Moving fees and costs to include in moving budget

Moving can be really pricey so before you start preparations for the move it is very important to set your budget. Include all the possible moving fees and costs, and make sure you have some extra money in case some unpredicted expense comes to you. On the other side put all your income and all available funds. If you do not do this in the beginning you may be in trouble if you figure out in the middle of the moving process that you don’t have enough money. So, check out the list of all the possible costs. They won’t all necessarily apply to you, but it could be helpful to know what you could expect when moving.

Moving fees and costs

When planning to move you have two options, you can do it yourself and call some friends or family to help you, or you can hire a moving company. You can make a list of costs and compare the costs of moving with a moving company and the costs of moving yourself. Finally, you will be able to choose how you want to relocate your home. But first, make a detailed list of all the expenses. Some of the basic costs of moving are:

• hire a moving agency
• renting a moving truck
• buying packing supplies and tool
• renting some equipment for the relocation
• renting a storage unit

but here you can add more:

• insurance costs
• cleaning services
• fixing up your old or new home
• hiring a real estate agent
• vehicle shipping
• child care or pet care
• packing services (if you hire a moving company)
• some new furniture is something you can add when calculating all the moving fees and costs
• also if you have some special request, movers will charge you for that additionally

So, it is a long list. You can add some more, that is for sure. If you are planning to hire Washington DC movers check with them if there are some additional costs besides the agreed ones. You should be aware that the number of items and the distance affects the price. Before you contact a moving company, declutter your home and decide what to take with you. If you have too many items and not enough space, you can rent a storage unit. The only thing you should have in mind is that you will be paying every month for having these items stored.

Hiring professional movers

When moving, it will be a lot easier to have professionals on your side. Do not just hire any company that comes in your way. Do the research to find a company that suits your needs and budget. When you contact a moving company or visit its website you will get a free moving estimate that includes the cost of labor and fuel. As already said the distance and the number of items to relocate affect the price, so the final price may vary. Make sure you ask all the important questions before you choose your movers. Everything that is agreed must be in your contract, remember that.

To these basic costs, you can also add moving insurance. Your moving company will provide valuation coverage, which is the amount of liability they agree to take on in the event that your belongings become damaged or lost. You can buy some additional insurance of course. While you search for the moving services Washington DC usually recommends make sure you check what kind of insurance you can get too.

If you hire a moving company, they can offer you also cleaning services, junk removal, etc. This should be also added to your list. You will want to move into a clean house, so it will be a good thing to ask for cleaning services. One of the advantages of hiring professional movers is that it will save you time. You won’t have to search for packing supplies, moving truck, and pack your belongings on your own. Your movers will do it for you.

Do it yourself

There is a difference between the moving costs when moving with professional movers and if you do it yourself. It can be cheaper but it will take a lot of time. One of the costs when moving alone is renting a moving truck. Rates vary depending on the size truck you need, how long you need it for, and how far you’re taking it. Make sure you pack your items wisely and measure them properly so you can choose the moving truck that suits your needs.

When moving you will be needing some additional equipment. You can rent them if you do not have them already. Moving companies should be able to rent out to you the equipment that you’ll need, such as moving blankets and dollies. Check at several places maybe you can rent these items at a lower price than the moving company charge.

One of the costs when moving alone is packing supplies. You will be needing cardboard boxes, plastic bins, packing paper, packing tape, bubble bags, etc.

Other moving fees and costs

There are some costs that you might have no matter if you are moving on your own or you are hiring a relocation company. You can include here child care or pet care. If you are moving alone and you do not have or don’t want to bother your friends to take care of your children while you are moving, you should hire a babysitter. Unless you work for a company that provides paid time off, you’ll need to account for the cost of staying home.

You can add to the list the real estate costs. It is not exactly something directly connected to moving but if you are planning to move you will be needing to find a new home or sell the old one, etc. It may include things like realtor and lawyer fees, rental deposits and first and/or last month’s rent, home inspection and appraisal fees, down payments, etc.

Here you can find a list of possible moving fees and costs. Check all the aspects of moving alone or with professionals and decide what is best for you.