Moving: Move Your Home And Not Your Bank Balance
Posted by Foreclosure Prevention in House and HomeMoving from one place to another one. This is an issue that can cost you a lot more than you would have ever expected if not done carefully and sometimes even if done carefully. In today’s article I will focus on the cost of moving houses to give you an idea of what to anticipate, both when moving on your own and when hiring a professional moving company. So what’s the problem you might ask? In short, there are basically two issues: when moving on your own, people usually underestimate the price of additional tools, packaging material, transportation or even the real value of the time they use for moving. Likewise in case of moving with the help of a professional company, you might encounter problems concerning wrong company choice, wrong price calculation, or undervaluation of all kinds of additional expenses that are necessary, but weren’t mentioned in the company’s bill. As I mentioned in the introductory article of this series, there are three options for sorting out your relocation. What you have to think about is how much work you want or able to do yourself: all the packing, loading, transporting and unloading can either be done by the movers, or by yourself. Or the gold mean is to hire a company providing a kind of a hybrid service. This is useful if you feel you like to have more control over the whole process. Some companies might provide only the transportation; while other companies might provide loading, unloading and transportation of ready-packed possessions.
What are all the related costs? As the start of your relocation plans, we always suggest that you sit down and plan the budget. If you do this, you are on a great way to a well-planned moving without any unpleasant surprises. Generally, the relocation costs can be divided into four main categories: the transportation of your stuff, the packing of your stuff, the transportation of you and your family and the cost of starting up in your new house. The relocation itself. The first step should be calculating the main price of moving your things. You have most likely already made the decision as to if you wish to hire a company, or you will move on your own. If a professional company is the way to go for you (we will bring some more advice on choosing the right company in one of the next articles), first contact them and ask for a written estimate of the costs. The quote may present either a binding or a nonbinding price, meaning whether it is the final price, or some extra charges may come up later. This should be clear from the price estimate in any case. Don’t forget about the tips – the usual price is around $25 for each worker.
The work and its cost. Secondly, estimate the price of the manpower that will help you pack & load, whether it’s the professionals you might hire, friends and family willing to help you (they’d deserve at least a dinner!) or even the cost of your time you have to take off, if that’s the case. You should also count with the cost of any packaging material (boxes, bubble wrap, tapes etc.) and/or tools (i.e. dollies) you will use.
The transportation costs. Thirdly, estimate how much the transport of you and your family will cost you, including the flights/train/bus rides or the price of petrol in case you will be driving. Also accommodation, food and possible entertainment while travelling should be included into the total price.
After the move: starting fresh There is usually a lot of problems and extra costs related to the moving, that people don’t think about when they are in the middle of all the boxes. For example, you might have to count with a start-up charge for connecting up utilities such as a cable or telephone. Another thing is food: you most probably emptied the fridge and freezer – both of them will have to get filled up again. Then stuff you left behind such as various household items needs to be replaced. Or you just want to redecorate your new house a bit. Just try to think of all these details and note down the price of all stuff you will have to get after the move, so that you are not surprised by the total sum.
As a realtor in Vancouver, I have always tried to help my clients even with this issue, therefore I would like to share with you some useful tips & tricks: 1) Always compare the price of moving an item and replacing it at your new place. You may be surprised by the result. 2) You might have a chance to get a moving package from your new employer, if you are moving because of a new job. 3) Keep all the bills related to relocation because you might be eligible for a tax deduction.
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