What are the Factors that Determine the Time and Cost of Moving?
When hiring a professional moving company, one of the first questions that people have is the cost. Unfortunately, determining the cost of a move is notoriously difficult. Since most moving companies charge by the hour, the cost of a move depending on how long it will take. And there are many factors that can affect the time it takes to move, for example:
Moving Cost Factor: Taking Apart and/or Assembling Furniture
A good professional moving company will arrive with the necessary tools to disassemble any pieces of furniture that require it. These are pieces that were either assembled in your home or won’t fit out of the house in one piece. But taking apart furniture eats up time in two ways. First, if one mover is breaking down a bed or removing a mirror from a dresser, the rest of the crew is down one mover. And second, the whatever gets taken apart will need to be put back together on the other end.
Most movers don’t charge anything extra for this service – though, depending on the item, sometimes this can be very time-consuming. So if you want to take the initiative to take apart beds, cribs, tables, and other items before we arrive, you can save yourself some time and money on the day of your move. It’s entirely up to you. (You can read our helpful how-to on taking beds apart here.)
Think an elevator will speed up your move? Not always. It’s important to reserve it for your move.
Moving Cost Factor: Access
If your building has a loading dock for the moving truck and elevator that you can reserve, that will be a big help on moving day. (But be sure to check with your building to ensure you can use it during the move!)
On the other hand, if there is a long walk between the unit and elevator, even a small move can take up the entire afternoon. The same applies if you have a steep driveway that a box truck can’t safely get into. These are not insurmountable obstacles, of course. But be sure to let your moving company know what they’re getting into. Without knowing the potential issues, they might only send you a few movers for a low hourly rate. But when you get the bill for a nine-hour move, you’ll be paying much more than you might have if they sent four or five movers for a higher hourly price. So it’s always important to keep the movers in the loop.
Moving Cost Factor: If it Doesn’t Fit . . .
If an item doesn’t fit through your stairwell and can’t be taken apart, that can add some time to the job. Your movers will have to pop out a window, safely lower the item out of it, and then put the window back in, sometimes adding as much as an hour to the job. This most commonly applies to couches and box springs. (If you insist on having a large bed in Boston, we strongly recommend using a split box spring.)
Moving Cost Factor: The Basement Surprise!
Have you lived in the same place for ten years? Do you have items in the basement you haven’t seen in the past five? Have you even been in the attic in the past seven? You can only give the movers the information you know. So be sure that during the booking process you check all the nooks and crannies of your home. Decide what to trash, what to donate, and what you want to keep. And make sure your movers know about the items you want to keep. Nobody’s going to be happy if the moving company didn’t plan on bringing a truck big enough to fit your entire collection of classic comic books.
It’s important to pack well to ensure your move goes as quickly as possible.
Moving Cost Factor: Packing Well
The better you pack, the quicker the move. If you have lots of smaller items that are loose or in bags and not consolidated into boxes (many trips up and down the stairs vs. fewer trips up and down the stairs), you’ll increase how long the move takes. Please consult our moving tips for advice on how to prepare for an efficient move.
Of course, different items need different boxes. Using large boxes for heavier items like books or records can significantly slow down the move as well. For more on that, you can read our guide to packing books. Medium-sized boxes are great for packing dishes, while larger boxes are generally good for the contents of your dressers.
Moving Cost Factor: Parking and Weather!
Any movers will need a safe, legal, and accessible place to park the moving truck. Many moving companies (like us, for example) can pull moving permits for you in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville if you let them know in advance.
Weather is another huge factor when it comes to time! in the event of a snow or ice storm, it is generally the responsibility of the customer to ensure that the movers have a safe walking path. It is extremely dangerous, both to the movers and to your possessions, to attempt to carry heavy furniture over icy surfaces. We do not provide snow removal services (it is explicitly not covered by our workman’s compensation insurance.)
Information is Key
The TL;DR version: there is no such thing as too much information when it comes to booking a movers! With enough information, your moving company can send you the most efficient crew for your specific needs.
To get a price quote from the top professional moving company in Boston, get in touch with Safe Responsible Movers!
