What Are Moving Company Costs in 2021?

Are you curious to learn about moving company costs in 2021? Are you moving soon? Are you wondering if it’s a good idea to hire movers? Do you feel like you can save some money by borrowing a truck and doing it all yourself? Well, you’re not alone. While thousands of people go the solo route and DIY their big move, there are many good reasons why hiring movers might be worth the investment.

Hiring professional movers and determining prices will depend on several factors, but typically you can expect moving company costs to be calculated based on the following:

 

Is it a Local Move (Intrastate)?

An intrastate move (moving within the same state) will usually run you $500 and up. The final price will depend on the number of labor hours, number of bedrooms, total volume, and total trip miles.

 

Long-Distance Move (Interstate)

If you’re moving out of state, you’ll have to consider a bigger budget. Interstate quotes tend to rely on the shipment’s volume (cubic feet), so the less you bring, the better. With that said, an out-of-state professional moving service usually starts around $1,500.00 and up, which typically includes labor cost, full value protection, packing services, and distance traveled.

 

What Costs are Associated with the move?

If these moving prices seem high or if you’re trying to make sense of what’s included with them, here is a list of things typically included in the price. Keep in mind some of these you might be able to work around to save yourself some money.

Supplies. Make sure you factor in whether it’s a better bargain to get your moving supplies from the moving company or if it’s best to purchase them separately. Often, you can even find free boxes and/or supplies from your local classifieds.

Labor. Perhaps one of the most important factors of a professional moving company’s price involves the labor involved. This includes disassembling furniture, assembling furniture, wrapping furniture, and the number of movers involved. Always try to give the moving company an accurate description of the services you’ll be needing. If you provide a relatively accurate description of what you need, you should also be able to get a reasonably accurate quote.

Liability Coverage. Most moving companies offer some sort of liability coverage, though don’t call it insurance (moving companies are not allowed to sell insurance). While you’ll probably have the chance to choose from different levels of protection, the most popular options tend to be:

Basic Protection – This is usually bare-minimum protection intended to cover a certain percentage of your move – as quoted on the FMCSA site –

“The most economical protection available is Released Value, since it is offered at no additional charge. However, the protection is minimal. Under this option, the mover assumes liability for no more than 60 cents per pound per article. For example, if your mover lost or damaged a 10-pound stereo component valued at $1,000, you would only receive $6.00 in compensation (60 cents x 10 pounds).”

Full Protection – This “full-coverage” like protection allows you to put a value on your load. Should something go wrong during the move, that’s the amount that the company would refund to you in full. However, there are rules and limitations. For example, some companies might determine movers cannot be held responsible for a box that they did not open. Make sure you go over all your contract terms before you make your choice. As quoted on the FMCSA website – “

Under Full Value Protection, your mover is liable for the replacement value of lost or damaged goods in your entire shipment. This is the more comprehensive plan available for the protection of your belongings. Unless you select the alternative level of liability described below—Released Value—your mover will transport your shipment under the Full Value Protection level of liability. If any article is lost, destroyed or damaged while in your mover’s custody, your mover will, at its discretion, offer to do one (1) of the following for each item:

  • Repair the item

  • Replace with a similar item

  • Make a cash settlement for the cost of the repair or the current market replacement value”

Travel Fees. Another fee you can count on seeing on your final bill is a travel fee. This one significantly adds up when you’re moving out of state as it includes things like fuel cost and driving labor.

Time of Move.   Surprisingly, one of the things that can make or break your total bill is dependent on the time of year you move and, in some instances, even the time of day you decide to move. If you’re moving during peak hours and days like weekends, summer break, and holidays you can count on a higher bill.

Gratuity. You should definitely include tipping your driver in your moving budget. While the tipping amount is dependent on how happy you are with the service and entirely up to your discretion, 5% seems to be a good rule of thumb for the entire service. If you prefer to tip each driver, you can take into account the length of the trip and the amount of labor, but typically $20 per drive is perfectly acceptable. Just make sure if you have to grab cash beforehand.

 

Benefits of Hiring Movers. 

Hiring movers might seem like an overwhelming expense at first. Moving company costs in 2021 vary depending on the factors mentioned above. If you’re on the fence about hiring movers, there are a few questions you can ask yourself to determine if it’s worth the price tag:

Can I fit it into my budget? No matter how many other things you do to save money, hiring a legitimate moving company will run you in the thousands. Determining if you can even fit it in your budget will help make the decision much easier.

Do I have time to do it myself? If you are absolutely pressed for time and have to move quickly, delegating your move to a professional moving company might be your best option.

Can I handle moving all items by myself? Are there specialty items that you fear moving on your own? Maybe you have a grandfather clock or a piano that you can’t move on your own or even with your friends’ help. By the way, hiring a moving company for just special items is also completely acceptable.

Am I ok with delegating? This one is a big one. While you will want to be communicative and work closely with your movers, you will also have to trust them (a lot) with your possessions and trust that they know what they are doing. If you think that will be a problem, you might want to look into more DYI friendly moving options.

The bottom line is that there are too many factors that will determine your moving bill’s final price. It is safe to say that hiring a good and trustworthy moving company will usually fall in the thousands, and it will require a lot of research and preparation. Ultimately, when done the right way and with the right company, it can be a wonderful and lifesaving experience that can make a world of difference in your moving experience.

If you’d like to get a quote, click here for a quick and easy moving quote.