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What's Involved in Estimating Moving Costs

Customer greeting a moving service consultant at the door.

When you're planning a big move, it can be surprisingly difficult to pin down your exact moving costs and build your budget. Not only is it all-too-easy to underestimate the costs of travel from one home to the next, many people allow themselves to be blindsided by moving service costs. What you may not realize is that every move is unique, and so are the costs associated with moving all your possessions from one home to the next. A good mover will generally shy away from giving you an estimate over the phone because, quite frankly, they can't know how much effort and time it will take to move your things until they have done an in-person consultation. Completing a move via emails is possible, but only recommended for moves of the smaller variety (1 bedroom apartments and smaller). Anything larger than that is highly recommended to complete a visual survey with your consultant.

How Are Moving Costs Determined? 

Your moving costs will be determined based on the size of your home, mass of your belongings, and the details of your moving plan. Before taking a look at your home, the movers have no real way of knowing how many rooms and items there are to load, how much weight will need to be moved or the subsequent time it would take to complete, or even how big a truck they will need. Each of these factors, along with the distance you will be moving, is calculated to provide you an estimate that should be quite accurate based on the information given.

This means that before you know your costs, a mover will need to visit your home and get the run-down on what services you need, how long it will take, and when they need to be ready to move your things.

Local Moves

If you are moving to a new home only a short distance away, the primary cost of your move will be determined by the time taken to complete it. In other words, you are paying for the manpower and gasoline required to physically move your possessions from one place to the next. While your estimate will not include the precise weight of your possessions, as most calculations done by movers are estimated from the weight, we do not weigh the truck for this type of move. Your consultant will be skilled in approximating how much your items weigh when estimating your home.

Long Distance Moves

For moves that require a significant distance, your costs will be measured by both the distance traveled and the weight of your items. The distance ends up being a finite amount, as you typically know where you are looking to move to. The main variable in this type of quotation is the weight, in which we weigh your belongings before and then after loading on a commercial government approved scale, which give us the total weight to complete the charges on.

Packing Services

The other reason you will need an in-home consultation even for long-distance moves is if you require packing services. No reasonable moving company will pack up a home for a flat fee because each person has a unique collection of belongings as well as a different idea of how much they want packed (full, partial, breakable, unique item). The same holds true for a bedroom apartment which could be sparsely decorated and quite easy to pack, or stuffed with delicate collectibles that will take hours to wrap and box. Whether you need a full pack, partial pack, breakable items pack or unique item pack; estimates will need to be determined through a consultation.

Valuation Coverage

Most moving services will be able to offer valuation coverage of some variation for your relocation. This typically includes the repair of origin or destination homes, furniture items, or items packed by your mover. It does not cover cartons packed by yourself. Sometimes a deductible will be in place, so be sure to ask any questions about this option when receiving your quotation to ensure that everything lines up with your expectations.

Other Cost Factors

Finally, because each move is unique, there may be a few other factors that become part of your final moving costs. For example; Requiring a long carry or shuttle service due to a tractor trailer not being able to gain reasonable access to your home. Special requirements such as taking ferries, extra drop offs or pick-ups, Special crating or even unique item that require a certain level of prep and care (ex. Baby grand piano) can potentially add to your costs..

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Getting an accurate estimate of moving costs requires a series of accurate calculation in order to be as realistic as possible. That is why it is difficult to conduct an estimate over a brief phone conversation. Your chosen moving company will need to provide an in-home consultation to evaluate the amount of work, weight, and detail required to move your items. They will assess the required truck size, the route and distance necessary to get to your new home, and any additional services you require, such as packing, storage, and valuation coverage. With all this considered, we will be able to provide an accurate moving cost estimate so that you know exactly what to expect and in turn, help you budget for your move more efficiently.

With a detailed consultation on your moving needs, you will never have to worry about surprise fees or final sticker shock. Let Bird's Moving and Storage handle all your moving requirements. Contact us today to discuss your moving plans and schedule your consultation.

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