Nearly nine out of 10 families opts to pack their belongings themselves rather than hiring professional movers. What does it really cost to move by yourself? Print the form below to calculate the expenses of moving yourself and compare them to the costs of hiring a professional mover.

Calculate the costs of moving by yourself:
Basic Truck Rental
Extra Trailer Rental (if necessary)
Fuel & Mileage Charges
Hand Truck (if necessary)
Pads to protect your furniture (10 Pads/Room)
Straps
Ropes
Tow Bar (if necessary)
Transit Insurance
Cargo Insurance
Labor to Load
Meals
Lodging
Tolls
Extra Rental Days
Labor to Unload
Total Costs

There are always hidden costs when moving and renting equipment

• Renting a Truck, Fuel & Repairs
• Moving Equipment
• Insurance
• Loading & Unloading

The first step in a do-it-yourself move is renting a truck. To determine what size truck you need, the rental firm will ask how many rooms you're moving. For example, if you're moving 5 rooms, you will most likely need a 24-foot truck. If you're planning on turning in your truck at a location other than where you rented it, you will probably incur an additional drop-off charge. Depending upon where you're going, such charges could add hundreds of dollars to the rental cost. If you need a trailer, make sure your auto can be fitted with a hitch and be mindful not to damage your transmission from the extra weight of the trailer.

• Fueling the truck:

  Did the truck rental firm tell you to approximate fuel costs at 10 miles per gallon? That's a good estimate if the truck is empty. However, a fully loaded truck may require one gallon for every five miles.

• Repairs to the rental truck:

  Repairs to a rental truck will be paid for by the rental firm when you return the truck. However, if the truck needs repairs on the road, you will need to lay out the money. Be sure to have extra cash/credit on hand to cover such emergencies.

To make your move as easy and safe as possible, you will want to rent moving equipment. Following are some recommendations to get you started:

• Hand truck:
  necessary if you need to move heavy items like your refrigerator and washing machine.
• Pads:
  used to protect your furniture, estimate at least twenty pads per room. (Note: this is different than the number estimated in the cost calculator above where you say 10)
• Straps, tie-off ropes and a heavy padlock:
  essential to keep your belongings secure inside the truck.
• Tow Bar:
  necessary if you plan on towing a car (to secure the car to your truck)
• Remember:
  Don't place valuables in an automobile you're towing as they will be prime targets for theft. Place all valuables inside the truck.

The transit insurance you buy from the rental firm covers liability on the truck and

Its contents - but only if the damage is caused by a fault in the truck itself. Cargo insurance, which covers your belongings in transit, is separate, and is usually not part of your homeowner's policy. Check with your insurance agent before you move, and make sure you've got the necessary coverage.

Odds are you can't handle all the moving and loading by yourself. While friends can help, remember that moves are time consuming and stressful, and hiring some extra hands is probably the best and easiest idea. Be conscious of minimum charges, which are often higher on weekends and holidays and make sure any hired help has experience. Lastly, just to be safe, check that your insurance covers any property damage or personal injury incurred during the move regardless of who's involved.

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A loading device with wheels usually supplied by self-service moving companies and used to load and unload large items like appliances and oversized furniture. (Note: taken from other revisions)

The amount of money per $1,000 of assessed value you will need to pay to insure your household items to their full-assessed value. This type of protection requires that a cash value be assigned to the items you move. If a deductible is applied, that value is stated next to the cost-per-$1,000 figure. For example, 7.50/100 means that the consumer must pay $7.50 per $1,000 of assessed value to cover the items against loss, and the first $100 of damage is not covered. Some valuation policies are calculated on a sliding scale, where the price per $1,000 of coverage will vary depending upon the total amount of coverage. In such cases, carriers are requested to quote valuation prices based on $25,000 of coverage. Please note that most valuation policies require that the entire load be covered, not just specific items. Ask your carrier for terms.

The specific costs of moving not including various extra charges and insurance. All cost estimates are calculated based on rates/information obtained from moving companies during a signup interview.

A device used by many self-service movers to keep items secure in a trailer by separating commercial goods behind household possessions.

The extra costs associated with having a divider installed.

A flight of stairs at your point of origin or destination often results in additional costs. A third-floor walkup counts as two flights since you are starting on the first floor. Having a serviceable elevator (an elevator large enough to transport the household goods) eliminates the need to pay this fee.

Movers who will move all of your household goods from your old address to your new address but will deliver the items only to the doorstep of your new home. This is a low-cost alternative to a full-service move, however, your items must all be boxed in advance, and your individual pieces of furniture will not be wrapped in blankets

The amount of money per $1,000 of value, you will need to pay to protect your household items for their full replacement value. Full replacement value is the amount of money it will cost to purchase a new replacement for a damaged item, regardless of how old the damaged item was. If a deductible is applied, that value is stated next to the cost-per-$1,000 figure. For example, 7.50/100 means that the consumer must pay $7.50 per $1,000 of declared replacement value to cover the load against loss, and the first $100 of damage is not covered. Some valuation policies are calculated on a sliding scale, where the price per $1,000 of coverage will vary depending upon the total amount of coverage. In such cases, carriers were requested to quote valuation prices based on $25,000 of coverage. Please note that most valuation policies require that the entire load be covered, not just specific items. Ask your carrier for terms.

A mover who will transport all your household goods from your old address to your new address. Items are picked up from your old home and delivered to the appropriate rooms in your new home. Individual pieces of furniture are wrapped in blankets to protect them during shipment. Full packing, unpacking and appliance services can be provided at additional costs. This is the most common form of mover.

Any move which crosses a state boundary, regardless of the number of miles. Distinguished from Local Move or Intrastate Move.

Any move which does not cross a state boundary, typically over 40 miles. Distinguished from Local Move or Interstate Move.

Device provided by self-service movers used to load household goods onto a trailer.

A move within state boundaries, typically 40 miles or less. Distinguished from an Intrastate Move or Interstate Move.

Service where all customer possessions are packed before the move and later unpacked at the final destination.

Companies in this category will provide a trailer for you at your old home. You load the trailer yourself and the company returns to move the trailer to your new destination. You then unload the trailer yourself and call the mover to remove the empty trailer. This type of move is becoming increasingly popular with consumers because it saves money in two ways. First, you do not pay for any of the loading/unloading labor. Second, the self-service mover will often load commercial goods on the trailer behind your household goods, to help defer the cost of the total shipment. See also Full-Service Mover and Freight-Service.

Minimum amount of free coverage movers must provide (required by law) Standard amount is 60 cents per pound of damaged goods. This amount is a bare minimum and should not be relied upon to cover any significant damage. For example, if you have a priceless vase which weighs 2 pounds, you would only be entitled to $1.20 of compensation if the vase was damaged in transit.

Valuation offered by your moving company is a tariff level of carrier liability based on the weight of your goods. Valuation covers your property by assessing value in three different ways (See Assessed Value Coverage, Full Replacement Value Coverage & Standard Coverage, explained above). Valuation only covers your goods for damage or loss if you can prove negligence on the part of the carrier. IT DOES NOT cover any loss or damage due to Acts of God, (high winds, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes) riots, strikes, civil commotion, etc. and all claims are settled by employees of the carrier that damaged your goods Remember, valuation is not insurance.

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