How Much Do Short Distance Movers Cost?

Trust us, hiring movers to tackle a move instead of relocating all your stuff solo is the best gift you can give yourself. What usually keeps people from hiring movers for a short distance move is the potential costs. But, is it really that expensive? In this article we will break down the short distance movers cost and how you can save to be able to hire movers and relieve that moving stress!

Average Cost of a Short Distance Move

Let’s break down what you can expect for short distance movers costs. Many factors play into a quote for a short distance move. The size of your home, the distance you are moving and what different services you need will dictate how much you pay. A local move is considered anywhere under 100 miles and typically moving companies charge you by the hour. The average you can expect to pay is $120-$350 per hour. Wondering how much time it will take? A one or two bedroom apartment usually takes about 3-5 hours for move time, ranging in cost from $600-$1300 for the move. A three or four bedroom house requires more time, up to a whole day, so you can expect to pay $1400 to $2800. At Stewart Moving & Storage we offer competitive pricing for short distance movers cost. Give us a call today to chat with a moving coordinator about your short distance move. 

Short Distance Movers Cost Factors to Consider

The prices above can vary quite a bit, so let’s get into the nitty gritty of what exactly is considered when quoting short distance moving costs. 

Moving Distance

Even within a short move the total moving distance can impact extra charges for your fee. Obviously they charge hourly so the longer distance adds to that time, but there can also be fuel costs factored into the overall bill. For moves over 30 miles, in states like NC or VA must be priced by the weight versus shorter distance moves which are priced by the hour. This is helpful in taking traffic delays out of the equation for families!

Weight

This is probably the biggest factor that impacts the cost of your move. If you have a lot of heavy items this will increase the work required to load, transport, and unpack your items which may end up in an increased labor cost. Also, increased weight impacts the type of truck that the movers use, increasing pricing. The heavier your items the longer it takes for the movers to relocate your items, increasing the time and short distance moving costs. 

Packing and Materials

You can pack all of your items yourself, but there are options for packing by a moving company so you can avoid this pesky step of your move! You can enlist packing services that allow the company to pack your items for you, but this does increase the cost of labor. You will also pay for boxes, tape, bubble wrap or any packing paper that you require. At Stewart Moving & Storage we offer packing services and top of the line packing supplies for fair prices to ease stress of your short distance move cost. 

Number of Movers

Depending on the size of your home and the items you need relocated you may require more than the standard amount of movers. Typically a moving company sends 2 movers for a standard short distance move. But, the more movers you have, the faster your move will be. If you require extra movers than the standard 2 you will not have to pay an extra fee! Extra fees are only added if the move is over 30+miles, the weight of the move, mileage, and seasonality, or additional services like packing and storage. 

Timing of Move

At peak moving times you can expect higher short distance moving costs. Spring and Summer as well as the weekends are considered peak times to move for most moving companies. If you decide to move in the Fall or Winter, or during a weekday you can save on your hourly rate. 

Service Type 

There’s a lot of ways to do your moves! If you decide to hire a full-service move you are having a company handle the packing of your items, loading them, relocating to a new location and unpacking for you. This is the priciest way to move. You can also do a DIY move where you handle it all yourself and rent just a truck. But there’s also a hybrid option where you do all the packing, but you hire a moving company to do the loading, transporting, and unloading on their own truck. At Stewart Moving we offer a variety of services from full-service to hybrid and we can help you tailor your moving process to fit your exact needs. 

How to Get a Lower Short Distance Movers Cost

Overwhelmed at the potential short distance moving costs? Well, don’t get too worried because there are ways to save! You can take steps prior to making your move that will lower your hourly rate and labor costs. Check out these ways to lower your short distance moving costs: 

Declutter Your Space

The more you have to move, the more you will pay for movers! Getting rid of unwanted items will create less boxes to pack and move. The less the movers have to relocate the faster they can make your move happen, lowering your final bill for hourly work. Also, decluttering will lower the weight of your items, ensuring that you don’t have to hire a larger truck for your move. 

Make a Budget Spreadsheet

Making a plan before you spend will save you money in the long run. Have a budgeting document where you make a plan for costs like packing materials, services you may require, the type of transportation you want to use and anything else you think may come up. If you add it all up, and it’s more than you’d like it to be, you can adjust your budget to fit your needs. Waiting until the last second without a plan will increase your short distance moving costs. 

Box Up Your Belongings

Loading, moving, and unloading your belongings is definitely the physically hardest part of a move and it’s what you should prioritize your spending on. Having movers pack for you is a great perk & huge time saver, but it’s not as physically necessary. If you pack for yourself you will save some extra cash that you can put towards other parts of your move. 

Relocate During Off-Peak Times

If you’re flexible about when you want to move then pick a move date that isn’t during the peak season! Moving rates will be more expensive in the Spring and Summer months as well as on the weekend. If you’re planning a move in advance and can do it in the Winter or Fall, or on a weekday, you will save lots of cash on short distance moving costs. 

Gather Multiple Moving Estimates

Don’t just one stop shop when it comes to finding the right moving company! Make sure to look at the reviews and recommendations for multiple moving companies in your region. Ask for detailed estimates and quotes so you know what to expect for short distance moving costs. You will find the higher rated companies like Stewart Moving & Storage, offer competitive and well-priced quotes for quality, highly rated services. Check out why our customers choose us for any type of move. 

Watch Out for Hidden Costs

Make sure you are receiving a fully transparent quote! You may not notice but a company may charge for heavier items, a longer distance to carry things, the addition of stairs, or potential packing materials. Make sure to ask about what things a company may charge for without your knowledge and ask for that listed on an itemized estimate. 

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