Many movers focus on the pre-moving tasks that they ignore one significant thing – expenses. The cost of moving can add up quickly without you knowing whether you hire professional movers or DIY. If expenses are involved, you should carefully plan if you do not want to be caught off-guard.
It is time to start thinking about the factors that can affect your expenses. While the costs vary, there are major factors that can help you determine how much it will cost you. Here are the factors:
Time of the year you move
The time of the year you choose to move will greatly affect the cost of moving. You have to remember that summer is peak season for moving companies. More demand usually means you will pay more to hire movers or rent a truck.
Number of things you have
Keep in mind that when you move, each item carries a dollar value. Professional movers will charge based on the size and weight of your items. The more items you have, the more stuff they will move. This will translate to higher payments at the end of the day. If you move on your own, the same thing applies – the more stuff you have, the bigger the truck you need to rent.
The distance you are moving
Another factor that can greatly affect the cost of moving is the distance. Long distance moving is always expensive. For this, you need to set a budget for lodging, meals, and gas on top of the regular moving cost like a truck rental.
Moving logistics
Moving means physically transferring a lot of stuff from one place to another – over long distances. With this in mind, you should think about the cost of insurance, moving equipment, packing supplies, storage unit rental, and bonuses for professional movers.
Fixing up the old home
If you are selling your home, you should at least prepare to fix it before you go. For this, you will need to hire professional repairmen to take care of everything. The goal here is to restore your home and make it comfortable for the next residents. Look for repairmen first and have an estimate so you will know how much to set aside for repairs.
Cleaning the space
Aside from fixing the old home, the next thing to consider is cleaning the old space. Cleaning is a basic courtesy to the next residents. You can clean the house on your own but it will be daunting and time-consuming. To thoroughly clean the house, it is a prudent idea to hire cleaning services. Do not forget to include this when you are setting a budget.
Cost of travel
If you are moving to another state or city, the cost of travel should be considered. If you decide to drive, you should consider additional costs like meals, hotels, and gas. If you are flying, it will be more expensive considering the plane ticket, airport fees, luggage fees, and taxi fare. More cost will apply if you have children or pets with you while moving.
If you are moving for work purposes, you may be able to save more because the company will help you with the expenses. If the costs are getting too high, you should take a closer look and determine why that is the case and try to adjust.
