Moving Tips | Understanding Your Moving Estimate

Published: June 10, 2022

When you get the estimate from the moving company it can be a little hard to understand everything you are being charged for. This guide should help you understand what exactly you are paying for. Here are a few moving tips to help you understand your moving estimate a bit better!

Finding the best moving company

Before you even get an estimate, you will need to find the right moving company. Above all else, you should look for an experienced, reliable, and legitimate moving company. This way you can avoid getting scammed and reduce the risk of having any of your property damaged. Before you hire any moving company make sure you verify their credentials and look up their reviews online. Most moving companies nowadays also have a website, here you can see the array of services offered and verify that they are someone you can trust with your property.

Factors Affecting Estimates

One of the biggest factors affecting moving estimates is time. The more time it will take for the property to be moved, the more you will have to pay. You can potentially nullify some of this cost by making sure all of the things you need moved are easily accessible and organized. A related factor to time is the number of personnel. If more than one set of movers will be needed to move due to a high number of heavy objects, your estimate will be higher. Disassembling large pieces of furniture ahead of time will make it easier for a smaller number of movers to transport the item in a shorter amount of time, win-win. If some of your items will need to be put in crates to ensure safe passage, this will drive the price up as well. Things like expensive artwork, a grandfather clock, and other large, fragile items will probably need to be put in wood crates. 

The ease with which the moving company can access the pick-up and drop-off location also affects the estimate. If one of the sites is located on a narrow road it will take longer for the items to be loaded onto a moving truck. If one of the locations requires traversing a bridge with a weight limit, this may also incur extra costs to use two smaller moving vans rather than one large truck. Similarly, if your house has lots of stairs or a large walkway you may end up paying more. If there is more than 50 feet between the entrance to your residence and the street, or more than one flight of stairs to carry items down, you should try and move as many items yourself as possible. 

Luckily for you, you can bring down the total estimate by simply moving things on your own. Try to pack as much as possible in your own personal or rented van/truck. In general, the fewer items the moving company has to handle the lower the estimate will be. This is because it will require them to use less personnel and less time to complete the job. 

Our Services

Most people dread the moving process—until they move with UNITS®! Avoid hiring an expensive moving company or driving a bulky moving truck. With UNITS®, you can have a 16-foot container on your property for as long as you need to pack it, and we’ll transport it to your new home or business when moving day comes! Plus, you can take as much time as you need to unpack—we will never rush you. Moving can be truly stress-free when you choose UNITS®!

Our average cost of storage solutions is typically far less than that of national brands. Get a free quote from us today and then compare our quote apples to apples with any national brand—you won’t be disappointed! UNITS® doesn’t have any hidden fees—PERIOD.