If you choose to let a moving company move your belongings to the new property, make sure you understand the exact services that are included in your quote. Of course you'll be charged for the move itself, the cost of which is typically determined by the distance from property A to property B.
Beyond that obvious cost, look for extra costs that may be included. For example, some movers charge additional fees to cover fuel surcharges and boxes and other packing supplies. You may also be required to purchase additional insurance to protect certain types of goods during the move such as fine jewelery, fur coats and antiques.
If you have a specialty item such as a piano, expect an additional cost to move that as well. Some moving companies even tack on a surcharge for moves that are either out of or into a multi-level property that does not have an elevator!
And of course, don't forget to factor in some tip money for the movers. Moving is a service and like other types of services, those providing it expect a tip!
Doing it yourself
If you decide to take the ?do it yourself? route when moving to another property, it probably will be cheaper, but nonetheless, there still are costs to consider. For starters you'll have to rent a moving truck, the cost of which will vary depending on the size you need. You'll have to fill the truck with petrol; possibly multiple times depending on the distance you travel. And you may be required to pay more if you travel over and above the base mileage allowed by the truck rental company.
You'll still need boxes and other packing supplies and quite possibly, friends and family to help with all that packing, loading and unloading. Don't be surprised if they expect you to provide food and drinks while they're ?helping out? so be sure to factor these costs into your overall moving costs.
Costs that are often forgotten
Once your possessions are all packed up you'll have to clean the place before you vacate. So don't forget to add in the price of cleaning supplies or a cleaning company. If any property damage takes place while moving you'll have to pay for those repairs, too. And if your move will take multiple days be sure to factor in the cost of eating out and lodging.
Finally, remember that costs involve both money and time. Simply put, all the time you spend planning, preparing for and actually moving can't be spent doing anything else. So if you have to miss work or some other money-making opportunity, tack the costs of those missed opportunities onto the overall cost of moving to another property!
