Local Moving: Hire Professionals or Do It Yourself? Which Option is Best?

09 Aug Local Moving: Hire Professionals or Do It Yourself? Which Option is Best?

“It’s moving day!”  The dreaded term. Perhaps, this phrase initially brings excitement as it implies a new adventure, however, shortly after, the overwhelm of all that moving day implies starts to kick in. When it comes time to pack those belongings and hit the road to your new house or apartment, you may find yourself struggling with the many options and what’s ideal for you. Should you hire professional movers or should you pull a DIY in an attempt to save a bit of cash? Here, we share some insight into both options when moving locally, as well as how to save on whichever “move” you make! 

Move Yourself

You’ve probably experienced a few moves in your lifetime at this point. Even if you haven’t, it is likely that you have heard the advice of many on which route is the most ideal. There are different factors that go into every household’s decision, but here are just some of the main motivations to move yourself. 

Pros of moving yourself: 

• Less expensive – the cost of renting trucks, tools and hands for hire can add up.  By using your own resources or even renting a truck, hauling yourself can significantly reduce that final moving bill. 
• Trust – no one’s gonna love on your cherished baseball card collection or antique cabinet filled with glass shoes and tiny city-specific spoons quite like you will. 
• Can ask friends and family for help instead. With former neighbors and local friends, sometimes, the price of a few pizzas is all it takes to get some muscle to help with the move. 

First and foremost, moving is typically done in a strategic way.  There are oftentimes deadlines to be met, strategic ways of packing household goods based on frequency of use and, of course, expectations you will have of how everything gets packed and unpacked. That said, you may opt to move yourself versus using professional movers for the following reasons:

Don’t sign on the dotted line. You can avoid the hassle of a contract. With contracts comes certainty, but you miss out on flexibility. What if you’re waiting for a lease date to be confirmed or in an ever-evolving escrow ordeal? These things happen. Weather, red tape, inspections and more can all bring their own unique change to your moving plans. Fortunately, if you’re on your own timeline, you can adjust it as necessary without worrying about missing a hard deadline with steep fees. 

Cons of moving yourself:

We would be remiss if we didn’t also acknowledge the other side of the coin, which is the potential challenges that you can face should you opt to move yourself. 

• Having to load and unload heavy furniture. 
• Can injure yourself or damage property (potentially costing you more in the long run)
• Can be way more time consuming (time vs. money)
• Need appropriate size vehicle + fuel (another cost you may have to consider)
• May need to rent specific equipment to help, such as a furniture lift, storage unit and moving truck (u-haul), etc. (more costs and time if you didn’t realize you needed something during the move. These can add up quickly and are typically included in the price of hiring professional movers)
• May need to make multiple trips back and forth from each location

Hiring professional movers

Now, we aren’t ones to discriminate against hiring professional movers. In fact, we like to work with all of our clients to help you decide what’s best for your destination goals. There will obviously be times where choosing a professional to help you move is a smart option. Here are a few of the reasons you may choose this option when moving locally. 

Pros of hiring professional movers

• Disassemble and reassemble your furniture – This can be a massive time-saver and sanity-saver as well. 
• Load and unload heavy items. Need muscle?  It’s a given when you hire out!
• Avoid stress (less planning and liability). Let them do the majority of the planning, while also being responsible for a timely execution. 
• Save time – Focus on all the other nuances of moving like setting up utility accounts, changing mailing addresses and more. 
• Safer. 
• Dependable. A professional moving company is as profitable as it is reputable. Trust that professional movers will take good care of your items in hopes of repeat and referred business! 
• Organized. Let the experts play Tetris with your belongings. They’ve done it for decades and will know just where to put that awkward-sized headboard for max spacing and safekeeping. 
• Use professional equipment and experience (won’t owe your friends that earlier mentioned pizza and beer).
• Local Insight (have the knowledge and utilize the best and safest routes for your move to go smoothly)
• Items and furniture boxed and packed securely and safely
• Provide packing materials. Whatever you need, they have and typically is all-inclusive when they take on the job of moving your goods. 
• Convenient.
• Reputable (reviews from previous customers who moved to the same city and state with the same local company) 
• Offer “Full-Value Protection” plan
  • “Our Most Comprehensive Protection Plan. When you choose Full-Value Protection (FVP), Atlas takes total responsibility for your goods while they are in our care. In the event of loss or damage, Atlas pays to repair or replace your goods based on current market value – a completely unique feature of this Tucson moving and storage company.”
• Offer Non-binding estimates as well as exact binding estimates 
  • Ralph’s offers in-home estimates, which are crucial for accurate estimates. Obviously moving prices can vary greatly between customers and providers. That’s why we offer a hassle-free and transparent in-home estimate! It’s easy to schedule and you’ll have peace of mind knowing just what to expect logistically and financially come moving day!”

How to save money with professional movers

So many families/individuals rely on a budget when moving, especially locally so it may be harder to hire a professional moving company rather than doing it yourself. Fortunately, many local moving companies will work with you to adapt to your budget. In fact, some of the topics you can discuss in order to save with the professionals are as follows: 

• Ask Ralph’s about “Atlas’ APP Option” 
• Ask about bulk moving
• Pack items independently rather than having movers pack for you. 
• Discuss your needs as well as budget for entire move

The choice is yours

As “moving day” approaches, the nerves are only natural! There is a lot that goes into uprooting your life and all that you cherish and have worked hard for. The good news is that there are many ways to save no matter what you decide. Whether you are motivated to move all your belongings on your own or feeling compelled to cast those cares onto a local professional moving company, you can rest assured that at Ralph’s Transfer, you are in good hands. They will work with you to find the best option for your move.

Call Ralph’s Transfer today at 520-622-6461 with questions or schedule your quote and make preparing for your move that much easier for you!