The Most Common Moving Expenses

Moving is a difficult process that can cost you not only a lot of money, but also nerves. It is better to plan in advance, considering the nuances that will affect price movements. When you need help figuring out how much Seattle movers cost, we know the answer. 

We also know at least three ways to organize a move:

1. By yourself with your car,
2. With a truck and with your friends who will be your packers and your movers
3. With a moving company and professional relocation experts.

Whichever way you choose, you will have to pay for the move with money or your own nerves and time, depending on the number of items you have or distance between the old and new location.

So if you are planning to move to Seattle you are probably wondering about the movers cost.

Moving companies in Seattle offer different types of services and therefore you can find the most appropriate offer that will fit your needs. These are just some of the examples of what kind of costs you can expect during your move.

#1 The cost of organizing your Seattle move without movers

You may want to consider saving some money for your move by moving by yourself. This may sound as the cheapest option, but there are also some costs in this kind of move.

It doesn’t matter if you are moving down the street in your old neighborhood or you are switching cities, you are on your own in these situations . That could mean a road trip with your family or your friends , which includes gas or electricity if you are environmentally friendly, tolls, possibly lodging, and some of that good old road trip food along the way.

You have many ways to calculate fuel consumption like an online fuel cost calculator or old fashioned brain, pen and paper.  

Otherwise, it means the cost of a plane ticket, getting yourself to and from the airport, and possibly the price of shipping your car.

Or if you are unable to drive to distant destinations, there is always the option to fly by plane to the desired destination and have a tow company bring your car. But it is expensive and you are more than capable enough to just drive to your destination and save yourself a lot of money.

#2 Cleaning and freshening up your old place

If you are leaving the apartment or house where you spent some period of your life, it would be okay to clean and repaint that place.

That means you need to buy brooms, floor cleaners,  brushes, paint and everything you need to patch those holes in the wall from all those parties you had.

You may also need to consider hiring a carpet cleaner or house cleaners if you don’t have much time to do it yourself. Some professional movers have their own team of cleaners and you need to add that cost to your budget. If you are planning to leave your old furniture there you also need to consider cleaning, repairing and buying new one for the new place. You will want the deposit back if you lived in a rented house or apartment.

#3 Hiring professional Seattle movers at a reasonable cost

Right next to time, budget is your biggest decision making problem to hire movers. Whether you decide to hire professional movers or choose to go with budget movers, you need to consider what type of moving service is the best option you can squeeze your budget in. 

Even for just a local move, professional movers can get the job done like you never could. First, they will do it faster and second, they will do it better. These are just a few of the benefits of hiring professional movers.

Cost to hire Seattle movers can vary. The movers you hire will provide you with a quote that includes the cost of labor and fuel. The final price may vary depending on how many items you have and how long the move takes.

Two things you need to consider when thinking about moving companies are whether you will pack things yourself so the moving company just drives you to your next destination or you just need help with packing.

Selfpacking is also budget friendly because the things you need for the packing are sometimes in your possession, so you can already save a lot of money there and you can spend it on something new in your new place.

Hiring professional Seattle packers

But with hiring professional packers and movers you can also save yourself valuable time and speed up the process of moving in your new home. Even if you have pets and do not have possibilities to transport  them with you,some professional moving companies can help you with that and transport them safely to a new location.

Some companies also charge for assembling and disassembling kitchen parts and furniture, so if you have a friend who is good with tools, consider that this is also an option. 

Also, if there is something that can not be disassembled and it is a little bit heavier, they can charge more. If you live in an apartment on a high floor and not in the house and you have an elevator that is not in a good condition or perhaps it is not working, keep in mind that companies charge for that as well. 

So, if you have good friends I’m sure they will help you save your money and help you to move everything you need down the stairs. 

#4 Hourly Rate vs Flat Rate

So, how much do Seattle movers cost?

There are two options – Hiring hourly movers or a flat rate movers.  Usually, flat rate is the better option if you are having a long distance move. If you have a small move and you are moving locally it is cost effective for you to choose hourly rate movers. Hourly rates generally start at a minimum of three hours and these three hours would usually be enough to move a one bedroom place. 

You may not be able to budget the hourly rates of movers down to the dollar, but it helps to have a good general idea of what you might pay. You can get a quote for your move simply by calling the moving company and in two minutes conversation, you will be provided with a quote. Make sure to ask at least three different moving companies for a quote, so you can choose the one that fits your budget.

#5 Hidden fees and extra charges when hiring a moving company

Here are some more common moving expenses you might’ve not known by now.

If the moving company can’t park right in front of your house or a building for a few tens of feets or a few hundred feets, they can charge more for long carry.

Companies in today’s time of great environmental crisis may also have some hidden environmental costs that you need to consider. This of course applies to the garbage that remains behind you in your house or apartment and even in their trucks. So if you like to crack bubble wrap keep in mind that you may pay an environmental tax for it.

Heavy item handling fee. If you have an excessively heavy item that requires specialized tools 

 or an additional pair of hands to carry it, you can expect to be charged extra for that type of service. 

You got some expensive and precious paintings or certainly some expensive artwork, not even professional companies will accept to transport it. For this there are special companies that charge more for the safety of your artworks.

For some reason you can’t move things from your old place to a new apartment right away? Professional companies also offer storage units to store your things until you can put them back in their place.

#6 Time and date of your move

The most common costs can vary from season to season. If you are able to sit down and plan when you are gonna move you may save some money.

It all depends on the part of the country you live in and whether the seasons change or if you are lucky enough to be in parts of the country where it is always ideal to move. If you are from this first group where the seasons change it is good to know that each brings its own new experience.

In the fall, houses and apartments are on off-season discounts, so you’ll be able to find something cheaper and better than some of the other options you have seen so far. The weather is ideal for moving when it is not raining, much better than moving during the winter.

If you are planning to move in the winter or you just have to move out during that period, keep in mind that then the market is the most favorable. Moving companies don’t have a lot of work to do then, so you can get better rates or some nice discounts. But it is also the period when it snows and it is very cold and there is always a possibility of snow storms that can delay your move.

Spring is perhaps the most ideal season. Moving companies offer very favorable conditions that are similar to autumn. In addition to all of that, it is the most beautiful time of the year, most people are gonna agree on that.

Summer is the most demanding time of the year for all moving companies. If you own a house or apartment, this is your time to sell what you have and move to a new place. It’s a period when you’re on vacation and the kids are not going to school and ideal timing for moving. Also, the best weather conditions are in the summer.

#7 Other expenses that you may not think about

Besides those obvious and basic expenses, leave some space within your budget for the unexpected ones.

Do you move from state to state and have your own transportation? Changing  of state means both changing of license plates and registration in the local department of motor vehicles. That can cost you a lot of time and money.

If you move into your new rented apartment you pay a deposit in advance for your rent to your landlord.

If you have a dog or a cat as a pet, you may pay a higher rent because of it, as some places do not allow pets or they do allow them, but the rent is higher.