By Karen Tooley
Relocation.com Staff
Editor's note: Karen Tooley is a certified moving consultant with over three decades' experience in the moving industry.
Question: I only want to move a single room of my house, should I even bother calling a moving company?
Answer: All moving companies invite small shipments to add to the load that they are hauling, and to increase revenue.
Even if you are only moving one room of furniture, there are some things to consider when deciding if you need a moving company.
• What type of furniture? If it is heavy or bulky, you may want to consider whether you are able to move it yourself or with someone helping out.
• What distance are you moving? If it is a local move, you might be able to rent a truck for a short amount of time and move yourself. Be sure to compare the cost of the truck rental, fuel and labor to help load and unload, to the minimum charge that a mover would impose. If it's not much in savings, it may be worth to have the goods moved by a professional.
• If it is long-distance move, you will have additional charges involved with truck rental (usually a one way), and your personal expenses for travel and lodging. Most often, there is not a lot of savings in doing a long distance move yourself compared to a minimum amount your mover would charge.
• What is the value of the goods in the room? If these goods are of high value, you should have a professional move them to ensure safe transit. The moving company will most often have valuation available for coverage of any damages of these items. If you move them yourself, you will probably have little or no coverage, and repairs or replacement of items may be higher than the cost to hire a professional to move them.
Overall, your decision should be based on your needs. Remember that a moving company will always invite small shipments. If the burden of moving the room yourself is too high after comparing all costs, you are always better off to let the moving company handle.