Moving is difficult and stressful. Even a local move requires planning with real estate brokers, packing your stuff, and various additional duties. Many homeowners and companies engage moving companies to help lighten the load because of this complexity. One moving alternative is do-it-yourself moving. While this is cheaper than hiring professional movers, it may not be the best option depending on your circumstances. In this article, we will go through the benefits and drawbacks of DIY vs. hiring movers and some other factors.
Full-Service Movers
When a homeowner or business owner selects a moving company to handle every aspect of a relocation, it is known as a “full-service move.” Although this option is more expensive, it has the fewest hassles and is the most practical. These movers will visit your home or workplace, deliver the packing supplies, pack everything, load the boxes onto the moving truck, transport them to your new residence, and unload everything.
The benefits of hiring a full-service mover are as follow:
- No packing.
- No heavy lifting.
- Greater efficiency (especially if you’re on a tight schedule for office or retail store relocations).
- Least hassle.
- Stress-free move.
However, there could also be the following downsides to consider:
- Lower flexibility in moving dates
- Costlier
DIY Move
A DIY move is one in which the person moves everything without the assistance of a moving company (except for renting a moving truck). The more labor-intensive choice is a do-it-yourself relocation, which requires much coordination but is also the cheapest option. Small one- or two-bedroom homes are ideal for such moves, but larger homes or long-distance trips may prove to be too much for you to do yourself.
In a do-it-yourself move, the homeowner manages every aspect of the process, including packing their belongings, renting the truck, loading, unloading, and driving it. With many of these moves, the homeowner is in total control of the dates, times, and pace of the move but is still responsible for managing all the aspects that a moving company would handle.
Some pros of DIY moving include:
- Greater flexibility.
- Complete control over the moving process.
- Cheaper option.
However, DIY moving is not without potential cons:
- More work-intensive and tiring.
- Heavy lifting required.
- A large amount of planning and coordination is often needed.
- Danger of difficulties when driving large moving trucks.
Still stuck? Here are three key factors to consider in making your decision.
Home Size
If your home is on the larger side, investing in a professional moving service may be well worth the cost.
Budget
While most homeowners prefer to hire professional movers to handle every aspect of their relocation, not everyone can afford this. In such cases, a DIY move may be your best bet.
Time
Another aspect to consider is the amount of time you have to leave, travel, and get to your new home. For homeowners who have to relocate due to a change of employment or family, these scenarios can be difficult. In such cases, hiring personal moving services is the way to go!