There are a few different options when it comes to moving, including renting a truck and doing it all yourself, using one of the newer services where you load a crate that the company drops off and then they move it, or hiring full service moving companies to handle the whole process. There are pros and cons to each of these options.

What's Included

Moving totally on your own typically involves rounding up all of the necessary boxes and packing materials, packing all of the boxes, moving them to a vehicle (which you may have to rent if you don't want to make a ton of trips in a small vehicle), driving that vehicle to the new location and then moving the boxes into that home and unpacking everything. A full service moving company will do all of this for you, and a regular moving service involves the movers loading their truck with boxes you've packed, driving them to the new location and unloading them for you to unpack yourself. The self-service moving companies that use crates or pods will do the driving for you, but not the rest of the work.

Cost Considerations

Of course, doing everything yourself may save some money, as you'll mainly be covering the cost of gas and any truck rental. The cost of hiring a mover typically depends on a number of factors, including how much you have to move, how far it needs to be moved, what time of year you're moving and whether there are any circumstances that make the move more difficult, such as having to park far away from the location or having to climb a lot of stairs. Typically, short distance moves are priced by the hour, while long distance moves are priced based on the weight of the belongings and how far they're being taken. For example, the American Moving & Storage Association estimates that it costs an average of $1,170 for a crew of four people to handle an in-state move, and that moving an average weight of about 7,100 pounds a distance of 1,220 miles between states costs an average of about $5,630. For short distance moves, it typically costs at least $30 an hour per mover.

Convenience

Make sure to factor in the time and effort involved before making the decision as well as the price. For long distance moves, it may be best to hire movers to at least handle the loading and transport of your belongings, especially if you're moving from a large home. It isn't easy to drive a large moving truck, and there's more chance of something going wrong with the vehicle during a long-distance move. Moving is stressful enough that it can help with peace of mind to just let the professionals from a company like General Warehouse Company Inc handle the whole process with full service moving. They know how to pack things properly to limit breakage and have all the necessary supplies.

Insurance

If you pack the items yourself, the moving company isn't liable for damage caused if they aren't packed well. On the other hand, if they pack the items, then they will be covered. Check the contract to see the type of insurance, however. You may want to purchase extra insurance, as movers sometimes have only released value insurance that pays out only 60 cents per pound for damaged items. Look for full value coverage instead.

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