Unless your employer is paying for your relocation, when it comes time to move you have two options, you can hire a moving company or you can move your items yourself.  Both options will cost money but it is possible to avoid paying more than you should by budgeting for those hidden costs that seem to pop up unexpectedly.


The general thought of hiring professionals to handle your move sounds like your least stressful option, but keep in mind it will also cost you more in transportation and labor charges. Most movers that are paid by the hour might not work quite as fast as you’d like and those paid by the job could possibly rush the move to get to their next job that could result in mishandled, damaged property. The best solution to hiring a moving company is to do your research, contact previous customers and check the company out, make sure they are reputable. Almost all companies offer free quotes, so investigate how much the cost will be with at least 5 companies to get an idea of cost, keeping in mind the cheapest may not always be your best bet.

Keep in mind and be prepared for fine-print charges that tend to add up quickly. For example:
A moving company may charge a transportation surcharge if the company compensates its movers for work performed in metropolitan areas where labor rates tend to be higher.  Many companies charge extra for moving heavy items such as piano’s and pool tables.


While these hassles may seem to be avoided by doing the job yourself, there can also be problems associated with this choice. There is the obvious stress and physical labor involved, as well as the time to be taken off from work, time and money spent renting a truck, moving furnishings, driving the truck to a new location and unpacking again.  Keep in mind; if you drop or break an item, it is at your own cost, there is no reimbursement!


Both options have their pros and cons, so the best advice is to do your research and compare the moving costs of hiring professional movers versus doing it yourself.