When choosing between hiring professional movers or to do the work yourself, it’s important to understand how much it actually costs to move.

Cost of a Local Move
If you’re staying within 100 miles, that’s considered a “local move.” Most companies will quote rates by the hour. You should do what you can to minimize the time the movers will have to spend on the job. This is why you need to pack and organize your things before they arrive, and have a plan for where everything needs to go when you get to the new place. It’s also why you should move small items yourself and possibly store items you won’t need immediately.

Most movers charge around $30—$50 dollars per mover, per hour, and will quote a minimum of 2 hours per job. There may also be an additional fee of about $30 per hour for their truck. This means if you’re hiring 2 men and a truck you can expect to pay $180 to $260. If you only hire the workers and not the truck, you’ll still pay about $120 to $200. This doesn’t include fees for packing materials, the use of utility dollies, additional costs for exceptionally heavy or tricky items, or travel. Make sure to ask away what fees to expect before you book the move. Some companies will offer discounts for larger jobs, so be certain to get a good estimate.

  • A small apartment or house, from studio to about 2 bedrooms, should take no more than 4 hours total to load and unload. Estimated cost: $360 — $520.
  • A large apartment or house, with around 3 to 4 bedrooms, may require 3 men and take around 5 to 6 hours. Estimated cost: $420 — $720.
  • Larger homes may take 3 or 4 men, at require 8 to 10 hours. These moves can be pricey, running around $1000 or more.

Cost of a Long-Distance Move
Moving across the country can be a more expensive proposition. You will generally be charged according to distance, weight of your items, and other services. Up to 1,000 miles, the cost usually ranges from $0.70 to $1 per pound. (Some services may charge by cubic foot instead of pound.)

It is important for these kinds of moves to get an in-home estimate from more than one moving company to see what they believe it will cost you. The following estimates are rough; there are many factors that could change these costs, depending on your circumstances and the moving company’s own policies.

  • A studio apartment can run around 1,800 lbs and cost around $1200 to move.
  • A small home, from 1 to 2 bedrooms, can hold anywhere from 2,200 to 6,000 lbs, and cost from $1,500 to $4,200.
  • A 3-bedroom home can often hold around 9,000 lbs of furniture and items, and cost in the vicinity of $6,300.

Cost for Moving Yourself
You might conclude that it’s obviously cheaper to do move everything yourself. But keep in mind that you’ll still have to pay for truck, gas, fees for storage, equipment, packing materials, and to wrangle friends or family to give you a hand. Plus, because none of you are professionals, you will take longer and run a greater risk of injury to yourselves, or possibly damage your furniture, belongings, or either the old or new home.

That said, a rental truck usually costs $20-$30 for an 8-hour window, with additional fees for mileage of about $1/mile. Long-distance rentals can be anywhere from $500—$1,000 depending on size of the truck and distance you plan to travel. Don’t forget the long-distance move might also be complicated by not knowing anyone at the other end who can help you unload, so you might find yourself hiring movers for the unloading as well.

Remember, Gerber Moving & Storage is always ready to consult with you with free in-home estimates and other assistance for all your moving needs.