Do-It-Yourself Vs Professional Moving: Which Is Really More Affordable?

12 May 2021
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When choosing between do-it-yourself and professional moving options, choosing to do the work yourself clearly must be the more affordable option, right? Wrong! In many cases choosing to hire professional movers to do the work for you is actually the more cost-efficient choice. Do-it-yourself options only appear cheaper because people fail to consider all of the actual costs that come along with this option. Taking a closer look at all of the expenses that come along with moving can help to make the affordable nature of professional moving services much clearer. 

Time Is Money

While it may be a bit cliche, the truth is that time is money for most people. When choosing to complete the task of moving all on your own, you are bound to take at least one day off of work in order to pack and move all of your belongings. For many people, the time required to complete this task will far exceed a single day.

While you may not initially consider this an expense since you are not spending any money, the need to take time off can still cost you a considerable amount since it prevents you from earning money. Choosing to let a professional mover do the job for you will allow you to work your normal hours and prevent a significant cost in the way of lost income.  

Gas, Mileage, and Equipment 

When calculating the cost of using a do-it-yourself moving truck to complete your move, it is important to consider all of the fees that accompany this rental. This is because most truck rental companies charge a variety of fees in addition to their base rental rate.

For instance, many truck rental companies will charge you a per-mile rate in addition to your daily rental fee. You will also be responsible for filling back up the gas tank before you return the truck. Any equipment you may need to assist with your move will also come at an additional fee.

All of these fees can really add up and make what once seemed like a very low daily rental rate actually quite expensive. You don't have to worry about this when hiring a professional mover since all of these expenses are already included in the rate that they quote you for the job. 

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned

As it turns out, more than one cliche lends itself to the issue of do-it-yourself versus professional moving services. However, this particular cliche rings true for far too many people to be left out. This is because one of the most overlooked expenses that comes along with do-it-yourself moving is the cost of replacing items that are broken or damaged due to a lack of proper equipment and expertise. 

While broken items are not unheard of when using professional moving services, they are far less common. Furthermore, since professional movers offer insurance coverage during the moving process, if any items were to be damaged during your move, you would not be responsible for paying to replace these items. 

For more information about hiring professional movers, contact a local moving company.