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Hello everyone.

Has anyone here had to make a long distance move? I'm currently planning on relocating later this year / beginning of 2008 and haven't done this before. I've got a 3 bedroom house to move so I am assuming it isn't going to be cheap, but the quotes that I am getting so far from do it yourself movers to complete moving companies are around $5,000USD!

Just curious if anyone here has done something similar and might have some tips to expediate things and or save me some money.

Any info is appreciated. THANKS!

5k sounds cheap for cross country. Depends on the service I suppose - but generally you have so much else to do during that time period that it's money well spent.

My friends moved long distance and the moving company showed up with a bunch of guys and empty boxes and packed everything away and loaded it. Then they unpacked at the other end - Done! Think of all the free time you'll have

Well I believe when I checked with Uhaul it was around $1,900 for the 17' truck and 400 for a car trailer to tow my vehicle behind the truck. That's of course not including gas and it's completely do it yourself.

The moving companies like Allied and US van lines that do it all for you are around $4,500 dollars.

I suppose that I would have alot more time to prepare and rest upon arrival if I paid the extra money. That's a plus.

I've done it between Vancouver and Toronto in Canada. It was around 3K and we only moved half our stuff in that run. It ain't cheap, but I applied the Robin Williams postage logic and decided it was worth it.

Short of packing your stuff yourself and not moving anything you don't have to there's not a ton you can do to cheapen things. The only other option I am aware of is self-packing freight units that get shipped by train. They are less likely to come through undamaged (by personal experience of a few other people) and it's a lot more hassle over all.


b

I think this might be a perfect alternative:

http://www.upack.com/

Demo video from HGTV: http://www.upack.com/moving-resources/v ... d=relocube

Thanks fellas for the input.

I am assuming that Upack is the "self packing freight" Brett is talking about. I'll have to look into that.

Thanks again!

*edit* after watching that ABF video I had to laugh. They packed theirs right up to the back of the container and didn't show them loading it on the truck. What happens if you have some space in there and they load it? I'm assuming it all slides to one side because they have to tilt those things up to get them on the back of the truck. haha Hey that bride and groom looked happy, what the heck!

lol......

________

They use a fork lift, .. so not much tilt ....

I'm not sure I understand the part about loading it with space left over ? , ... so, ..don't load it till your ready ?? I don't get it ....

Did you do a quote ? ....I'm curious how the pricing compares to the other standard methods ......

My wife and I made a Southern CA to Boston move. We found it was cheaper to sell some of our heavy items and then buy new ones rather than paying to move them since the movers we used charged by weight. For example if you have a 300lb weight set and bench, don't ship it.

Of course the best thing would be having an employer take care of the expenses

-Greg

Greg. I will actually be doing a similar move "maybe not so far" but Southern California to Louisiana. Do you remember what company you used to move?

I'll consider selling some of my older furniture and just purchasing new stuff in time. That would actually help pay for the move in itself.

Employer paying for the move......mm....that would be awesome.

Louisiana? Don't sell of the AC unit

The cargo boxes is similar to what I was mentioning, only difference is the company I was thinking of shipped the crates by rail.

Good luck with the move.
b

simmsimaging wrote:Louisiana? Don't sell of the AC unit

The cargo boxes is similar to what I was mentioning, only difference is the company I was thinking of shipped the crates by rail.

Good luck with the move.
b

It's hotter here I think, but there you get the humidity that we don't get. So, it will definitely take some getting used to.

Thanks Brett.

I live in Canada and I don't mind the heat at all, but Louisiana in the summer was without question the most insane heat I've ever felt. The humidity was unreal!


b

I've lived in Louisiana, Texas, and a short time up in Colorado. You can not compare temperatures without adding in that humidity. It can be absolutely suffocating. Walking outside to the trash and back will cause little sweat to pop up on your forehead even though you did no physical activity whatsoever basically.

Anyways, for the moving, if it's going to be 5000 for a company and 2400 to do it yourself I'd say bite the bullet and pay for the company. It sounds like alot, but the hassel and peace of mind you save from not having to do all the packing, loading, driving, unloading yourself in priceless.

That is unless you're like my parents and rely on the back of their (at the time) 22 year old son. Ugh.

I wonder if the best is not to own any furniture at all... you can buy very cheap furniture these days.. when I arrived to CA, I bought almost all from garage sales.. really good prices.... , and then when you move, you just trash all.. so all I have is a couple suitcases... travel light is my motto..

I've already got a couple classifieds going for ALOT of our furniture so we'll see how light I can make this move

Thanks again everyone.