How much does moving house cost?

No matter how many times people move house, it seems like they get to the end and feel like moving has cost them their sanity. Indeed, selling and moving home is ranked in the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, so it’s been scientifically proven to be one of life’s most stressful events, When it comes to pinning down a figure for moving house cost, even before we say it, you know it’s going to vary. The degree to which you’re volunteering your own back makes a big difference to the final price tag, as do numerous other variables and preferences.

Though we can’t offer you a definitive figure, we can make sure that you’re considering all the details from start to finish when working out your moving budget. Establishing a budget to the best of your ability before your relocation can help you minimise expenses and avoid unexpected extras along the way.

Helping Hands

Your first major influencer to your moving expenses is whether you’ll be doing DIY removals or if you’ll be hiring professional Removalists. Doing the work yourself will save you some money, though it will mean more of your time and perhaps unexpected costs.

We’ll look at the costs of hiring removalists later on. For now, let’s look at the DIY costs.

Truck hire

If you’re a confident driver of larger vehicles or have a good friend who is, hiring your own van is a good low-cost option. If you shop around, you can hire a moving van during the week for an average of $100 per day. Larger trucks require a heavy vehicle license, but if you don’t mind making a few more trips, the moving vans do the job.

Boxes

When relocating is still months away, it can seem easy to find boxes to pack your belongings. However, finding strong boxes that won’t burst open when you’ve packed them and picked them up might take more thought than a trip to your local fruit and veg store. More than that, you’ll need many boxes, more than you think you’ll need. A two-bedroom apartment easily fills 25 boxes – even 30 might be pushing it.

Your nearest household hardware store can sell you moving boxes from $1.99 to $5.90, so don’t skimp.

Packing materials

This is another detail that can sneak up on you. It’s not enough to have a few newspapers and a roll of sticky tape on moving day. Again your local large hardware store can sell you 50 metres of bubble wrap or butchers paper for around $9.90.

You’ll need several rolls of sturdy packing tape, which you can get from Officeworks or a similar newsagent. Six rolls will set you back $15. While you’re there, pick up a couple of bold permanent markers to label your boxes. They’re around $4 each. Rope is another moving essential. A 15m length costs around $9.

Hiring Removalists

The alternative to doing it all on your own is to hire professionals help. Again, the cost will vary according to a number of variables, such as:

* How many rooms there are in your home

* What day of the week you are moving on. Keep in mind that weekdays are cheaper than weekends or overnight for relocating

* How far you are moving. International moving services will charge the most for the cost of moving house, again depending on which country you are moving to and the weight of your belongings that need to be shipped

* How many items need to be moved.

You will also need to decide how much you would like the removalists to do. You may just want the movers to relocate boxes and possessions you’ve already packed, or you may want them to provide a full packing and moving service. To give you an idea of cost, at the higher end, a full service on a long distance move may be around the $3,500 mark or more.

Reputable removalists will give you a range of options that also include backloading to save you money. You may be surprised how cost-effective hiring movers can be, as you won’t have to worry about packing materials and boxes, not to mention having to provide the muscle.

Without A Trace

Even if you are a meticulous cleaner, moving house is going to expose dirt and grime that’s been lying in wait for years. And as for the rest of us who have been getting by with light, general cleans, moving can expose the downright disgusting state of our home sweet home.

At the very least, it’s time to leave the home you’re leaving in a presentable state, and it doesn’t have to be an expensive exercise. Multi-purpose cleaning cloths and spray cleaners for a whole house can come to around $90. Especially if you’re looking to get your bond back, it’s worthwhile considering having the place professionally cleaned. Depending on the cleaner and the size of your old place, you could be looking at between $25 to $30 per hour. A good cleaner will take at least 3 hours to clean a 2 to 3 bedroom home.

It’s also a good idea to call in professional carpet cleaners if you need them properly cleaned, or you can also hire a carpet cleaning machine if you want to save money. You can hire the machine for around $50 per day, and the carpet cleaning detergent is around $20 for 2 litres. (subject to hiring location)

Cost of rubbish removal

There’s something about moving that seems to multiply things you own. It didn’t seem possible that you owned so much stuff, and yet here it is, still coming out of your cupboards. After you’ve sorted out what you’re keeping from what’s not coming with you by using the mover’s mantra (sell, toss, recycle or donate?), you’ll need a way to shift your unwanted possessions.

A cost-effective strategy would be to borrow or hire a trailer and make a trip to your local tip. If you run out of tip vouchers, perhaps ask friends who may not go through all of theirs, and save yourself the cost that way.

If you have a large amount of stuff to throw out, you may need to hire a skip bin. A small bin can cost you less than $300, including delivery and removal.

Make A Smart Move

So how much does moving house cost? If you would like to find out more about what’s involved in home relocations or would like to receive an accurate, free, no obligation quote for your home from professional businesses simply Post a job  on www.quotesfinder.com.au and have businesses reach you.

Removal companies also include or provide Premium Boxes for clients, remember to ask your selected Removalist company if they provide this service.

To receive quotes from professional businesses simply Post a job  on www.quotesfinder.com.au and have them reach you