When To Hire A Moving Company Vs. Doing It Yourself.
- American National Movers
- May 5
- 3 min read
Hiring movers is usually worth it, especially if you have a lot of stuff or are moving across multiple states. Specialized long distance moving companies can make your relocation fast and easy. However, in some instances, investing in a mover is not worth it; this article will guide you in deciding to hire movers vs doing it yourself:
Is It Cheaper To Hire Movers Or Rent A Truck?
In simple dollars‑and‑cents, renting a U‑Haul is almost always cheaper upfront than hiring full‑service movers. Yet that gap narrows (and sometimes disappears) once you factor in the hidden costs of a DIY haul:
Long Distance Moves Add up.
Many people get a price shock after contacting a major brand for a state-to-state relocation because of their high average costs. Once a haul exceeds 100–150 miles, fuel, tolls, and lodging inflate the cost of a self‑move. We routinely see DIY budgets break $3,500 for 1,000‑mile trips—just a few hundred shy of an affordable carrier like American National Movers (avg. $4,500).
Unexpected Fees.
When people consider renting a truck over hiring movers, they overlook expenses like fuel, tolls, packing materials, mileage, and hotel stays. If your haul is over 1,000 miles, you can expect to pay an average cost of $3,500 for a self-move—sometimes more. You can read more about this in an article we published explaining fees U-Haul does not tell you about.
Truck Rental Availability.
If a truck rental company has limited availability, they will charge you a higher base rate to utilize their vehicle. This will push the costs to rent a truck and self-move to $4,000 or more. At that point, you are better off contacting an affordable moving company like American National Movers, which has an average cost of $4,500 for an out-of-state haul.
When Is It Cheaper to Do The Move Yourself?
Sometimes, doing the haul yourself or selling furniture and buying new things is more economical. Here is what to know:
Small State to State Moves.
Long hauling only boxes or a few pieces of furniture is not worth it if the items do not hold sentimental value or if the costs of long distance movers outweigh the value of your items. There are cheaper freight shipping options via FedEx or UPS, usually cheaper for small shipments moving between states.
Short Distance Relocations.
If you're moving within the same state or the mileage of your haul is below 100 miles, renting a truck is way cheaper than hiring movers. If you have enough helping hands, renting a 15-20ft truck can cost under $1,000.0.
Value Of Household Goods.
If you are moving a few pieces of furniture or have cheap items, you might want to avoid transporting the things altogether. If the items you want to haul have sentimental value and you're not a senior, then renting a truck and doing the work yourself is ideal. Consider affordable long distance movers if you can't live without the items but expect to pay a minimum of $2,800.
Hiring Movers Vs DIY: A Quick Decision Guide.
Still on the fence on whether you should hire movers or do the move yourself? Use this quick-scan checklist below. The more green checkmarks you see, the more a full‑service mover will likely be cost-effective and save you time and stress. A row of blue checks signals a do‑it‑yourself move could be your budget‑friendly match.
Bottom Line:
Hire Movers: if you have a reasonable amount of household goods and are relocating longer than normal distances. Professional out of state movers are, at times, affordable and know how to handle your furniture safely and efficiently.
GO DIY: It doesn't make financial sense to invest in a moving company if traveling between multiple states or across the country with a very small load. The cost will likely exceed the value of your furniture and will not be worth it.
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