Whether you’re moving across town or another state, moving costs quickly add up! If you’ve read my other article on why I cancelled my reservation with a moving company and moved myself, then you probably have some insight into why hiring movers can be questionable. Their original estimate will be exactly that – an estimate. This will likely be based on how many rooms you’re moving or roughly how many boxes you have. And, chances are you’ll get hit with huge overage fees that exceed what you feel comfortable paying. Hiring a mover is one of the times where reading the fine print is really important to make sure you fully understand all the extra charges that quickly add up. Use this guide to better understand 16 hidden costs of hiring movers that they won’t openly tell you in your initial conversations.
Table of Contents
Overages on Cubic Feet
Some reliable moving companies will come to your home prior to your move date to do an inspection so their estimate will be closer to the actual cost. However, not all moving companies do this, so this is still the #1 reason people’s actual cost of hiring movers increases substantially from what was originally estimated. Even if you measure the cu. ft. of every last box and piece of furniture like I did, I assure you, you’ll take up more space in the truck than you think.
When I moved, I measured all my boxes and it came out to 275 cu ft. However, once I got them into the truck, it took up almost 400 cu. ft of space. This is because boxes don’t fit perfectly with one another so there will be space above, between, and on the sides of the truck. And unfortunately, you’ll have to pay for this “air” space because it’s still taking up room in the truck.
BEWARE: That might not sound like a lot of extra space, but that could quickly add up to $2,000 more than your original quote.
Moving Help
Most moving companies do offer packing services to save you the headache of getting all your boxes ready for the big move. This is a great option for those who don’t have the time or ability, but it can come with a hefty price point. You can find cheaper packing help on TaskRabbit than going directly to the moving companies.
If you’ve never heard of Task Rabbit, it’s a fantastic, do-it-all website where you can hire locals to help with everyday tasks like grocery shopping, moving, painting, personal assistant duties, etc. This is a great site to use when you arrive at your new home as well.
Disassembly/Reassembly Fee
There are some larger items in your home that are better off being disassembled and reassembled to make them easier to carry and help save room on the truck. Movers can help with this, but will likely charge a fee depending on how many items need to be disassembled.
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Handling Heavy Items Fee
Exactly as it sounds, moving companies can charge an extra fee for moving large and heavy items. A couple of examples are an armoire, golf cart, or piano. This is because they might have to bring a special truck or equipment to move these items. Make sure to mention this to your moving company ahead of your pick-up date to avoid any unknown fees.
Stairs & Elevator Fees
Stairs and elevator fees – sounds crazy right? Companies are really just penny pinching at this point. I hate to say it but it’s true that moving companies will charge you a set fee to carry furniture down the stairs or just for putting it in an elevator. Usually this fee is about $75.
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Long Carry Fee
Personally, this one agitates me the most. Moving companies can charge you if they have to carry your goods further than a certain distance. When I was shopping around, they said no more than 75 feet from your door to the truck. If you’re in a building, I’d make sure to confirm whether this is from the front door of your apartment or the front door of the building.
Try to choose an exit from your building closest to your apartment door where the truck can safely park for a couple of hours. If you guest parking, talk to your property manager to see if you can reserve one of those spots for the time needed. This leads me to my next hidden cost of hiring movers.
Parking Tickets
Perhaps this one sounds silly, but don’t say I didn’t warn you! It’s no shocker that finding a place to park a huge truck can be very difficult in urban areas. Sometimes the only option is in the red or in front of a fire hydrant. If the movers keep their emergency flashers on, hopefully you’ll be fine. But there’s always a chance that they can get a ticket which will, unfortunately, be included on your final bill.
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Move Cancellation / Changes
Need to change your reservation at the last minute? Whether you’ve decided to cancel your move all together or change to another date, you’ll most likely be charged.
Every moving company has their own cancellation policy so make sure to discuss this with the company upfront (or read the fine print) so you know what you’re in for. Generally, if you give them a 1-week notice, you can walk away with no hidden costs of hiring movers. However, if it is within 7-days of your move, charges of $50+ can be assumed.
Moving Insurance
Regardless of whether you’re moving the boxes yourself or hiring a couple of handymen, there’s always a chance that items can break during transport. And if you’re doing a long-distance move, chances are that your items may be transferred from one truck to another before arriving at your final destination. That’s a lot of unknown and untrusting hands to go through.
As frustrating as it can be to have your items broken, it’s better to have your bases covered by spending the extra amount on insurance when hiring movers. Some moving companies will include basic coverage in your estimate, but I recommend spending a little extra.
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Theft
This is one of the hidden costs of hiring movers that I pray you don’t ever encounter. While I believe most moving companies are trusty-worthy, because of how many hands your boxes go through, there’s always a chance of something going missing. Be especially cautious if the moving company is helping you pack your boxes as they’ll have a much more intimate connections with your precious belongings.
I felt this was an important hidden cost of hiring movers to include because of my personal experience. When my parents moved our of our LA home years ago, my dad had several expensive watches stolen as movers were helping us pack up boxes. My parents filed a claim, but of course the company denied any allegations. FYI – moving companies will never take the blame!
Additionally, if you are moving long-distance and the driver has to spend the night somewhere, there’s always a chance of someone breaking into the truck. This is unlikely, but still worth considering.
NOTE: Moving insurance will NOT cover this.
Fuel Expenses
Many professional moving companies will wait until they arrive at your destination to include fuel expenses into the final cost. This is because fuel prices can significantly fluctuate from one part of the country to the next. Make sure to inquire about this fee before signing with a moving company as their large trucks are gas-guzzlers.
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Travel Fee
A travel fee is a charge for the time your movers take to get from the home office to your home. They usually add an extra hour for time and labor, but it can cost more. This is very applicable when it comes to local moves.
Extra Stop Fee
Need to stop at an office or storage unit to pick up additional items? Movers will do this, but it may come at an additional cost. Some moving companies will include an extra stop in the price within a certain mile radius. If you do need to make a stop, make sure to mention this during your initial consultation to avoid additional hidden fees.
Storage Fee
Many moving companies will offer free storage for 30 days to help as you are settling into your new home. Days over that will start costing. However, a lot people are also downsizing when they get to their new home, so a storage unit might be a long-term necessity. One unit will likely cost over $100 per month, so this can quickly add up.
Extra Days Fee
If you’re doing a long-distance move, your moving company will give you a range of how many days it will take them to arrive at your new home. If, for whatever reason, the truck arrives at your new home but can’t get into the building until the next day, they can hold your goods on the truck, but will likely charge an overnight holding fee. Make sure to consider what the move-in hours are if you’re moving into a building, as some have after-hours restrictions.
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The Cost of Packing Supplies
Believe it or not, boxes and packing tape add up very quickly. Standard boxes cost between $0.75 – $3.50, but when you need a specialized box size, the price can increase over $50. Two box tape rolls and a tape gun will cost about $10, and you’re going to need a lot more than two rolls regardless of how many boxes you’re packing. Please believe me when I say don’t buy the cheapest box tape! I purchased some at the 99 cent store at first and not only would it stick to everything and crinkle (super annoying!), it started peeling off the box. I recommend clear heavy duty Duck tape.
And don’t forget the bubble wrap and padding you’ll need to protect all your fragile items and big furniture pieces. Also, if you plan to move the boxes from your home to the truck and vice versa, you’ll definitely want to buy or rent a furniture dolly.
Standard boxes sizes are as follows:
- Small: 16 in. x 12 in. x 12 in.
- Medium: 18 in. x 16 in. x 16 in.
- Large: 18 in. x 18 in. x 24 in.
- Extra Large: 18 in. x 24 in. x 24 in.
Just to provide some perspective, for my one bedroom apartment move, I had 40 boxes of various sizes:
- (1) 34 x 22 x 25 = 11 cf
- (1) 17 x 14 x 18 = 2.5 cf
- (3) wardrobe boxes 46 x 20 x 20 = 32 cf total
- (1) 24 x 51 x 25 = 18 cf
- (19) large boxes 24 x 18 x 18 = 85.5 cf total
- (9) medium boxes 18 x 18 x 16 = 27 cf total
- (1) 30 x 17 x 15 = 4.5 cf
- (1) 30 x 27 x 27 = 13 cf
- (1) 49 x 69 x 15 = 29 cf
- (1) 12 x 12 x 56 = 5 cf
- (1) 43 x 48 x 5 = 6 cf
- (1) 25 x 13 x 11 = 2 cf
- TOTAL: 40 boxes = 235.5 cf
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14 Questions to Ask Your Movers
- Is there origin/destination fee for and how much is it?
- What is the estimated rate per cu. ft.? Is there a possibility this could change?
- Is there an elevator or stair fee? If so, it is per floor and is it one fee for all trips back and forth?
- Your estimate shows the price for x number of miles. My new home is farther than that. Will I be charged more for the extended distance? If so, what is the cost per mile?
- Is there a fee for large/heavy items? If so, what is considered a large or heavy item?
- Your estimate shows the price for (x pounds). If the weight goes over this amount, will I be charged more?
- What is the cost for liability insurance and how much of my belongings will that cove?
- Will there be additional charges for loading and unloading of boxes on/off the truck as well as in/out of my homes?
- Is there a fee for long carry over 75 feet? If so, how much?
- Can you please confirm that my deposit goes towards the total price of the move?
- Do you charge any overnight fees if the shipment exceeds a certain amount of days?
- What’s the cost of padding/wrapping/taping items?
- Are there fuel charges and how are these calculated?
- Are there any other possible fees I should consider?
RECAP: 16 Hidden Costs of Hiring Movers
- Overages on Cubic Feet
- Moving Help (Hire from Task Rabbit)
- Disassembly / Reassembly Fee
- Handling Heavy Items Fee
- Stairs & Elevator Fees
- Long Carry Fee
- Parking Tickets
- Move Cancellation / Changes
- Moving Insurance
- Theft
- Fuel Expenses
- Travel Fee
- Extra Stop Fee
- Storage Fee
- Extra Days Fee
- The Cost of Packing Supplies
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