Moving yourself vs. hiring professionals: The differences between the two and how each cost is different

Often times when we get asked about moving, the first question is always the same: How much does it cost?

Cost is usually the deciding factor in how people go about home moving, whether they’re planning to hire a professional moving company like TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, or try and complete the move themselves. The common misconception thrown around in the world of home moving is that doing it yourself is a “cheaper” option than hiring professionals. On the surface, this might seem like the case, but once it is broken down, you’ll see moving on your own can add up price-wise.

Below, we’ve broken down some of the costs and factors you should consider when moving yourself vs. hiring professional movers.

Time

While not technically a cost, time is still important and valuable, and moving yourself takes a lot of your own personal time. You’ll still be responsible for packing up all of your belongings into boxes, loading them into a rental truck, and unloading  at your new house

If you’re doing this alone or with friends who aren’t professionally trained, it will more than likely take a few trips. Multiple trips can generally lead to multiple days of moving as opposed to just one, and this is more time spent on gas, renting the truck, and the miscellaneous costs of keeping you and your friends happy, hydrated, and fed.

Moving equipment

If you’re planning on moving yourself, what equipment will you use? It’s not a smart idea to try loading it into a pickup truck. For a full home move, you’re going to need a moving truck, which means renting a truck from a rental company. The costs of renting also includes the gas for the truck, which isn’t cheap.

You’ll also need to get your hands on equipment like moving straps, dollies, ropes, stretch wrap, and furniture pads, or packing supplies and moving boxes so your belongings stay safe.

The potential for damage and injury

Moving isn’t as easy as it looks, and there’s a reason moving companies are considered “professionals”. Trying to move heavy items on your own puts you at risk for injury if you aren’t properly trained on moving techniques.

This can also lead to added stress during the move, which creates a miserable experience for everyone.

Finding “help”

The old “find a friend with a truck” has been around forever when it comes to moving, but in all seriousness, you’re going to need help if you plan on handling a move yourself.

Recruiting friends can be tough, but you’ll also need to compensate them for their time – whether that’s just paying them straight up, or offering them food for their troubles. Either way, this is more cost on your end.

Why you should consider hiring movers

When you factor in everything above – the money you’ll spend on trucks and equipment, the potential for damages due to not being professionally trained, or the long-term health effects of trying to move yourself – you’ll realize you’re not saving as much as you might think.

Hiring a professional moving company like TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ensures all of the instances listed above are taken care of while you sit back and focus on more important things. The saying “you get what you pay for” has never been more true than with our company, and you’re getting a full-service, professional experience when you use our teams.

With TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, you get:

-Free moving estimates, in-home, over the phone, or online

-Packing options and packing supplies for sale

-An in-home walk through with our professional moving teams, followed by a walk-through of your new home so we know exactly how to plan for your move

If you have an upcoming move, consider hiring TWO MEN AND A TRUCK to get the job done and let us show you why we’ve earned the nickname “Movers Who Care”!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.