Using Our Trucks vs. Customers Renting A Truck
There are several considerations when deciding whether you should allow your moving company to manage your move, or if you should DIY the booking process of getting a truck for your move.
In this blog post, we break down what you should consider when booking for a full-service move versus a labor-only service.
In this blog post, we break down what you should consider when booking for a full-service move versus a labor-only service.
Pros
Cons
We Handle The Bookings
When you leave your move up to a moving company, then the logistics of your move are fully covered. Your support service will include follow-ups about your inventory, confirming arrival and contact details, and managing the communication for your team. You’ll save time from being at a rental vehicle location, and instead can spend that time preparing for the team’s arrival that morning, or simply being present throughout the moving process.
You Handle the Bookings
When doing A DIY move, you want to make sure you’re booking with a pick-up at a rental location directly (instead of an affiliate pick-up location). This is the best way to ensure that when you show up on the day of your move, that they won’t have accidentally given it to someone else (this happens!). To best estimate your move, you’ll want to fact in gas, insurance, and any travel costs to get to and from your rental location.
Getting the Right Size
Your moving company is equipped with standard sized vehicles in which they use on every move. These sizes range from 17′ to 24′ typically, and can encompass the belongings of most residential apartments. While this can seem quite the extra space, depending on the number of belongings you’re moving, it’s important to note that a larger truck affects safety and time-efficiency. Larger trucks reduces the strain of taller movers having to bend over in vans or short cabs. Larger trucks also reduce the amount of time taken to Tetris things in the truck, making loading the truck a breeze.
Truck Size
A larger truck can be a little daunting, but when you rent a truck it’ll cost you less in effort or headache if you aim to rent a slightly bigger truck size. While some studio apartments can fit in a 10′, it’s important to realize the height of some rental vehicles, and that a 15′ or even 17′ will make loading a truck easier. You’ll want to make sure you or a friend feels comfortable driving vehicles as large as 24′ depending on the size of your move.
We Handle the Supplies
Your moving company is equipped with the proper furniture dollies, moving blankets, saran wrap, and professional moving blankets. Moving companies are trained to prepare their trucks with all the supplies needed, and then some, to complete the move. By consistently investing in solid equipment, you can believe that your move will be safely managed.
Getting Proper Supplies
To make your move easier you’ll want to make sure you gathered the proper moving supplies. Depending on the rental company, some companies offer lower-quality moving supplies than others. Chicagoland Truck Rentals typically offers industrial hand trucks, furniture dollies, and moving blankets; while U-Haul offers thin moving blankets, simple hand trucks and cheap furniture dollies. (You may be better off buying dollies from Home Depot for your move instead).
Liability
Moving companies are required to have auto and cargo insurance. It’s the responsibility of the moving company to handle any incidents or accidents with the trucks, allowing you to not have to be responsible for any large auto equipment.
Cargo insurance is offered at a general coverage, but it’s important to note that moving companies offer the state-required insurance coverage (.60 cents/pound) in the event anything happens to your cargo. It’s important to explore the different valuation structures offered by your moving company to ensure that your household items are fully covered.
Liability
In terms of Auto-Liability, a lot of auto insurance policies won’t cover you when you operate for-hire vehicles or vehicles that weigh more than 9,000 pounds. It’s typically best to opt for the Safe Move Plus + roadside assistance (U-Haul) or the comprehensive insurance coverage (Penske) to be sure that you’re covered in the event of an accident.
In terms of Cargo-Liability, customers who use their own truck are not covered by a labor-only moving company if an item breaks. Even if a team packs the truck, the liability due to driving is the responsibility of the driver. If you and your friends move your belongings, there are inherent safety risks involved with moving that one should be cautious of.
Local Residential Moves
While Long-Distance Moves can in theory be costly when hiring moving companies, it is best to hire professionals for your local move. Companies often include disassembly/assembly services, advice leading up to your move, and an opportunity to communicate any concerns with a team lead to ensure that offers you a peace-of-mind around your move.
Long Distance Moves
It can be quite a bit of energy, unexpected costs, and time for you to DIY your long-distance move. You have to consider what you may do with a vehicle, with pets, family members, and other factors when renting your own Rental for a long-distance move. The cost of a one-way rental can be comparable to other options, including hiring a moving company or using PODS to move.
Pros
We Handle The Bookings
When you leave your move up to a moving company, then the logistics of your move are fully covered. Your support service will include follow-ups about your inventory, confirming arrival and contact details, and managing the communication for your team. You’ll save time from being at a rental vehicle location, and instead can spend that time preparing for the team’s arrival that morning, or simply being present throughout the moving process.
Getting the Right Size
Your moving company is equipped with standard sized vehicles in which they use on every move. These sizes range from 17′ to 24′ typically, and can encompass the belongings of most residential apartments. While this can seem quite the extra space, depending on the number of belongings you’re moving, it’s important to note that a larger truck affects safety and time-efficiency. Larger trucks reduces the strain of taller movers having to bend over in vans or short cabs. Larger trucks also reduce the amount of time taken to Tetris things in the truck, making loading the truck a breeze.
We Handle the Supplies
Your moving company is equipped with the proper furniture dollies, moving blankets, saran wrap, and professional moving blankets. Moving companies are trained to prepare their trucks with all the supplies needed, and then some, to complete the move. By consistently investing in solid equipment, you can believe that your move will be safely managed.
Liability
Moving companies are required to have auto and cargo insurance. It’s the responsibility of the moving company to handle any incidents or accidents with the trucks, allowing you to not have to be responsible for any large auto equipment.
Cargo insurance is offered at a general coverage, but it’s important to note that moving companies offer the state-required insurance coverage (.60 cents/pound) in the event anything happens to your cargo. It’s important to explore the different valuation structures offered by your moving company to ensure that your household items are fully covered.
Local Residential Moves
While Long-Distance Moves can in theory be costly when hiring moving companies, it is best to hire professionals for your local move. Companies often include disassembly/assembly services, advice leading up to your move, and an opportunity to communicate any concerns with a team lead to ensure that offers you a peace-of-mind around your move.
Cons
You Handle the Bookings
When doing A DIY move, you want to make sure you’re booking with a pick-up at a rental location directly (instead of an affiliate pick-up location). This is the best way to ensure that when you show up on the day of your move, that they won’t have accidentally given it to someone else (this happens!). To best estimate your move, you’ll want to fact in gas, insurance, and any travel costs to get to and from your rental location.
Truck Size
A larger truck can be a little daunting, but when you rent a truck it’ll cost you less in effort or headache if you aim to rent a slightly bigger truck size. While some studio apartments can fit in a 10′, it’s important to realize the height of some rental vehicles, and that a 15′ or even 17′ will make loading a truck easier. You’ll want to make sure you or a friend feels comfortable driving vehicles as large as 24′ depending on the size of your move.
Getting Proper Supplies
To make your move easier you’ll want to make sure you gathered the proper moving supplies. Depending on the rental company, some companies offer lower-quality moving supplies than others. Chicagoland Truck Rentals typically offers industrial hand trucks, furniture dollies, and moving blankets; while U-Haul offers thin moving blankets, simple hand trucks and cheap furniture dollies. (You may be better off buying dollies from Home Depot for your move instead).
Liability
In terms of Auto-Liability, a lot of auto insurance policies won’t cover you when you operate for-hire vehicles or vehicles that weigh more than 9,000 pounds. It’s typically best to opt for the Safe Move Plus + roadside assistance (U-Haul) or the comprehensive insurance coverage (Penske) to be sure that you’re covered in the event of an accident.
In terms of Cargo-Liability, customers who use their own truck are not covered by a labor-only moving company if an item breaks. Even if a team packs the truck, the liability due to driving is the responsibility of the driver. If you and your friends move your belongings, there are inherent safety risks involved with moving that one should be cautious of.
Long Distance Moves
It can be quite a bit of energy, unexpected costs, and time for you to DIY your long-distance move. You have to consider what you may do with a vehicle, with pets, family members, and other factors when renting your own Rental for a long-distance move. The cost of a one-way rental can be comparable to other options, including hiring a moving company or using PODS to move.
Conclusion
There are a lot of factors to weigh when deciding between using a professional moving company or DIY-ing your own move.
Our top takeaway is that there’s a lot of reduced stress around moving when you hire a professional moving company versus doing your move yourself. This is less of a biased opinion, and based on one’s experience or comfort in tackling:
- Tedious handling of booking a rental vehicle
- Guesstimating the proper truck size
- Being responsible for the liability of your own belongings
- Being responsible for auto and cargo liability (and potentially that of your friends)
- Several skill-based decisions around packing, moving, and transportation logistics
At A Move to Remember, we’re happy to provide you with full-service support throughout the whole moving process, so you don’t sweat the rental. If it’s unavoidable for you to rent a moving vehicle, feel free to keep us in mind for Load/Unload only services – for your long-distance move needs, or a residential move where you just want help safely unloading (to that third flight of stairs).
Book a Load Only, Unload Only, or Full-Service today!
Facebook
Reddit
Twitter
Email
LinkedIn
You may also like
Tips & Checklists
Tips & Checklists
A Move TO remember
Moving Company | LGBTQI+ Owned
Residential Moving | Commercial Moving
Let’s Unpack is a blog that focuses on helping clients prepare for their moves, our client’s stories and the small businesses in our communities making a big difference. Keep up to date with the climate we work in by subscribing below.
