DIY Moving Vs. Hiring a Moving Company: Actual Costs Explained

Wondering what’s cheaper: hiring professionals or doing it yourself? Here’s a breakdown of both options using real-world costs. As of today (November 16, 2024), regular unleaded gas costs about $2.80 per gallon.

This guide will show you the actual cost difference between moving by yourself or having professionals handle it for you.

Scenario: A 4-Bedroom House Move

We’re using a 4-bedroom, 2-bath house in Sparks, Nevada, with 13,948 pounds of things to move. The house has no steps, no hills, and a big driveway for trucks to park and load.

The move is going to New Jersey (Zip Code 07871), with the move date set for December 16, 2024, and delivery expected between December 22-31, 2024.

The homeowners will drive their cars from Nevada to New Jersey. The cost to ship a car is about $1,200, which is also what truck rental companies charges for a flatbed car trailer. (This trailer also lowers the truck’s fuel efficiency.)

Option 1: Allied Van Lines (Full Service)

Allied Van Lines takes care of everything: loading, transportation, and unloading. Here’s how it works:

• After a local agent gives an in-home price estimate, Allied schedules a packing day and then a loading day.
• The truck is then driven to New Jersey, with stops along the way.
• The total cost for this service is $18,322 (as of the date this article was written).
• This price is guaranteed, so it won’t change.
• The homeowners don’t have to do any work. They only pay when the truck arrives in New Jersey safely.

Option 2: Do It Yourself

Now, let’s look at the DIY option. Here’s how it breaks down:

1. Managing the whole process

The homeowners must coordinate everything, ask friends for help, schedule multiple trucks, ensure everything is on schedule otherwise incur additional fees (time pressure) etc. – the list goes on…

2. Two Trucks Required:

To move 13,948 pounds, they need to rent 2 twenty-six-foot trucks. They’ll also need to drive them, which takes time and effort. If something breaks down, they’re at the mercy of the truck rental system to rescue them and their cargo. High-Risk here.

note: if you are thinking you can do this with PODS, you will need 3 flatbed trucks with 4 PODS each for this move that that will be more than a professional mover and carried the highest damage rate in the industry.

3. Moving Help

The homeowners will need at least 2 dollies to help move heavy items. More dollies might be helpful, but we’re being conservative here.

4. Loading and Unloading (Time Pressure against rental days)

It will take 4 people around 8 hours to load at the original location and then AGAIN to unload at the destination (you will need to hire labor in both places.)  Note: Professionals who do this every day take about this long, but if the homeowners use other people, things might take longer or even get damaged, which could add costs.

5. Fuel for two trucks. (These ride rough, are loud, and not comfortable)

The trucks get about 8 miles per gallon. Each truck holds 60 gallons of fuel. The total cost for fuel will be about $928 per truck, so for two trucks, that’s $1,856.

6. Hotel/Motel and food ( we assume just 2 people)

We’re being conservative and assuming 2 nights in a hotel and 3 days of food. A budget hotel for 2 nights will cost about $300, and food will cost around $200. (If they don’t drive non-stop, they’ll need more days for food and hotels.)

The Grand Total

Sparks, Nevada to Sparta, New Jersey, 14K Lbs. 2600 Miles

We are 3.8% more.
for zero work and 100% piece of mind.

Didn’t you expect it to be more?

Get Your Proposal

Moving: DIY vs Movers 3% Difference

3% is piece of mind – isn’t it worth it?

If you paid to have your packing don’t with the DIY, the price is the same and you still have all the risk.