Self Service Moves Vs Full Service Moves

If you are trying to decide on how to do your next move, one of the first things you’ll have to choose is whether to do the move on your own, or by hiring the services of a moving company. Making the right choice will always come down to the circumstances of your situation, but understanding the benefits and downsides of each choice is also crucial.

Now, we know that as a moving company it’s hard to dissuade away the notion of bias on this topic. Obviously we would prefer if people contacted us for moves. But we think that above all people should choose what benefits them more. So, we have tried to offer an impartial view on the benefits of moving on your own vs moving with a mover, like us.

Let’s start.

Self Service and Full-Service Moves Explained
Self-Service Movers

In the great majority of situations, self-service movers simply mean that the moving company will carry your belongings. You'll have to pack everything and unpack it afterwards. They will provide you with various moving boxes and materials a few days before the planned pick-up, and they will assist you in loading it into the truck once they come. But that's generally the end of it.

If you prefer self-service, you will be able to do practically all of your tasks on your own. This means you'll have to pack, seal, and put the products into the truck. You will be in responsible of unloading the products as soon as they reach at the target port.

Please keep in mind that the moving company's involvement will be restricted to driving the vehicle. You will be responsible for all other tasks. As a result, if you have a large number of items to transport, you must assemble all of the necessary assistance. Perhaps your neighbors and friends will be able to assist you with wrapping and moving the stuff. You'll need the same amount of help emptying the stuff as well. Self-service is really only good for small-scale shipments.

However, depending on your circumstances, self-service may be a viable option. You should consider it if you're in excellent health, physically capable, not under too much stress at work, and don't have many personal belongings. After all, it's significantly less expensive than hiring a full-service moving company. If you're on a budget, a self-service mover will save you a lot of money. Those who are single or in a young partnership, rather than those who have established families, will find this most appealing.

Full-Service Movers

Full-Service movers are those who do pretty much everything for you, as the name implies. They arrive at your house, gather all of your personal belongings, put them onto a truck, transport them to their ultimate location, unload, unpack, and even assist you in relocating everything inside your home. They aren't interior designers by any means, so you'll have to tell them where certain items need to go.

There are various advantages to hiring full-service movers, as they eliminate most of the stress that comes with moving. Knowing that the physical "moving" component is taken care of allows you to focus your efforts on other parts of the relocation, such as canceling services and arranging for mail forwarding. Instead of unpacking everything, you may focus on setting up these services, such as cable and utilities, when you get at your new house.

Another advantage of full-service movers is that they perform all of the hard labor, reducing the danger of harm from lugging heavy things and boxes. This is a huge benefit for some portions of the population, such as the elderly or individuals with pre-existing ailments.

A third advantage is that it saves you time. If you're relocating for a job, you can concentrate on getting used to your new surroundings. If you're relocating to a new city, you can concentrate on getting to know the area better.

Self-Service vs Full Service: Pros and Cons

Moving on Your Own (self-service)

The Pros

More freedom to do the move on your terms

You don't have to stress about neatly packing all of your stuff while planning for a DIY relocation. When the movers come, they will want all of your boxes to be sealed and ready to travel. However, if you move yourself, you won't have to box up odd-shaped items like lamps and plants. You won't have to worry about how to pack additional stuff, such as basic cushions and blankets. You can pack as little or as much as you want, as long as everything is in the truck on moving day.

Less expensive

If you're on a limited budget, a do-it-yourself relocation is usually the way to go. Even if you're only moving next door, the costs of hiring a moving company can quickly mount up and far surpass your expectations. However, renting a moving truck might save you hundreds of dollars. U-largest Haul's moving truck, for example, can accommodate four or more bedrooms and costs roughly $40 to rent. You have the option of paying extra for add-ons and loading supplies when booking your U-Haul.

The Cons

A lot of planning

Don't misunderstand us: selecting a moving company necessitates some planning. Managing a whole migration on your own, on the other hand, would need a great deal of planning. You must find out way to get your things from point A to point B. You'll also need to figure out how to properly load the rented moving truck, including which items should be loaded first and which should be loaded last, as well as how to organize them within the vehicle.

Things can happen out of nowhere, and you can be out of luck if anything unexpected happens, like your sofa being stuck in the door. If you don't employ skilled movers and utilize specific moving equipment, you can end up wasting hours trying to fix the problem instead of reclining on that couch inside your new home.

A lot of work and heavy lifting

One of the worst parts, if not the worst part entirely, of moving on your own is just how much work that requires. Moving by yourself is exhausting, needing you to lift heavy boxes, move furniture, carry boxes, and a huge number of tasks that will put your body, and will, to the text.

There’s a reason why nobody wants to help with a move, at least not without a lot of begging. Plus, if you don’t know how to handle certain pieces of furniture, you could end up damaging them or the walls. Having to pay for repairs because of things like that would defeat the purpose of moving on your own. There’s a reason why movers use expert crews.

Hiring a Mover to Do It for You (full-service)

The Good

You won’t have to worry about anything

The heavy lifting should be done by professionals. After all, these expert movers were hired for a specific reason. If you employ a professional moving company, you won't have to worry about carrying heavy furniture or boxes anywhere. You won't have to deal with muscle pain, scratched floors, or begging friends for help lifting. Instead, you may focus on babysitting your children, watching over your pet, and other important tasks. You might also simply relax and unwind.

Smoother move

In general, if you hire a mover you have a much less stressful day. Not bragging here. You will avoid having to drive a huge moving truck down the highway, in addition to the time-saving benefits of hiring a moving company. Moving trucks have a reputation for being tough to control. Trailers aren't much easier to understand. If the notion of loading and operating a large moving truck gives you the creeps, I strongly suggest you to hire movers.

The Bad

More expensive

According to the American Moving and Storage Association, an interstate home relocation costs around $4,300 (distance of 1,225 miles), whereas an intrastate move costs around $2,300 (4 movers at $200 per hour). Both moving charges are based on a weight of 7,400 pounds.

This does not imply that you should choose the cheapest option. There are moving firms that provide reasonable rates without sacrificing service quality.

Less control over the move

When you engage professional movers, you give up control of the relocation. There's not much you can do to influence when and how you move, from the date/time of pick-up to the way the movers pack your items. Worst-case scenario: if the moving company makes many stops along the route, you may have to wait weeks for your moving truck to arrive. Hiring a moving company may not be the ideal solution for individuals who like to be in total control.

Final Thoughts

That’s about it. If you found that moving on your own works for you, then that’s great. But if it sounds like too much of a hassle, don’t worry. Simply contact us and we will be happy to assist you with it.