RENTING A TRUCK VS HIRING A MOVING COMPANY

It’s time to move home, however you need to figure out how you are going to move all your beloved items from location a to location b.

The question is, do you hire a Professional Moving Company or just call your buddies and rent a moving truck (U-Haul, Budget, Penske, etc.) and carry out a DIY house move?”

This is a “million-dollar” question and there is no single answer to it.

Renting a moving truck may seem like a real bargain, especially when you see those “Starting at 19.95 CAD” decals on U-Haul trucks, for example. The reality is not that rosy as it may seem at first. In fact, it can be a pretty exhausting process.

We have put this article together in hopes it will help people like you make an educated choice.

Renting a moving truck vs hiring professional movers is like “Cost vs Convenience” and “Your back vs Someone else’s”.

MOVING COMPANY

CONS:

1. Moving companies charge hourly, so you better plan your move ahead to avoid unnecessary delays, such as booking an elevator, secure parking space for a truck, pack everything in advance, etc.

2. Be aware of moving scam! Yes, some movers are not reliable. Those are typically the “low ballers”, the cheapest on the market. Do your homework and thoroughly research your moving company of choice.

PROS:

1. Full service package – some companies offer everything – packing, disassembling of your furniture, moving, unpacking and assembling of your furniture. Less work for you.

2. Moving Efficiency – Professional movers do this day in and day out. They will load their truck not wasting any space in it. They will secure the cargo properly to avoid damage to your belongings. The overall moving process will be much faster than if you were to rent a truck and DIY.

3. No driving safety risks for you – movers will drive their truck.

4. No severe injury risks for you, your friends and family helping you move – movers will do all the heavy lifting. Risk of severe injury to a professional mover is minimal as they are accustomed to this type of work.

5. Moving company will be liable for damages to your belongings during handling and transportation. Ensure your moving company offers that coverage (partial or full) with their services.

6. Excellent customer service from start to finish. In the event something unexpected happens, the movers will be responsible for providing a solution. Less stress for you to deal with.

RENTAL TRUCK

PROS:

1. It is cheaper to rent a moving truck, sometimes just a little cheaper than hiring a professional moving company.

2. Full Control – You have full control over your belongings at all times.

3. Time – there are no hourly fees, rental companies charge on a daily basis.

CONS:

1. Logistics – Weekends are expensive and the busiest time for rental companies, making it difficult to find a rental truck when the most friends will be available to help you

2. Hidden costs – fuel, truck insurance, mileage fees, buying/renting packing materials (such as quilted pads, tape, mattress bags, etc), moving equipment (such as dollies, straps, etc.), ordering pizza/drinks for your friends who helped you with the move)

3. Physical labour – you will need to do all the heavy lifting yourself risking injuries. What if it is your friend or a family member who gets injured during the move?

4. Your time (you will need to pick up the truck before the move and drop it off at the end of the move when you are exhausted). DIY move will take considerably longer than if hiring professional movers.

5. Risk of truck breakdown – Not all rental truck companies maintain their vehicles regularly. Most of rental trucks are old. Imagine truck breaks down in the middle of the move. You will have to wait several hours for new truck to arrive, then you will have to unload broken truck and load a replacement truck.

6. Cargo coverage – your cargo is not insured/protected. If something breaks in transit, it’s on you.

7. No customer service – due to stiff competition, rental truck companies focus on their product rather than customer service.

To make your life easier, we called rental truck companies and gathered some intel for you:

U-Haul – $30 for 8 hours, 80 cents each km or $70 and $8.75/hour
Budget – $130 for 8 hours, inclusive of 100km, 50 cents every excess km ($130 at $16.25/hour)
Penske – $100 for 24 hours, 50 cents per km ($125 at $5.21/hour)
Discount – $18.95 for cargo vans and $39.99 for cube vans with unlimited kms (Sunday to Thursday rates only, same day rentals)
Ryder – $50 for 24 hours, 90 cents each km

NOTES: TAXES AND INSURANCE NOT INCLUDED. COST OF TRUCK WILL VARY DEPENDING ON TRUCK SIZE

When choosing between a moving truck rental company or a professional moving company, you don’t need to toss a coin. By answering below questions, you will surely be in a better place and decide on what is best for you:

• How much is your cargo and how far are you going?
• Can you do it by yourself?
• How much can you spend?
• How much time do you have?

At the end of the day, it’s really basic. Renting a truck may be cheaper but:

• You have to do everything by yourself
• You will spend a lot $$$ on miscellaneous like mileage, insurance, moving equipment rental, moving labor, gas, food, drinks and maybe even lodging for long distance moves.
• Professional movers cost more, sometimes just a little bit more, but they can do everything for you or just some of it, depending on your preference.

If you would like assistance with your home move, please contact Sparta Movers today at 855-360-6683.

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