Top-Rated Long-Distance Movers: Long-Distance Moving Costs

A cross-country move is one of the most difficult types of relocation there is, if not the toughest of them all.

This is why it’s only fair to say upfront that the challenging task of moving across several states is not suited for brave Do-It-Yourself relocation attempts – read on to understand why.

Therefore, the only way to guarantee yourself smooth sailing throughout all relocation stages is to hire the best-rated long-distance movers.

Get a better idea of how much long-distance movers cost, including average moving costs.

Learn the right way to ask for price quotes and how to initiate the hunt for the best cross-country moving companies near you by reading moving reviews and checking their licensing information.

Prepare a few essential questions to ask your future professional partners to help you make a better decision when it comes to singling out the winning candidate.

And finally, find more information about when and how much to tip long-distance movers.

Why top-rated long-distance movers are the key to success

If your new home is located in another state and the distance to that residence is more than 100 miles, then you’re definitely facing a long-distance move.

It’s important to understand that moving across the country to a place that is 1,000 miles or even 2,000 miles away is much more complicated and challenging than moving locally without having to cross over to another state, let alone performing a move across town.

The success of a cross-country move lies in having extensive relocation experience – something you are unlikely to have gained unless you work as a professional mover yourself.

And even if you happen to be moving house way too frequently by force of circumstance, here are the main reasons why long-distance moving is definitely NOT suited for desperate self-move attempts.

Staggering self-move expenses

While trying to figure out the most economical way to move from Point A to Point B, you shouldn’t forget to include the notorious hidden DIY expenses in your calculations as well.

For example, while you are not likely to overlook the price of renting a moving vehicle and the fuel cost, have you given enough thought about the inevitable road tolls, parking fees, and required insurance?

And what about the expenses related to packing supplies, meals, and lodgings along the road trip?

In the end, you shouldn’t be too surprised when hiring one of the most affordable long-distance moving companies turns out to be the most economical way to move across the country.

Commonly Forgotten Self-Moving Costs

Unjustified self-moving risks

Crossing multiple state lines in the driver’s seat of a large rental truck is probably not the most appealing way you pictured your house relocation.

But even if you feel confident that you can actually pull it off, it’s good to know that the risks of something bad happening increase with each mile on the road.

Moreover, think about whether you have the necessary moving equipment and know-how to load properly and safely a moving van without sustaining painful personal injuries or inflicting costly property damage.

Finding reputable and reliable long-distance movers will take a lot of the usual relocation pressure and worrisome guesswork off your shoulders, thus giving you the peace of mind you deserve and a chunk of extra free time to use as you see fit.

Now that you are familiar with the major advantages of using professional services when moving to another part of the country, let’s talk about the long-distance cost and how to take advantage of the lowest moving rates.

The Biggest Risks of a Self-Move: Obvious and Hidden DIY Dangers

How much do long-distance movers cost?

Before we try to answer the excellent question of How much does it cost to hire long-distance movers? by providing a few specific examples, you must understand how that price is formed so that you can have more direct control over it.

In other words, once you know which relocation factors affect the final bill, and more importantly – how they affect it, you will be able to manage your finances in such a way as to end up saving more money.

So, how much do long-distance movers cost?

The cost of moving long distance is calculated on a case-by-case basis. Why? It’s because too many factors affect the moving price at the same time.

And yet, here are the average moving costs when moving long distance so that you have a pretty good idea of what to expect price-wise from your cross-country move.

How much do long-distance movers cost for 250 miles?

If the place you’re moving to is located approximately 250 miles away from your current home, then these are the moving costs you should expect to be charged by your long-distance movers without any extra services:

Home Size	Distance	Moving Cost
1-bedroom	250 miles	$1,210 – $3,013
2-bedroom	250 miles	$1,556 – $4,225
3-bedroom	250 miles	$1,880 – $4,505
4-bedroom	250 miles	$2,100 – $5,066

How much do long-distance movers cost for 500 miles?

If the home you’re moving to is located roughly 500 miles away from your current place, then these are the moving costs you should expect to be charged by your long-distance moving company without the price of any extra services:

Home Size	Distance	Moving Cost
1-bedroom	500 miles	$1,598 – $3,213
2-bedroom	500 miles	$2,083 – $4,352
3-bedroom	500 miles	$3,250 – $5,375
4-bedroom	500 miles	$3,788 – $6,783

How much do long-distance movers cost for 1,000 miles?

If the destination place is located roughly 1,000 miles away from your current place, then these are the moving costs you should expect to be charged by your long-distance mover excluding the price of any extra services:

Home Size	Distance	Moving Cost
1-bedroom	1,000 miles	$2,363 – $4,930
2-bedroom	1,000 miles	$2,363 – $4,930
3-bedroom	1,000 miles	$3,570 – $6,163
4-bedroom	1,000 miles	$4,208 – $6,885

How much do long-distance movers cost for 2,000 miles?

If the destination place is located roughly 2,000 miles away from your current place, then these are the moving costs you should expect to be charged by your long-distance movers without the price of any additional services:

Home Size	Distance	Moving Cost
1-bedroom	2,000 miles	$2,576 – $4,998
2-bedroom	2,000 miles	$3,460 – $6,146
3-bedroom	2,000 miles	$4,693 – $7,523
4-bedroom	2,000 miles	$6,481 – $10,625

In reality, when it comes to concrete prices when moving across the country, you must understand that the average long-distance costs above are only approximate values.

Therefore, the actual amount of money that you will have to pay to your relocation partner will depend on several factors, primarily the ones described below.

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Factors that affect the long-distance moving cost

Here are the 3 major factors that will influence how much you pay your professional long-distance moving company:

1. Shipment weight

The final weight of your entire shipment will influence directly the sum you’re paying for having your household belongings transported safely to your new home.

It goes without saying that the fewer items you choose to take with you, the less money you will have to spend on their transportation.

Here you will learn the best ways to get rid of unwanted items when moving.

2. Move distance

For better or worse, the move distance between your two homes remains the only constant value that you cannot possibly control.

And considering the fact that that very distance influences the relocation price in direct proportion, it’s only natural that you should wish it were much shorter, to begin with.

3. Additional services

Each additional service you request from your residential long-distance movers, or which becomes necessary for the successful completion of a given task, will cost you extra.

The most common accessorial services include

• packing and unpacking,
• disassembly and reassembly of furniture pieces,
• handling of extra heavy household items, and
• temporary storage solutions.

Don’t forget to discuss with your trusted professional partner the important issue of additional services and their respective rates.

Due to the changeable roles of the abovementioned factors, including the inclusion of an extra set of variables such as the exact date and time of year when moving, and individual local or national cross-country movers, the long-distance moving cost is best estimated on a case-by-case basis.

Read on to learn how to get long-distance movers online quotes, which in turn will enable you to choose the most affordable professionals that support your relocation route.

How to request long-distance quotes

The fact that the moving price is calculated on a case-by-case basis only means that you can’t really know how much movers charge for a long-distance move until you request accurate price estimates – customized price calculations that will truly correspond to your unique set of relocation circumstances.

The good news is that asking for long-distance movers estimates is now easier and faster than ever.

• Step 1. USE our Moving Cost Calculator. It’s completely free and it takes less than 60 seconds.
• Step 2. GET contacted by professional long-distance moving companies that support your route and can accommodate your scheduled move day.
• Step 3. REQUEST on-site home surveys by experienced relocation specialists in order to get the most accurate moving quotes you can ever receive. Ask for binding moving estimates too.
• Step 4. HAVE good long-distance moving companies estimates in your hands and all you have left to do is compare the received price quotes. While paying close attention to the additional services and their rates, you single out the offers that fit comfortably into your moving budget and meet your preferences and expectations.
• Step 5. RESEARCH and COMPARE the long-distance moving companies to find the best one for you and your family.

How to find the best long-distance movers near you

You’re almost there!

You have a few cross-country moving companies under consideration as they have all offered you reasonable prices and seem reputable enough to secure your moving job. Still, there can be only one.

Take the step-by-step approach to make sure you’re hiring professionals with years of relocation experience and an unblemished movers reputation.

• Step 1. START the elimination process by first checking out long-distance movers reviews. The positive or negative stories, thoughts, experiences, and ratings left by customers who have used the same movers you’re reviewing at the moment are sure to help you form a preliminary opinion about what you should expect from your hired helpers. A good reputation is something that true professionals value highly and do their best to maintain by offering quality services at affordable prices.

• Step 2. VISIT the official website of the U.S. Department of Transportation and make sure the interstate movers in question are properly insured and licensed to operate. As such, they should possess unique US DOT numbers as proof of their legal status.

• Step 3. ENSURE the trustworthiness of cross-country movers by taking a look at their ratings at the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

• Step 4. LEARN more about possible red flags when considering various moving companies and how to protect yourself against moving fraud.

What questions to ask long-distance movers

In case the long-distance moving reviews and the confirmed legitimacy of your future relocation partners prove to be insufficient to help you make up your mind, a number of carefully pre-selected questions surely will aid you in reaching an informed decision.

Get in touch with the professional companies you think best match your search criteria and interview them briefly to get a good idea of their professionalism, attitude, and responsiveness.

After all, in the event of specific move-related problems along the way, you must know that you can rely on their resourcefulness to fix the issues quickly and competently.

Here are the top 5 questions for long-distance movers that should simplify your ultimate choice of a relocation partner:

1. How many years have you been in the relocation business?

The invaluable experience gained through the years and the ability to stay competitive means, in most cases, that you can trust the company to bring your cross-country relocation adventure to a successful end.

2. Are you properly insured and what type of liability coverage do you offer?

Anything can happen to your beloved belongings while they are in your moving partner’s possession, so it’s important to know that you are adequately protected. And since the basic liability protection plan covers nothing at all, speak with your future movers about the insurance options you have.

3. How do you handle disputes or damage claims?

Hopefully, everything will go smoothly from start to finish. However, accidents do happen even when having the best long-distance movers by your side, so it’s useful to understand more about their policy of resolving complaints or claims filed against them.

4. What do you do to protect property damage?

Here’s an interesting question that will tell you a lot about their level of professionalism. Any failed attempts of theirs to give you a straight and honest answer should give you indications that something is not quite right.

5. Do you offer any discounts or any good ways to lower the relocation price?

An excellent question which you must ask at all costs. Of course, you’ve got nothing to lose here, so don’t forget to inquire if you are eligible for a price reduction in some way. After all, it’s your hard-earned money that is on the line.

30 Fundamental Questions to Ask When Hiring a Moving Company

How much to tip long-distance movers

Finally, let’s discuss briefly an interesting issue that may be bothering you as Moving day approaches, and together with it – the imminent arrival of your hired men.

If you catch yourself wondering, Should I tip long-distance movers?, then you have nothing really to worry about.

As a rule, tips are given as a gesture of appreciation for a job well done. So, if you feel like the professional attitude and hard work of your moving crew deserve to be praised, then, yes – you can genuinely consider rewarding their efforts by tipping them individually.

However, if you’re displeased in any way with their attitude and performance, then you shouldn’t bother tipping them at all.

Let’s assume that you’re pretty happy with their work. Then, how much should you tip long-distance movers?

When you move long distance, a good amount to tip long-distance movers is about $5/hour per mover if they do a good job, or you can round up the amount to $40/day per mover.

Needless to say, you can always give them more money if you can afford it and if you’re more than satisfied with their services.

Whatever the sum you choose to reward your hired moving team, follow two major principles when tipping long-distance movers:

• make sure you have the cash ready to hand over as tips, and
• never give the lump sum to the foreman or truck driver. Instead, give each individual mover the share they deserve.

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