Moving Long Distance vs Local – Long Distance Move Takes More Time
With more preparations in play, the time and effort required will skyrocket. It will not be anything that is not manageable, of course, but the process will tax you. Let’s say that you’ve done your scouting and you now know where your new home is. You need to hire a moving company next. And you need to hire them well in advance if you want more time to choose the best option. A couple of months before is a good time to consider hiring your movers.
Another Difference Between Moving Long Distance vs Local – Moving Costs
Now we come to the real difference. If you moved before in your life, you know how expensive it is. Regardless of the fact that you are doing a DIY move or hiring a professional moving company, the costs will be significant. That means that you need to form a moving budget. Long-distance moves will require a much bigger budget than the local moves will. You also need to consider your movers, as well. You want to have a reliable moving company as your partner, especially in the long-distance moves.
Factors to consider when planning your move
So what are the considerations you should make when determining whether your move is going to be a do-it-yourself job or one that you’ll leave professional movers to handle?
The following factors could sway your decision one way or the other.
Cost is more than money
When it comes to cost, it’s easy to conclude that a DIY move will be cheaper than hiring professionals. However, there are some things that money can’t buy. For example, in a DIY move, you’re in charge of the heavy lifting. You could damage or lose furniture or belongings that an experienced professional’s experience could have delivered unscathed or mover’s insurance would cover.
On the other end is the cost of time, physical effort, packing supplies and gas, risk of personal injury, and other considerations that might cost you money in the long run.
So, it’s important not to just think of costs in terms of dollar signs. That’s only half the picture.
Availability of time
How soon do you need to move? If your move is planned in advance, it’s much easier to make an informed decision about how you would manage a do-it-yourself move or pay for a professional service. This gives you the time to brainstorm with all of the people involved and gather the required resources. But if you have a tight schedule, you may discover that your circumstances make the decision for you.
Distance
Distance is an essential factor to consider when deciding which moving option you’ll go with. For instance, friends and family could help you move locally. But if you’re talking about a 500-mile move, that’s a bigger ask. You might have to call in the pros.
Also, your small van may be more suitable for carrying your stuff if you’re making trips to a place nearby than it would if you were attempting to make numerous hundred-mile trips.
Amount of stuff you are moving
If you’ve lived in the same house for a few years, it may not be easy to appreciate how much stuff you’ve accumulated until the day you have to pack it for a move. While you may want to choose to DIY, there are instances where you just have too much stuff to handle. A big move with lots of boxes and furniture might require the professionals.
On the other hand, if you’re moving out of a small apartment, planning to declutter, or have been living the minimalist lifestyle, a do-it-yourself move might be a good option.
Availability of helpers
They said they’d be there for you, come rain or shine. But things come up, and commitments wear off with time. When moving, getting help from your friends, family, or neighbors isn’t always a guarantee. If you can’t find enough people you can count on, the do-it-yourself option may be impractical.
Hiring Movers
Pros
- You won’t have to lift a finger – Leave the heavy lifting to the professionals. After all, these trained movers were hired for a reason. By enlisting a reputable moving company, you won’t have to worry about lifting and carrying any of your heavy couches down the stairs and out the door. You also won’t have to worry about straining muscles, scratching up new floors or begging friends to help with the lifting. Instead you can focus on babysitting your children, watching your pet and other important tasks at hand. Or you can just kick back and relax.
- Efficiency – Assuming that you’ve hired a legitimate and experienced moving company, I’d venture to say that your movers will be pretty reliable. Unlike friends who can flake, the moving company is under contract to assist with all agreed upon aspects of the move. The moving company should arrive on time with the appropriate moving supplies and equipment – saving you from the not-so-fun task of gathering dollies and furniture pads at the last minute. In the long run, hiring a reputable relocation company saves the customer a lot of moving hours.
- Less stressful, overall – In general, hiring movers saves you from many of the common moving day stresses. In addition to a moving company’s time-saving benefits, hiring help will also save you from having to maneuver a giant moving truck down the highway. Moving trucks are notoriously tricky and challenging to drive. Trailers aren’t much easier either. If the idea of loading and driving a large moving truck stresses you out, then I highly recommend hiring movers to help.
Cons
- Less flexibility – When you hire professional movers, you limit your own control over the move. From the date/time of pick-up to the manner in which the movers load your belongings, there’s not much you can do to change when and how you move. Worst case scenario: you could end up waiting weeks for your moving truck to arrive, if the relocation company has multiple stops along the way. For those who like to be in complete control, hiring a moving company may not be the best option for you.
- Impersonal – Chances are, you don’t personally know your movers. Handing over your precious belongings to complete strangers can be a bit nerve-racking, to say the least. That’s why it’s so important to do your homework, read reviews and check ratings before enlisting a moving company to help you with your relocation. To avoid moving scams and rip-offs.
Why You Should Hire A Professional Mover
Whether it’s for residential or commercial needs, moving is one of these troublesome instances when experience and professional know how can mean the difference between a good move and a bad move. If you are planning to move, now or in the future, you might find yourself wondering “Should I hire a moving company or move by myself?” When deciding on between a DYI Move or using professional movers, take the following instances into consideration:
Experience
Several indisputable facts show that hiring the services of a highly experienced professional moving company is your most beneficial option when moving across country:
Safety
Professional movers are trained to use the most appropriate and efficient moving techniques to ensure that your household items are properly packed, shipped safely and promptly delivered to your new home intact and unbroken. The use of appropriate wrapping and padding prevents items from shifting inside the boxes during transport, careful maneuvering through narrow corridors and steep staircases, proper loading of items, securing all items in the moving truck and competent driving skills will account for the safety of your household items.
Know-How
Professional movers know their stuff!! They know how to properly handle heavy and bulky items, odd-shaped furniture and sensitive electronics, so all your belongings are efficiently and safely transferred to the moving truck and then into your new home. Additionally, movers know the shortest and safest to the final move destination, and are very familiar with the peculiarities of the local area which allows them to avoid any traffic or parking problems.
So, why should you hire a professional moving company? Because experience matters and results in safety, speed, reliability, efficiency and peace of mind.
Cost savings in the long run
The allegedly high cost of hiring movers can be a good reason to make you think twice before using the services of a professional moving company. However, contrary to popular belief, hiring movers may prove to be as economical, or even more so, as performing a DIY move.
Of course, there are plenty of factors that come into play when trying to determine the final relocation costs, such as moving budget, time, distance and complexity of the move. One common Do-It-Yourself mistake is to underestimate the cost of moving on your own, that is, without using a moving company.
Accountability
Keep in mind that one of the top reasons to hire professional movers is that the best movers in the country come properly insured, which means that the pros will be held accountable for any type of damage to your belongings.
If you’ve made up your mind to move without hiring the services of a professional mover, it’s important to understand that you cannot hold your friends responsible for accidentally damaging one or two of your things. After all, your pals are not professional movers, so they can’t possibly have the extensive training, experience, and expertise of the pro movers. If a friend of yours broke something expensive – accidentally, of course – all they could do is say they were sorry. And that would not be enough to console you in any way, would it?
Professional movers come adequately insured but you should still purchase additional coverage if you happen to be moving valuable items. If you choose to get Full Value Protection, your movers will be liable to compensate you with the full cash value for any damaged or missing items.
Thus said, you should never count on the Released Value Protection – the “coverage” that comes into effect when you sign the moving contract and that is offered for free. Why? It’s practically non-existent so treat it as such.