Local Vs. Long Distance Moves — 4 Ways They Differ

Moving to a new home is almost always a complicated task. But you shouldn’t approach all moves in the same way. Consider the differences between local and long distance moves. How are they similar and how do they differ? What do these differences mean for you? Discover what you need to know before starting your moving project.



1. Who Handles Your Stuff

When you just move across town or to a nearby city, the people who load your truck will likely handle the entire project. You may see some variation in personnel from the moving company — such as if you hire packing services in addition to transportation — but the company and the people you work with generally do it all.

However, when you move farther away, some of the work might happen with other companies. Your belongings may transfer between vehicles — possibly even more than once. It may travel by rail, truck, ship, and even airplane. And you'll need to know whom to communicate with and who takes responsibility for the cargo at each step.

2. How Long Things Are in Transit

Plan ahead for your things to be in transit for a longer period of time when moving long distance. This calls for more careful packing from the beginning to protect things for longer and against more handling. It also may affect how and what you pack.

A household whose move will be completed in a day can pack more of their last-minute things knowing they'll soon have access again. However, you may need to rethink what you bring with you if you will spend days on the road or your truck may not arrive as soon as you'd like. Consider weather, traffic, or other potential delays as well.

3. How Involved Personnel Are

Moving companies must approach their labor needs differently when working with local vs. long distance moves. As mentioned above, the same team generally handles most or all of the work when things happen in one day. A multi-day project, one that requires a larger truck, or moves that combine multiple households in one vehicle are often with different teams.

What does this mean for you? First, this can affect scheduling. You may find it easier to schedule a local move that requires only a few hours. However, large local moves that need more personnel, trucks, or labor hours may be harder to schedule than one where the truck goes to a contracted carrier. Second, outsourced costs may trump labor costs, which can be confusing to those used to local moves.

4. How Estimations Are Done

One noticeable difference is how your quote or moving estimate will probably look.

Local moves are usually quoted based on how many movers are necessary, how many hours they anticipate working, and how far the truck must travel to your new home. On the other hand, long distance moves are often based more on the size and weight of your overall belongings. They may also include storage costs, additional fees, or surcharges for fuel.

Understand factors that affect each type of estimate before you start packing. You may want to get rid of certain items, hand-carry others, or adjust your budget to accommodate the different costs. 

Where to Learn More

Whether you plan to move locally or over a vast distance, the best first step is to learn more about how your particular move will work. Coffee's Moving and Storage can help. We'll work with you to assess the factors that affect your move, help you keep costs in check, and answer your questions about complicated moving scenarios. Call today to make an appointment.