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Preparing for a cross-country move can be intimidating and difficult to sort out. But, having a budget in place can lift some of that anxiety.
The average cost of a cross-country move falls between $1600 and $7000, so it’s no wonder people are curious as to how to reduce those costs.
Average Cost of Moving Cross-Country (By Type of Service)
| Type of Services | 1 Bedroom | 2-3 bedrooms | 4-5 bedrooms |
| Do it Yourself Moving – By Renting A Truck | $1600 to $2400 | $2200 to $4100 | $3500 to $5200 |
| Moving Container Services | $2000 to $2900 | $2500 to $5200 | $4500 to $8200 |
| Full Service – Hiring Professional moving company | $2200 to $3,900 | $3,400 to $8,700 | $7,200 to $16,650 |
What is included in the average cost of moving cross-country? And how can you stay ahead of those costs? In this post, we’re going to help you explore the costs behind moving cross-country so that you can put together a budget that is reasonable for you and your family.
Who’s Doing the Move?
The first part of sorting out the budget around a long-distance move is to know who is taking care of it. While taking care of it yourself can be tempting because of the lower cost, you run a number of risks if you do so. You could possibly injure yourself, and you don’t necessarily have insurance coverage like a moving company would.
So, while it may cost a little bit more to hire a moving company, the average cost of cross-country movers can be reasonable. Add in the fact that they can do things more quickly and ensure that safety procedures are followed, and you will find that the move is much less stressful.
How Large is Your Current Home?
A good rule of thumb for a long-distance move’s cost is $500 to $1000 per room that is being moved. If you live in a larger home, then you’re going to pay more than if you were in a smaller home.
Typically, for a cross-country move, they will weigh the truck (before and after it is loaded) in order to use the weight as a part of their algorithm for finding a cost. Their estimate will be based on a walk-through of your current home, but the final cost will include the weight of the truck instead.
How Long Will Your Move Take?
Obviously, if you’re going to be using their movers for a week, you’re going to be paying more than if you were just using them for three days. The distance of your move plays a big role in this – if you’re going a couple hundred miles, your move can likely be completed in a long weekend; but if you’re going from Pennsylvania to California, you could be looking at a week or more.
Cost of Moving Supplies
Now that we have the pieces of the puzzle around how the moving company calculates the average cost of a cross-country move, we need to look at some secondary details that should also be considered when you’re putting together a budget.
The cost of moving supplies will vary based on what you think you need. You may decide to ask around your local town to get extra cardboard boxes – office buildings, liquor stores, and fast food restaurants are often your best bet here. Or, you can buy a complete moving kit, which has boxes, labels, things to write with, tape, scissors, and other such things.
No matter how you go about it, you want to be certain that you keep moving supplies in mind.
Cost of Additional Moving Services
Are your movers literally going to come to your home, load up your stuff, drive the vehicle, and unload it at your new home? Or are you going to need a little extra help from them? Additional services will also add some cost to a long-distance move.
For example, if you need help with packing, you can typically get it done for an additional fee. The moving company will send people earlier in the day in order to pack everything and get it ready to go. Some companies include moving supplies in their packing services, some will accrue an additional fee, and some may require you to buy them ahead of time.
Another consideration is storage. Are you going to need to have anything in storage when you arrive at your new home? Many cross-country movers own storage units as well or have an agreement with storage options. As a result, you may be able to get a discount.
How Are You Getting There?
If you move yourself, you may be driving the truck. But, if you’re not, you have to consider costs related to how you get there. If you drive, you need to be sure that you deal with things like gas, food, and hotel costs. If you’re flying, you need to include the cost of the plane tickets and any overnight accommodations you need. Be sure that you include these costs when you’re budgeting for moving day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I tip my movers?
Yes – for sure. They’ve done a lot of hard work for you, and they deserve to be compensated for that work. The typical tip for a cross-country move is somewhere between $10 and $50 per mover, per day that it took to complete the cross-country move. Be sure that you put this in your budget so that you don’t forget them!
Can I get a quote for my move ahead of time?
Absolutely. Actually, you want to be certain that you compare prices as one of the steps to choosing a long distance moving company. The best way to do this is to request moving quotes – most moving companies will do this for free. When you look at a quote, be sure that you ask about the details so that you can understand where they got their numbers from in the first place.
What about my vehicles?
Some people will drive to their new home, but not everyone will. If you’re flying or driving the moving van, you need to figure out alternatives that make sense. Many moving companies will offer a trailer or hitch so that your vehicle can be moved along with the rest of your items. You may also want to look up companies that offer vehicle transportation; they can take multiple vehicles for you if necessary, you’ll just have to wait for them to get to your new home.
Schedule Your Cross-Country Move Today
There are all sorts of logistics related to moving cross-country, but you can find a lot of options that will lift the burden and make things less stressful. Start researching now and you’ll have a much easier time working out what you need to make your out of state move go off without a hitch.
