Moving to Richmond, VA or the metro area? Maybe you’re buying a new home, recently married or divorced and relocating, or maybe you are moving for a new job. There are many reasons people relocate and in addition to the unending list of things to do to get everything you own from your current place to your new residence – you probably have a ton of questions and concerns.
How much do Richmond, VA movers cost? This is a tough question to answer because relocation expenses depend on so many factors and your unique needs. The average moving cost in the US is between $25 and $50 per hour, per mover, but your rates may be different if you are moving cross-country, require additional services, or have a large volume of belongings to move.
This article offers everything you need to know to come up with a relocation budget including the cost of living in Richmond so you know whether you can afford to live in the city.
We’re offering tips about the cost of local Richmond, VA movers, with relocations within 50-100 miles of the metro area. Local moves are generally completed in one day and are quoted on an hourly rate. If you’re moving cross-country or long-distance, your job will most likely be quoted as a flat rate price.
Factors That Affect Your Moving Costs in Richmond
When you call a Richmond moving company for a quote, you’ll be asked a bunch of questions that help us generate an accurate estimate for the services you need. No two moves are the same, so the only way to get the rates for moving expenses is to understand the details of the move.
Local movers typically charge an hourly rate. The longer your move takes, the more your move costs. So if you get a quote of $50 per hour and it takes 8 hours, you’d be looking at $400. Professional relocation companies can estimate how long a move takes to get an accurate moving quote by understanding the following details of your move:
Relocation Distance
Are you making a local move (under 100 miles) or a long distance move? The distance the movers travel is factored into the price.
Number of Items
People moving from a studio apartment to a new residence will pay less than someone moving the contents of a 5-bedroom home. The more furniture and boxes you have to relocate, the higher the cost.
Access to Property
Whether or not the relocation experts can easily access your current or new home is a factor in the quote, too. For example, if the moving truck can part directly in front of the home to unload your belongings, you’ll pay less than if the truck has to park a block away.
Disassembly and Assembly of Furniture
Some things must be disassembled before they can be moved. Your costs will reflect the added time and effort if you have items to disassemble and reassemble upon arrival at the new home.
Supplies and Packing
If you decide to have your relocation company pack all of your belongings into boxes and unpack it at the new home, you’ll pay for that time and service. Also, you are billed if the movers are providing boxes, packing materials, and bubble wrap.
Stairs and Elevators
Movers can get your items up and down stairs or use an elevator, but both will cost more than a first floor move because it takes more time to navigate the stairwell or wait for the elevator.
Specialty Items or Antiques
People relocating with pianos, excessive fragile items, or antiques will pay more than someone who doesn’t need the specialty moving equipment or care required to transport those specialty items.
Packing everything yourself can lower your relocation expenses, but it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing option. You can also pack your easy items and leave the harder stuff like your grandmother’s antique dishes or the heirloom piano to the experts.
Full Service Movers vs. DIY Moving in Richmond
If you’re trying to decide between a do-it-yourself move or hiring full service Richmond movers, make sure you know what’s involved in a DIY move. Trying to relocate everything yourself is exhausting and stressful, and at times it can even end up costing you more than reliable, affordable movers in Richmond.
Not only does hiring a full service relocation team reduce your stress and help you avoid injury from heavy lifting, but working with movers may actually be your most cost-effective option. When you do it alone, you’re still renting a moving truck or two, filling it with gas, paying per mile, and begging friends and family to help you lug everything out of your current home into the truck (and then out of the truck and into your new home when you get there!) You may need to buy or rent dollies to help move heavy furniture, and the moving supplies often cost more when you purchase them yourself versus buying the supplies directly from your relocation experts.
Despite the upfront costs, don’t forget about the potential savings from hiring professional moving companies. Just think how much it will cost to replace broken furniture, televisions, or scratched walls and floors if the kids or your friends are helping you move?
Average Moving Costs in Richmond | Richmond, VA Moving Estimates
The average relocation cost in Richmond depends on how long it takes to complete the move. Local moving quotes typically consist of an hourly rate for a set number of movers, with the standard quote including a two-person moving team. If you have more items than the average person, you can always request a larger relocation team at a higher price but it can reduce the number of hours it takes to finish the move.
You can estimate the cost of Richmond movers by multiple the hourly rate we quote you by the estimated number of hours needed to complete your relocation. Then, add in any of the extra services you request, like packing supplies or furniture assembly.
If you are moving out of the area, out of the state, or cross country, that is a long-distance move and you will get a binding moving quote.
Tips to Make Your Richmond Relocation More Affordable
If you’re like most people, you want to know how you can reduce your cost of moving in Richmond. Here’s a list of possible things you can do to lower your relocation expenses:
Declutter
Many people have a ton of stuff lying around that you don’t need, don’t use, and don’t even really want. So don’t move it! Take the opportunity to get rid of anything that you don’t need to keep before the move.
Do Your Own Packing
If you can, put everything in boxes yourself and label the boxes instead of hiring movers to do it. You can also unpack everything at your new home to save money.
Prepare Furniture and Electronics
Before your reliable moving company arrives, take apart your furniture or anything that needs disassembling prior to moving, and unplug all of your electronics and wrap up their cords for easy transport.
Help Direct Movers at the New Home
Don’t make the crew guess where you want everything once we arrive at your new location. Let us know exactly where you want each item as it’s brought into your new home.
Finally, make sure you have drinks and snacks available for your team. This actually may contribute to cost savings because your team maintains their strength and energy, doesn’t get dehydrated or worn out too quickly, and can complete the job faster than a team that is hungry and thirsty.
How To Choose a Richmond Moving Company
Here’s a quick checklist for choosing a high-quality, professional moving company:
- Check out Google and Yelp reviews
- Verify company experience (number of moves, number of years in the business)
- Ensure company is licensed and insured
- Check that the company has well maintained moving trucks and proper moving equipment to protect your items
On The Fly Moving Guys are family-owned and operated, licensed, and insured. We received 4.9 out of 5-star ratings on our Google reviews.
Additional Richmond Moving Tips
We know you’re excited about moving to your new home – so here’s a list of tips for the last-minute details you should know before you get started!
Should you tip the Richmond movers?
It’s customary to tip about $25 per mover or 18-20% of the final moving cost that the team splits.
Where can I find out what Richmond utilities cost?
Check out this guide for utilities.
Ultimate Richmond Moving Checklist
Click here for our ultimate Richmond moving guide.
We’re ready to get you into your new home! When you’re ready to get your moving quote, call Richmond, VA movers or fill out our form online today.
