Moving can be fun if you plan it carefully in advance. Make sure you post a review on your company after your move is completed.
If your lease is about to expire or you’re getting closer to the closing day of your new property, you’ve probably have asked yourself the question: What will be my average moving cost?. I’m positive that after reading this article you will be closer to get the idea of your average moving costs for your local or long distance move. The first task you need to get done is to decide what moving service type to use. There are few options available for you and I’ll try to explain the average cost of moving for each one of them.
Full Service Movers Average Costs
If you have chosen to use full service moving companies for your relocation then in most cases this would the most expensive option for your move your belongings. If you are to be moving state of state then the relocation cost for your move will be based on the distance between the old and new location, weight and respectfully on the amount of “stuff” you own. For example if you’re moving from Chicago to Boston, MA and you live in a 4 bedroom house, your average moving cost with a full service moving company can go over $10000. But if you are moving locally within 100 miles from your old place, this cost will be based on hourly rate and will vary from company to company.
Packing can be a significant expense when moving interstate.
A reputable moving company charges based on the number of movers and trucks used during your move – this expense for a 4 bedroom house will be around $150-170 per hour for 4 experienced movers and a big moving van that can fit all of your belongings. On top of this moving cost most moving companies do not include any additional packing costs. If you are in a mood to pack your belongings and box every room your average moving bill will be much lower than if you choose to have professional movers do the packing for you. Based on my experience in the field, packing costs can be similar to the moving cost itself. A 4 bedroom house can take more than 12h to move from one town to another. In this case your average moving costs will be around $1800 to $2500 without including any packing.
For an accurate free moving estimate calculation use our fast & easy moving calculator.
Self Service or Do It Yourself Moves
If you move by yourself, you will significantly lower the average moving costs.
This is probably the most popular way to move out of state or even locally. In this case there are few things you need to consider before choosing this option. In this case you will do all the work and it doesn’t come cheap when you add all the small costs. Let’s take a look at some of the average costs for the different steps along the self service move:
- Truck Rentals – this cost varies based on the distance and the number of days you’re going to use the truck. Keep in mind that local truck rentals are much cheaper than One Way moving trucks from the popular truck rental companies like Penske, Budget and U-Haul. The approximate moving costs may go up because of the extra fees you should expect. The typical charges might be additional mileage fees, tolls, truck cleaning fee (if returned dirty), etc.
- Truck Rental Insurance – this moving cost can go up to $150. There are some damages not covered by your insurance policy for example overhead damages.
- Gas/Diesel expenses – with the rental truck, fuel cost is not included in the rental price. Most truck rental vans run between 7 and 10 miles per gallon based on the size of the truck. If you get 26’ moving truck and your new home is 1500 miles away you’re looking at an average of 200 gallons of fuel at approximately $4 per gallon. And one tip from me – always fill up the tank and clean your truck and when returning it or additional fees may apply.
- Hotel expenses – Moving cross country and for a 1500 miles moving trip, you will spend at least 1 night at a hotel along the way. Average cost per night is $100 or more based on the place where you decide to stay.
- Hiring Moving Help – this is the third most expensive cost after the truck rental and fuel for long distance moves. You will need to hire local moving helpers on each end to load and unload your belongings of your rental truck. Average moving cost for 3 men is $90 per hour and most likely you will have to pay extra for travel time.
You Pack, They Drive Moving Option
This is another popular option for long distance moves. In this case you save yourself the trouble of renting and driving a moving rental truck. There are 2 ways of doing it.
Moving Containers or Portable Storage Units
Getting a moving container will help you save, but you need some friends helping you with the lifting.
First one is to have a portable storage container dropped off at your location and you pack and load it – it is mostly used for smaller moves. You pay for the moving storage container and you either load it yourself or hire local help to do it for you. Based on your location 2 men would cost you on average of $60 per hour + travel time. Also don’t forget about packing supplies and moving pads for the furniture. Each moving blanket can be rented from places like U-Haul or Penske for about $15 per 12 moving pads or bought for about $10 per pad.
Door to Door Moving Trailer
The second option is to have company like ABF deliver a moving trailer to you house for a specific time period. In this scenario the moving pads, packing and loading/unloading are to be provided by you. It is economical way of moving and it can save you money over the truck rental option.
Knowing the Average, Get your Costs Calculated
Each of the above mentioned options have their pros and cons and you should research each one of them before you select. Your costs will vary for each option you choose based on many factors that are involved in a single move. Whether you move cross country or locally, one bedroom apartment or 4 bedroom house, it is important to know what your average moving cost is for each option. You can always fill the free moving quote form on top for a detailed moving cost calculation. If you decide to go with a moving company take your time to read some reviews on the movers near you to make sure you avoid a moving scam by selecting a reputable relocation specialist. You can also request accurate approximate cost for moving companies by filling the quote form.
So, at the end of this post I hope you now have a clear idea of what your move cost will be. Please come back and share your story and let us know which option did you choose and what was your average moving cost. Looking forward your comments.
When you move out of state you should call a number of companies to ask for the best rates. Getting the most affordable rate is important, but more important is to make sure you are not dealing with cheap rogue companies.
This is a very good article and pretty much what I have seen also. Although here in Arkansas you can hire a quality, experienced mover like us at In and Out Moving for lower than the national average and we can offer all of the services above.