Top 5 Best Moving Companies in Oakland, CA – Find the perfect mover for you!

In general, it is cheaper to move in the middle of the week, in the middle of the month, and during the winter.  

Moving prices change a lot throughout the year. Like Uber, the more demand there is, the higher the prices are. The general rules to get a discounted rate are:

• It is usually cheaper to move during the week than during the weekend. For instance, some companies will have a different hourly rate on Wednesday than on Saturday. This is likely due to the fact that people avoid taking time off from work to move, hence, there is more demand on weekends.
• Moving in the middle of the month is likely to be cheaper than moving on the last or first day of the month. This is due to the fact that most leases are renewed on the first day of the month, hence, there is more demand on this day.
• Moving during the winter is usually cheaper. December, January or February are most likely less expensive months. April to September is often more expensive since it coincides with the end and the beginning of the school year.

Usually, a moving company will provide 2 or 3 movers. The number will depend on the company politics as well as the size of the move.

For instance, if you are moving from a one or two-bedroom apartment without large appliances, two movers will likely do it. On the contrary, if you are moving a house, 3 movers will be a better option.

If the moving company charges by the hour, the total hourly rate will be higher if there are 3 movers. This said, your move could also take less time, and the movers are less likely to accidentally scratch some furniture out of tiredness.

For a move to the same city, the minimum will be 3 to 4 hours, but it is likely to be more than this. A two-bedroom apartment can take 4 to 6 hours, and a complete home could go up to 10 hours. Keep in mind that many things can influence the number of hours a move will take:

• The number of movers, usually 2 or 3.
• The number of boxes and furniture. Boxes are fast to move around, but appliances, sofas and specialty items can take a while. If a piece of furniture does not fit the stairs, for instance, you can count up to an hour to take it out through the balcony.
• On what level is your home located? Moving from the tenth floor will take more time.
• How long will it take for the movers to drive from their office, to your current home, then to your new home, and finally go back to the office? Most movers charge from door to door.

Try to evaluate how many trips the movers will need to load and unload everything, then estimate the time for each run. Finally, add the travel time and you should have a first approximation.

Moving services rates are usually around 90$ to 120$ per hour for two men. For instance, at $90 per hour, a 6 hours – 2 men move would cost 540$. You would then need to add gas, insurance, and tip.

Here is some sample data. Please make sure to get a proper quote to budget your move, as every move is different!

• Two-bedroom townhouse between $375 and $450
• Three-bedroom house around $800 and $900
• Four-bedroom home around $3,000.

Read our full article on the cost of moving.

Selecting a mover is always a tricky thing to do. Since you do not move every year, you usually never had experience with the mover we end up selecting. There are rarely very poor decision, but here are a few things to consider that will help you make an appropriate choice:

1. Make sure the moving company offers insurance for your belongings.

2. Look for the BBB Rating. A BBB rating is a measure of customer satisfaction. The highest, the better. Note that not all companies use this rating.

3. How long have they been in business? It is often a great thing when a company is in business for 50 years. We are not saying that young companies are not good, but harder to evaluate.

4. Where are they located? The closest to you and your new home, the cheaper it will be.

5. Do they hire full-time employees, or work with contractors? Full-time employees will often give you a guarantee that the reviews are relevant to the team.

6. Look for reviews from friends and family or turn to online reviews. Take the time to read the reviews and understand it.

7. Make sure you get more than one moving company quote!

First, let’s settle it. Yes, you should tip movers, especially if they did a great job and were respectful of you and your furniture. Moving is not an easy job!

• For an average or small size move of 3 to 4 hours, a reasonable tip would be $20 per mover.
• For a larger move, or if it is a very hot day for instance, do not hesitate to go up to $40 per mover.
• In addition to tips, movers are likely to appreciate non-alcoholic beverages, such as water or Gatorade, or small snacks during the course of the move.
• It is usually recommended to tip at the end when paying the final bill.
• Final note: Reviews. The moving industry is not easy, and online reviews are very important for these companies and also for other families that will be seeking their services later on. Share your experience!

For more information, read our full post here on how much to tip movers.

There are a number of things to consider before deciding to hire professional movers or moving by yourself, but the quick answer is: hiring movers is definitely a simpler choice, but will often be more expensive. Here are the things to consider:

1. What are you moving? Do you only have a few boxes to move, or are you moving a full-size home with a piano and pool table? Try imagining yourself moving the largest piece of furniture, could you do it?
2. To the first point, how is your physical health? Moving is hard on the body, and you surely do not want to break your back over the cost of moving. Hire movers if you think the effort could be too much.
3. Are you on a tight schedule, or can you move furniture over a week or a month? The more time you have, the easier it is to do it yourself.
4. Do you have specialty items, such as a pool table, a hot tub or a piano? These are expensive and need technical skills to be moved without properly. Make sure to get professional movers.