Moving your home involves a lot of steps, but one of them seems to confuse people the most. That is the final cost of the relocation. Since there are a lot of things to include, the total cost often remains unknown, yet you seem to pay a lot of money. That’s why it’s important to learn how to calculate overall moving costs and know your moving budget in detail. Here are some most important tips on how to manage your moving costs with ease.

Be realistic

In an attempt to calculate overall moving costs, people often refer to the average fees. Yes, you should be informed about it – to avoid potential frauds and scams. On average, a local moving process costs around $1250 whereas moving long-distance costs  $4,890. However, these are just average fees. You should be aware of the fact that every move is different, and each home or office is unique, so the costs vary with each one of them. Be realistic and know what you’re moving, so you know what to expect.

Start from the free estimate and work out the details

One of the best things to do when you need to calculate overall moving costs is to get a free estimate of your relocation. However, you should know this is often just a rough idea of your costs. The moving company needs to help you calculate the exact costs after you show them your items and include all the moving details.

Consider the number of items you have

This one is simple – the more moving boxes you have, the higher are the moving costs. Knowing the exact number of your items should be number one on your moving costs checklist. If you are trying to save money when moving, be sure to declutter your home and reduce the number of moving boxes.

Measure the distance

One of the key factors when trying to calculate overall moving costs is the distance between the old and the new home. Include all the travel fees – gas, additional travel costs, and labor fees.

Additional services

You should know that every company has different policies considering their services. That’s why you should know exactly what is included in the moving quote and what are additional services you might need. Of course, anything that’s not included in the main quote costs more, so be sure to find out all about it. When hiring a professional moving company this shouldn’t be a problem. Every reputable mover should present their services clearly and give you a detailed moving quote you’ll easily understand. If you are not sure whom to hire, get the best recommendations from a professional.

Specialty items

When trying to calculate overall moving costs, don’t forget to include the specialty items, too. Art pieces, pianos, chandeliers, hot tubs, etc. are difficult to pack and move, so these are specialty items in moving, and cost more than other regular items. So, if you have any of these, be sure to ask your moving company about the exact pricing and include it in the overall moving costs.