How Much Do Local Movers Cost? Factors To Consider

First, let’s define a local move as one that’s 50 miles or less in distance, perhaps across town or to an adjacent one. Next, here’s a caveat — local movers costs can vary by moving company, with some taking more of a cookie-cutter approach in their estimates. At Suddath, though, we recognize that moves are not one size fits all, so we create personalized quotes where you pay for the services you choose and receive.

To give you an understanding of how we build a local moving quote, here are five elements we use to determine the cost of a move.

#1 Weight of Household Goods

The weight of belongings being transported is a key factor in a moving quote, and it’s the one where you have control. Ways that you can take advantage of a lower weight of belongings before you get your quote include the following:

Don’t take furniture that you know won’t fit the dimensions in your new home. This could be a sofa, for example, or a large bed. Instead, arrange to have replacements in your new location to save the money it would cost to transport what you can’t use.
Divide items that you don’t want into three piles: discard, donate, and sell. The discard pile is for possessions that no longer have value to anyone and can be tossed. Then, you can hold a rummage sale or put items up for sale online or give them to friends, family members, and charities.
Use funds collected through sales toward your move or for your new home.

When donating, you may already have charities in mind that are located near you. Some of them pick up donations, which can save you time and gas money. Examples that may do pickups include The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity (they accept furniture, appliances, and other large items), and Goodwill Industries. Alternatively, if you’re in a service area for PickUpMyDonation.com, they’ll take your items to a relevant charity.

#2 Mileage of the Move

You don’t really have much control over this local movers cost. After all, there’s a predetermined distance between your current home and your new one, and there isn’t anything you can do about the mileage.

But here’s the good news. Because a local move is, by definition, 50 miles or less, the mileage won’t add costs in the way that a cross-country move would.

#3 Date of the Move

This is an area where you may have some control — or not. If you’ve sold your house and have committed to a date when you’ll be out, then you probably have a tight window for moving. You may also need to wait until school is out, which puts you in the middle of the prime moving season — summer — when moving companies have less flexibility.

Other times, when you move, say, on a weekday instead of a weekend and when you can move in the off-season of late September through April, you’ll likely have more choices and the ability to spend less on your move.

To get a move date that can save you money while still fitting within your schedule, come up with two or three moving dates that work for you. Then, reach out to your moving company to discuss options, and book the most cost-efficient one for your needs and schedule.

#4 Services Chosen

Local movers costs will vary by the services you’ve selected. At Suddath, the most common services are:

Packing and unpacking services: At Suddath, we’ll do everything we can to create a smooth transition for you, and packing and unpacking really is second nature to us. We offer partial packing and unpacking services (you decide what rooms or belongings we pack) or full packing and unpacking services where we take it all on. In each case, we’ll help to create a positive residential moving experience that fits your needs, including your budget.
Specialty packing services: From high –end white glove services, where we do the ultimate to protect your belongings and your privacy, to custom crating and piano moving and relocating pets, cars, motorcycles, and boats, we offer specialized services.
Storage solutions: People use our safe and convenient storage services to protect their belongings for a wide range of reasons, and here’s what they have in common: They keep possessions secure while you plan your home move, pack, and so forth.

The services you select will have an effect on the local movers costs.

#5 Additional Moving Valuation Coverage

Before you move, you’ll verify the value of belongings the moving company will transport. Then, you pay for the relevant valuation coverage for all your goods. Although you can declare high-value items separately, you can’t just get valuation coverage on those goods.

Note that valuation coverage is not the same as insurance for your belongings.

Then, you choose between full-value coverage or actual-value coverage. The first provides coverage for the amount you paid for the possessions, while the latter covers today’s value of them. Your deductible level can be as low as zero.

However, you may decide to decline this coverage altogether; this means that you’re covered for a baseline amount for free: 60 cents per pound for each household item. Are many of your belongings worth more than 60 cents per pound? Yes, they almost certainly are. Conversely, you can purchase additional valuation coverage from your moving company, if offered, or you can purchase insurance from a third-party provider.

Local Movers Costs at Suddath

As these factors clearly point out, costs of local movers can vary, with no one price covering all situations. What matters when you move, of course, is what it will cost you to get where you need to go with the services you want and need.

At Suddath, we customize each relocation experience, so to get your fast, accurate, and personalized quote, please reach out to our expert customer service team.