How To Prepare Your Household Removals Budget

There’s one thing we surely know about moving house – it can get expensive. Moving costs add up day by day and can cause headaches, especially when you’re buying a new home. That’s why we’re here to help you out. We need to point out that the biggest problem with moving expenses is people not being prepared for the whole process. Most commonly, they are not aware of what are all the things they need to pay for, so they don’t financially prepare for this ‘adventure’. And when the time comes to pack and relocate, the reality hits and your wallet gets in trouble. So the best way to deal with financial challenges during a move is to prepare well. We have created a simple guide on how to prepare your household removals budget and have enough money for everything during this process.

Before you start planning your household removals budget…

… remember to be realistic. If you are accurate with the numbers and plan all the costs that will come your way, it will be much easier to control your moving finances. This way, you’ll know exactly what to expect, and can cut down on some costs if necessary.

Figure 1 Planning on time and a detailed moving estimate will keep you from overspending.

Planning the budget starts with an inventory list

Getting an accurate moving estimate is not possible without knowing exactly what you are moving. So, before you start any calculations, make sure you make an inventory list of your household. This is very important because most of the time people underestimate the size of their home, and once they start packing, it turns out that they have more boxes than expected.

Pro tip: Make sure you declutter your home completely before making the inventory list. If you get rid of all the clutter, you’ll have fewer things to pack and therefore pay less for household removal. Start on time, and say goodbye to all the unused, broken, or outdated items. However, don’t throw everything away. If an item is in a good condition but you don’t need it, try selling it online. And if there are a lot of items you want to part ways with, or simply re-purchase after you move into a new home – feel free to organise a garage sale. This way, you can even add some cash to your moving budget.

Should you DIY your move?

Many people decide to relocate their homes on their own, hoping it will save them a lot of money. However, this method can cost you even more if you’re inexperienced with packing and carrying heavy items. Damaged belongings and a back injury are very common scenarios of a DIY move, so maybe hiring a pro is not a bad idea after all to avoid these unpleasant moving situations. A reliable moving company will provide you with a detailed and clear moving estimate, so you can be sure of how much everything is going to cost.

However, if you decide to move by yourself, include these items when you prepare your household removals budget:

costs of renting a moving truck
petrol – you’ll need to cover the petrol you’ve spent and return the vehicle with the same amount of gas. The longer you travel, the more you’ll pay.
packing supplies – don’t forget to include all the packing supplies into your household removals budget. Moving boxes, packing paper, tape, markers, etc.
additional equipment – if you don’t have these in your home, you might need to rent a dolly and moving blankets. You can rent them from a moving company or buy them at a local hardware store.
insurance – it’s important to buy additional insurance when moving on your own. As we have mentioned, DIY moves are riskier, so you should have some protection.

Figure 2 Is a DIY move really the cheaper option?

Get an estimate of your move

When you want to prepare your household relocation budget, you want to know the exact price of the moving services. You can easily get an online estimate on a company website, and a more detailed calculation after you contact the company and ask for an in-house inspection. However, our advice is not to hire the first removals company you find online. To get the best price you can, it’s important to do a bit of research. Narrow your search to three favourites, and contact them to get the estimate. This way you can compare the pricing, maybe negotiate and get the best deal for your budget.

Figure 3 Making detailed plans and comparing moving companies will lead to the best deal for your house move.

What are the costs to expect when hiring a moving company?

To explain the moving costs a little bit better, we will list all the costs you can expect when hiring a moving company. These include:

the main fee – you’ll get a moving estimate that depends on the size of your home and the distance to the new address. This includes labour and petrol for the moving truck.
additional fees – every moving company has a unique list of base costs and additional costs. Make sure you show the moving representative all the items in your home and ask about optional charges. These may include specialty items packing and loading, additional floors in the building, dismantling big furniture, etc.
insurance – depending on the plan of your moving company, you can get a valuation coverage, which is not the same as insurance. We recommend purchasing some additional insurance, especially when moving the entire house and some valuable items.

Moving day

Finally, don’t forget the moving day and the money you’ll need to arrive at your new home. Depending on where’ you’re travelling, include petrol, a plane/train ticket, etc. Also, if you have a car, you might need to ship your vehicle – either through your moving company, or with the help of a specialised auto mover.

As you can see, moving costs certainly add up. That’s why it’s important to have enough time to prepare your household relocation budget. This way, you can save enough money and be ready for this exciting but expensive journey.