During a long interstate move, that is to say, a journey of over 400 miles (i.e., New Jersey to Charleston), the cost of moving gets really high, as anyone can expect. The rule is ─ the longer the distance, the higher the cost.
However, as for the quote, a long-haul move is not easy to estimate unless the mover has your details, such as the distance, the day of moving, and how large your property is. That’s why long-distance movers New Jersey, like Seka, will ask that you fill out a form including those details and request a quote. But if you want to know what to expect, here in this article, you’ll find out the rough estimates of moving a house.
Cost of a long-distance move
Long-distance travel will set you back an average of $4,000 and $8,600 per 1,000 miles, depending on the bedroom capacity of the home. Below are some of the things that determine the price you’re going to pay:
Distance
Again, distance is a key factor in calculating the price of a long-distance move. The longer the destination is, the more it increases what you pay. Toll fees, gas costs, and vehicle maintenance, before talking about the number of hours worked by the movers who drive the vehicle, are overhead costs that drive the bill up.
Weight of the properties
Most movers don’t like making a quote based on the number of bedrooms in the apartment. Some take advantage of this by stuffing smaller apartments. Instead, some like to estimate according to the distance and the weight of the furniture, appliances, and special effects coming along. On average, below is how the cost of a move is estimated by weight:
Weight in pounds | Cost range |
3,500 | $1,750 to $2,800 |
5,000 | $2,500 to $4,000 |
8,000 | $4,000 to $6,400 |
12,000 | $7,000 to $9,600 |
The first category can be likened to a studio apartment, the second to a one-bedroom apartment, the third a two-bedroom apartment, and the fourth a three-bedroom apartment.
Moving oversized furniture
If you have large and/or fragile furniture to move, such as a grand piano or a pool table, the mover will surely charge you extra. To help with this, you must consider the following:
- type of company;
- size of the furniture;
- distance;
- the fragility of the furniture;
- cost.
Note that there are also companies specializing in piano moving. For very large cabinets that can be disassembled, some professionals agree to take care of the disassembly/assembly of furniture and bring with them the necessary tools.
What about the stairs?
Stairs are not very popular with movers. The less they encounter them at work, the better they are! So expect to have to pay a little more if you live in a place with many steps, or an apartment on the high floors and without a lift…
How to Save Money on the Price of a Long-Distance Move?
Below are reasonable ways to reduce your moving cost:
Groupage moving
Groupage moving, also known as grouped moving, refers to common practice for long-distance, less-than-container moves (LCL). What this means is the mover uses a single truck to carry out rounds for different customers during a moving round.
Truck sharing allows you to benefit from attractive prices. The costs of fuel, tolls, and personnel are shared among several individuals. Groupage moving needs to be flexible in its dates and is often recommended for small moves.
The organized trip
The organized trip makes it possible to optimize truck rounds so that they do not return empty. Thus, the truck’s return trip is used to make another move. The mover, therefore, makes their journey profitable by not making any empty returns and, at the same time, offers a lesser quote to their customers. You can save a lot on your quote price this way. Just like moving in groupage, the organized trip implies certain flexibility in its dates.
Moving with several people
You can share the moving fee with other people. However, this procedure may take a little longer. The movers must find individuals who wish to transport their goods to the same place as you.
The easiest thing about individual long-distance moves is that you’re not dependent on other people for the move. Just choose the day of your move. This also commits a higher price for this type of move. The individual long-distance move is ideal if you have a lot of furniture to move, imposing furniture or rare and precious pieces.
How to Save Money?
To save money on long-distance moving, we advise you to prepare everything well before the movers arrive: that is to say, pack all your belongings well in properly closed boxes, make it easier to access the imposing furniture that must be loaded into the truck first… These kinds of little tricks will save you and the movers a lot of time and will undoubtedly reduce the bill.
For really tight budgets, do not hesitate to ask several professionals about grouped moves: you share the truck with another person or another family who is moving to the same place as you. However, the move will take longer, you may not have as much room available for your things in the truck as you need, and you may not be able to choose the date that suits you best. It’s up to you to carefully study all the possible options so that this not-very-funny day does not turn into a nightmare!
Conclusion
When moving, the farther your place of departure is from the point of arrival, the higher the cost. From group travel to organized travel and more … Solutions exist. Some of these are offered by professional movers. They allow you to reduce the bill for a long-haul move without any problem. But these special moving options may require a lot of patience to come across as what you want. Whichever case it is (whether asking for a quote on a full service or waiting), you are going to be having great value for money and, of course, less stress.