By Admin
3 January, 2023
Moving is challenging and exhausting enough without the added stress of moving into a completely different state. From packing up to finding a new home, interstate moving comes with an insurmountable list of commitments, tightening, and moving parts. So, unless you have the help of friends and family, it's best to entrust many of your long-distance transportation duties to a reliable and trustworthy moving company. Hiring a moving company will certainly save you time and energy, but it probably won't save you any money. Hiring a moving company to move houses between states can be expensive, but most will agree that it's worth it. Here's an overview of everything you need to know about interstate moving costs.
Average interstate moving cost
The cost of moving abroad depends mainly on where you're going and how much luggage you're carrying. The average cost of an interstate move is about $4,890 based on an average weight of 7,500 pounds (equivalent to a 2-3 bedroom home) and an average distance of 1,000 miles, as well as Various moving services needed. If these numbers seem high to you, keep in mind that interstate travel is often much more expensive than local travel. While local carriers may charge by the hour, long-haul carriers must charge based on the weight of the shipment passing through state routes. As someone who has hired professional movers for many moves, I can confirm that the average cost mentioned above sounds pretty accurate. For the record, my one-bedroom move from Massachusetts to Florida cost about $5,000. However, I've driven over 1,000 miles on average and managed to fit quite a bit of stuff in this apartment.
How interstate moving costs are determined
As mentioned above, there are three main factors that affect the cost of interstate travel: 1) The weight of the household shipment. In other words, the more items you move, the higher your moving costs will be. 2) Distance between origin and destination. For example, people who move to a neighboring state can expect to pay less than people who move across the country. 3) Labor costs may vary by state.
Other cost factors to consider
Packing
If the movers are responsible for packing and unpacking any of your belongings – whether it’s just a mattress and box spring or it’s your entire apartment – you will be charged accordingly for the company’s supplies and time. This also includes any assembly or disassembly of furniture.
Travel fees
Don’t forget about fuel charges and labor costs during the transportation of your things. The farther you move, the more expensive these charges will be.
Liability and valuation coverage
Federal law requires interstate carriers to offer customers two different cost coverage options: full value protection and waiver value protection. Full value protection is a more comprehensive option and requires subscribers to exchange items or refund the item's current value. The underlying issue value protection is 0.6 cents per pound. This is considered a more economical option, although it covers only the bare minimum.
Third-party insurance
If you’re concerned about your items – especially if they are particularly valuable, it’s not a bad idea to purchase your own third-party insurance as well. Be sure to save receipts, take photos of all of your items and document them thoroughly. In the event that you need to make a claim, this documentation will help tremendously. Please note that if anything is stolen during the moving process, your current homeowners insurance may also cover the loss.
Storage
Having a moving company hold or store your belongings before, during or after a move can be extremely convenient for those dealing with a complicated long-distance move. Just be prepared to pay extra for this service. Storage rates vary from moving company to moving company, so be sure to ask for specifics.
Before you hire moving pros for your interstate move
Before hiring a professional moving company to handle your interstate move, it’s important to be aware of several things:
Subcontractors
Before hiring cleaners, ask if they'll subcontract some aspects of their work in the process. These subcontractors, although not full-time, are sometimes hired by moving companies to do part of the moving work. Since subcontractors are not necessarily subject to the same rules and regulations as the shipping company you originally hired, it's best not to hire a shipping company to work with subcontractors.
Moving insurance
While uncommon, occasional damage to household belongings during a move does happen. That’s why it’s so important to do your homework and make sure the moving company you wish to hire both carries insurance and offers you different valuation coverage options. Tip: If a moving company doesn’t carry insurance, they probably aren’t licensed either.
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