Moving is expensive. When I was in college I didn’t think much of it because everything I owned could be thrown into the back of my car but the first time I got a quote from professional movers for over $10,000 I laugh-cried in their faces.
I had been given an estimate closer to half that so I didn’t know why it ended up costing so much. Turns out there were a lot of hidden moving costs I didn’t know about at the time, but now I’ve learned how to avoid them.
So I’m going to review the hidden moving costs you can expect from full service movers versus containers/DIY moves and how to avoid (most) of them.
Hidden Moving Costs for Full Service Movers
You’re going to find hidden moving costs no matter what type of move you are doing, but in my experience the biggest costs are going to be those from a full service mover.
Full service movers will start by giving you a rough estimate over the phone or online, but after that they send someone to your house.
Note: It is important to note that the person sent to your house to give you the legally binding estimate is a sales representative. They are almost always paid on commission. This means they are financially incentivized to increase your hidden moving costs because it increases their commission. You are always in a position to negotiate and not legally bound to sign just because they give you a bill of lading with a lot of extra fees.
Bulk Items/Pianos/Safes/Motorcycles
Speaking of extra fees, one of the things you will probably see a lot of are called extra services. There is usually a separate area on your bill of lading that actually lists all the different types of “extra services” associated with the moving company.
The most common include bulk items, pianos, safes like gun safes, or motorcycles. If you have any of these they’re going to likely charge you an extra, hidden moving cost.
These extra services might also include the assembly and disassembly of your furniture. So if you are getting an estimate from a moving company and they say that their team will disassemble and reassemble all your furniture, make sure to ask if that comes at an additional cost and if it does, consider waiving it. Maybe it’s about time you learned how to use a wrench anyway.
Fuel Surcharges
The fuel surcharge is another line item you’ll probably see on your bill of lading. Some companies calculate it based on the mile while others do a percentage surcharge.
So, if the base price of diesel is $3.50 per gallon, a moving company might add a 10% surcharge to that base rate. That means you get charged $3.85 per gallon instead.
If your company charges per gallon, then the average might be 20 cents per gallon but they give you a surcharge of 3 cents per mile on top of that.
The point of this is to cover the fluctuating costs of gas. Be advised that this surcharge changes from one week to the next and moving companies won’t calculate it until the last minute because it’s based on national average prices for diesel at the time of your move.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with the idea of a fuel surcharge but the problem is, if you are moving let’s say from California to Tennessee and they are charging you $3.85 per gallon for every gallon, and it turns out that the majority of the trip cost around $3 per gallon, you still have to pay $3.85 per gallon. They don’t give you that back. They keep it as profit.
The only things you can really do for this are to try and negotiate a lower base price up front and plan the time of your move around when gas prices are lower.
Long Carry Fees
If the moving company decides that the distance between the moving truck and your home is “long” (a decision that varies from company to company), you could get slapped with a long carry fee. The industry standard is 75 ft or more between the moving truck and your home.
So, if the moving truck has to park 76 ft away, then you might be charged a long carry fee. Some companies even charge in 75 ft increments.
Stairs Fee
Similarly, you might face fees for having a staircase. Sometimes this falls under the “long carry” fees and other times it’s just under the “extra services.” Doesn’t matter what category it is in, they are still trying to charge you.
If there are any stairs movers have to go up, it usually requires extra equipment and labor, which is why they charge more.
In cases of things like stair fees or long carry fees, there might not be a way around it. An alternative is to simply have them unload in the driveway as close as they can get to your home and then you handle the rest with friends or local movers if that ends up being cheaper.
Top Tips to Avoid/Reduce Hidden Costs:
- Use a moving calculator to compare full service movers side by side (I like MoveBuddha because they let you compare without giving away your personal information, but there are many out there)
- Don’t be afraid to negotiate; when they give you that bill of lading, compare it to what you might have gotten from competitors using your moving calculator
- Plan the timing of your move
- Look for third parties or try to DIY the things that come with extra fees like bulk items, safes, motorcycles, or pianos
- Disassemble and assemble your own furniture if that comes at an extra fee
Hidden Moving Costs for Containers/DIY Moves
If you opt to use something like U-Pack, PODS, or any other form of DIY move, you can still expect a lot of hidden (or at least unexpected) costs.
I won’t be able to cover them all because they vary by situation and by moving type, but some examples include the cost of upgrading your vehicle so that it can properly tow a trailer, the extra cost of insurance if you are renting a moving van, and similar often-overlooked expenses.
Upgrades
For starters, if you are using your own vehicle to move any amount of goods, you might need to pay for an upgrade. This could be a permanent or a temporary upgrade. If you just need to install a tow hitch, you might be able to rent them from something like U-Haul, but if you are hauling a heavy load and you buy a tow hitch, you might need to make a few hundred dollars worth of improvements to your transmission so it doesn’t overload.
Insurance
If you are renting a moving truck or using a freight shipping company, you might be required to pay some form of insurance, especially on a rented vehicle. This insurance is often provided by third-party companies who have agreements with the moving company you are using.
However, check with your personal car insurance to see if there’s anything that they have which can be applied toward these costs or check with third-party companies yourself to get quotes you might be able to use at a slightly cheaper rate.
Moving Supplies
Moving supplies are insidious. You probably think you need fewer boxes than you do.
This is a common mistake.
Another common mistake is only calculating for moving boxes.
This is exactly where you have to start but it is far and away from comprehensive. You will also need packing materials like separators and foam inserts for things like glassware versus dishes, bubble wrap, moving tape (so much tape), tape guns if you want to make your life significantly easier (you do, trust me), moving blankets, straps, and the like.
You can certainly use your blankets, towels, and clothing to help offset the cost of moving supplies because these can serve as great padding. Just make sure that you always fill all the boxes to the top so that if something crushes them, there is enough in the box to withstand the impact.
Top Tips to Avoid/Reduce Hidden Costs:
- Use a moving supply/box calculator to get a real estimate of how much your supplies will cost ahead of time
- Have help or hire local services to expedite the loading and unloading
- Plan your move as far ahead of time as you can so that you have time to slowly pack all of your goods and space out the cost
Hidden Moving Costs for Either
Some of the hidden costs of moving are going to be experienced no matter what type of move you do.
Vet Bills
Vet bills are one of them.
If you are like me you budget every month for things like food, medication, and other necessities. However, whether you are flying or driving your pet you still technically need a clean bill of health from your veterinarian.
In fact, certain airlines require that it be a current, within the last 30 days, bill of health. This means you have to schedule that appointment during the busiest part of your move and you have to pay for a separate health and wellness check.
There isn’t really any way to get around this other than to start saving.
House Cleaning
Before you leave, you’ll probably have to deep clean your home. If you were renting this is a requirement to get your deposit back and if you are selling, don’t be that A-hole who leaves a messy house.
House cleaning for a move can be incredibly expensive because it’s usually a deep clean that takes a full day, often including things like shampooing the carpets which can be a separate charge.
The last time I moved I ended up paying $600 for the deep cleaning and the time before that I paid about $400.
So you can do it yourself, and this will help you save money on house cleaning, but be advised that it can only be done once everything is out of the house, it requires a lot of tools and cleaning supplies that you probably already packed or got rid of because they couldn’t be shipped. If you want to save money here it’s probably best to ask for reinforcements from your local community, church, friends, or family. Even if they can only help you with half the process, that can cut your cleaning bill down.
Storage Fees
You need to verify whether your house is move-in ready and whether you have the space to unload all your goods.
A lot of people overlook the challenge of setting up a new home with all your disassembled furniture and boxes smack in the way. So you might face storage fees whether expectedly or unexpectedly.
Several years ago I moved across multiple states and used U-Pack to save money but that meant I only had 3 days to unload once I got where I was going. I had some family meet me out there to help with the unloading but when we opened the front door we were hit with the disgusting, thick cloud of tobacco smoke. There were ashtrays full of cigarettes everywhere, the walls were stained, the carpet released puffs of tobacco dust when you stepped on it.
There was no way I could move my stuff in and arrange it within 3 days. So I had to make arrangements to unload my things in a temporary storage unit until the house could be deep cleaned (remember how I said not to be that A-hole if you are selling? Yeah… this is why).
Stops/Travel
Whether you are driving, flying, taking a plane or a boat to get from one place to another, you’re going to need to account for the cost of travel and stops.
Most people budget for things like the hotels and the gas, but it’s pretty hard to accurately budget for gas if you are driving a long distance because you never know what local gas prices are going to be or what the traffic is going to be like.
Moreover, you will bleed $20 here and there every time you stop for gas. Meals are going to cost more even if you try to go to a local Walmart.
So budget accordingly, giving yourself an average of $50 to $100 per day for unexpected expenses while traveling at an airport or driving across the country. You might be able to get discounts on specific hotel chains depending on the type of moving service you use.
As for food, be strategic. One thing we learned to do was order the large 20 piece chicken nugget meal from McDonald’s with an extra large set of french fries and that was enough for the whole family. We had water bottles and sodas in the car so we didn’t have to deal with those.
Still, for longer drives it’s worth taking an hour long break to sit down at a chain restaurant where you can get large meals served to you, using things like the Applebee’s two for 20 deal which is somehow going to cost you less than going through a McDonald’s drive-thru (but still, oddly, take the same amount of time)
Top Tips to Avoid/Reduce Hidden Costs:
- Use a moving calculator like MoveBuddha’s to get a cost estimate without giving away your personal information.
- Look at your potential storage fees for a container or freight option if your house isn’t ready or you can’t unpack yet
- If you use U-Haul or similar companies, check to see if they have discounts on hotels
- Consider having a moving out party in the form of deep cleaning
- Be strategic about your meals
Summing Up
No matter the type of move you are doing, whether it’s a full-service moving company or a complete DIY, you’re going to face hidden moving costs but there are some ways that you can avoid them.
Be strategic about planning ahead of time when and where you can especially if you are paying out of pocket. Even if your company is reimbursing you, you are still responsible for paying out of pocket so being able to space your moving costs and hidden fees out over the span of several months is going to be a lot easier than charging it all at once.
Find ways to capitalize on help or free services where you can and always be prepared to negotiate.