{"id":1404,"date":"2025-07-16T15:59:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T20:59:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/?p=1404"},"modified":"2025-12-12T10:04:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T15:04:10","slug":"hidden-costs-of-diy-moves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/hidden-costs-of-diy-moves\/","title":{"rendered":"Hidden Costs of DIY Moves: How Hiring a Professional Mover Actually Saves You Money"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Moving to a new home is an exciting\u2014but potentially expensive\u2014experience. Because budget is a concern for many Chicago Area residents, they often weigh their anticipated moving costs against the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/moving-services-cost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cost of hiring movers<\/a>. Unfortunately, due to the hidden costs of DIY moves, it\u2019s very difficult to accurately estimate how much you\u2019ll spend on professional movers versus DIY moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So then, how do you determine whether moving yourself or hiring movers will be easier on your wallet? It starts by getting to know the hidden DIY moving costs you\u2019ll likely incur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hidden Fees and Costs of DIY Moves<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you first start thinking about your moving budget, one of the first questions you\u2019ll have to answer is: <em>Is it cheaper to move yourself or hire movers?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best way to answer this question for many people is to obtain estimates from local moving companies to get an idea of their pricing, and to compare their price ranges against the cost of moving yourself. As you calculate your DIY moving costs, though, you\u2019ll need to be aware of some hidden fees in DIY moving that are easily missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Equipment Rentals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people might think of their main DIY move equipment as the rental truck. Even if you have a large enough car to handle some of your boxes, chances are you\u2019ll need to rent a truck to accommodate big furniture like your beds, couches, tables, and chairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually, renting a moving truck isn\u2019t as simple or inexpensive as paying a one-time fee. There might be hidden and unexpected costs that can add up due to many factors, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>Truck size.<\/em><\/strong> The bigger the truck, the more expensive the rental fee.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Pickup and drop-off locations.<\/em><\/strong> There might be an additional fee if you pick up the truck from one location and drop it off after your move.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Dates.<\/em><\/strong> Some truck rental companies have different rates on weekends versus weekdays, and you could incur additional fees if you have to change your dates after placing the order or picking up the truck.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Mileage.<\/em><\/strong> You\u2019ll be charged per mile you put on the truck\u2019s odometer, and in a huge metropolitan area like Chicago, a cross-town move can really rack up the mileage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Taxes.<\/em><\/strong> You likely won\u2019t see the estimated tax for your rental truck until you\u2019re deep into the check-out process on your rental company\u2019s website. This can add a huge sum to your total truck rental bill.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Additional fees.<\/em><\/strong> Many truck rental services will add costs to your final bill, such as insurance, protection plans, and cleaning fees that you might not anticipate when you\u2019re estimating your DIY moving costs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of all of those hidden fees, you\u2019ll also be charged for using any equipment that\u2019s conveniently located on the truck, like moving blankets, dollies, boxes, tape, and shrink wrap. These costs add up quickly, so if you\u2019re considering a DIY move, be sure to dive deeply into the hidden costs of renting a truck and moving yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Potential Damages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another unexpected DIY moving cost is to fix or replace anything that\u2019s damaged during your move. There\u2019s a lot that can happen during the moving process: someone might drop a box, furniture might bang together in the truck, or you might dent a wall or scratch a floor at your old or new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Damage prevention and protection is one of the largest benefits of hiring professional movers. In addition to having a crew that\u2019s been specially trained on packing, wrapping, carrying, and safely loading and unloading a moving truck, you\u2019ll also be covered by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/moving-insurance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">moving insurance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The coverage you select before your professional movers begin your move will determine how any damage is addressed after the move. However, this coverage means that you won\u2019t be entirely on the hook for damages to your home\u2019s inventory or the home itself. In other words, this is one of the ways hiring professional movers can actually save you money in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Time <\/strong>Investment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Although it\u2019s not necessarily a financial factor, your precious time is, in fact, one of the hidden fees in DIY moving. Organizing a move takes weeks of planning and a ton of time. Here\u2019s a short list of just some of the tasks you\u2019ll need to tackle:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Source and rent your moving truck<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Source <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisoldhouse.com\/moving\/how-to-find-free-packing-supplies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free or wallet-friendly packing supplies<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Text every single friend and family member for help<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pack up your entire home<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pick up the truck on the way to the move<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Schlep heavy items from your old home to the truck, and then from the truck into your new place<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Return the truck after the move<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Address any damage to your belongings or property<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of all that, you\u2019ll have to account for the expense of pizza and beer needed to bribe your buddies to help you move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, this task list is daunting, and yes, it\u2019s another one of the benefits of hiring professional movers. A great moving company will take care of the truck, packing, wrapping, schlepping, and any damage that might\u2019ve happened. Plus, some of them will even drop off <a href=\"https:\/\/boxbeaters.com\/2025\/06\/12\/resuable-moving-crates-make-your-move-easier\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rental plastic moving totes<\/a> before your move and pick them up afterwards, so you have an easy and eco-friendly moving experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Much Does it Cost to Hire Professional Movers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s face it: there are a lot of unexpected and hidden costs of moving yourself that will rack up your overall bill. No one likes surprise expenses, so for many Chicagoans, hiring professional movers is more budget-friendly than a DIY move. Each move is unique, so there\u2019s no universal answer to how much your move will cost, but you can find average <a href=\"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/cost-to-move-a-2-bedroom-apartment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">costs for moving a two-bedroom apartment<\/a> and other common home sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the reasons many people choose professional movers over DIY moves is the formal estimate. Basically, you\u2019ll fill out an interactive estimate form on the moving company\u2019s website. The form will walk you through each room of your home so you can enter your furniture items, guesstimated quantity of boxes, and key information about your move, like the addresses, flights of stairs (if applicable), and preferred moving date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, you\u2019ll get a custom estimate from the mover. This should detail the number of people on the crew, estimated hours to complete the move, and travel time. The best movers in Chicago also itemize any additional costs, such as piano moving fees, oversized item fees, and materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that an estimate is not a guarantee of pricing, and the more accurate the information you provide, the more accurate the estimate will be. When you\u2019re equipped with an estimate and a great move crew, hiring professional movers can save you money over moving yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t Get Surprised by Unexpected DIY Moving Costs. Let Us Handle Your Move!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re not just a group of awesome movers\u2014we\u2019re your partner in planning your budget-friendly move. Our estimates are clear and transparent, so you\u2019ll know exactly what costs to expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t let the hidden fees in DIY moving sink your budget. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/contact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Contact us<\/a> today for a custom estimate for your upcoming move!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Moving to a new home is an exciting\u2014but potentially expensive\u2014experience. Because budget is a concern for many Chicago Area residents, they often weigh their anticipated moving costs against the cost of hiring movers. Unfortunately, due to the hidden costs of DIY moves, it\u2019s very difficult to accurately estimate how much you\u2019ll spend on professional movers [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":1405,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,184,21,27],"tags":[260,8,23,22],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1404"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1404"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1407,"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1404\/revisions\/1407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.move-tastic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}