Why DIY Moves are More Expensive than you Think

The most common reason people give for deciding against hiring a moving company is “they cost too much.” But, what most people don’t realize is that doing your move yourself, or with the help of friends and family, instead of hiring professionals can actually be much more costly than they think.

The Hidden Costs of Moving Yourself

When it comes to moving without a professional moving company, the whole process can end up costing you a lot (and we’re not just talking money).

1. Packing Supplies at Retail Price

When most people think about hiring a moving company, they only think about the direct cost of the actual moving service. But, when you choose professional movers, you can also usually get additional services like packing and supplies.

When you move with Two Small Men, you get your packing supplies at a discounted price, and you can be assured that they’re good quality. When you get them yourself, you either have to rent/buy them at a more expensive retail price, or use potentially inappropriate materials that may put your items at risk.

2. Appropriate Equipment

Some items need special equipment in order to be moved safely or efficiently. Extremely heavy furniture, antiques, fragile items, and even potentially hazardous materials need specialized equipment.

When you choose to move with us, you can be assured that we will come equipped with everything we need to move all of your belongings properly. When you choose a DIY move, you either have to go out and find/purchase the equipment (which can be very expensive) or put your items and yourselves at risk.

3. Time

DIY moves can cost you more than just money. When you move using only family and friends, it can cost you a lot of valuable time. First, you have to coordinate schedules with everyone who agrees to help you move, and doing that can make you feel a lot like this:

When you hire a moving company, you only need to coordinate a date with one person (Plus you can pretty much just tell them what day to show up and they will).

Then, when it comes time for the actual move, the process can take much longer when you have people who don’t know what they’re doing as opposed to professionals. You can end up losing more than one day when you could be settling into your new home or getting back to everyday life.

4. Damaged Goods Replacement

Professional moving companies have recourse for when something gets damaged. Of course, we always do everything we can to make sure nothing does get damaged, but in the rare case that something does go wrong, we have insurance programs and a plan for replacement. When you DIY move, you don’t have these options and can end up having to replace items at face value.

Plus, moving without the help of the professionals means you’re probably at a higher risk of something getting damaged or broken.

5. Personal Injury

Professional movers are trained in the proper way to lift and move heavy items so they don’t hurt themselves. Your buddies aren’t. No matter how often they go to gym, unless they lift things for a living, chances are they don’t know they don’t know how to properly lift an armoire without throwing out their back.

So the next time you’re planning a move and thinking you’ll try to save some money by doing the move DIY instead of hiring a professional moving company, remember that might end up costing you more (money, time, belongings, injuries) than you think.

If you think you’d rather not risk these additional costs, get your free moving estimate from Two Small Men today.