What affects the cost of hiring a professional for a long distance move?
Unlike local moving companies, which charge an hourly rate based on the number of movers you need, long distance movers quote prices based on the miles traveled, total weight of your household items and the labor costs.
So instead of paying $100 an hour for two movers to load and unload your two-bedroom apartment across tow, expect to pay $2,000-$4,000 for long distance movers to move the same belongings cross country to your new home.
Quotes vary and add-ons like full-service movers, moving specialty items (like pianos or antiques) and fuel costs can add to your total.
Weight and size of your load
Most long distance movers charge $.50 per pound for moves over 100 miles. To give you an estimate of what this means for your belongings, below are the average costs of local and long distance moves by size of home:
Size of home (by weight) | Average cost for local movers | Average cost for long distance movers | Average cost for a truck rental (for a ~1,300 mile move) |
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One-bedroom home/studio (3,500 lbs) | $300-$500 | $1,750-$2,800 | $2,300 |
Two-bedroom home (5,000 lbs) | $400-$800 | $2,500-$4,000 | $2,550 |
Three-bedroom home (8,000-10,000 lbs) | $600-$1,200 | $3,500-$5,000 | $2,735 |
Four-bedroom home (12,000+ lbs) | $900-$1,800 | $5,000-$8,000+ | $3,000+ |
Distance from old to new location
Many companies also group moving rates based on distance. One long distance moving company and Thumbtack Pro in New York City for example, separates their long distance moving quotes into four mileage ranges: Ask about per mileage rates when you ask for an initial estimate, especially if you're on the cusp of a new mileage category, to make sure the mover's price is competitive with other quotes.
Consolidated vs. exclusive moves
For moves over 100 miles, there are two different types of moving options: consolidated and exclusive. In a consolidated move, movers pack multiple peoples' belongings onto one truck to reduce the cost of shipping a half empty truck cross country.
By comparison, an exclusive move simply means your boxes and furniture are the only items on the truck. A consolidated move is generally less expensive, though it can take longer.
The cost of a consolidated move
One moving company in New York City, charges about $2,000 for a consolidated move of a standard one- or two-bedroom house anywhere on the east coast and slightly more for longer moves: $5 per cubic foot: Destinations on the east coast
$6 per cubic foot: Destinations in the central states or on the west coast
Consolidated moves are less expensive since you're splitting the cost of a long distance move with other customers. However, the trade-off for lower rates is a slower move and moving delivery windows instead of set dates.
Movers often store your items for a short period before moving them to your final destination, and/or deliver your boxes within a time frame rather than on a set date. The New York City based moving company, for example, guarantees a delivery window between “two and 14 days."
The cost of an exclusive move
Exclusive moves are the more expensive option, so they're typically used for larger moves (like a four-bedroom family home), time-sensitive moves, or shipping more valuable items.
Another difference with exclusive moves is that they aren't priced according to the amount of items or cubic footage (since you pay for the whole truck), but rather on a set price for transporting items to a specific region. Exclusive moving rates are more about distance, not volume.
For example, below are the exclusive long distance moving rates from the New York City-based moving company:
$5,500: Interstate move from New York to Florida
$16,000: Cross country move from New York to California
Specialty items
Moving large, heavy or delicate items — like antique furniture, expensive electronics, fragile items, pianos or pool tables — will each cost extra. A long distance moving company in San Diego, CA charges extra for each type of piano they move:
Some companies may not even be willing to ship certain specialty items like pianos, pool tables or items over a certain value for insurance or liability reasons. For example, one New York based company will move safes, security boxes, pool tables, pianos and even automobiles, while another in New Jersey will pack and unpack hundreds of boxes for you — but won't move your pool table.
Always check which items are included in the moving quote, and the cost and availability of moving specialty items.
Stairs and elevators
Long flights of stairs, difficult parking locations and narrow elevators can create added complications (and expense) for movers. And they charge accordingly.
Stairs are a hazard to both movers and your precious stuff and movers typically charge more for them, based on how many there are at the old and new locations. For example, the New York based moving company charges $.08 cents per cubic foot of your items for every flight of stairs (hey, it's not easy moving out of a five-story walk-up). So for 1,000 cubic feet of goods and one flight, the additional charge would be $80.
The San Diego-based moving company charges an additional:
$50 for each flight of stairs (after the first flight or 10 steps)
$100 for long carry, which is any time movers carry items over 75 feet to the truck
Moving dates: weekends and first/last of the month
Moving on a weekend, the beginning/end of the month, or the start of the school year will cost more than moving on a weekday in the middle of the month.
According to a long distance moving company in New Jersey, “Saturday, Sunday, last and first days of the month are considered as a 'pick days' and rates can be different." Try to avoid high volume days for lower rates.
Number of movers
More stuff requires more movers. When you need more than two movers, the price can increase dramatically.
Storage
Long distance moving companies usually provide free storage before a consolidated move. If you need storage for longer, costs go up.For example, the New York City based movers charge:
Storage for the first month for long distance moving clients: $0 (included)
Storage after the first month: $60 per cubic foot
Storage fees can add up quickly, so make sure you're ready to receive your items within the consolidated move window.