Hiring Removalists vs Renting a Truck for Your Move

Hiring a removal company

• Minimal free time. Are you on a busy schedule? If you work full-time, have children, and multiple other commitments, you may not have the time to handle the demanding tasks of a DIY move. Packing your household items, loading a truck, and driving your shipment to your destination are time-consuming duties--you may have to take significant time away from work or hire a baby-sitter to complete them on your own. If you are moving long distance, it may take days to drive your truck to your new home, making renting a truck less economical than you expected.
• A large home/shipment. Do you have a large home or a significant amount of belongings to move? The more you are moving, the more difficult it will be to handle it on your own. Professional movers can pack up the contents of your home in one day and load the truck quickly and efficiently. If you have a lot of heavy or bulky furniture items, a removal company knows the proper methods to protect your home and furniture, carefully carry the heavy items out of the house, and expertly load them onto the truck to save space and prevent damage.
• Difficult items. Do you have any specialty items, such as artwork or antiques? Professional movers have the knowledge and the skills to carefully wrap, protect, and custom crate delicate items that require special care. If you have a number of fragile or valuable specialty items, hiring removalists to transport them will prevent damage and possibly save you costly repairs in the future.
• Long distance move. If you're moving long distance, transporting your shipment on your own is a time-consuming task that will significantly disrupt your daily life. If you have to drive your rental truck hundreds of kilometers to your new home, you will have to take time off work, pay for hotel stays, and consider your family and pets. Your vehicle will also need to travel to your new home with you if you aren't driving it--which means you may need to hire an auto shipper, anyway.

Renting a truck

• Open schedule. Do you have a lot of free time? Are you able to take sufficient days off work to complete the many things on your moving to-do list? Are you mostly responsibility-free--single, no kids, flexible hours, etc.? A DIY move is much easier and less stressful if you don't have to rearrange your life to accommodate your relocation.
• Tighter budget. Are you on a fixed income? Renting a truck is often more affordable than hiring a removal company--you can obtain free packing materials, do all the packing and loading yourself, and simply pay for the truck. However, be sure to calculate the cost of your rental truck before making the decision--rental truck companies charge a flat fee per day, a fee for each kilometer travelled, additional fees for fuel, and various taxes. If you are moving a long way, the savings may not be significant enough to outweigh the inconvenience of moving yourself.
• Comfortable operating large vehicles. If you are used to driving a large truck or van, maneuvering a rental truck may not be a difficult adjustment for you. However, if you have never been behind the wheel of anything larger than a sedan, driving cross-country in a cumbersome truck loaded down with the contents of your home won't be easy. Make sure you are comfortable driving a large vehicle before making the decision to rent a truck for your move.
• Family/friends to help. It may be called a DIY move, but it's pretty unrealistic to think you can do absolutely everything yourself. If you have loved ones nearby and available to help you with packing and loading, it will be much easier to pull off a DIY move. However, if you plan to handle the entire move all alone, it might be a little overwhelming.

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