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While moving isn’t the most technical industry out there, like the rest of the business world, the moving industry has seen a number of changes in this young century. It’s no longer just about a few guys and a truck. There are now several options that are somewhere between a professional mover and doing it yourself.
What are the Different Moving Options
There are several moving options now. All of them have their benefits and drawbacks.
You’ve probably seen ads for companies that drop off a container at your home and then pick it up and move it. Most of these types of companies give you three days to load or unload. If you go over, you will pay. Some will let you store your goods right in your yard for weeks or even months, at a cost, of course. There are a few benefits to container storage. One is that they are low to the ground and can be loaded fairly easily. Another is that the company does the driving. Another is that storage is easy and your goods won’t have to be moved from the container to a storage unit.
Container Moving
There are also disadvantages. First off, you are responsible for loading and unloading the containers. You can usually hire people to help, but then the cost savings over full service movers begins to disappear.
Another disadvantage is that they take up a lot of room. Each one is about 12 feet long, and you’ll have to find a place for them to sit for a few days. Each one also only holds about the contents of a small apartment, so if you have a larger apartment or a house, you’ll need multiple containers.
Make sure you ask how the containers will be shipped. With one company, your goods will share a large container with commercial goods. I know of one person whose furniture shared space with a shipment of onions. Let’s just say he had to buy a new bed and sofa.
Truck Rental
We’ve all rented moving trucks. That’s when you gather your closest friends, ply them with beer and pizza, and hope everything ends up in one piece.
Mostly, everyone knows the advantages and disadvantages to moving yourself, but one advantage seems to be going away. It’s really not that much cheaper. With the cost of gasoline topping $3.00 per gallon in some parts of the country, you could spend $1,000s just in gas alone. Another disadvantage is that people have a tendency to underestimate the amount of stuff they have. It’s far more common than you might imagine that people are forced to start all over after loading the wrong size truck.
Another disadvantage you might not consider is that if the truck breaks down, it could be hours before the company sends help and a replacement truck. If you do need a replacement truck, you’ll be responsible for moving everything from the old truck to the new one, by yourself, or with your companion.
Perhaps the biggest advantage to renting your own truck, though, is that all your possessions arrive at the same time as you. You might even be able to tow your car.
‘Gig’ Moving
We all know of companies like Uber or AirbnB, but did you know that you can hire movers based on the same concept? Companies like Taskrabbit and Lugg allow you to hire movers with pickup trucks or small vans. While those services are great for a few pieces of furniture going a short distance, they aren’t yet designed for long-distance or large moves.
Full Service Movers
Sometimes, the best way is the old-fashioned way. Full service movers are surprisingly inexpensive, especially if you do the packing. They are also experts at packing, loading, and logistics. You might have to wait a little longer than if you were renting a truck, but the cost of gas is factored in, as is the cost of labor to load and unload. Don’t forget the back saving benefits of going full service.
While no moving options come with full replacement value insurance, full service movers are required to offer $.60 per pound in liability, about twice what the do-it-yourself options offer. Most moving companies also work with full coverage moving insurance companies.
Featured Image via PxHere
