Rental Moving Trucks vs. Professional Movers | Pros and Cons
OK, so moving day is rapidly approaching, and it is time to decide if you are going to rent your moving truck or hire professionals to do the job. There are pros and cons for both options, and this article will break it down so you can make the best decision before moving day.
Renting a Moving Truck
Rental Moving Truck Pros
The most significant pro here is going to be cost savings, which is a big one. You will spend significantly less money renting a truck and handling the move on your own. When I say substantially less, I mean 8-10 times less, depending on the size of your move. You can hopefully bribe some of your family members and friends with beers and pizza to give you a hand.
Rental Moving Truck Cons
The cons of the truck are the mere fact you are stuck with the back pain and long days that come with a move. It is all for you to make sure the TV doesn’t get scratched and that the couch doesn’t get ripped on the way out and in. This approach can be a costly mistake on its own. Additionally, not all people are comfortable driving some of the U-HAUL types of rental trucks. You will also have to hassle with going to a U-HAUL (or competitor like Penske or Budget) location to physically pick up the truck and then drop it off when you finish.
Hiring a Moving Company
Professional Movers Pros
There is no better feeling than having others move your stuff out and in, and knowing it is in good hands. Not having to worry about lifting heavy furniture and boxes up and downstairs is a luxurious feeling. The move will also go significantly quicker with professionals, since they know the drill, and they come with a crew equipped to handle your move in an efficient manner. You can also elect to have professional moving companies pack and unpack all of your things. As you may imagine, this comes with an added expense (a fairly big one) but is a massive help in getting your move completed. It also gets you started on your new pad rather quickly, which is a nice feeling. If you decide not to go with the packing/unpacking option, you can opt to have the moving company deliver boxes to your home a week or two in advance of your move. It sure is nice to have all of those corrugated boxes delivered to you, so you can focus on preparing, rather than having to borrow someone’s truck to get them.
Professional Mover Cons
Well, as you can imagine, the one major downside here is the price. You will pay a hefty fee to have your move done professionally. For some context, I have moved twice over the past three years and used professional movers both times. We had a modest sized three-bedroom home and spent about $4k each time. According to greatguyslongdistancemovers.com, the average cross-country move costs almost $5000. It’s not cheap, especially if you are hoping to paint your new place and buy some new furniture.
While we’ve carefully examined two of the most popular moving options, keep in mind there’s a third hybrid option – moving containers. PODs and other portable storage containers allow you to do the loading yourself, without having to do the driving. This alternative is cheaper than hiring a moving company and requires less effort than doing it all on your own.