Moving is a proven stressful endeavor. Whether you’re simply moving down the street or relocating your entire household to another state, you’ll be guaranteed a couple of headaches during the process.
One of the greatest burdens of moving is the financial aspect of it. Without warning, the expenses can easily escalate out of control. Hiring movers might even cost you more. Fortunately, you have the option of labor-only help.
Labor-only help offers professional services for packing, loading, and unloading household and valuable items. Even full-service moving companies offer labor services only to pack and unpack boxes, furniture, and appliances. It’s a good way to save while still making your move more manageable.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to know first before enlisting such service.
What Should I Do Before Hiring Labor-Only Help?
Do you hire labor-only help right away when preparing for a move? Check out this to-do list before hiring help.
- Assess your home: Make an inventory of the things you want to bring on your move. Most items you own, such as outdated clothes and shoes, old textbooks, and bulky furniture, are no longer practical to move. Take stock of the things you need to donate, sell, or throw in the dumpster.
- Make a list of the items for professional packing: Start by listing things you need help packing. These include specialty items like antiques, fine art, breakables, appliances, piano, and furniture. Pack the things that you can. Books and clothes are easy to pack so you can do them.
- Get the appropriate insurance coverage: If you’re moving valuables like jewelry, a grand piano, or a china display case, you’ll need special help for packing. However, professional packers have limited liability for your valuables. Confer with your insurance provider about the correct type of insurance coverage to get for a particular item.
Why Should I Hire a Labor-Only Help?
Hiring a professional packer may cost you money, so you might opt for a self-service move. While self-service moving may save you money, hiring a professional packer gives value to your money.
Better control for your move
Instead of feeling pressured for packing, hiring a professional packer gives you better control of your time and sanity. If you’re a career person or have a small child at home, you can’t get together enough time to devote to packing.
Flexible schedule
Moving soon? No worries. Hiring a packer allows you enough time to pack the things you want to do on your own without having to think about the other items. Just check as they go, so you’re aware of what they’re packing.
Safety
Professional packers have more experience handling large furniture and fragile fixtures. Getting professional help minimizes accidents and damage to your essential things.
What Services Do Labor-Only Help Offer?
You can choose from various services that labor-only help offers to their clients.
Packing and unpacking
Packing your home in boxes is a daunting task, especially if you’re moving for the first time. If you’re a full-time employee or have small children to care for, hiring professional help cuts the stress and the hassle. While you can pack some items, leave the bulkier and more fragile items to professionals to protect them better for transit.
Unpacking may cause more hassle than packing, especially if you don’t know what goes where. Having professional help for unpacking cuts the time so you can settle more efficiently in your new home.
Assembly and disassembly
It is better to hire professionals for packing bulky furniture like couches and beds or fragile furniture like a piano or fixtures like a chandelier. Your items will also get better protection as these people have more experience of packing for a move.
Other packers also have experience disassembling and assembling your electronics, such as your smart TV and sound system. Instead of figuring out how to assemble them, hiring a professional keeps things convenient.
Loading and unloading the truck
If you don’t have enough muscle power, hiring professional labor-only help for loading and unloading the moving truck is easier, especially if you have lots of bulky furniture. Moving to a multiple-story building without an elevator poses another issue that professional help can address.
How Do You Calculate Labor-Only Help Costs?
Labor-only help in the DFW area costs an average of $60-$80 per hour for a team of two. Other factors that may affect cost are:
- Extra labor
- Items to be moved
- Location and placement of the move
- Extra services
- Specialty items
How to Hire a Labor-Only Help
Contact a local moving company to hire labor-only help for packing and unpacking your household articles. Get a quote from at least two companies to compare their costs and services. If a friend or relative recently moved, ask for a reference for the moving services. Also, check customer reviews and ratings of the company you’re planning to hire.
Cheer Up. You Got This!
Are you still stressing about your impending move? Don’t worry. These practical tips will help you decide whether to hire labor-only help for packing your things. Check out resources like Yelp or BBB for help in finding the right company within your area to facilitate the move.