How Much Does it Cost to Move a Five (5) Bedroom House?

Relocation is an incredibly stressful venture. There are many factors to consider and a variety of options open to you to complete your move. If you are moving the contents of a five bedroom house, you may be curious how much different moving services will cost you.

The average cost of moving a five bedroom house can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $21,000 -- depending primarily on if the move is local or long distance.

This guide will provide you some background information about different moving options and the typical costs associated with them for a large, five bedroom home.

Hiring a full-service moving company

If the thought of managing the entire venture on your own is staggering, you may be considering paying the extra money to hire professional movers. The exact amount you ultimately pay will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to: the distance of your move, the special services you require and the company you choose. While you should always get an in-home estimate from any company you are considering for hire, the following will give you an idea of what to expect.

• Local moves: Moves less than 100 miles are considered local moves. Local movers typically charge by the hour and the amount of workers needed for labor. A five bedroom house will likely require about four movers, with an hourly rate of about $150 to $170 an hour. Your total cost will vary depending on the distance of your move and added travel time, but a five bedroom house will usually take about twelve hours to move. This will put your cost at about $1,800 to $2,000 for labor alone.

Be sure to ask your movers detailed questions about these services and inquire about others you might need to prevent surprise extra charges come moving day. Make sure you divulge all pertinent information about your current home and your new home when getting an estimate for a more accurate quote.

• Long-distance moves: Long-distance moves refer to any move over 100 miles. Unlike local moves, costs are calculated not by the hour, but on the weight of your goods, the distance the movers will be traveling, the cost of extra services and possibly additional insurance. While prices will vary from one moving company to the next, the following table will help give you an idea of a standard range:

You may also be charged extra fees for special services and supplies. Some examples include:

1. 1. Moving items up and down stairs: A five bedroom house is likely to have several floors, including a basement and an attic. Make sure you notify movers of all stairs in both your old home and new home, as well as anything you'll need moved up or down them.
      
      
   2. Long carries: Movers can charge extra for significant distances they have to carry your goods. If you have a large property with no parking close to your home's entrance, you might be charged this fee.
      
      
   3. Disconnecting or dissembling: Any appliances will need to be disconnected in your old house and reconnectded in the new home. Likewise, furniture will be disassembled and then reassembled after move in.
      
      
   4. Shuttle service: When goods need to be transferred to a smaller truck because the larger truck cannot fit down your street, park near your home, or exceeds the allotted weight limit, the movers will use a shuttle.
      
      
   5. Specialty items: Moving specialty items such as a piano or gun safe requires additional equipment.
      
      
   6. Storage: Large homes have an increased volume of goods, and you may opt to temporarily stow some of it in storage.
      
      
   7. Packing services: If you don't have the time to pack and wrap all of your possessions and many rooms' worth of furniture, you can pay the movers to do it (usually an additional hourly charge plus the cost of materials).
      
      
   8. Packing supplies: Unless you purchase your own supplies, the movers may charge you for boxes, tape or furniture pads.

Keep in mind these amounts are only estimates used as an example. Your home's weight may exceed or be less than 10,000 pounds depending on how much furniture and other possessions you have. You may also need extra services that are not included in these numbers. Acquiring several on-site estimates from long-distance movers will provide you with a more accurate price for your move.

Hiring movers just to drive the truck

If you are looking to save money without handling the entire move alone, you may want to hire a "you pack, we drive" moving service. They will deliver the trailer to your home so you can pack up your belongings at your leisure. Then the movers will pick up the unit and deliver it to your new location.

Without the cost of labor, your expenses will be lower, and you won't have to worry about the task of driving a cumbersome moving truck. Additionally, if you don't have to drive the truck, you can drive your own car to your new home, which will save you money on auto transport. Gas costs are also included in the rates. Below are some standard quotes from the company U-Pack:

Many of these services specialize in long distance moves. If you are looking for a similar option for your local move, PODs is a company that operates locally. They do not provide online quotes on their website, but you can quickly fill out their form to have a representative contact you with a quote.

Doing the entire move yourself

Handling the move yourself -- taking care of all packing, loading and transporting -- is usually the most affordable option. However, a five bedroom home is going to have a large volume of goods and an increased amount of furniture. This is going to take a great deal of time to tackle by yourself. However, if you can take sufficient time off from work and/or friends and relatives to assist you, it might not be that hard to complete. 

If you are considering a DIY move for your five bedroom home, here are some of the possible costs you will incur:

• Truck rental: If you don't have access to a large truck of your own or a friend willing to lend one to you, you will have to rent a U-Haul or another brand of moving truck. Prices vary depending on the size of trailer you will need and the distance you will be traveling.
  
  A 26' U-Haul is suggested for a five bedroom house move and will cost a flat fee of $39.95 for the day plus $1.99 for every mile traveled. You may also be required to purchase fuel, as some rental companies ask you to return the truck with a half tank of gas.
  
  
• Packing supplies: The more goods you have to pack, the more expensive purchasing supplies will be. Costs for five bedroom packing kits range from $300 to $400 on moving supply websites depending on your needs.
  
  These often include only boxes, tape and packing paper; bubble wrap, furniture pads, etc. may cost extra. For such a large move, you may feel like you're paying a fortune just to pack your things.
  
  Fortunately, you can save money on moving boxes by stopping in your local grocery or liquor store and asking if there are boxes they are throwing away. You can also use old towels or quilts in place of furniture pads or moving blankets.

Saving money on a five bedroom move

With a move this large, you'll want to cut corners where you can. Here are three ways to do that.

1. Downsize: The volume of your belongings is a major factor in hiking up the cost of your move. Before you begin the packing process, sort through your possessions and decide what you can bear to part with. Have a yard sale, donate to charity or just toss your unwanted items in the trash. Now that your load is lighter, you will have less to pack (save on packing supplies and labor). You'll also need a smaller truck (cheaper rental) or have a smaller bill from the moving company (less weight/less time to load).
   
   
2. Time your move: You may want to move in the summer because of the desirable weather or because your kids will be on summer break. However, many other customers have the same idea. Summer is a mover's busiest season, and prices will reflect this demand. If you opt to move in the fall or winter, you will be subject to lower rates and better deals.
   
   
3. Pack yourself: If you are opting to hire full-service movers, paying for them to pack all of your belongings can potentially increase your bill by several thousand dollars. Save some money by packing most of your belongings yourself, and paying the movers to pack/wrap your more difficult items -- like furniture, appliances, fragile glassware, china, mirrors or electronics. This way, you'll save money without compromising the professional assistance of packing your most important and valuable possessions.

Taking necessary precautions

Houses with five or more bedrooms will need special attention that other houses do no require. Be sure to notify the company, so they can send the correct number of crew members. A five bedroom house may also require two trucks instead of one.

If the moving crew is too small, it'll take longer to load and raise your bill. If the truck doesn't fit all of your belongings, it will take multiple trips. Avoid the hassle and increased rates by notifying them early.