My husband and I are moving from our duplex (much like the size of a large apartment) to a house in the immediate local area. We have the basics: living room set, dinning table, bedroom set (1), washer and dryer, and other small furniture peices (computer desk, etc). Is it worth it to hire professional movers or to do it ourselves. And what would be the typical cost for a small move?
2007-02-26 22:00:08 · 5 answers · asked by lyndzmaire 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Decorating & Remodeling
Depends on how the professional moveers charge you - either by the hour or by the weight of things they are moving and the distance they are moving it.
I've moved twice in the past 12 years and did it both ways. With professional movers, you get people who know how to lift and move large items most effectively. They will know how to pack them and how to cushion them to prevent them from being damaged during the move - and have those items on their trucks. If you do it yourself, you will have to buy these items.
Movers that are paid by the hour will give you all manner of excuses for not being in a rush. In my first move, I was going across town into the boondocks from a downtown house. It was mostly interstate driving and they followed me. Never saw a truck go so slow in all my life! I kept trying to get them to at least do the speed limit of 55 and they kept falling back. They wouldn't go faster than 40 the whole way and then they would brake at every traffic light even while it was green. They gave me some sorry excuse that they had trouble with their brakes and wanted to be sure they could stop if the light changed - to avoid jostling my furniture.
Professional movers have some of the sorriest rules I have ever heard of. They wouldn't take a folding bed because it wasn't in a box. They wouldn't take my bikes because they weren't in a box. They wouldn't take a mattress because it wasn't in a box. They wouldn't take a western saddle becuase it wasn't in a box. You get the picture. And when I suggested they load up my dog house - you got it - had to be in a box.
The advantage of hiring professional movers is that it will save you from personal injury such as a back strain. It's common when people try to move furniture when they really aren't experienced with that kind of activity. But if they lose something or neglect to get all your things off the truck, you will play heck trying to get them to admit they made a mistake - much less recover your missing item.
The first time I moved, I wanted the professional movers to take the things that were too awkward for me to lift or put in my car - like my dog house, bikes and folding bed. We've already been down that road.
I wanted to save money. I knew how long it took to get from point A to point B. I hadn't counted on the moving company hiring slowest drivers in the galaxy.
If the movers take your stuff, they will call for aid and move all your things into a second truck to get your things to the destination, no matter what. If you are moving yourself and have a breakdown, you are on your own. Do you really want to leave all your possessions in the back of a truck while it is in the repair shop?
If you don't own a pickup truck but have a friend offering you the use of theirs, don't do it. Go to U-Haul or Ryder and rent one. What your friend isn't considering is that heavy and large furntiure can dent the bed or the side of the truck if it the item is even remotely off balance in the truck. The legs of furniture can scrape the paint right off the truck bed. And even though you might think that a truck is a truck, this is not the case. Do you really know what your furniture weighs and what the truck is capable of carrying - safely? Trust me on this - rent a truck designed to move furniture and household items.
On my second move - I went three states away. Professional movers were a necessary evil. No matter what the estimate was, be sure and have MORE on hand because they will always gouge you and then try to make some sorry excuse as to why it cost more than the estimate. And don't try to pay the extra with a traveler's check. You wouldn't believe how many movers have never heard of them and don't know what they are - much less accept them. I insisted they were all I had.
There is no typical cost for any move. It all depends on who you hire to do it and how they charge you. Some have a flat hourly rate while others have a flat rate for the estimated weight of the items you have - while others will take the truck to weigh station to get written documentation of the weight of the truck with all your things in it.
If you can get a local mover who never goes out of the state, go with that company. They want to be home for dinner and they will work faster than a national mover.
2007-02-26 22:57:08 · answer #1 · answered by north79004487 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I completely agree with the first person who answered. Do it yourself. It is really easy, and if you worried about things getting all mixed up in boxes, or if you are worried about the mayhem of it all, there are many websites where you can learn more about moving, and therefore simplify the process. Try a website like about.com, or ehow.com
2007-02-26 22:30:42 · answer #2 · answered by MNM 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
id do it yourself if its small. pay remover anywhere from 200 onward
2007-02-26 22:02:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
be brave and diy
2007-02-27 00:04:35 · answer #4 · answered by cherry 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
DO IT UR SELF
2007-02-26 22:39:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋