For some, the answer is obvious as to whether or not they could (or should) move their items themselves or hire a professional. But there are many reasons why one may weigh their pros and cons when considering to hire a professional or do it themselves. We’ve laid it all out below so that you can get the most full picture of what the benefits are and what the drawbacks can be of both doing it yourself and hiring a professional, starting with what is first on everyone’s mind:
The Cost
Pro: DIY moving is cheaper.
Con: But that isn’t a guarantee you won’t spend more money.
Paying a Melbourne furniture removals company to take your furniture out of the home isn’t cheap. Many will find themselves sinking hundreds of dollars in order to have their items removed from the home and loaded into a moving truck.
But here’s the thing: they’re professionals. Here’s what can happen if you do not have professionals moving you furniture:
- Friends and family members may damage or break your items by dropping them or bumping them.
- Friends and family members may leave holes, scratches, dents, and other damages throughout the home as they attempt to inexpertly move your furniture (meaning you have to pay for repairs).
- Friends and family members may be unfamiliar with how to remove certain speciality items from the home. This may result in you leaving the item behind, which will not only cost you the replacement but your landlord or the new homeowner can charge you for its removal.
- b) Those helping you move may sustain an injury which you will then be liable or feel responsible for paying their health care costs.
Bottom line: unless everything goes to plan, then you may find yourself paying a lot more than you would if you hire a removal company. Be careful who you sign up to help, and review how to properly lift and move furniture with them prior whenever possible. If a job seems to risky, call a professional.
The Distance
Pro: Hiring your own moving truck is convenient.
Con: You have to drive it yourself.
There’s no question that hiring your own moving truck (though there will be limitations on the size depending on your driver’s license) is less expensive than hiring a removal company, but think about this:
After a long day of moving, is driving a truck you’re unfamiliar with for hours and hours on end to try and meet a deadline your dream? If this is how you picture your ideal move, then you’re set. But for most of us, after a day of moving, all we want is to unwind with a cool beverage and a sigh of relief.
Driving across town won’t be physically taxing on you, but driving for more than a couple of hours after already moving a lot of furniture can make you miserable. Calculate how much your happiness is worth to you versus your finances before immediately signing up to move your own furniture – which you may not be able to move by yourself depending on how much you’re bringing with you.