One size doesn’t fit all—choose your moving company with care
When you decide it’s time to move, is your instinct to call the first moving company you find? It makes sense—every moving service is the same, right? Not quite; there are many types of moving companies.
Although many companies provide complementary services, most offer specialized assistance to serve their clients' specific needs. Whether you need a residential, international, or small-load relocation, there’s a moving company that can handle the job. Read about the six types of moving companies to help you choose the best option for your move.
Commercial movers focus on business relocation. They pack and move everything from small offices to large warehouses. Businesses choose commercial movers because their staff is highly skilled and familiar with specialized packing techniques, tools, and technology to ensure a successful transition when moving offices.
Most moving companies specialize in either residential or commercial moves. However, some companies provide both services. If you’re interested in residential and commercial moves, ask the moving companies about quotes and estimates for both during your interview.
Residential moving companies near you take care of all of the moving needs related to your home—from your precious heirloom china to your garage full of tools. You can choose a full-service move or get estimates for specific services like packing or loading. Residential moving companies are typically the most common type of moving service available.
Professional movers usually consider a local move up to 100 miles within the same state and generally charge by the hour for packing, loading, unloading, and unpacking services. You’ll pay an average of $1,400 or between $100 and $200 per hour for a moving crew of four.
Depending on your home size, you could have a large team of movers or two to three staff members transfer your items from your old location to the new one. When interviewing potential local movers, ensure they have the proper licensure, a thorough price estimate, and positive online reviews.
If you need a long-distance (most often more than 100 miles) or interstate move, you’ll want to hire a moving company specializing in cross-country moves. You should know that you’ll spend between $4,000 and $10,000 or more for a long-distance move.
Instead of paying by the hour like a local move, you’ll pay long-distance moving companies their fees according to your shipment’s total weight and the exact distance between locations, plus any specialty services like extra packing materials.
Before you choose a moving company, you should interview at least three different companies to find the best-qualified moving team. Long-distance moves are more complicated than local moves, and you’ll need a company that’s licensed and insured, and recognized by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
International moving companies take on the challenges of across-the-border moves by coordinating a vast amount of important paperwork, like customs and insurance forms, and the highly detailed logistics of sea shipments and air freight. Try to minimize the amount of household goods to ship because your costs are based on their volume and measured in cubic feet or meters. You’ll pay around $20,000 to move internationally.
It’s highly recommended that you research and interview multiple international moving companies to help you move to another country because you’ll rely on their language expertise and experience with international import laws.
Some of your belongings need specialized attention to ensure their successful transport to your new home. Let your moving company candidates know about your beloved specialty items; some can move them. If they don’t, they can refer you to specialty mover partners.
If you’re moving any of these items, you should consider hiring specialty movers.
Antiques
Artwork
Collectibles
Musical Instruments
Sports equipment
If you’re planning to move your residence, you’ll need a local moving company that can accommodate the services you need. Moving home isn’t a one-size-fits-all operation, so you should ask them to tailor their moving services to your situation.
Consider a full moving service if, on moving day, you’d like for your job to be letting the professionals take over. A full-service move includes every step of the process, from disassembly and packing to unloading and unpacking your belongings at the new house. Keep in mind that white glove moves cost the most of all the household move services.
Another option is to take on some moving chores to save money. Most moving companies offer à la carte options to help you stick to your budget. Choose the jobs you can handle and let the company take on the rest.
Packing and unpacking: A crew comes with packing materials and expertly packs all of your items. Then, they’ll unpack and assemble your belongings at the new address.
Loading and unloading: You’ll pay for the moving staff to load boxes and furniture at your old address and unload the moving truck into your next home.
Pickup and delivery: A company transports your pre-filled portable container.
Storage: Some moving companies have warehouse space for storage if you aren't ready to receive your household goods.
You can thank the burst of online shopping for the new shipping options to transport a few large items at a time. Now, you can receive the dining room set you bought from an online auction or send your nephew your old sofa for his first apartment through small load moving companies. If you don’t have a small load moving company near you, some commercial shippers like UPS or FedEx could handle the load, depending on the size of your shipment.
Typically, local moves involve either renting a moving truck and moving yourself or hiring local movers to do the job. For long-distance moves, options include hiring a full-service moving company that handles packing, loading, transportation, and unloading, or using a self-moving service where you load your belongings into a container or trailer and have it transported. Another option is hiring professional movers for labor-only services, where they assist with loading and unloading your rented truck. You can also opt for moving pods or moving containers that can be transported to the destination.
Moving companies offer a variety of service packages to suit different needs and budgets during the moving process. They typically provide loading, unloading, and transportation services, using specialized equipment to handle heavy and bulky items. Services can also include packing assistance, where professional packers securely pack belongings to ensure their safety during transportation. Some moving companies also offer temporary storage options, as well as unpacking services upon arrival.
Logistics companies are responsible for planning, coordinating, and managing the transportation of goods. They serve a variety of clients and industries, typically offering truck, air, or ocean freight transportation. Movers, on the other hand, usually only serve individuals or small businesses. They are the professionals responsible for physically executing the move, performing tasks such as packing, loading, transporting, and unloading belongings.
