Moving requires you to make choices, and you could get overwhelmed between moving yourself vs. hiring movers. While the two options seem easy to choose from, homeowners find them challenging. So, ensure you consider the pros and cons of each for better decision-making.
DIY moving is cheaper, gives you total control of the move, and you can pack the items the way you want. Its downside is that you have more heavy lifting to do, planning, and packing, which are not fun. Hiring movers is expensive, but you will have less stress when moving.
Should You Hire Movers or Rent a Truck?
When comparing hiring movers vs. moving yourself, each option’s pros and cons will help you decide what to choose. Here are the pros and cons of getting movers and renting a truck.
Pros of Renting a Truck
Most people choose DIY moving because it is cheaper. You won’t spend money getting people to pack and carry your items and furniture, and you don’t have to follow a strictly located moving time. Check out these benefits below.
1. Lower Costs
Finding a new home can be expensive, and moving makes it more expensive. However, if you are on a tight budget, you can choose DIY moving by renting a truck. Moving companies charge for the trucks depending on the distance between the homes, the number of trucks required, and the days you will use them.
Moving will be easier if you have a small house and need one little truck. You can also save on costs by getting your packing materials. At Vaultra storage, we offer quality and water-resistant packing boxes if you need some. We deliver and pick up our bins after moving.
If you have a bigger house with more household items, you can call your friends or relatives to help you to carry them. That’s because you won’t get extra people for labor when hiring trucks.
2. You Control the Move
Renting a moving truck allows you to control your entire move. You decide when and how to pack your belongings and handle things. However, leaving your costly yet fragile items to movers can cause anxiety because you are unsure if they will take care of them.
Controlling the entire move also means you can decide the time to move. For example, if the weather is too bad on your moving day, you can easily postpone to another day without incurring cancellation fees.
Cons of Renting a Moving Truck
Besides controlling the entire move and lowering costs, renting a truck has downsides that you should know. Some disadvantages are;
1. There is Heavy Lifting
DIY moving will be challenging if you have heavy furniture like coffee tables, couches, and bookshelves. Even books can be heavy to carry on a flight of stairs. Also, carrying big boxes full of fragile kitchenware can lead to heavy losses if an accident happens.
Although renting a truck is cheaper, it might be more challenging if you have many household items. Besides, you also require knowledge of how to load the vehicle so the items can fit well.
2. It takes a long to complete the move
Professional movers get trained to carry items down the stairs. For example, they know how to handle the couch when getting it out of the house and moving it between walls. However, carrying these items the wrong way can cause them to get stuck on the doors, wasting more time in your moving.
Pros of Hiring Movers
Do not make your decision based on the pros and cons of renting a truck only when choosing to move yourself or hire movers. Instead, ensure you also compare the advantages and disadvantages of hiring movers. Here are some of the pros of hiring movers.
1. Less Stress
Moving can be stressful, but hiring movers makes things easier. They take all the moving responsibility, including packing the items in the respective boxes, getting trucks, and unpacking your items in the new home. Some movers even arrange your new house according to how you want it to look.
2. You Won’t Lift Anything
Hire movers if you are looking forward to not touching a thing during the entire move. Professional movers get trained to care for clients’ valuables, so your coffee table, floors, and walls won’t have scratches from the relocation.
3. The Move is Faster and More Efficient
Once you hire a moving company, they will schedule a transfer time and get there on time. Unlike family and friends who can give excuses or take more time to pack your items, the movers work on a contract and cannot bail on you.
Movers also have the required tools to make moving faster and more efficient. For example, they have tools to disable beds and other furniture to save you more time since they are fast.
Cons of Hiring Movers
Although you will enjoy your moving when you hire movers, there are downsides to using them. Some disadvantages of hiring movers include the following:
1. Movers Are Expensive
Although you get a truck, labor force, and packing boxes when you hire movers, they can be expensive. Most professional movers cost between $800 and $2300. Some companies charge an hourly rate, while others charge a flat fee. The cost could also depend on your home’s size, the distance between the houses, and the equipment needed, like furniture dollies.
2. You Have Less Control Over The Move
When hiring professional movers, you must pick a date and time for the move and adhere to the time. For example, you might have to wait if the available dates are several weeks from your intended move date.
When the day comes, the professionals will come with boxes, pack your items to the best of their ability and move to the new house. Unfortunately, leaving strangers to handle your precious things can cause anxiety.
Final Words
Now that you have a good comparison of moving yourself vs. hiring movers, which option would you go for? Most homeowners choose DIY moving to save on costs but get too tired during the move. However, if you have a big house, you can consider hiring movers to help pack and carry the items. But you should be ready to pay for the moving fees.
100% CANADIAN OWNED AND OPERATED