Choose the Right Moving Help:
6 Reasons to Hire a Moving Company
Hiring a moving company saves you 40-60 hours of labor, protects your belongings with professional equipment and insurance, and eliminates the physical strain and injury risks associated with DIY moving. Professional movers handle everything from packing fragile items to navigating tight staircases, allowing you to focus on settling into your new home rather than wrestling with boxes and heavy furniture.
After 20 years as CEO of Complete Controller, I’ve witnessed countless business relocations and personal moves among our clients and team members. The pattern is always the same—those who try to save money by moving themselves often spend more in damaged items, lost productivity, and medical bills than they would have paid a professional moving company. This guide reveals the six compelling reasons why professional movers transform relocations from chaos to controlled transitions, plus exactly how to select the right company for your specific needs.
What does it mean to hire a moving company and why should you do it?
- Professional movers provide comprehensive relocation services including packing, loading, transportation, unloading, and unpacking—saving you 40-60 hours of physical labor
- Time savings translate directly to preserved income, family time, and energy for important moving tasks like utility transfers
- Professional equipment and techniques protect belongings that would likely suffer damage in DIY moves
- Moving insurance and liability coverage protects your investment when professionals handle your items
- Injury prevention keeps you productive and healthy during a stressful life transition
Save Massive Amounts of Time and Reclaim Your Energy
The average DIY move consumes 40-60 hours of intensive labor spread across multiple weekends. Professional movers compress this timeline dramatically while you handle the administrative aspects of relocation that actually require your personal attention.
Professional teams arrive with industrial-grade supplies, eliminating multiple hardware store trips. They pack systematically using proven methods that maximize space and minimize damage risk. A four-person crew accomplishes in one day what takes most families three weeks of evenings and weekends.
Consider the opportunity cost of those 60 hours. For someone earning $50 per hour, that represents $3,000 in lost productivity. Add the physical exhaustion affecting your work performance for days afterward, and the financial impact multiplies. Parents juggling children’s schedules find this time reclamation especially valuable—maintaining routines during transitions matters.
The hidden energy drain extends beyond hours counted. Sorting, wrapping, and boxing possessions while maintaining daily life creates decision fatigue. Professional movers eliminate thousands of micro-decisions about packing materials, box sizes, and loading sequences. You preserve mental bandwidth for genuinely important choices about your new home and neighborhood.
Protect Your Belongings—Especially Items That Matter Most
Nearly half of all people experience damaged items during moves, with mirrors topping the insurance claim list. Professional movers drastically reduce these odds through specialized equipment, proven techniques, and accountability systems DIY moves lack.
Custom crating protects antiques and artwork with museum-quality care. Specialized padding systems cushion electronics against vibration damage. Climate-controlled trucks prevent temperature-sensitive items from warping or cracking. These aren’t luxuries—they’re standard professional practices developed over millions of successful moves.
Financial reality check:
- Piano repair: $500-$1,500
- Antique restoration: $300-$2,000
- Custom mirror replacement: $200-$800
- Professional moving service: Often less than one major repair
Professional movers carry liability insurance covering accidental damage. When they pack and transport your grandmother’s china, any breakage becomes their financial responsibility. DIY moves leave you absorbing every loss, with homeowner’s insurance rarely covering self-inflicted moving damage.
The expertise difference shows in seemingly simple tasks. Loading a truck isn’t just stacking boxes—weight distribution affects driving safety and damage prevention. Professionals understand load physics, securing methods, and protective spacing that prevent your belongings from becoming expensive casualties of inexperience.
Avoid Physical Injury and Protect Your Health
Research reveals that nearly one in four Americans injures themselves during DIY moves. Back injuries represent 22% of these cases, with joint pain affecting 27% of self-movers. These aren’t minor inconveniences—they’re serious injuries requiring medical treatment and recovery time.
Professional movers undergo training in biomechanics and safe lifting techniques. They use hydraulic dollies, lifting straps, and team coordination to move items that would destroy an untrained person’s back. A refrigerator weighing 400 pounds becomes manageable with proper equipment and experience.
The injury risks multiply with age or existing health conditions. A 45-year-old with occasional back pain becomes a workers’ compensation claim waiting to happen when attempting to move a sleeper sofa downstairs. Professional movers eliminate this risk entirely—their bodies and training handle what yours cannot.
Medical costs from moving injuries often exceed professional moving fees:
- Emergency room visit: $1,200-$3,000
- Physical therapy (6 weeks): $2,000-$4,000
- Lost wages during recovery: Variable but significant
- Chronic pain management: Potentially lifelong expense
Your health represents irreplaceable capital. Saving $2,000 on moving costs means nothing if you spend months recovering from a herniated disc. Professional movers provide insurance against both financial loss and physical suffering.
Navigate Complex Spaces Without Property Damage
Narrow hallways, tight stairwells, and low doorways transform furniture moving into geometric puzzles. Professional movers solve these challenges daily using specialized equipment and hard-won expertise.
That sectional sofa requiring disassembly to exit your current home needs reassembly expertise at the destination. Professionals bring appropriate tools and knowledge, preventing the frustrated damage that occurs when amateurs force furniture through impossible spaces.
Common DIY spatial disasters:
- Gouged walls requiring $500-$1,000 in repairs
- Damaged door frames affecting security and weatherproofing
- Broken furniture legs from improper angling
- Scratched hardwood floors losing security deposit value
- Stuck items requiring emergency furniture destruction
Professional movers assess spatial challenges before moving day. They measure doorways, plan furniture routing, and bring protective materials preventing wall contact. What seems impossible to you represents routine work for experienced crews.
The expertise extends to loading efficiency. Professionals pack trucks with three-dimensional Tetris skills, reducing trips and preventing load shifts during transport. Your DIY attempt might require three rental truck trips where professionals complete everything in one.
Skip the Packing Nightmare with Full-Service Options
Packing consistently ranks as the most despised moving task. Professional packing services eliminate weeks of tedious wrapping, labeling, and organizing while significantly reducing damage risk.
Full-service packing includes all materials—boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, specialty containers. Professionals bring exactly what’s needed, eliminating the universal DIY experience of running out of supplies mid-pack. They categorize by room, label comprehensively, and create inventories simplifying unpacking.
Professional packers understand material requirements:
- China needs individual wrapping and vertical storage
- Books require small boxes preventing weight overload
- Electronics need anti-static materials and climate consideration
- Clothing can utilize wardrobe boxes maintaining organization
- Artwork demands custom crating preventing frame stress
The time savings prove dramatic. Professional crews pack entire homes in one to two days. DIY packing stretches across weeks of exhausting evenings, with quality deteriorating as fatigue increases. Those final boxes packed at midnight inevitably contain the breakage and disorganization plaguing your unpacking process.
Investment in professional packing typically adds $500-$1,500 to moving costs while saving 30-40 hours of labor. Calculate your hourly value, add material costs and damage risk, and professional packing becomes the obvious choice for anyone valuing their time and belongings.
Gain Insurance Coverage and Liability Protection
DIY vs. professional moving creates a stark insurance divide. Your homeowner’s policy likely excludes damage you cause while packing or loading. Professional movers carry mandatory liability coverage protecting your investment.
Two standard coverage levels exist:
Released Value Protection: Basic coverage calculating by weight (typically $0.60 per pound). That antique dresser worth $2,000 might receive $60 based on its 100-pound weight. This minimal coverage comes free but proves inadequate for valuable items.
Full Value Protection: Premium coverage where movers accept responsibility for repair or replacement at actual value. This option costs extra but provides genuine protection for your belongings. Claims process simplicity improves dramatically when professionals document and handle your items.
The liability extends beyond your belongings. Professional movers carry:
- General liability insurance covering property damage
- Workers’ compensation protecting you from injury claims
- Vehicle insurance covering accident-related losses
- Bonding protecting against theft or fraud
Without professional coverage, you assume massive financial risk. One moving truck accident could trigger multiple insurance claims exceeding $100,000. Professional movers absorb these risks through comprehensive business insurance you can’t personally obtain.
How to Select Quality Movers and Avoid Disasters
The moving industry includes nearly 8,000 companies ranging from excellent to fraudulent. Careful selection determines whether you receive professional benefits or expensive nightmares.
Essential verification steps
- Confirm interstate moving companies hold valid USDOT numbers
- Request insurance certificates showing current coverage
- Check Better Business Bureau ratings and complaint patterns
- Read recent reviews across multiple platforms
- Obtain detailed written estimates from 3-4 companies
Red flags demanding immediate disqualification
- Cash-only payment requirements
- Massive deposits exceeding 25-30%
- Reluctance providing insurance documentation
- Significantly lower prices than competitors
- No physical business address
- High-pressure sales tactics
Real example: Leticia received a $2,798 moving quote that ballooned to $3,950 through surprise charges. The company demanded blank checks, delivered six times late, and damaged multiple items. This common scam pattern appears repeatedly among unlicensed operators.
Moving scams cost victims an average of $754 beyond quoted prices. Quality movers provide detailed contracts, clear pricing, and established complaint resolution processes. The peace of mind from hiring reputable professionals far exceeds any savings from questionable operators.
Final Thoughts
Professional moving services transform relocations from exhausting ordeals into manageable transitions. The investment pays dividends through time savings, injury prevention, damage reduction, and stress elimination.
Smart business leaders recognize that expertise matters in every field—moving included. The same principles driving you to hire accounting professionals or IT specialists apply to relocation services. Professional movers bring specialized knowledge, equipment, and insurance that DIY efforts cannot match.
At Complete Controller, we’ve seen how professional support transforms overwhelming tasks into smooth processes. How to hire movers mirrors how to select any professional service—research thoroughly, verify credentials, and invest in quality.
Ready to make your next move with confidence? Contact the experts at Complete Controller for more insights on managing life transitions while maintaining business momentum. We understand that successful relocations require the same strategic thinking as successful enterprises.
To explore bookkeeping services for the moving and storage industry, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring a Moving Company
How far in advance should I book a professional moving company?
Book professional movers 4-8 weeks before your move date, especially during peak season (May through September). Last-minute bookings limit options and increase prices significantly.
What’s included in basic moving services versus full-service packages?
Basic services include loading, transportation, and unloading of pre-packed items. Full-service adds professional packing, unpacking, furniture disassembly/reassembly, and sometimes temporary storage.
How do moving companies calculate their prices?
Local moves typically charge hourly rates ($80-$120/hour for 2-3 movers). Long-distance moves use weight and distance calculations. Additional factors include stairs, long carries, and specialty items.
Will movers transport plants, pets, or hazardous materials?
Most professional movers cannot transport living things, flammable materials, or hazardous chemicals due to federal regulations. Plan separate arrangements for these items.
What happens if movers damage something during the move?
File claims immediately with photo documentation. Basic coverage reimburses by weight while full-value protection covers repair or replacement costs. Professional movers have established claims processes.
Sources
- HireAHelper. (2025). “The Hidden Health Toll of Moving — Moving Advice from HireAHelper.” Blog.hireahelper.com. https://blog.hireahelper.com/the-hidden-health-toll-of-moving-moving-advice-from-hireahelper
- Anytime Estimate. (2025). “2025 Data: 70% of Americans Have Regrets About Moving.” Anytimeestimate.com. https://anytimeestimate.com/research/moving-trends-2025/
- Storage Scholars. (Date unknown). “The Top 8 Most Commonly Broken Items During a Move.” Storagescholars.com. https://www.storagescholars.com/blog/the-top-8-most-commonly-broken-items-during-a-move-and-how-to-prevent-it
- Daily Business Now. (2025). “48% of People Have Suffered at Least One Item Being Damaged When Moving Home.” Dailybusinessnow.com. https://dailybusinessnow.com/2025/05/01/48-of-people-have-suffered-at-least-one-item-being-damaged-when-moving-home/
- Better Business Bureau. (2025). “Know Your Mover: BBB Study Reveals Scammers Price Gouge, Take Belongings Hostage, and Destroy Goods.” BBB.org. https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22659-know-your-mover-bbb-study-reveals-scammers-price-gouge-take-belongings-hostage-and-destroy-goods
- Better Business Bureau. (2025). “BBB Scam Alert: Moving Scams.” BBB.org. https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16917-bbb-tip-moving-scams
- moveBuddha. (2025). “Moving Industry Statistics: Data & Trends (2025).” Movebuddha.com. https://www.movebuddha.com/blog/moving-industry-statistics/
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Brittany McMillen
Brittany McMillen