The Pros and Cons of DIY Moving vs. Hiring Professionals

If you are planning a big move, you may be feeling somewhat snowed under by the items on your to-do list. There are all sorts of practical details to consider as you get ready to move to another city or town, between the North and South Island – or even overseas.

While you may have moved before and learned a little something new each time, imagine if you had moved literally thousands of times – or if you could get some help from someone who has.

What if there was a local moving company with extensive experience that could assist with a dedicated packing and unpacking service,  storage, transit insurance options and event international pet transport that lets you relax once the door is closed on your old place and your treasured belongings are on their way across the country—or across the world?

Go Local For A Smooth Moving Service

Selecting a local moving company to help you smoothly transition from one home to the next or to place your household goods into storage has some great benefits. When you choose a local moving company, you can be certain that they are going to give you personalised service, and that they will be easy to contact should you need to alter your plans.

So, what are the pros and cons of hiring a moving company in general? Maybe you have always shifted your own things, and you are not sure it’s worth it to give up DIY moving and get a professional moving company to take care of getting you to your new location.

Read on as we discuss a few considerations that may lead you to reach for the phone or the contact form and let the experts take care of things for you.

Are There Advantages to DIY Moving?

So, what are the advantages of booking your own truck, trailer or container and hauling your own belongings? The decision to book a local moving company might come down to money; you may be looking to save time, or it could be that you can’t scare up enough mates to make a do-it-yourself move a viable option.

DIY Moving may be how you have always approached a shift, and there are certainly some perceived advantages to doing it yourself; let’s look at a few now.

Cost Savings

A DIY move may appear to be the cheaper option. You will plan the entire move and organise all the packing materials, including boxes, crates, bubble wrap, plastic wrap for larger items, and the tools and equipment you will need to get things safely from the house to the truck or container. 

You will probably need to rope in some mates to help, as these things tend to be a much larger undertaking than first realised. You should factor in cleaning supplies, a trip or two to the local refuse station, and potentially a couple of days of work, a lost weekend, or both.

While you may not be paying for professional help, you will still need some, so make sure you speak to your friends well in advance. Helping someone move is not generally at the top of anyone’s list of fun things to do at the weekend 😉  

Be sure to keep everyone fed and watered, plan who is heading to the dump and the fish and chip shop, and make sure there are at least two people in your DIY crew who can shift items like double wardrobes, beds, your lounge suite, and whiteware without injuring themselves.

Total Control

A house relocation is a big undertaking, and you may feel like doing it yourself will allow you to keep everything under control. You can set your own schedule, but be sure to choose a time that will fit around getting the help you need with the heavy lifting—and check the weather forecast.

Packing each box yourself means you can label and catalogue every item as you go, decide which things will go into the truck or shipping container yourself, and be certain that your toothbrush doesn’t disappear in transit. You will be able to take breaks whenever you want, and you can take care of all the customs requirements yourself if you are shifting overseas. 

It pays to spend a day or two familiarising yourself with your driving route, ensuring that ferries, flights, or shipping options align with the time it will take you to pack your house. Be sure to factor in some wriggle room in case one of your mates happens to be sick or needs to cancel at the last minute.

Letting a Professional Moving Company Take Over

So, while there are some perceived advantages to DIY moving, it will be easier, potentially cheaper, and definitely less stressful to select a local moving company to assist you with your relocation.

The Moving Company has all the tools, equipment, manpower, purpose-built furniture trucks, and experienced staff with the knowledge you need to get your belongings safely to your new destination, whether that be within New Zealand or overseas. We can pack everything for you, load it, ship it, and even arrange an unpacking service at the other end. We can also help you with the correct insurance for transiting within New Zealand or overseas.

If you are ready to make your move, get in touch now; let’s make things easy.