Moving to a new home isn’t exactly something new, but many people still fall into the trap of not calculating their costs before a relocation.
In this guide, we will explore the importance of knowing your moving expenses beforehand and give you some quick tips on what you can do to get an accurate idea of costs.
Why Should You Calculate Your Moving Costs?
Calculating your moving costs is crucial to avoid any unexpected financial issues, it also allows you to plan and organise your move financially.
Some of the main reasons why you should plan beforehand and calculate your costs include the following:
- Avoid hidden costs: Planning ahead helps you identify an account for all potential expenses you might need for your relocation. From packing materials and transportation to moving insurance.
- It helps you make informed decisions: When you budget for your move it allows you to make more accurate decisions before your relocation. It also lets you compare prices from different moving services and companies and lets you choose the best option for you without having to overspend.
- Helps you reduce your financial stresses: By planning your move in advance, it alleviates any financial stresses and anxieties which are commonly associated when moving homes. This is because you’ll have a clear and transparent understanding of all the expenses beforehand before making informed choices that might worry you before breaking the bank.
- Helps you secure additional funding if needed beforehand: By planning ahead, it gives you time to explore more funding for your move if needed in advance. Whether it be loans or savings, all these issues can be tackled before your move which again reduces stress levels!
What Factors Can Influence Your Moving Costs?
Many factors will influence this, if you aren’t doing everything yourself, the biggest cost is most likely going to be time and preparation.
If you choose to go down the route of using professional assistance, then you’ll need to factor in a few more things which include the following:
- The distance of your move to your new home. As the further away you move the more your removalist may charge.
- The amount of belongings that need to be moved. Similar to the above, the more items you have to move the bigger the truck you may have to hire.
- Whether or not you are including a professional service in your move. This can include multiple things such as packing services, storage and insurance.
- Packing materials.
How To Calculate Moving Costs
There are multiple ways to calculate how much your move might cost if you are using professional removalists.
These include some of the following:
- Get a direct quote from your chosen moving company: Nowadays everything is online, which makes it a lot easier to get a moving quote from a moving company. You can either give them a call or use their website to fill out a form which takes a few minutes and you’ll get a quote within half an hour for most reputable companies.
- Use government portals for advice: Luckily for us, governments also understand that moving can be a stressful time for people. As a result, most government websites will contain helpful resources on what you can do to plan and calculate your costs in advance. For example, the NSW government in Australia has excellent resources.
- Use a moving cost calculator: If you’d rather calculate the costs yourself without interacting with anyone, most moving companies have an online calculator like this removalist costs calculator available for you to use.
- Consider a moving cost appraiser: A final option is to have a professional come in and help you calculate your costs by providing an accurate and comprehensive estimate. Appraisers can come in and inspect your belongings and assess the difficulty of your move based on the factors outlined above in this article.
- Ask family or friends to help: If all of the above is too much for you, then why not ask somebody to assist you in calculating your move. Parents and friends have more often than not moved previously and can help advise you further.
1. Method: Online Moving Cost Estimator
Pros: Quick, easy, and free
Cons: Can be inaccurate for complex moves
2. Method: DIY Moving Cost Spreadsheet
Pros: Detailed and personalised
Cons: Time-consuming and may overlook some expenses
3. Method: Moving Company Quotes
Pros: Most accurate estimate
Cons: Can be time-consuming to get quotes from multiple companies
4. Method: Professional Moving Cost Appraiser
Pros: Most accurate and comprehensive estimate
Cons: Most expensive option
Quick Tips On How To Reduce Your Moving Costs
If you’re on a tight budget then this section is for you. We’ll give you some quick tips on what you can do to lower some of those costs before your relocation:
- Don’t move during peak season: Moving during the off-peak season is much better than when companies get busy. Try to move when it’s quiet, as they are more likely to offer you discounts.
- Try to pack yourself: Although it’s tempting to use professional help when packing your items away, this is actually one of the biggest expenses when it comes to moving. This is often considered a luxury and can be done by yourself with your family and friends without having to pay extra. Try to start early and use top-quality materials to store your belongings.
- Get multiple quotes from moving companies: If you’re planning on using a removalist, then it pays to get multiple quotes from different companies. You can also try to ask for special promotions or discounts that they might be offering for that month.
- Consider getting packing materials from supermarkets: Most stores and supermarkets will have free boxes available that they give away for free for people. If you need packing materials then this is a great place to start off.
- Get rid of furniture you don’t need: Another cost is storage. Rather than paying a storage company to store your belongings, why not go through what you think you do not need any more for your relocation? Most people will find that when they go through their items, there are things they haven’t seen for a long time or forgotten about that they just don’t need anymore.
Pro tip- Many moving companies offer free moving boxes when you use their services. When doing your research on a moving company, make sure that they have this offer available!
Frequently Asked Questions On Moving Costs
- Q: Can I rely solely on online moving cost calculators?A: While these types of calculators are useful, they only provide a rough estimate. If you want a full accurate picture of how much it might cost for your move, then speaking to a customer service representative for a moving company will provide the most accurate picture for you.
- Q: Is it possible to negotiate the price with moving companies??A: Usually not, but most removalist companies will offer discounts based on when you decide to move. Be clear about your requirements and don’t fall for optional extras that you don’t need.
- Q: Is professional packing worth the cost?A: This really depends on your individual circumstances. For example, if you’ve left things last minute and you need extra help then it’s definitely worth considering. Packers professional Packers can often save you time and reduce stress levels.
- Q: How do I go about finding a reliable and affordable moving company?A: There are many ways to do effective research. One of the best ways is to look at Google reviews and platforms such as Trustpilot which offer more reviews based on other people’s experiences.
- Q: What should I do if unexpected costs arise during the move?A: Prevention is the key here. By planning considerably ahead before your relocation, you should be able to reduce the number of unexpected costs beforehand. The most important thing to do for a move is to plan in advance and is by far the most important thing for the whole process.
To Conclude
Calculating your moving costs is an essential step to ensuring a stress-free move that isn’t going to stress you out financially.
By fully understanding the various factors that can influence the pricing and your expenses, whilst at the same time implementing a cost-saving strategy, you can make your move with confidence and peace of mind!
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