Moving to a new home can be joyous and exciting. But, if you’re forced to move unexpectedly or worried about the cost of hiring movers, it can be a source of stress. The good is, with a little planning and budgeting, you can hire the right moving team to care for your needs without breaking the bank.
Here are 5 things to consider.
Moving Distance
Local Moves (Intrastate)
On average, expect to pay approximately $1600 for an intrastate move if you are packing up a 2 – 3-bedroom home with 3,400 kilos of boxes and furniture. Keep in mind the price could be less if you are packing up a smaller home or apartment and can make do with a smaller moving team.
Local removalists typically charge by the hour, with an average rate of $115 – $155 per hour. If you don’t need a moving truck and only require manual labor, expect to pay $77 – $103 per hour. Your team will charge you the hourly rate for all services related to your move—whether they’re packing boxes, loading the truck, or driving from your old home to the new location.
Out of State Moves (Interstate)
Interstate moves, based on a 2 – 3-bedroom home with 3,400 kilos of boxes and furniture, will average $6,330. When moving across state lines, the cost is largely tied to the weight of your belongings. Any decent removalist team should provide you with an estimate for the total cost of your move. Be sure to request a not-to-exceed estimate which ensures, even if your load exceeds a given weight, you will not be required to pay a higher rate. On the flip side, if your load is lighter than estimated, you can receive a reduction in rate.
Moving Supplies
It’s important to talk to your removalist team and find out what is included with the cost of your move. Some companies include the use of items like stretch wrap, felt pads, and moving blankets in their hourly rate while others list them as optional add-ons for an additional fee.
Be sure to budget for the supplies you’ll be buying—boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, tape. The cost for these items can quickly add up so give yourself time to do some comparison shopping to find the cheapest options.
Travel Cost
You’ll have to pay for the time your removalist team spends in transit from one location to another. If you are travelling across state lines, travel and fuel costs should be included in your estimate…but you’ll want to confirm this in advance.
If you are moving in state, most removalists charge their standard hourly fee to cover travel.
Extra Fees
If you are moving into or out of a metropolitan area or high-rise building, you may need to plan for additional fees such as crane services and parking permits. If your removalist team is going to have to navigate several flights of stairs, the extra effort will draw out the moving process and raise your rate.
If you have many fragile or delicate antiques, or a large collection of artwork, ask your removalist team if they provide white glove service—a premium service in which specialised professionals pack and transport your most delicate items. Your removalist company should be able to provide you an estimate for white glove services.
If you have exceptionally large pieces of furniture—think grand pianos or hot tubs—you’ll need to pay for specialised equipment to help with the move. It is always a good idea to ask your removalist company for a walk-through estimate as this allows them to see everything you have that needs to be moved, and to provide you an accurate estimate.
Tips for Moving Team
Your removalist team has spent hours carefully loading and transporting your most precious belongings. Budgeting money to tip your team at the end of the day is a much-appreciated gesture. As a rule, 5% of your total moving costs is considered a standard gratuity rate. So, for example, if your move totaled $4,000 with a team 6 removalists, the amount of gratuity should be $200, or approximately $33 per team member.
Conserving Cost During Your Move
There are ways to reduce costs during a move, including:
- Get Rid of Unwanted Items – Why pay your removalist team to transport items you don’t use or want? Take time prior to your move to hold a garage sale or to take unused clothing and household items to resale shops or donation centers.
- Pack Your Own Boxes – The more tasks you tackle yourself, the cheaper your moving rate will be. Save money by packing your own boxes (check out our blog on How to Pack Moving Boxes Like a Champ) and labeling them so your team knows exactly where each belongs in your new home.
- Gather Multiple Estimates from Removalists – Not all removalists are the same. It is important to gather estimates from multiple companies to see who can provide the best service for the best price. When asking for estimates, always confirm that the company you’re considering is fully licensed and insured.
At the end of the day, moving doesn’t have to be stressful…and it doesn’t have to break the bank. If you have a move coming up, we hope you’ll reach out to us at Holloway Removals. We love providing high-quality and efficient moving services for people all over Sydney.
You let us know how much help you need. We’ll keep your relocation on budget. Click here for a custom estimate.
Looking for removalists in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane?
We service it all!
