Are you preparing to relocate within the Charlotte area? Whether you are moving to Charlotte, changing neighborhoods, or moving to the suburbs, planning all the details of your relocation can feel like a full-time job. One of many concerns you may have is how much it will cost to move and whether you should turn to professionals for help.
How much does it cost to move in Charlotte, NC? Here’s everything you need to know about how moving rates are determined, factors that affect your moving costs, and how to budget for hiring movers. This guide covers moving costs in Charlotte for local moves, or relocations within the metro area that are completed by a single crew on the same day, typically with an hourly movers rate. If you are planning a long-distance relocation, you will likely have a flat cost.
Important Factors That Affect Your Moving Costs in Charlotte, NC
To estimate your Charlotte moving costs, you must know the factors that affect the moving rate you are charged and your total cost. Fortunately, you may be able to adjust some of these factors to reduce your cost.
How much are movers in Charlotte? You can expect to pay an hourly moving rate for a local relocation within 25 to 50 miles of your origin. Here is an overview of the biggest factors that can affect your rate and cost.
Move Distance
What is the distance between your current home and your new home? This is one of the first questions the moving company will ask to give you an estimate. The distance will first determine whether you have a local move with an hourly rate or a long-distance move which may have a flat cost. Don’t forget that the travel time is charged at the same hourly rate for local moves!
Moving Dates
When are you planning your big transition? The season, day, and even the time of the month can affect moving rates in Charlotte. In general, moving rates tend to be higher during peak moving season, or summer, and lower during the winter. Rates also tend to spike during the first and last few days of the month because this is a busy time when many leases expire. You can also expect to pay more to move on the weekend instead of a weekday.
Volume of Belongings
One of the biggest factors that must be considered is the amount of belongings you are moving. After all, the more you need to move, the longer the packing, prep work, loading, and unloading will take! When you request a Charlotte moving quote, the movers can get an idea of how much you are moving based on the size of your home, but it will only be a general idea without an in-home or virtual assessment.
Home Type & Accessibility Issues
Are you moving into or out of a single-family home or a condo or apartment building? The type of home and how easy it is to access and move belongings to the truck will play a big role in how long your relocation takes and thus, your moving costs.
There are many factors that can affect accessibility and make your move take longer:
- Whether the building has stairs or a service elevator
- How far your unit is from the elevator or stairway
- How close the truck can park to your home (Is there a driveway, street parking, parking lot, or loading dock?)
- Whether the building has a loading dock
- Whether the building has special protocols for move-ins and move-outs
Packing Services & Supplies
Do you plan to do all your own packing? Or do you want a completely hands-off moving experience? Consider how much work you’re willing to do yourself and how it will affect your Charlotte moving costs.
Packing services are done at the same hourly moving rates in Charlotte as everything else plus the flat cost of the packing supplies. Moving companies can provide quality packing materials at prices lower than those offered by major retailers.
You can choose full packing services to have your entire home packed professionally or partial packing if there are specific rooms or items you want help with. You can even choose unpacking services which makes the move-in experience easy and painless.
Furniture Assembly & Disassembly
Many large pieces of furniture should be disassembled and prepped for safe transportation. Some items you may be able to disassemble and prep yourself, but you can also have movers handle it at the same hourly rate – and probably faster than you could do it!
The most common items that should be disassembled and reassembled are sofas, sectionals, large tables, bed frames, vanities, and dressers.
Specialty Items & Extra Services
Do you have oversized, fragile, or very heavy items? These items can increase your Charlotte, NC moving costs because they increase the amount of time your relocation takes. Specialty items may need custom crating, careful packing, special equipment, or other specialized techniques. Make an inventory of items in your home that need extra care to ensure the estimate you receive is accurate.
Storage
Do you need to store belongings while staging your home for sale? Are you moving into temporary accommodations until your new home is ready? Maybe you’re downsizing and not sure what to let go of yet, or you have belongings that won’t fit in your new home.
You don’t need to turn to the hassle and risk of self-storage. Professional moving companies often offer storage services that are affordable and, more importantly, convenient. Your belongings can be delivered right to your new home when you’re ready! Make sure you discuss your storage needs when requesting an estimate.
Full-Service Movers vs DIY Moving in Charlotte
Whether you rent your own truck and do everything yourself or hire moving help, one thing is sure: relocating is expensive. The good news? Affordable movers in Charlotte don’t cost as much as you may expect. They also deliver a great value by reducing stress and worry, handling all the heavy lifting, and saving you time. You don’t need to worry about the logistics, drive a large truck, risk injury, or spend long hours performing exhausting manual labor.
When you really add up the cost of a DIY move (retail prices for packing supplies, truck rental, and potential time off work for packing and loading), the value of a professional moving company becomes clear. That doesn’t even consider the fact that specialized equipment, training, and proper techniques reduce the risk of your belongings being damaged!
43% of people who did their last relocation on their own said they would never do that again in a recent nationwide study. On the other hand, 94% of people who hired movers said it was worth it!
Average Moving Costs in Charlotte | Charlotte Moving Estimates
How much do movers cost in Charlotte, NC? Unfortunately, it’s impossible to give you an average rate because the hourly rate is based on a few factors, most important of which is the number of movers you need. When hiring movers in Charlotte, it’s important to have an assessment of your home completed or provide an accurate inventory. The moving company can help you determine the appropriate number of movers for your job. Even though additional movers means a higher hourly rate, it also improves efficiency and speeds up the move.
Your total cost will be based on the number of hours it takes the crew to complete your move and any additional costs or expenses such as packing supplies.
How much does it cost to move an apartment in Charlotte? What about a house? Here are general guidelines you can use to estimate the total for hourly movers.
Cost to Move a 1 Bedroom Apartment in Charlotte
To estimate your total cost, expect a team of two movers to take three to six hours to move your apartment. The regular hourly rate usually includes a team of two which makes it easy to estimate your total cost.
Cost to Move a 2 Bedroom Apartment in Charlotte
It will take the same three to four hours to relocate a two-bedroom apartment, but a team of three movers is recommended. The hourly rate will be a bit higher.
Cost to Move a Home in Charlotte
It’s a bit harder to estimate the amount of time needed to pack up and move a single-family home. A smaller home may require a team of three or four movers and 4-7 hours. With a larger three- or four-bedroom home, a larger crew may need ten or more hours.
Easy Tips to Save Money on Your Charlotte Relocation
There are plenty of ways to lower the cost of moving in Charlotte, NC!
- It’s often more affordable to move during the weekday instead of the weekend. You may also get better rates if you avoid the very beginning and end of the month.
- Donate or sell items you don’t want to pay to move, especially large furniture. Check out our guide to donating furniture in Charlotte to find charities that pick up furniture!
- Avoid delays and hurdles by checking with the HOA or property manager if there are any special rules or approvals necessary.
- You can lower the cost of movers in Charlotte by handling your own packing. If you’re concerned about fragile or hard-to-pack items, a good compromise is partial packing services.
- Providing bottled water, snacks, and guidance to the moving team helps them work efficiently and comfortably.
How to Choose the Best Charlotte Moving Company You Can Trust
Minimizing your relocation costs is certainly an important concern, but make sure moving rates are not your first priority when choosing movers in Charlotte. Hiring movers who charge hidden fees, lose or damage your belongings, or leave gouges in your floors will only end up costing you more money and stress in the end!
Here are the most essential features to look for in dependable and affordable movers.
- Insured, licensed moving company
- Fully vetted and trained movers
- Fleet of maintained, dedicated trucks and specialized moving equipment
- Years of experience performing relocations similar to yours
- No unresolved complaints with the FMCSA or BBB
- Low claims rate
- No hidden fees or large upfront deposits
- Positive online reviews, testimonials, and/or referrals
Make a Move is the most trusted moving company in Charlotte, North Carolina for local and long-distance relocations of all sizes. Our award-winning company, named the Mover of the Year in 2020, completes over 2,200 relocations every year with a team of 25 trained, certified employees. We are proud of our 5-star Google reviews and look forward to giving you the seamless experience you deserve with competitive rates!
Additional Charlotte Moving Tips
- Set up utilities and have services turned on a few days before you move in so your home has power and running water. Find out how with our guide to Charlotte, NC utilities.
- Tipping movers in Charlotte about $5/hour/mover or $25 per mover is a helpful guideline to show appreciation for a job well done.
- Check our Ultimate Charlotte Moving Checklist to stay on top of the details of your relocation.
Is your relocation on the horizon? Don’t wait until the last minute to get the help you need! Call Make a Move today to discuss the details of your move and request a free Charlotte, NC moving quote.
