Getting an estimate on the cost of moving helps in preparing one’s budget. The first thing to do is to call the moving company and ask them for a rough estimate of your move. Have them come to you to view your items. Estimates made over the phone are often not accurate. Make sure you show them each and every item to be moved so as to avoid last-minute additional costs.
Get written estimates from a few different moving companies. This way you can compare the prices and services and settle on the best offer. You should also find out what services their estimate includes so that you can leave room for other costs e.g. the estimate may not include packing and unpacking. The estimate you are given will vary according to the weight of your items and the distance of your move.
Find out what type of insurance is covered in the cost that the moving company specified. Often, you will have to pay for additional insurance as the moving company usually offers just the basic insurance cover as required by law.
Some companies have a product that is known as the moving calculator. It is a program that will instantly come up with an estimate of your move. It is usually posted on their website and all the client needs to do is to key in the location of the items, the place of destination and the particular items. With this, the calculator can come up with a rough estimate on the spot.
The client should make a note of the delicate or large items. Items such as pianos, glass statues, fish tanks etc may require different transportation or packing. This may raise the cost of moving so make sure to inform the moving company of the presence of such items. This way, the additional cost will not catch you by surprise.
If you are doing the moving yourself i.e. self-moving, call the rental companies and ask for an estimate on the cost of the moving materials i.e. wrapping, trucks etc. Also add the cost of labor for professional packing and unpacking of the items if you are not going to do it yourself. Self-moving over a long distance can take a few days. It is therefore necessary to factor in the cost of hotels and food. Do not forget to budget for gas.
Include the cost of putting the goods in temporary storage (warehouses) if necessary. This is especially applicable in international moves whereby the items are usually stored in warehouses during the transition period.
Finally, do not fail to set aside an extra amount of money for any impromptu costs. Moving is a diverse experience with every different moving company so one can never fully anticipate the overall cost of the experience.