Why Are Movers So Expensive? {You Get What You Pay For}

The world may not revolve around money, but a lot of our decisions and actions do. More often than not, it is the financial factor that determines how we handle an issue and what choices we make. We try our best to save money, make more money, avoid wasting money, or prevent losing money in all and any situation.

Moving house makes no exception – people start worrying about money the moment they start considering a residential move. Will their savings be enough to cover all the moving expenses? How can they cut down the moving costs? Where to find good, affordable movers? Should they hire movers at all or move themselves? And as is often the case, it all depends on the associated moving costs.

So, the first thing you’ll probably do when faced with a house move is to log into the Internet and find the average cost of moving. When you see the numbers – $4,500 for a long-distance move, $2,000 for a local move – you may reel back in shock. Why are movers so expensive?

The answer is simple enough – professional movers offer high quality services and quality comes at a price. The price, however, is not as high as it may seem and movers are not as expensive as you may think. In fact, hiring movers is worth every penny you spend. Read on to find why:

How Much Do Movers Cost?

So, let’s take a look at the average cost of movers first.

The cost of hiring a moving company depends on whether you’re moving locally or across the country, how much stuff you have for moving, what extra services and special equipment will be required for your relocation, what time of the year, month, and week your move takes place, what kind of liability coverage you want for your items, and how difficult the job is (how long loading and unloading will take, how many people will be needed for the job, what obstacles will be encountered, etc.).

How Much Do Movers Charge for a Local Move?

Local movers charge by the hour – they tally up the number of work hours it will take the moving crew to load and unload the shipment and the time that the moving truck will need to get from the pickup to the delivery location. A travel fee for the time spent travelling to the pickup location is usually added to the final bill as well (charged as 1 additional hour). Most local moving companies have a minimum charge of 2-4 hours, so even if your move takes less time, you’ll still be charged this minimum amount.

Hourly rates vary from one area to the next but are typically about $25-$35 per hour per mover.

How Much Do Long Distance Movers Cost?

The cost of intrastate moves is based on the total weight of the shipment and the distance between the pickup and delivery locations.

When estimating cross-country moving costs, movers calculate the load weight and the exact distance to the final destination, then multiply the numbers by the company’s rate per pound per mile.

To get a realistic price estimate for your long-distance move, you need to request a visual survey of your belongings – representatives of the moving companies you consider working with will make a walk-through of your home, determine the approximate weight of your items, and discuss the details of your move with you (required accessorial services, special packing or handling requirements, possible obstacles, insurance options, etc.). Based on that information, the movers will prepare accurate cost estimates for your cross-country relocation.

Whether you’re moving locally or long distance though, any requested extra services and packing materials will also be included in the final price.

What Additional Charges Are There When Hiring Movers?

Moving companies charge extra fees for any specialized services and supplies you use during your relocation:

• Packing services and materials – if you prefer to have your items professionally packed;
• Disassembly and reassembly of furniture – if your large furniture pieces need to be taken part so that they can be safely taken out of your old home and transported to your new one without risk of damage;
• Handling of bulky items – if you’re moving extremely heavy or oversized items like pianos and pool tables;
• Appliance servicing – if you need help disconnecting and setting up your electrical appliances;
• Hoisting – if some of your items can’t get through the doors or along the hallways or stairways of your home and need to be taken in or out of the property through a window with the help of a rope-and-pulley rigging system;
• Taking items up or down stairs – if the movers have to take your items up or down the stairs of a high residential building (or wait too long for an elevator), you’ll have to pay a flight charge (or an elevator fee);
• Carrying items for a long distance – if the moving truck cannot park close to your home and the movers have to carry your items at a distance greater than 50-75 feet, you’ll be charged a long carry fee;
• Shuttle services – if physical constraints block the access of a large moving truck to your property and your items need to be picked up (or delivered) with the help of small moving vehicles;

  

• Split pickup and/or delivery – if your items have to be picked from several different locations or if a part of the shipment has to be unloaded at your new home and another part to be delivered somewhere else;
• Storage – if you need your belongings to be stored in the carrier’s warehouse for a certain period of time;
• Full value protection – if you want to purchase additional moving insurance for your items.

See also: How to save on extra moving services

Also, keep in mind that moving companies can charge up to 20% more than their standard rates in peak moving season (from May to September), during weekends, on national holidays, or on the first or last days of a month.

You can find more detailed information on the average cost to hire a moving company here.

So, now that you know the answer to the question “How much does it cost to hire movers?”, you may wonder what constitutes the price – not what you’re charged for or how moving companies calculate the costs, but whether they offer such good value that it’s worth the money?

Why Are Movers So Expensive?

When you hire movers to help you relocate, they don’t just pack, load, and transport your items – they take away the stress and risks of your relocation endeavor.

Professional movers know their job – they know how to organize your belongings and label your boxes so that everything makes sense, how to ensure the safety of your items so that everything arrives intact and unscathed at your new home, how to squeeze large or awkwardly-shaped pieces through the door so that they don’t get a scratch, how to pack the moving truck so tightly that even a fly couldn’t find a way through the gaps and yet make sure that the items don’t rub against one another, how to drive in adverse weather and avoid traffic jams and road accidents, etc. They can overcome any obstacle, find a way out of any difficult situation, and come up with an efficient moving strategy, regardless of the circumstances.

And they can achieve all that because they’re highly trained, richly experienced, well-equipped professionals. Every piece of equipment and every hour of training, however, cost money. Besides, good movers have good reputation and, therefore, more job requests than they can handle. So, they’re expensive (or so it seems at first).

The higher prices come as a result of several factors:

1) Specialized equipment (that is very expensive to buy and maintain):

• Quality moving vehicles – Reputable moving companies have their own fleets of trucks (of different sizes and capacities) and keep the moving vehicles in excellent condition. The trucks are equipped with everything necessary (loading ramps, tie downs, and/or other special features) to make loading and unloading faster and easier, allow items to be well secured inside, and ensure a quick and safe delivery;

  

• Specialty moving equipment – From moving dollies and moving blankets to furniture sliders, hoisting straps, and ropes, professional movers bring with them everything necessary to make the moving process safer and more efficient. They can even provide hoisting cranes, moving platforms, and other highly specialized tools, if needed;
• Specialized packing supplies – The pros use top quality packing materials (brand new moving boxes, bubble wrap, anti-static peanuts, foam sheeting, etc.) in order to ensure the best possible protection to the items they’re moving. They can also provide specialty boxes, custom-made wooden crates, and other specialized packing materials for delicate items with high sentimental or monetary value.

2) Specialized training (that requires a great investment of time and money)

Professional movers are trained to use specialized moving equipment, taught the most appropriate and efficient packing techniques for different types of items, and prepared to deal with all kinds of relocation challenges. They’re properly certified and qualified for the job and develop expert skills in their work.

3) Specialized services

Good movers can find an efficient solution to any “moving problem” – they can overcome all kinds of relocation obstacles and provide whatever services are needed to ensure a smooth and successful relocation. Specialized moving services, however, take a lot of time, effort, and resources, and require great skills and advanced equipment, so they cost a lot.

4) Overall coordination and planning

Professional movers can take care of every aspect of the arduous relocation process – not just packing, loading, and driving, but also things like creating moving plans, dealing with access issues, arranging parking permits, providing additional insurance, mapping the safest and shortest routes to the destination location, tracking the shipment, keeping items in storage, etc. This is a lot of work and involves a lot of people and resources. It isn’t cheap, but it makes your move hassle- and trouble-free.

5) Liability coverage

Movers assume liability for their customers’ shipment in case of loss or damage of items. There is no way full value protection can come for free.

Good to know: It is quite possible to find cheap movers out there – some moving companies offer much lower prices than others. Before you go for the lowest estimate, however, you need to ask yourself, “Why is that?”, “Where do cheap moving companies save costs?”, “How will that affect my move?” and other similar questions:

• Are the movers properly licensed and authorized to transport household goods? Research the company to make sure you’re dealing with legitimate, insured professionals;
• Do they have full-time employees or hire temporary workers with no specialized training or moving experience?
• Do the movers offer good customer service? Check the company’s rating with the BBB and read moving reviews to learn about other people’s experience with the movers;
• What do the movers consider “extra services”? How much do they charge for them?
• Do they perform in-home surveys or just offer quotes over the phone?
• Does the company offer appropriate moving insurance?
• Does it require large deposits?
• Do the movers provide all the necessary moving paperwork? Do they want you to sign blank or incomplete documents?

Keep in mind that both rogue movers and incompetent movers may offer low-ball estimates in order to lure customers. Once they secure the job, they will either disappear with the money from the deposit or charge exorbitant extra fees for some alleged additional services or unforeseen difficulties during the moving process. Or they will just do a lousy job and ruin your moving experience. So, don’t just look at the price when hiring movers – when you pay for something, you want it to be done well, right? Make sure you find honest, experienced and reliable movers for your relocation.

Are Movers Worth It?

So, using professional moving services isn’t cheap. Why not perform a self-move, then?

You can do so, of course, especially if you’re moving short-distance, don’t have too many items for moving, and can count on several good friends to come help you on moving day. Yet, moving yourself is not only very difficult, but also extremely risky (not to mention hassle- and stress-full) and you’re very likely to regret your decision in the end.

See also: Move yourself or hire movers – how to solve the ultimate dilemma

Besides, a DIY-move will cost you much more than you may think – you’ll have to pay not only for the rental moving truck, but also for packing supplies, auxiliary moving equipment, fuel, vehicle insurance, parking fees, road tolls, meals and lodgings on the way, etc.

And that is not considering the time you may need to take off work in order to organize and perform a self-move, any damage you may cause to your property while taking large and heavy items in or out of it, any personal injuries you may sustain during the process, or any broken belongings (due to the fact that you haven’t packed them properly, loaded or unloaded them safely, secured them well in the moving truck, prevented them from bumping against other items during transit, etc.).

In any of these scenarios you’ll lose much more money than you would have paid to hire movers – who would have performed a safe and trouble-free relocation.

See also: The forgotten costs of moving on your own

Still thinking that hiring movers is more of a luxury than a necessity? It’s true that you may need to pay a bit more for professional moving services as compared to a DIY-move (or may not, as detailed above), but you get what you pay for – professionalism and experience. And as a result – a safe, efficient, and successful relocation.

Hiring professional movers is worth every penny you pay, because it ensures your smooth and successful moving experience:

Safety

Trained, seasoned movers have the expert skills, rich experience, and professional knowledge, as well as the necessary resources (quality packing supplies and specialized moving equipment), to perform a move in the safest and most efficient way possible. Hiring professional movers for your relocation will ensure your safety, the safety of your family, the safety of your property, and the safety of your belongings:

• The pros will take efficient precautionary measures to prevent damage to your property (cover the floors, wrap the banisters, protect the doorframes, wall corners, and step edges, etc.) when taking large and heavy items in or out of it;
• They will use quality packing materials and appropriate packing techniques to provide optimal protection to your items during the moving process;
• The experts know how to properly lift and carry bulky items, how to squeeze them through the doors, and how to safely manoeuver them along narrow corridors and steep staircases;
• They will use moving dollies, furniture sliders, and other appropriate moving equipment to avoid accidents and reduce the risk of damage to your home and your belongings during the loading/unloading process;

  

• The movers will secure your belongings in the moving truck so that they don’t shift, topple over, or rub against one another during transit;
• They know the shortest and safest routes to take your shipment to its final destination and will deliver your items to your new home promptly and in excellent condition;
• You won’t have to lift a finger (or a single heavy box) and will be able to stay away from the moving chaos. You and your family won’t need to deal with any dangerous situations and will be completely safe throughout the entire moving process. (The movers themselves have mastered a variety of safe lifting and moving techniques that allow them to complete the job without sustaining personal injuries.)

See also: Safety tips for moving

Efficiency

Movers know not only the safest way to pack, load, and transport household goods, but also the most efficient way to do so. They work with enviable speed and precision – an experienced moving crew can pack your entire home in several hours and load the moving truck in the time you’ll need to figure out a working truck-packing strategy. What’s more, they organize items so well and pack them so tightly that they manage to utilize the optimum capacity of the moving containers and the moving vehicle. The experienced approach of professional movers saves both time and space (not to mention hassle and potential troubles).

Besides, the moving specialists are very well familiar with the peculiarities of the area they serve, which allows them to avoid traffic and/or parking problems and deliver items quickly and without problems along the way.

Time and Convenience

Best of all, using professional moving services not only speeds up things on moving day, but saves you a lot of time and effort throughout the entire relocation process – you don’t need to waste time gathering packing supplies and packing your items (if you’ve requested packing services), making complex relocation plans, coordinating the different aspects of the moving process, etc. You won’t need to spend several hours (or days!) on the road driving the moving vehicle and worrying about missing important meetings and appointments. You won’t need to use every last ounce of energy in your body to perform laborious relocation tasks and arrive drained and frustrated at your new home.

The pros will take care of your move from start to finish and will do all (or most) of the work for you, so that you have the time and energy to focus on other important matters and better prepare for your new life.

Related: How long does it take to move house

Peace of Mind

Last but not least, hiring professional movers will ensure your peace of mind – you’ll know that your possessions are handled by experienced professionals and you have reliable assistance at every step of the relocation process. Even if something goes wrong, your experienced movers are likely to have a plan B and save the day. Even if some of your items are accidentally damaged or the moving truck has an accident, you will be compensated for your loss as your belongings are properly insured. Knowing this will relieve much of the moving stress and will help you deal with your relocation endeavor on a much more positive note.

See also: How to reduce the stress of moving house

So, is it worth hiring movers? Using professional assistance reduces both the physical hardships and emotional stress of moving. You pay for experience and proper equipment; experience pays in efficiency and safety; and these result in success.

When you hire movers you spend money but you buy something invaluable – time and peace of mind. It’s an investment and it pays off in the form of a smooth and successful relocation. It’s worth every penny.

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