How Can a Moving Company Charge $75.00 for a 3 Men Moving Crew?!?!

How to tell best-rate movers in Boston from scammers?

Some people become mesmerized by the possibility of receiving quality for less money.  Somehow, it makes them feel like they’ve beaten the system and won.

Imagine that you request 3-4 estimates from a moving company. Two out of the three assessments are very competitive but close in the price range. These are the standard industry rates.

Then you receive another estimate that’s a whole lot cheaper than the first two. However, there is a problem, the estimate seems too good to be true (and you’re right!) So how do you choose the best-rate movers in Boston without getting scammed?

Your gut instinct might tell you, “Don’t accept the offer!” However, many people tend to ignore the nagging feeling. It is the main reason why consumers often fall victim to moving companies that offer dirt cheap rates for subpar service.

How can a moving company charge $75.00 for a 3 men moving crew?

Let’s face it — we live in a society where people demand high-quality service at rock bottom prices. A disclaimer should come with every cheap offer. It should read, “Warning pay at your own risk – trouble lies ahead.”

Unfortunately, some people fail to realize they will actually pay more in the long-run because they’ll be likely to hire another company (the one they should have hired in the first place) to fix the mistakes. There is a logical explanation for why so many people make bad buying decisions.

Moving can be expensive

There is one aspect of moving that most people will agree with – moving can be very pricey.  A household move costs approximately $2,300 (intrastate) and $4,300 (interstate) in the United States. It is not surprising when people feel compelled to hire companies that charge way below standard rates – for example, $75.00 for a 3-men moving crew.

A red flag should instantly go up in a person’s mind when a moving company charges extremely low rates.

There are four reasons why a company would charge dirt cheap rates:

1. They are running a charity.
2. They don’t have the proper insurance coverage.
3. They take advantage of their workers by paying them less than the industry standard rates.
4. They are scammers.

Moving is already a very stressful process. Wouldn’t it be better to pay extra and receive superior service than pay cheap rates and get ripped off?

When it comes to moving, some people should be reminded of the old adage, “You get what you pay for.”  They usually recollect it shortly after enduring a nightmare experience.

Here are common complaints people make after hiring cheap moving companies:

• The movers were inexperienced and careless
• They charged hidden fees and held our belongings hostage until we paid them
• The moving company never showed up
• Our belongings were lost/stolen
• Some items were damaged, the company refused to pay for the damage
• Poor customer communication. No one ever returned our phone calls

Find out about the actual prices to avoid accepting a deceitful offer. The following tips are relevant not only for domestic but also for interstate transfers, for instance, moving from Boston to NYC.

How much do moving services really cost?

Many moving companies in Massachusetts offer the following moving service rates:

• $99.00 / 2 men crew +16′ or 24′ truck (regular rate)
• $129.00 / 3 men crew + 24′ truck (regular rate)
• $149.00 / 4 men crew + 24′ moving truck (regular rate)

During the busy season, moving rates tend to go up to the following:

• $109.00 – 159.00 / 2 men crew +16′ or 24′ truck (subreak and peak rates)
• $139.00 – 199.00 / 3 men crew + 24′ truck (subpeak and peak rates)
• $159.00 – 229.00 / 4 men crew + 24′ moving truck (subpeak and peak rates)

There are many components that a moving company takes into the equation when putting out the price tag. Moving rates are subject to change based on availability and dates. For example, August 30 or 31 would be more costly than mid-June due to the high volume of moves and high demand. Movers from Boston to Chicago or another city with a vast number of educational institutions should take this into consideration. Not only will it be expensive, but also more difficult for you to relocate during the time when students are most active.

The cost of labor is another huge factor that has a strong impact on the company’s pricing strategy.

Drivers get paid $17.00-20.00/Hr on average, and helpers get around $15.00 – $17.00/Hr.

Fuel on a local move, within a 25-mile radius, is around $20.00. Insurance (covering the Workers Compensation, General Liability, and Automotive Insurance) would add around $50.00 on a single move.

According to government regulations, every business falling under the “moving” section has to pay $9.44 per each $100.00 on the Workers Compensation payroll.

Scenario: If a 3-men crew works for about 7-8 hours (an average 2-3BR townhouse) and they get approximately $100.00 each on the payroll ($300.00 total), Lexel Moving owes around $28.00 – $30.00 for the Workers Compensation alone. General Liability and Automotive would add another $20.00 on the same move.

On average, one move of a 2-3BR townhouse takes 7 hours, spends $329.00 on labor, $50.00 on insurance, $20.00 on fuel, around $20.00 on truck expenses, $30.00 wrapping material expenses, and $50.00 on marketing expenses to get the lead/job booked. The total expenses would be around $499.00.

When you divide the cost of 7 hours, it comes out to $71.0 self-cost. Please mind that this doesn’t include parking, storage, office expenses, and office workers’ salaries!

There is no way a professional moving company could offer a rate of $75.00 for a 3-men crew and run a reputable business.

Quality service comes with an adequate price

Only choose experienced moving companies. Professional movers have worked with numerous clients and have an established reputation. Therefore, they have more to lose compared to a moving company​ that hasn’t been around for a while. Additionally, find out about moving prices in NYC and other big cities to compare the offers and sort out the suspicious ones.

Don’t rely on the price alone

Make sure you compare 2-3 moving companies before drawing a final conclusion. Never make your final decision based on price alone. Check the company’s reputation as well.

Don’t rely solely on the search engines and review sites when checking out a company’s reputation. Yelp and Google reviews are good, but you should also see what people are saying ‘right now’ on social media (Facebook and Twitter). Simply type in the company’s name in the search area together with a hashtag (#themovingcompanyname). Social media is usually the first place that people go to when they want to share their buying experiences.

Take a stand!

One reason why the moving industry is saturated with poor service providers is that consumers constantly give them satisfaction. When more people stop giving their business to cheap companies, they will have no other choice than to shut their doors or raise the bar.

‍