We all know that moving doesn’t come for free. On the contrary, it can be quite costly. Whether it is a DIY moving or with hiring a professional company, the cost depends on more than a few things. In general, the number of possessions, weights, and moving distances are major things that influence the moving cost. You can get away with less if you are doing a small local moving. However, for long-distance moving, you will need more. On the other side, there are a couple of less obvious things that go hand in hand with each moving. These are some hidden costs of moving to NY you should be aware of if you want a more accurate plan for moving within a budget.
What are the hidden costs of moving to NY?
If you are planning to rent an apartment in New York or even buy one and move there permanently, the first thing you should learn is how to stay on budget. People often forget the importance of long-term planning and end up in some pretty difficult situations later on. It is the essential skill to master in New York, no matter how big your savings are. Since everything has to start from somewhere, your NY moving adventure should start with getting yourself familiar with some of the hidden costs of moving to NY.
How much money should we spend on a moving company?
Make sure not to fall into the category of people who think that cheaper is always better. In reality, it’s usually quite the opposite. Especially when it comes to choosing the moving company. Don’t take any risks, always choose a respectable company like Tik Tok Moving and Storage Queens, or similar professional movers. They don’t offer you just the service of moving, there is a lot more behind the price they charge. You will be sure your possessions are handled properly and you will have the insurance. In case something bad happens, you won’t lose your nerves, time, or money for dealing with the situation. All those hard-working people are professionals, and they probably have more skills and experience than you when it comes to moving. It is a worthwhile investment in the long run.
Be cautious when packing
Even if this is the fifth moving episode of your life, every time you ask yourself “Should I pack myself or should I hire professionals?” It’s a really tough one to answer because the solution for this can be different for different occasions. For example, if you are not really sure if you can do it, or you simply have a tight schedule, then it’s probably better to have your belongings packed by professionals. However, if you moved recently, but it happens that you need to move again, then you can handle it yourself. The chances are you may still have some boxes and other supplying materials left from the previous moving. Supplies like:
- Moving boxes
- Bags
- Covers
- Packing tape
- Ropes
Just be cautious not to fall in the endless pit of buying unnecessary supplies for it can cost you a lot in the long run.
Getting your security deposit back is not always easy
Living in the same space for a certain amount of time can cause damage to the place. Let’s be real, it will happen, whether we want it or not. And we are more prone to overlook it than to fix it. For example, living with kids in apartments can be a reason why we have scratches and holes in walls. It’s a pretty common thing and it’s all part of the children’s play, more or less. However, when we are moving from that place to another, we usually forget to fix those small things. And some landlords will use it as a reason to not to give us our deposit back. In a way, they are right. We should leave the place in the same order we found it. So, make sure to check everything when you are moving in and moving out.
Stairs and big items can be a problem
Loading and unloading your heavy stuff like big furniture can increase your moving costs. For instance, many companies can charge you extra if they have to deal with long stairs when moving your furniture. You may have an elevator in your new building but your bed just won’t fit in. In that case, they will have to tug your bed by hand and charge you more for doing so. The same goes for exceptionally heavy items like pool table, grand piano, and similar. Be sure to do your inventory list, measure everything before a moving day, and have your moving estimate done on the spot.
You may need to rent a storage space
Living in NYC often means better income for you, but bigger expanses as well. For this reason, you will most likely rent a smaller place to start. That leaves you with some of your belongings not being possible to fit into your new apartment. If that’s the case, you will have to rent a storage unit to store some of your items. Either get rid of your extra stuff or be ready to pay an additional monthly fee for storage service.
Moving insurance can be one of the hidden costs of moving to NY
Let’s say you are moving by yourself and you have a minor accident. Some of the items in the back of your moving vehicle can be damaged by this accident. With not having the proper insurance for your belongings it can cost you quite a lot. Especially if some of your belongings are valuable instruments like the piano. In general, you are saving some money with DIY moving but you end up with a huge cost of piano repairing bills. To avoid situations like this, get moving quotes from some of the moving companies and check about the proper insurance policies they are offering. In case you need the additional insuring options for particularly sensitive items like artworks, you can discuss it with movers. Better safe than sorry.
Parking place on a moving day may cause some hidden costs of moving to NY
Depending on the borough regulations in the particular neighborhood you are moving to, it is possible you will have to pay for the parking space on your moving day. If your apartment is in a place which is hard to reach with a moving truck, you will have to pay for a parking space, or even a permit until unloading is over.
Always scout ahead before the moving day, so something like this doesn’t surprise you. It’s not like you are going to save much by knowing all the hidden costs of moving to NY. However, it will not catch you off guard, and you will have plenty of time to prepare.
