How Much Do Cheap Movers Cost?

Moving can be stressful and resource-consuming. One stress point is often the money you need when you want to move to a new residence. And finding a huge price tag when sorting through quotes can be even more frustrating.

Cheap moving companies will charge a flexible rate of between $250 and $5,000, depending on your items, the size of your house, and relocation distance. Most cheap local movers usually charge between $89-$129 hourly, with a 2-3 hour minimum.

Additionally, interstate movers’ rates depend on the weight of the load, the shipment distance, and the level of moving service you require. You can expect to pay about $1 per pound. Considering a standard room can hold around 1,000 lbs. of household goods, a 4-bedroom house with a living room, kitchen, and formal dining room could cost up to $7,000 to move interstate,

What to Know When Hiring Cheap Movers

While a DIY move can be stressful, a professional moving company makes the work more manageable, and you can relocate all in a day’s work. One of the significant advantages of using professional movers is that you won’t have to strain yourself lifting heavy furniture, equipment, or bags of clothes; they will do it all safely without any damage to your belongings.

Professional movers are the key to a successful and stress-free move, whether you live in a small apartment or have a sprawling home to pack up. Here’s what you should look for in an expert mover:

• Mover Qualifications

An expert moving company should have experience in safely relocating customer items. While a professional can easily save you time and energy moving, an inexperienced mover can make the process more stressful. Research the reputation of your preferred mover in addition to the cost, as you will entrust them with your personal belongings.

• Job Training

Loading and offloading household items can be physically demanding and require a healthy, strong-bodied staff. Besides being in good physical shape, the team should occasionally undergo training on safely handling a move. A company that has been in business for a while will likely have well-trained and experienced staff.

• License and Insurance

A professional mover must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL). And since movers transport items that are often expensive, sentimental or both, they should also be insured to cover any unfortunate accidents that may cause damage. You can verify your commercial mover’s insurance directly or through a third-party company such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

How to Find Cheap Moving Companies

Before you settle on a moving company, you should do your due diligence to find the most reliable service provider best suited for your needs. For instance, when moving cross-country, find the best long-distance hauling company with experience moving items interstate. Here are some of the ways you can find cheap moving companies:

• Research different companies and read their reviews.
• Consult competing movers and get quotes. Also, hunt for offers where you can save more when moving on specific days of the week/month.
• Inquire about the company’s other services that come at an additional cost, as they could mean less work for you.
• Acquire the moving estimate in writing in the form of a contract.

Options to Move Affordably (Pros/Cons)

Understandably, you can get a tad concerned about moving interstate or cross-country, as even the cheapest movers will likely cost a few thousand dollars. But it’s also possible to have an affordable and positive moving experience. Below are a few ways to cut moving costs, with pros and cons.

• Sell your belongings

Some unwanted items, such as vintage collectibles, electronics, garage tools, or designer fashion, might be lying around the house. Rather than moving these items into your new home, you can sell them through platforms like eBay, Gone, or Craigslist.

The main advantages are that the sale will help you reduce clutter and get some extra money, but the flip side is that you could lose items of sentimental value or get an amount less than the item’s worth.

• DIY (rent a truck)

Renting a moving truck can be convenient and cost-effective when relocating, and it allows flexibility and control and is more affordable than hiring a professional mover. But it’s not often the best solution.

Some of the challenges of DIY moving are loading and offloading the truck and possibly breaking delicate items. And in the process, you could incur back injuries, making the relocation even more stressful.

• Renting a moving container (like PODS)

PODS are cheaper than hiring a professional mover since you aren’t paying for the labor. You get to pack at your leisure, you can store your items temporarily, and they are secure. But unfortunately, they are only suitable for temporary use and are not ideal for city moves. Apart from being too obvious and destroying curb appeal, you will also have to do the heavy lifting yourself.

• Hiring Moving Professionals

Hiring a professional is often the best option for moving. And since they come with custom and additional services on-demand, they are great for moving delicate items like artwork, pianos, or antiques. But it comes at an added cost, especially when you need a custom move.

What Impacts Moving Costs?

The three main factors that will affect your moving costs are the size of your home, the move distance, and the cost of the professional mover. Some additional expenses will increase the total, including loading/offloading items and dismantling and assembling furniture.

Specialty services like vehicle shipping, cleaning, junk removal, and custom crating can increase your costs considerably. However, hiring a professional mover can help make the relocation less stressful while preventing any injuries to yourself.

Tips to make your move more affordable

• One of the best ways to reduce moving costs is to avoid peak moving seasons, such as the beginning of summer when renters’ and students’ leases end.
• You can use your own packaging to prevent buying extra boxes.
• Create “keep, donate, or throw away” piles to help you sort out what you still want and what you don’t.
• And most importantly, plan for the move as early as possible, packing one room at a time. Don’t leave things until the last minute.
• Lastly, label each box with detail, and note the fragile ones that need extra care.