Moving: Have You Thought of the Cost?

Relocating. When planning your relocation, you should always be prepared that it might involve more expenses than originally expected. This usually happens if the relocation is not planned very well, but sometimes even if it is. No matter what way of moving you are considering, whether moving on your own or hiring professionals, there are always some expenses included. In this text we will break them down to give you a general idea what to be prepared for. Now you are maybe asking, so what’s the problem then? Basically, there are two problems: in case of moving planned by people themselves, it is too easy to forget about all the additional tools, packaging material, transportation or the value of the time. But all these are related expenses you should count with. Likewise in case of moving with the help of a professional company, you might encounter problems related to wrong company choice, wrong price calculation, or undervaluation of all kinds of additional expenses that are necessary, but weren’t mentioned in the company’s bill. Basically, you have three main options how to realize your moving, as described in the first text of our series. What you have to decide is how much work you want or can do yourself: all the packing, loading, transporting and unloading can either be performed by the professionals, or by yourself. Or the gold mean is to hire a company offering a kind of a hybrid service. This is great if you feel you like to have more control over the whole process. The level of service provided may also differ: sometimes only the transportation is provided, in other cases you can also request loading, unloading and transport of things you have already packed.

What are all the related costs? When you are beginning to plan your relocation, the first step should be that you think about the budget. If you do this, you are on a great way to a well-planned relocation without any unpleasant surprises. Generally, there are four main categories of moving-related expenses: transportation of your stuff, packing of your stuff, transportation of you and your family, and finally the expenses related to the necessary arrangements during the first few days in your new home. The actual move. To begin with you have to calculate the cost of moving your stuff. So will you be moving on your own, or paying for a company? This is the crucial issue you have probably already decided. If a professional help is the way to go for you (we will bring some more tips on choosing the right company in one of the next articles), first contact them and ask for a written estimate of the price. It should be clear if the estimate presents a binding or nonbinding price – in other words whether the amount is final or if other fees may come up. Include the cost of tips – it’s generally around $25 per worker.

The work and its cost. Secondly, the cost of the labor that will do the packing and loading should be calculated - it may be the hired professionals, but also friends or family ready to help (it would be nice from you to at least buy them a dinner!), and also the value of your time, especially if you have to take some off work. Also don’t forget to calculate the cost of any necessary packaging material (boxes, bubble wrap, tapes etc.) and/or tools (i.e. dollies).

The transportation price. Thirdly, you have to calculate the price of the transportation for you and your family - either flights, train or bus ride, or the price of petrol, if you are planning to travel by car. Don’t forget to add the price of potential lodging, food and any entertainment you might be planning while travelling.

After you have moved: a fresh start Actually, when you see all the boxes with your things around, it’s difficult to realize all the issues and extra expenses related to the moving. A cable or telephone or other services may include some start-up fees for the initial connection. Another problem is groceries - you will have to do a lot of shopping to replace all the food you have probably emptied from the fridge and freezer before the moving. Then things you left behind such as different household equipment needs to be replaced. Or you just want to redecorate your new home a bit. It is always helpful to think first and write down the prices of all the necessary items to buy, so that the total sum doesn’t surprise you after the moving.

As a Vancouver real estate agent, I have always tried to help my clients even with this issue, therefore I would like to share with you some useful tips & tricks: 1) Always compare how much it would cost you to move a specific item against how much the item is when purchased new. You might be surprised by the result. 2) You might have a chance to get a relocation package from your new employer, if you are relocating because of a new job. 3) Just to make sure, save all the receipts connected to the moving, as it is possible to get a tax deduction in some cases.