This is one of the most common questions for most people who are facing a move, regardless of whether it is across town or across the country. Many people are tempted to self-move, especially when budget factors are taken into consideration. If a new employer is not helping to subsidize your move, then you may seriously consider biting the bullet and moving yourself. In this case, there are things you should consider when determining whether you should move yourself or hire a moving company.
Across Town or Across the Country?
First, consider the distance of your move. If you will be moving a long distance, then you will need to be prepared for the fact that you will need to drive a truck for a long distance. While some people think of this as adventurous, others do not.
Of course, if you are only moving a short distance, then it may not be worth it for you to consider the cost of hiring a professional moving company. In such cases, you may be able to quickly and easily handle the matter on your own along with some friends and relatives.
Are you Physically up to it?
You also need to take into consideration whether you have the time and the physical strength to load and unload all of your boxes. When you hire a professional moving company, the movers take care of all of the hard work. This not only leaves you with more time to take care of other critical details related to your move, but it also relieves you of the exhaustion that can accompany self-moving.
Compare your Options
It is also important to make sure that you tally the two options to determine which one will really save you the most money if budget is a consideration. While a self-move will eliminate the cost of paying the actual movers, it is not completely free. First, you will need to pay for the rental costs of the truck. Depending on the distance, this could be significant. You will also need to pay for the fuel for the truck. The amount to fuel a large moving truck can often be quite high, so make sure you take this into consideration when comparing costs.
Finally, make sure you take into consideration the amount of money that you will spend on food and motels as well as tolls along the way. While you may be able to arrive in a much shorter amount of time if you hire a moving company to drive your belongings to your new destination, when you are doing it on your own it will usually take longer. This results in extra costs that you might not incur if you hire a moving company, such as food and motels.
Remember that it never hurts to obtain quotes from a moving company in order to just compare the costs of different options. When obtaining quotes, make sure you obtain at least three different quotes to obtain a realistic idea of what the move will cost you.
Related Guides: