How Much Does a Move Cost?

Moving to a new home is exciting, but costs can also add up quickly if you’re not careful. In this article, we'll look at some factors that affect the cost of your move, as well as offer some tips to get you the best price with your selected moving company.

What Affects The Cost Of A Move?

Before you get into the nitty-gritty of planning your move, it’s important to consider what sort of things affect the cost of your move. 

Type Of Move

The level of service that you choose makes a big difference in the cost of your move. If you choose to use a full-service mover that provides the materials and packs everything for you, you stand to pay a lot more than if you choose to pack your own items and hire movers to transport your packed items and furniture or choose a DIY container move where you do most of the work yourself. (link to blog about moving pods vs moving companies)

Size Of Home 

The larger your home is, the more things you have that need to be moved. The more things that need to be moved, the more time it will take to load and unload and the higher the end cost will be. If you’re moving long-distance, more items equal greater weight equals higher cost.

Local vs Long-Distance

The distance you’re travelling will affect the cost of your move whether you’re moving locally or long-distance. More miles mean most cost in a long-distance move and for a local move, longer distances mean more time, which equates to a higher bill. Local moves are typically charged by the hour, whereas long distance moves are priced based on weight and distance. The more stuff you have and the further you’re travelling to, the more the move will cost. 

Storage 

While not needed in every move, sometimes you may require your belongings to be stored temporarily (most commonly due to differences in closing dates or delays with new home construction). Some moving companies offer short term storage to help ease your transition to your new home, though there is a cost associated with this service. 

So What Does A Move Actually Cost?

As you can see, there are many factors that can influence the total cost of a home move. For this reason it’s difficult to give an accurate idea of cost without first learning more about your needs. With that said, we can give some general ideas for typical price ranges for different moving options. 

• Long-Distance Move - The weight and distance being the main cost factor for long distance moves, the particular combination of size and distance causes prices to vary - a smaller shipment traveling across Canada might cost about the same as a shipment 5-6x larger travelling a much shorter distance within a province. United Van Lines offers MoveLite services to help reduce the cost of very small shipments traveling long-distances. Overall the low end of long-distance move (small shipment, shorter distance, or some combination of either of those factors) costs start at approximately $2500 and the high end (large home, cross country/interprovincial) ranges from $10,000 to $20,000, although some moves will exceed this.   .

• Local Move - Smaller local moves can start as low as $1000 and can get as high as $9000 and up for a full service (moving, packing and storage) large home move.

It’s important to note that each move is unique and the numbers provided above are very generalized. A small apartment or house move that requires a long carry, a stair carry, or a shuttle could end up costing more than a larger move where the moving truck can back right up to the front door. A smaller move with full packing services may cost more than a larger move that does not include packing services. The very best way to get an idea of how much your move may cost is to request a no-obligation estimate from a mover in your area. You can even get a budgetary estimate even before you know exactly what you’ll be moving and when or where. This will help you determine whether you might want to pare down the quantity of items you plan to move.

Choosing The Right Movers

Now that you know what might affect the cost of your move, it’s time to look at how to pick the right moving company. Here are a few tips to consider in order to get the best price for your move. 

1. In-Person Estimates

Estimating the cost of a professional move is a service moving companies provide at no cost to you and with no obligation to purchase their services. When getting estimates, it’s important that the moving company gives you an in-person (or virtual if in-person isn’t an option)  estimate as these are more accurate. If a moving company only offers online estimates, this often results in more hidden costs on moving day. Seeing the “whole picture” helps a moving company provide you with the most realistic estimate of costs.

2. Compare Companies

Compare costs, services, and reputations of the companies. If one estimate sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some salespeople try to entice you with a “low-ball” estimate. Remember- what you will pay is the actual cost of the move (based on actual weight or actual time to complete), not the estimated cost. The actual cost of your move may be substantially higher than the estimate if you decide by price alone and do not consider the service and reputation of the company. You should gather all the facts you can, and shop carefully. 

3. Ask The Right Questions

If you plan to use a professional mover, check the business out with the Better Business Bureau, the Canadian Association of Movers, local Chambers of Commerce, and with recent customers. Ask the mover for references. Talk to your friends and neighbours. Find out how long the company has been in business.

4. Detailed Contracts In Writing

Be a careful shopper, do your homework, and plan for contingencies. Reputable moving companies will provide clear and transparent information about their services and pricing. Whenever a salesperson offers a guarantee (in terms of price, service, delivery schedule, etc.) ask for the guarantee in writing. If you cannot get in on paper, the guarantee is unreliable. Your written estimate should also come with the inventory of items to be moved that your consultant created when they completed the in-person (or virtual) survey. It’s important for you to review this inventory as it forms the basis for the estimated cost. If you see any errors or omissions, or you subsequently make any changes to the items you plan to move, it’s important to notify the moving company promptly so that they can update your estimate to better reflect your proposed services.

Wrapping Up

Planning a move comes with many decisions, especially when it comes to managing costs. If you think you're ready to move ahead, we'd love to chat. Contact us to set up a time to chat, and we would love to walk you through our whole process, including associated costs.