When it comes time to move, many people think that moving companies are only for large, complex moves, but the same logic holds true for shipping one big object as it does for an entire home. There are five practical reasons for hiring movers, besides convenience, that should decide your choice of hiring a moving company: time, cost, physical risk of handling furniture and appliances without training, and time.
Saves You Time and Physical Strain
The sum of packing, loading, driving, unloading and the truck returns is almost always more time consuming than people think a move will take, not to mention the time spent lifting and carrying. Typically, it’s not any single shortcut that is responsible for saving hours on a move but a moving crew working in parallel. That time equals money, whether you are working on an entire home or on one huge project, such as a piano or an appliance, it takes longer to complete the task without the proper tools and personnel. In other words, the amount of hours saved is generally more than doing the work by yourself.
Often Cheaper Than You’d Expect
On the surface, a rental truck will appear to be cheaper than a moving company that services the entire business, however in practice, a DIY move will be a couple hundred dollars less costly for the identical job. That gap is often bridged once hidden costs are included, however: packing, fuel, tolls, insurance and the amount of days missed while packing and moving, and any damage or injury that could have been covered by a moving company’s insurance. The actual expense of many transfers is less than the estimate. It is important to not only take into account the number that appears on paper, but to also consider the actual total cost when adding up all the line items.
Reduces Risk of Damage and Injury
Often the first cause of moving-related injuries is lifting, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that approximately one-third of all workplace injuries are caused by overexertion, even in workers who have been trained to lift. Rather than risk being higher, it is actually higher for someone who is handling a couch, dresser, or piano wrong or without the proper technique or equipment.
- Strenuous or awkward lifting positions can cause back strains or herniated discs.
- Dropped and/or shifted items causing sprains and fractures.
- Damage to floors, walls and door frames in tight turns.
- Damage to the product, particularly delicate items or expensive products such as pianos, electronics, etc.
Professional crews are trained to look out for these hazards, and dollies, straps and lifting techniques are designed to prevent them and it’s not just during large moves, a single heavy or awkward piece of furniture can cause the same damage as a full house of furniture.
Professional Expertise You Can’t DIY
Some of the muscle movers bring is technique, which comes from doing this job every day. Moving furniture around a narrow stairway, breaking down and packing a piece of furniture, or moving a piano from one location to another, hese are things that would be hard to replicate on just one move:
- Correct furniture and large appliance dismantling and reassembling.
- Methods of loading to ensure that loads do not shift during transport.
- Moving through narrow doorways, stairs and lifts without injury to themselves or others
- Appropriate handling of fragile or valuable goods
This is knowledge gained through repetition rather than the majority of people getting it the first time.
Peace of Mind From Start to Finish
In addition to time, cost and physical risk, there is an intangible advantage for those who hire professionals: not having to worry about all the details. Moving companies that are insured, arrive with the proper equipment, and understand what a moving company needs to know in order to move from start to finish take much of the stress out of moving in the first place. If you’re thinking about moving, whether it’s a large or small move, it’s a good idea to spend a few minutes to get a free moving quote from Zip To Zip Moving and compare it to how much a DIY move would cost with all the costs taken into account.
