The Hidden Costs of Moving Revealed
It doesn’t take an experienced mover to know that the moving process is stressful, but what’s less obvious are the hidden costs of moving. It doesn’t matter if you’re relocating across the country or just to a different neighborhood—unexpected expenses are sure to pile up.
While many costs associated with a move, such as hiring a moving company or renting a truck, can be known beforehand through quotes, there are many hidden expenses, from purchasing supplies to replacing food items, that often aren’t factored into the budget.
To help bring these hidden costs out into the light, we’ve highlighted 10 unexpected expenses when moving out that you need to be aware of.
10 Unexpected Moving Costs You Should Expect
While every situation is different, and this list doesn’t cover all the potential unexpected moving costs you may incur, taking into account the following expenses when setting your budget will go a long way in helping you avoid sticker shock at the end of the moving process.
- Moving Supplies
Assuming you’re packing boxes yourself, you’ll need to factor in the price of items such as tape, packing guns, bubble wrap, and labels. It’s also advisable to invest in professional moving boxes as opposed to free boxes from the grocery store, which can easily bust and are harder to pack.
- House Cleaning
If you’ve got the time and the energy, deep cleaning your home before a move is strongly advised. Even then, you’ll likely have to spend some money on cleaning supplies. And if your busy schedule during the exhausting moving process prevents a deep cleaning, you might have to cough up $100 or more to hire a professional.
- Building Fees
If you’re moving from apartment to apartment, you might run into building fees. Typically, this is related to accessing service elevators or supervising the process at the new place. Be sure to check your lease(s) for the details.
- Painting
You might need to repaint or touch up the walls of your old home, or paint the new walls before the furniture is moved in at your new one. Either way, you’ll want to account for the cost of paint supplies if that’s on your to-do list.
- Deposits
If you live in any home long enough, damage is inevitable, and some landlords can be very strict in assessing wear and tear, so don’t necessarily count on getting your security deposit back. Additionally, you may need to put down deposits or pay service fees at your new home to connect electricity, gas, water, or internet.
- Quality Moving Company
Choosing a moving company is not the place to cut corners. Entrusting your valuables to the lowest bidder can actually set you up for moving scams and cost you more in the long run. Take a look at our moving company red flags for more info.
- Moving Company Fees
That said, no matter what moving company you end up choosing, you’ll want to factor in additional fees on your moving expenses list. These can include:
- Moving Insurance
- Disassembly/Reassembly
- Bulky Items Charges
- Flight Fees
- Long Carry Fees
- Delayed/Express Delivery
- Extra Stop Charges
- Travel Fee
- Disposal Fee
- Tip for Movers
- Pet Boarding
Pets and moves simply don’t go together. Some pets are prone to anxiety at all the commotion of moving day, while others can get very excitable. Additionally, having a dog or cat underfoot while movers are carrying heavy items out of the house can be dangerous for all involved! That’s why many pet owners end up boarding their pets overnight, which, of course, isn’t free.
- Storage Space Rental
Even if you’re absolutely sure that everything from your old home will fit into the new one, that’s not always the case. Sometimes certain items require storage until you can figure out what to do with them, and that costs money.
- Cost of Replacing Food Items
Professional movers aren’t allowed to pack and move perishable items, meaning that most of what’s in your fridge or freezer is likely to go to waste during the move and will need to be replaced. You’ll also want to consider that you won’t be doing any cooking on moving day, meaning that you may need to eat out or pay for food to be delivered (and don’t forget about those hungry friends and family members who helped with the move!).
Now that you’re aware of some of the hidden costs of moving, you can be better prepared for the big day and less stressed when the inevitable unexpected moving cost pops up. And if you’re moving within the New York or New Jersey area, reach out to the seasoned professionals at Bennett Movers for a free quote today!
It doesn’t take an experienced mover to know that the moving process is stressful, but what’s less obvious are the hidden costs of moving. It doesn’t matter if you’re relocating across the country or just to a different neighborhood—unexpected expenses are sure to pile up.
While many costs associated with a move, such as hiring a moving company or renting a truck, can be known beforehand through quotes, there are many hidden expenses, from purchasing supplies to replacing food items, that often aren’t factored into the budget.
To help bring these hidden costs out into the light, we’ve highlighted 10 unexpected expenses when moving out that you need to be aware of.
10 Unexpected Moving Costs You Should Expect
While every situation is different, and this list doesn’t cover all the potential unexpected moving costs you may incur, taking into account the following expenses when setting your budget will go a long way in helping you avoid sticker shock at the end of the moving process.
- Moving Supplies
Assuming you’re packing boxes yourself, you’ll need to factor in the price of items such as tape, packing guns, bubble wrap, and labels. It’s also advisable to invest in professional moving boxes as opposed to free boxes from the grocery store, which can easily bust and are harder to pack.
- House Cleaning
If you’ve got the time and the energy, deep cleaning your home before a move is strongly advised. Even then, you’ll likely have to spend some money on cleaning supplies. And if your busy schedule during the exhausting moving process prevents a deep cleaning, you might have to cough up $100 or more to hire a professional.
- Building Fees
If you’re moving from apartment to apartment, you might run into building fees. Typically, this is related to accessing service elevators or supervising the process at the new place. Be sure to check your lease(s) for the details.
- Painting
You might need to repaint or touch up the walls of your old home, or paint the new walls before the furniture is moved in at your new one. Either way, you’ll want to account for the cost of paint supplies if that’s on your to-do list.
- Deposits
If you live in any home long enough, damage is inevitable, and some landlords can be very strict in assessing wear and tear, so don’t necessarily count on getting your security deposit back. Additionally, you may need to put down deposits or pay service fees at your new home to connect electricity, gas, water, or internet.
- Quality Moving Company
Choosing a moving company is not the place to cut corners. Entrusting your valuables to the lowest bidder can actually set you up for moving scams and cost you more in the long run. Take a look at our moving company red flags for more info.
- Moving Company Fees
That said, no matter what moving company you end up choosing, you’ll want to factor in additional fees on your moving expenses list. These can include:
- Moving Insurance
- Disassembly/Reassembly
- Bulky Items Charges
- Flight Fees
- Long Carry Fees
- Delayed/Express Delivery
- Extra Stop Charges
- Travel Fee
- Disposal Fee
- Tip for Movers
- Pet Boarding
Pets and moves simply don’t go together. Some pets are prone to anxiety at all the commotion of moving day, while others can get very excitable. Additionally, having a dog or cat underfoot while movers are carrying heavy items out of the house can be dangerous for all involved! That’s why many pet owners end up boarding their pets overnight, which, of course, isn’t free.
- Storage Space Rental
Even if you’re absolutely sure that everything from your old home will fit into the new one, that’s not always the case. Sometimes certain items require storage until you can figure out what to do with them, and that costs money.
- Cost of Replacing Food Items
Professional movers aren’t allowed to pack and move perishable items, meaning that most of what’s in your fridge or freezer is likely to go to waste during the move and will need to be replaced. You’ll also want to consider that you won’t be doing any cooking on moving day, meaning that you may need to eat out or pay for food to be delivered (and don’t forget about those hungry friends and family members who helped with the move!).
Now that you’re aware of some of the hidden costs of moving, you can be better prepared for the big day and less stressed when the inevitable unexpected moving cost pops up. And if you’re moving within the New York or New Jersey area, reach out to the seasoned professionals at Bennett Movers for a free quote today!
