy they are, and the packaging materials used determine the cost. Spending a little extra on packing costs can save you the time and stress that you would experience packing all the items yourself.
Moving Insurance
Moving insurance protects you if your items get damaged or lost when moving. The average cost of moving insurance can be between 1 to 5% of the value of your items. If you want to insure items worth 10,000 dollars, expect to pay between 100 and 500 dollars as moving insurance.
Some movers work with insurance companies to protect your household items when you sign your moving contract. Discuss with your movers what they offer in order to have a reasonable insurance option for your valuable possessions.
Tipping
The tips you plan to award your movers can also impact your overall costs. Because tipping is not required, it is up to you to decide if this is something you want to budget into your moving costs. You can determine if the movers have done an exceptional job moving your household items. You can either give the movers a flat rate or give them a percentage of the total moving cost.
Find Local Movers Today!
Having a plan can help to make your move easy and enjoyable. Hire local movers to help pack, load, transport, and unpack items into your new home. Utilizing a professional moving company can save you stress and time. Instead of worrying about the move, you can spend your time looking forward to your new home.
