Moving is expensive – that’s no secret. It requires a lot of time and a lot of work, specialized equipment and considerable skill. You’re paying for all this, so, of course, you have to dig deep into your pocket. You know this.
The bad news is that moving always costs more than you think.
So, why is that? Why is moving so expensive?
The answer is simple enough – when estimating their moving expenses, people only consider the cost to hire movers (or to rent a moving truck). There are, however, plenty of other relocation-related expenditures that need to be accounted for, but are commonly forgotten. These overlooked expenses add up and the final moving cost skyrockets.
The only way to keep your relocation expenses under control is to understand why moving costs so much money – so you know what to expect and how to prepare.
Here are the reasons why moving costs may be higher than you anticipate them to be – take a close look and plan your finances accordingly.
Movers are expensive – and so are DIY moves
When moving, you’re going to need help – and professional moving help is your best bet. The experts have the specialized equipment, rich experience, and technical know-how to perform your move in the smoothest way possible – they will take care of the logistics, will do all the hard work for you, and will deliver your items to your new place intact and unscathed.
All that safety, efficiency, convenience, and peace of mind, however, come at a cost – hiring two men and a truck for a local move will cost you about $90-$110 per hour, while moving a two-bedroom home at a distance of 1,000 miles will cost you around $3,500. (See also: Sample moving costs)
So, movers are expensive – even if they’re worth it.
And even if you decide to perform a self-move – so that you don’t need to pay for professional moving services – your final relocation costs won’t be much lower. You will have to rent a moving truck and some specialized moving equipment, buy packing supplies, get insurance, pay for fuel, road tolls, and parking permits, provide for meals and lodgings along the way, etc. – and you may even need to hire moving labor if there is no one to help you load and unload your items. (Not to mention that you may end up losing a lot of money if something goes wrong – if you get hurt or damage some of your belongings during the move, if you need to take unpaid time off work, etc.) See also: How much does a self-move cost
So, moving yourself is expensive too – sometimes just as expensive as hiring movers.
There are hidden moving costs
No matter how expensive movers may be, you know their tariffs in advance – and when renting a moving vehicle for a DIY move, you know the truck rental fee, too. How is it possible, then, that your move may cost more than you think?
The main reason for the unexpectedly high final price are the hidden moving costs:
1) If you’re using a moving company, you will have to pay extra for any additional services you request for your move – packing and unpacking, disassembly and reassembly of furniture, express delivery, split pick-up and delivery, etc. If there are any obstacles, problems, or difficulties on moving day that cause delays or necessitate accessorial services – such as hoisting services (if your larger items need to be take in or out of your property through a window), taking items up or down stairs (if the movers can’t use an elevator), carrying items long distance (between your home and the moving truck), shuttle services (if your property is inaccessible to a large moving truck), etc. – you will also be charged extra.
2) If you’re renting a moving truck, you’ll have to pay not only the rental fee, but also a mileage fee (for local moves), environmental fee, taxes, etc. Depending on the circumstances, you may also need to shell out money for an additional driver fee, a young driver charge, a cleaning fee, a late return fee, etc. And you’ll be charged extra for any accessorial moving equipment and/or packing supplies you rent from the company.
3) Moving insurance will cost you extra. You don’t have to buy moving insurance when using a moving company – you get Released Value Protection for free, but it offers very limited coverage (60 cents per pound per item). If you want to ensure your peace of mind, you’ll have to pay for Full Value Protection. And if you’re renting a moving truck, you’ll most probably need to purchase supplemental insurance from the rental company as your personal insurance policy is unlikely to provide all the coverage you need.
Additional useful information: What are the hidden costs of moving house; Types of moving insurance
Some moving-related costs are commonly overlooked
Some moving costs are hidden – others are simply easily forgotten.
Moving expenses are not limited to movers’ charges and rental fees only – there are many other relocation-related costs that are commonly overlooked:
- Purchasing packing supplies (you may be able to get some moving boxes for free and use some of your household items as wrapping and cushioning materials, but you’re going to need quality packing supplies for your more delicate and more valuable items);
- Providing protective materials (to prevent property damage when moving out of your old home and into your new one);
- Hiring professional cleaning services (if you don’t have the time or the necessary supplies to clean your old home after the movers depart – and your new place before your items arrive);
- Car shipping costs (if you’re flying to your new city and shipping your car with a professional auto transport company);
- Traveling to the new area (plane tickets for you and your family members (if you’re flying) or gas and meals and lodgings (if you’re driving));
- Transferring utilities (paying utility deposits);
- Updating documents;
- Getting the new home ready for moving in – completing any necessary repairs and desired upgrades, securing the home, buying new furniture and other new items for the new house or apartment, restocking the pantry, etc.
See also: What are the most commonly forgotten moving expenses
These hidden costs and forgotten expenses add up and increase the total cost of your move exponentially. So, no wonder that moving ends up being more expensive than you think.
You may make costly moving mistakes
Moving is a costly endeavor – and if you’re not careful, you can make it even costlier.
When asking yourself “Why does moving a house cost so much?”, you should remember that many moving expenses are perfectly avoidable – if you plan your move right and steer clear of costly mistakes.
If you make any of the following moving mistakes, however, you will incur a number of unnecessary extra costs and will lose a lot of money on your move:
- Not organizing your move well – not having a moving checklist, not setting a moving budget, not making a moving inventory, etc.;
- Moving in peak-season;
- Hiring movers at the last minute;
- Not requesting on-site estimates;
- Not discussing extra services and their charges;
- Going for the lowest estimate you receive without researching the movers;
- Not reviewing the movers’ paperwork carefully enough – or signing blank documents;
- Not buying insurance for your valuable items;
- Moving all your possessions to your new home – without making a floor plan of your new home to see which of your old items will fit in, without decluttering and getting rid of unneeded items, etc.;
- Spending a fortune on brand-new moving boxes and other packing supplies;
- Not packing your items properly – leaving packing for the last moment, not following a packing timeline, not proving good enough protection to your belongings, not preparing an essentials box, packing non-allowables, etc.;
- Not taking care of the paperwork (retrieving medical and school records, changing your address, transferring utilities, updating documents, etc.) in time;
- Not being ready when the movers arrive – not reserving a parking place for the moving truck, not reserving an elevator (if applicable), not being fully packed, etc.;
- Failing to ensure moving day safety;
- Overspending after the move.
Additional useful information: How to avoid the top 5 moving mistakes; What mistakes to avoid when hiring a moving company; How to avoid common packing mistakes; What moving day mistakes to avoid
You may need to pay for temporary lodgings (and temporary storage)
It goes without saying that when moving to a new home, you need to have a new home to move to. Yet, sometimes that may not be the case:
- When moving long distance, it will be very difficult to find an appropriate new home in your new city before the move. If you want to get to know the area, see houses for sale in person, and choose a place that you’re sure you’re going to love, you will need to move into temporary housing first – and put your items into temporary storage, too;
- Even if you’ve found the right new home for you before the relocation, there may be delays in the closing process, the required repair and/or renovation works may not be completed in time, or something else may go wrong and you may not be able to move into your new house or apartment as planned – so, you may need to find temporary lodgings for you and your family and temporary storage for your items.
Such a scenario will cost you dearly – you’ll have to pay for your temporary living accommodations, pay for a storage unit (or pay your moving company to keep your items in their storage facility), and pay for the transportation of your belongings to your new home (when it’s finally ready to receive them). Your total moving costs will swell significantly.
Related: How to find temporary housing when moving; The best storage options for moving
So, to put it in a nutshell – Why is it so expensive to move?
- There are a lot of costs associated with moving to a new home – If you’re selling your old place and buying a new one, you need to account not only for the down payment and mortgage, but also for real estate agent commissions, appraisal costs and transfer taxes, closing costs, stamp duty and other legal fees, etc. And if you’re renting, you need to pay not only the rent, but also a security deposit;
- You need to transport your items to your new place – so you need to rent a moving truck or pay for professional moving services. Neither option is cheap;
- You need moving help – and experienced moving help comes at a cost;
- There are many hidden moving costs and overlooked relocation-related expenses that bring unpleasant financial surprises;
- Moving mistakes result in lost money;
- There may be unforeseen problems that may cost you dearly;
- You need to buy a lot of new things for your new home.
It all adds up and the final moving cost becomes really high – in most cases, much higher than expected. Fortunately, there are proven ways to reduce your relocation cost – use them to your advantage and plan an affordable – and successful – move. Good luck!
