10 Hidden Costs of Moving Home

Moving home can be a stressful time for anyone, but what many people do not think about are the hidden costs involved in the process. There are many ways that the overall cost of your move can really start to add up, so here are a few of the main things to look out for if you want to try and keep the cost down.

1. Packaging

It is easy to underestimate just how many cardboard boxes and other types of packaging you will need in order to package everything up safely when moving home. If possible, try to hoard as many cardboard boxes as possible in the months leading up to the move to avoid having to fork out for extra packaging.

2. Cleaning the Property

You may need to clean your property before you leave to ensure your old home is left in good condition. You can hire a cleaning firm for the best results, but this is going to cost more than cleaning it yourself. If you’ve got the time, try to give it the once over without any professional help and save some money in the process. While cleaning if you find signs of pests, such as faeces, damage, and insect sheds, don't panic! If this is the case you'll want to hire a professional pest control company like Aptive pest control MI (or someone else local to you), to assess the damage and remove the unwanted guests for you.

3. Bills Crossover

Sometimes there is a crossover when you move home and you can end up paying for a TV, phone or broadband bill in your old home at the same time as in your new home for the first few weeks. You may even have to pay a fee to cancel an old contract. Careful planning is required here to try and minimise the chances of paying twice for your bills.

4. Van Hire

If you hire a van for the move using a service like National, try to book it as early as possible and make sure that you use a reliable service, but one that does not cost a fortune as well. Nothing would be worse than planning everything for the big day only to find that you don’t have a van to move your belongings.

5. Moving Fees

There could be any number of fees involved when you move home, including estate agent fees, a conveyance fee, surveyor fees and more. This will depend upon your own situation, so find out what you should expect to pay in advance.

6. New Furniture

Sometimes your old furniture won’t be a good fit for your new home, in which case you may need to splash out on a new sofa or three piece suite. If you know in advance that you will have to get rid of some furniture, try to sell it and use some of the money to go towards your new furniture.

7. Decoration Costs

The new place might not look too great when you move in, and there is a good chance that you will need to apply a lick of paint to make it feel like home. Always budget for decoration costs, whether you will decorate it yourself or hire a professional.

8. Replacement Items

Be prepared for breakages during the move itself, as mishaps often occur at such times. Also, if you manage to cause some damage to the property you are leaving, such as putting a dent in the front door, you may well have to pay for this to be repaired as a priority, so be as careful as possible and have a bit of money put aside just in case.

9. Skip Hire

You may find that you end up throwing out a lot of old junk that you don’t want to take to your new home, and for this you may need to hire a "skip". If so, look for a cheap but reliable service to keep costs down, but also consider selling or giving away your old stuff instead.

10. Taking Time Off

You may have to take time off work, which could mean you are losing money, especially if you are self-employed. Try to plan your move on a weekend if possible, and plan to complete all of the time-consuming process like changing your bank address details, sorting out a new home insurance policy, etc, in your own time so that you don’t have to take off more days than necessary.

Enjoy a Cheaper Move

Even if you plan for your move to be as cheap as possible, all of these little expenses can start to add up. So make sure you are aware of the hidden expenses above and try to keep the cost of moving home as low as possible.