It’s time to move! Your new San Antonio home awaits, and you have two options: hire a mover or do it alone. A whopping 35.5 million people move within the States every year using anything from professional movers to old station wagons. And although many of them have successfully completed a DIY move more than once, the rest of them turned out to be less than ideal candidates for such an endeavor. They’ve agreed on some reasons why DIY moving is a bad idea. Take a look and find out whether you’re up to the task or if you might be better off bringing in the pros for this one after all.
1. The money-factor
The money-saving DIY alternative often sounds better to a lot of people who are moving homes. However, recent surveys have found that moving companies may be cheaper than one might think, regardless of whether you are moving long-distance or just across town.
Think about it for a second! The materials, time off work to do the packing, proper van hire, and labor barely scratch the surface of the overall cost of pulling off a successful DIY move. There are a lot of other things that can pop up unexpectedly to bloat a DIYer’s budget. These are the things like:
- moving tools
- dollies
- furniture pads
- lodging and food for long-distance moving
- the fuel amount you’ll be using
Finally, the risks of damage and unforeseen hitches – on top of driving your nerves up the wall – can very quickly throw your budget out the window altogether.
When comparing all these items with a full moving quote, the difference will be less than expected.
2. The non-monetary cost
One more cost to consider – and this one comes in the form of time spent moving.
Shopping for materials, cleaning, organizing, disposing and donating, running errands, packing and loading all of the boxes, disassembling and lugging your heavy furniture and appliances to the moving truck, driving, unloading, unpacking, cleaning, and organizing again… Yes, it’s a significant time investment. Self-packing can drag on for weeks, and there will come the moment when you start to think you’ll never see the end of your to-do list. That’s the moment when DIY moving will begin to seem like not such a good idea after all.
With experienced movers in your corner, you won’t lift a finger or fall behind schedule. They’ll arrive on time with the suitable supplies and equipment (saving you from the not-at-all-fun job of gathering furniture pads and dollies in the nick of time), box up your belongings in a few hours, and get them on and off the moving truck carefully, yet efficiently. You’ll be fully settled in your new home in no time.
3. DIY moves are physically demanding
Healthy or not, moving home by yourself is a serious physical challenge. With thousands of pounds you’ll be lifting and bulky or awkward items you’ll be carrying through doorways and down a flight of stairs, the potential for injury is high. And, the truth is – you can feed your friends all the pizzas you want, that’s still not a guarantee that they know how to properly lift a piano or that they have a moving dolly just lying around.
Moving injuries are a lot more common than you might think. Heavy boxes plus lifting, shoving, and carrying might eventually equal a finger or toe smashing or muscle straining. And, without a clear line of sight, it can result in slipping, tripping, and falling on your way to the moving truck. It’s something that sure leaves us wondering: Is it worth it?
At the very least, you’ll be exhausted. Even a local move can put serious physical stress on your body, leaving you sore for the next few days from all the loading and unloading (unless you’re a professional bodybuilder, that is). So, it’s better to hire movers and leave it to the experienced San Antonio-based professionals to do the heavy lifting for you.
4. … and logistically challenging
Another reason why DIY moving is a bad idea is that it includes careful planning, task coordination, and problem-solving on your part. From gathering moving supplies to organizing and itemizing to figuring out how to pack fragile and valuable items. What’s more, you probably have zero experience with maneuvering a twenty-six-foot truck loaded with heavy and fragile items, especially in a city as large as San Antonio. Then there are things such as finding a gas station that can serve such a large vehicle, the best route to get you to your destination, as well as a parking spot for it during loading and unloading. Finally, what happens if the truck breaks down or if inclement weather occurs?
Leave the unnecessary hustle to the pros and turn your attention to the fun part, such as furnishing and decorating your new SA digs.
5. Damage
Apart from the risks of personal injury, you also risk damaging your belongings. Sure, there are many guides and YouTube tutorials on how to pack a pool table or TV screen without the original packaging. But a certain gentleman named Albert Einstein made a pretty good point when he said: “In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.” If you’re not sure that this is your strong suit and lack the experience, it may be better to call in the pros for this one.
6. Liability and accountability
With DIY moves comes the burden of liability. Everything’s on you – from the condition in which your DIY crew leaves your house after lending you a helping hand to the state in which your belongings arrive at point B. The insurance that professional movers carry protects both the workers and your possessions. If something gets damaged during transport, you can take advantage of the company’s insurance to recover. What’s more, a moving company has a reputation to uphold, giving them even more incentive to do a great job, whereas if your DIY crew ends up breaking something, they will feel bad, but there is little you can do.
During your move, several powerful stress factors will be at play – and all at once. And a DIY move carries even more of them. Like leaving behind your loved ones and all the familiarity, dealing with the change, the expenses, and the pressure to get everything ready before the moving day isn’t stressful enough. Make move-in day convenient and comfortable by having the professionals at CORT Furniture Rental outfit your new space with everything you need so that you can settle in right away. Learn how our services can make the moving experience even less stressful.
