A move is an exciting time in life, but it’s also a big expense. There’s the cost of
moving supplies, a truck rental and movers. However, there are a lot of additional
expenses that new homeowners tend to forget about when planning their move.
Many moving costs are related to the size of the home and the amount of items in it.
For example, a 3-bedroom house that needs to be moved locally will typically cost
$3,800 and upwards of $5,300 for a long-distance move. Another big factor is how
much furniture you have. If you own a lot of bulky items, such as safes or pool
tables, they’ll require extra labor to load and transport.
Other hidden costs to consider include additional packing and unpacking services,
shuttle fees (if the truck isn’t able to park close to your home) and storage-in-transit
fees. These additional fees are usually charged by movers to assist with more time-
consuming and delicate tasks, such as disassembling or reassembling items,
providing wooden crating for specialty items or offering unpacking services after the
move.
If you’re a military member on active duty, the IRS may reimburse you for some of
these additional expenses as part of your moving allowance. To receive
reimbursement, you’ll need to submit a Umzugsskosten worksheet to your federal
tax compliance manager with receipts for the costs you’re claiming. Your manager
will review your claim and approve or deny your request based on your eligibility for
moving expense deductions.
The date of your move also affects the overall moving costs. During peak season,
weekends and moves during the summer are more expensive than weekday moves
in the fall or winter.
Moving costs are a necessary expense to budget for when buying a new home. But
there are ways to lower the costs, such as packing your own boxes and limiting how
much bulky furniture you have. It’s also a good idea to pad your moving budget by
10%-20% to account for any unexpected expenses that pop up during the process.
Before you hire a moving company, it’s important to understand the typical rates for
local and long-distance moves so that you can compare prices. In addition, keep in
mind that movers’ estimates aren’t binding and the final price could be different
from the estimate. This is especially true if you have to disassemble or reassemble
furniture, provide custom wooden crates or offer unpacking services after the move.
Then, add any other additional fees you’ll be expected to pay such as fuel charges,
tolls and mileage-based surcharges.