At Moving APT, we’ve spent over 20 years helping our customers relocate all over the country. We’ve seen quick jobs that were done in one afternoon, and big relocations that took a few weeks. The duration of your move comes down to a ton of different factors, and we’re here to explain the behind-the-scenes.
Usually, it takes between 1 and 21 days for a move. But that 21 days is a worst-case scenario, and that 1-day figure only makes sense if you’re just moving a studio across town. If you want to know how long your exact move will take, you’ve gotta do your homework – and work with a moving team you can trust. Read on to learn more about why your move might take more (or less) time than you expected.
Local vs. Long Distance Moving
1 to 21 days is a huge window. If you want to narrow it down, you’ve got to think about whether you’re moving local, or moving long distance.
1. Local Moving
If you’re dealing with a local moving company, it means they’re limited to 100 miles, and moves that don’t leave the state. Local movers typically charge per hour, and per mover – and you can expect a job to require about two movers per bedroom.
On the surface, a local moving company sounds a little limited, but there are some definite pros to working with these guys.
First of all, they really know their way around town. All those little backstreets and shortcuts? They’ll know which ones to take to get to point B ASAP.
Additionally, you won’t be paying for long-haul transportation, so there’s a strong chance local movers will be cheaper. And of course, since they’re local, you know where their HQ is in case you have questions or concerns.
2. Long Distance Moving
Long distance movers – as the name suggests – handle long distance relocations: anything over 100 miles, and anything across state lines (even if the state line’s a mile away).
Long distance moving companies don’t usually charge per hour. Instead, they charge per mile, and by the physical size of all your stuff. This is usually weight in pounds, but some guys do volume by cubic feet.
For long haul transportation, long distance moving companies are way cheaper than paying per hour. There’s also less chance of your movers lagging and running up the clock to get paid more, since they’re not being paid hourly.
The biggest downside is the extra time that comes with longer distances – and the chance that your movers may bundle moves together for greater efficiency…
Here’s Why Moving Takes So Long
The duration of your move comes down to a few key factors. Here’s an outline of the major culprits.
1. Distance
Obviously, this is going to be a major factor behind how long your move takes. If you’re moving across town, that’s a lot less mileage than cross country moving. But there’s more to the distance than just what you see on Google maps: There’s also rules and regulations to abide by.
As it turns out, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has strict standards for how many hours a driver can work, and how many miles a driver can travel.
The FMCSA monitors interstate transport, including state to state moving. If it turns out your driver has logged a suspiciously high amount of miles in one 11-hour shift, he or she may be investigated for safety violations (like speeding).
2. Size (and Bundling)
Most people assume if they’re moving a smaller amount of stuff, their move will be done faster, too. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. It turns out smaller moves actually take longer. Why? Because moving companies don’t want to send half-empty trucks and trailers all over the place.
Wasted space is wasted money. For greater efficiency, movers will bundle multiple moves together in one truck, and make dropoffs and deliveries along the way.
Bundling is an industry-wide practice. That means if you’re a little sketched out by it, you’re SOL – pretty much every mover does it, and unless you pay extra for direct transport (more on that later), your stuff is gonna be sharing a trailer with other moves. Don’t worry. Professional movers will do everything they can to keep your items safe, secure, and separated.
3. Extras and Add-Ons
Did you pay for professional packing? Did you pay for specialty item handling? These extras and add-ons may add more time to the overall duration of your move. Don’t get us wrong, they’re worth the money (and we’ve got a whole section on must-have services later), but they’ll also add a bit more time to your move.
The plus side? When you pay for extra services, it’s still faster than doing it yourself. If you decide to DIY your packing, who knows how much you’ll procrastinate.
If you choose to convince your friends and family into helping you load up your appliances and heavy furniture, who knows how long they’ll take to get there (if they can help out at all). Paying for professionals keeps you on a tighter schedule than the alternative.
4. Shuttles
When you book an interstate move, your moving team will load your stuff up into a big semi trailer for the long-haul transportation. Unfortunately, many cities don’t let these big trucks park on their streets.
In these cases, the big truck has to wait out in the boonies, and your movers will have to use a smaller truck – known as a shuttle – for the rest of the job. This obviously takes time, since your moving company pretty much has to load and unload all your stuff, extra times.
Shuttles are controversial. Some people get all mad when they find out their movers need to use them to finish (or start) a job. But at the end of the day, it’s really out of our hands.
Parking regulations are thanks to whoever’s in city hall, and unless you happen to have a box truck lying around, it’s the only way to get around those restrictions.
What Moving Services Do I Need?
The beauty of à la carte pricing is you get to pick and choose the services you really need. Here are some solid options for a custom-tailored relocation.
1. Packing
When you plan a move, one of the first questions you should ask yourself is, “How much do I want to do by myself?” If you’re committed to DIYing it, more power to you – just keep in mind that this means doing your own folding, wrapping, boxing, and taping.
Packing is pretty much the hardest part of every move. Between all those trips to Home Depot for more boxes, and hoping – hoping – that those old t-shirts are enough to keep your glasses and plates safe, it’s also pretty nerve-wracking. Make it easier on yourself by booking full service packing. Your movers will show up with all the right supplies, no old t-shirts in sight.
2. Storage
The actual transport can take between 1 and 21 days. But what about the unboxing? If you’ve got a penchant for procrastination, you might not want to have all your boxes cluttering up your house. Storage is an excellent option, not just for when you’ve got too much stuff, but also for when you need a bit more time to get settled.
Some moving companies offer full service storage. These movers will keep all of your stuff secure and on-site at their HQ. And when you need it, they’ll deliver your belongings straight to your door. You won’t have to take all those trips to a sketchy self-storage unit!
3. Direct Delivery
Of course, if you’re really pressed for time, you can book direct delivery. Instead of bundling multiple moves together for greater fuel efficiency, your movers will load your stuff up, and haul it straight to your destination. No sharing a trailer, no stops for dropoffs or deliveries. Just point A to point B, as fast as the rules will allow.
The downside? Price. If your stuff doesn’t fill an entire trailer, that means your movers just transported only your belongings – and whole bunch of dead air. All that empty space is bad for business, so expect a hefty fuel surcharge as the cost of convenience.
4. Auto Transport
If you’ve got one car, you can probably get away with driving it to your destination yourself. But if you have more than one car, you’ll need to get creative. Do you live with anyone else who can drive? How do they feel about convoying across country? How do they feel about taking multiple trips for all the cars you own?
Of course, you could just make it easy on yourself and book auto transport. These guys’ll show up with a trailer, load your car (or cars) up, and knock it all out in one trip. As for yourself, you can fly, or just take your (most reliable) car to get to your destination. What matters is all your other cars are getting there in one piece, too, with minimal extra wear-and-tear.
Book Safe, Reliable Delivery with Moving APT
All the time in the world isn’t going to get your stuff from point A to point B if you don’t have a team do the hauling. Fortunately, Moving APT has all the qualified moving teams you need, as well as all those must-have moving services to make the job easier – and faster – than ever.
It’s your move. Make it count. Book with Moving APT, and we’ll get you on the road today.
Moving Duration FAQs
How long does it take to move by yourself?
One day. One month. Somewhere in between. You’re gonna hate reading this, but the duration of a DIY move always depends on you. Are you disciplined? How much stuff do you have to move? How far do you have to travel? There’s no easy answer to this one, but to be safe, we’ll say 1 to 4 weeks.
How much does it cost to move?
Expect to pay between $400 and $12,000 for professional long distance movers (and yes, that $12,000 isn’t a typo). There are a ton of variables behind the final price of your move, including the distance and physical dimensions.
Fortunately, that $12,000 figure is a more of a CYA, worst-case-scenario upper limit for people moving a 5-bedroom home all the way across the country. If you’re moving much less, like a 3-bedroom home about 1,000 miles, it’ll probably cost around $6,000 with professional packing thrown in.
What’s the cheapest way to move?
DIY moving is always going to be the cheapest – but by how much? You can rent a truck for as little as like… $20 a day. But you’ll also have to pay for gas, food, and lodging – and those $20 trucks aren’t always big enough to carry all your stuff.
We’re not just saying this because we’re professional movers. A DIY move is cheaper on paper, but when you factor in all those expenses (not to mention all the time you’ll spend with your own boxing and packing), the savings may not justify the extra effort. A full service moving company may cost a little more, but the convenience and efficiency is unbeatable.
When should I book my movers?
Book your movers 2 to 3 months in advance. Seriously. You will need as much time as possible to get everything prepared for the big day. If you’re doing your own packing, especially so. You can also score some sweet discounts for booking so far in advance, and there’ll be less competition for those most-wanted time slots.
Why does moving take so long?
A move is more than just putting boxes on a truck and driving it to a destination. There’s actually a ton of coordination that goes on behind the scenes. Your moving company needs to compare schedules and routes, and they also need to make sure all the right teams are available on the dates you want to move.
Are there other customers going the same direction? Are there the right trucks available, and are they where they need to be? All the more reason to book way early.
