A Do-It-Yourself Move versus a Full-Service Move

Choosing the type of move is a critical decision, as it can greatly affect the overall success or failure of your upcoming move.  For the majority of moves, there is the do-it-yourself move (also called a truck rental move) or a full-service move.  So how do you know which type of move to choose?  Read below to find out the advantages and disadvantages of each. 

Do-it-yourself move
If money is an issue, then a do-it-yourself move will certainly be the cheapest method of moving.  With a do-it-yourself move, you simply pay for the truck rental plus any extras such as gas, insurance and one-way rental fees (if applicable).  Just make sure to review the rental contract before signing, as you don’t want to be surprised with any hidden charges such as extra mileage or a drop-off fee if you drop off the vehicle after hours. 

Since you will be responsible for all of the packing, unpacking, loading and unloading the vehicle, make sure you have an adequate team of volunteers to assist you.  If not, you might regret your choice of going it alone with a do-it-yourself move.  After all, you might save yourself a couple thousand dollars, but it’s not worth it if you injure your back.  You’ll also need to be able to take off a few days of work with a do-it-yourself move.

And not only will you pack, unpack, load and unload the truck by yourself and with a group of volunteers, you’ll be responsible for driving the truck. But even if you’ve never driven a truck before, the truck rental company will instruct you in how to operate the truck. 

Full-service move
With a full-service move, you’ll pay more money than you would for a do-it-yourself move, but it might be worth it if you don’t have to worry about loading, unloading and driving the truck.  You can even pay the moving company to pack and unpack your belongings.  However, if you’re on a tight budget, you might want to think twice about this type of move prior to signing on the dotted line.