How Much Does it Cost to Use a Moving Company in South Africa?

We all know that moving between homes is never as easy as it seems. Moving takes up time, energy and most importantly, it can take up quite a lot of your savings. That is why we decided to give you a detailed breakdown of how moving companies create their quotes.

Moving quotes can vary quite a bit depending on various factors. However, it’s important to remember that moving quotes are based on more than just money. Moving quotes can become higher in price range, but the quality of service you receive will also increase with the price.

Factors that can affect your moving quote:

1. Inventory volume of all the furniture and personal belongings

Many moving companies across South Africa create a quote based on the amount of furniture and personal belongings that need to be moved. This is probably one of the most important factors to consider when using a moving company. To get an accurate quote, many moving companies (such as Biggles Removals) will send you a detailed inventory list to complete and send back. They will also ask you to send some measurements of your current home to determine the quantity of belongings you have.

By using a detailed inventory list, along with the measurements of your home, moving companies can create an accurate quote based on the truck sizes they will need to use to move all of your belongings. An inventory list will also give a good indication to the moving company as to how much time it will take to load all of the belongings, to move and drop the belongings off, and as to how much staff will be needed to load and unpack everything. The more belongings you have, the bigger the quote.

2. Physically packing your belongings and the packing material required

Moving your furniture and personal belongings can be stressful to say the least. You’ll want your belongings to be packed and moved as safely as possible to ensure no damages occur. And moving companies understand this. Many moving companies put in the extra time and effort to pack your furniture and belongings in a very professional manner to ensure everything is kept in its original condition.

Your moving quote will differ depending on the amount of packing done by the staff members and how much packaging material will be used in the process. Moving companies train their staff members to ensure that all of your belongings are packed neatly and efficiently. With the correct packaging material as well, to ensure all of your belongings move in one piece. The more belongings the staff members need to pack themselves in various safety wraps and boxes, the higher the quote will be. All of this is to ensure that your belongings are moved as safely as possible and can be worth the extra money.

3. Accessibility of your current home and ease of access

A small detail, or actually quite a big detail, that is overlooked is the accessibility of one’s home. Is your apartment on the fourth floor? Is there a lift accessible to move the furniture with? Do you live on a farm with a bad dirt road leading up to the home? All of this can determine how much your removal quote will be.

If you have a ground-floor home, easily accessible with no extra stairs to climb, then the moving staff will have a much easier time moving all of your belongings. This is also the ideal home to move your belongings to as fast as possible. The faster the staff can move your belongings, the less the quote will be. The harder your home is to access the more time is needed to move your items with care. This will extend the time needed to load and move your belongings, which will increase your quote, as a smaller vehicle (a shuttle) may be required to go between your home and the truck to load your goods.

4. The time, day and season of the big move

Just like any other company, the busier a moving company is, the higher the quote will be. Moving companies have peak seasons where everyone has decided to start moving homes and needs help to move their furniture and belongings. During this time, the prices will increase.

Moving companies, such as Biggles Removals, experience peak seasons during the months of May or June and again during the end of the year during November and December. These are usually the times when family members take off from work and school to move everything and everybody to their new home. Weekends are also a very busy time for removal companies, so expect a bit of a price jump.

5. Distance of moving your furniture

 A good indication of how much your moving quote will be is to look at the distance of your move. Local moves usually mean less traveling time. If you plan to move within the same neighbourhood or city, then the moving company will take less time to travel, load and unpack your belongings. This means the pricing will not be as high as with a long-distance move.

If you plan to move to a completely different province, such as moving from Cape Town to Johannesburg, then the moving company will have to drive a very long distance, using more time and fuel to get to the location. This means that your moving quote will increase in pricing.

6. Dismantling and reassembling furniture

 Furniture, as previously discussed, plays a huge role in the different types of quotes you will receive from different moving companies. A huge factor many people forget is that some belongings and furniture will need to be dismantled in order to load them safely into the moving truck. This takes time and effort from the moving staff to ensure your belongings are dismantled and packed away safely before being transported to the new location.

And, after arriving at your new home, the moving staff will need to add unpacking time to reassemble the furniture they dismantled previously. If you have a lot of furniture that needs to be disassembled and reassembled, then your moving quote will increase in pricing. However, this is well worth the money. Moving companies train their staff to move your furniture as safely as possible, and this extra effort will ensure that your furniture is moved safely in their current conditions.

7. Special conditions can also affect your overall moving quote

 It’s not uncommon for those who are moving to add special conditions that every moving company must meet. Whether it’s moving a piano or abnormally large furniture, we can do it all! If you ever have any questions or special requests, make sure to make everything clear when requesting a moving quote. These special conditions will increase the overall price of your move, but it will ensure that your furniture is moved as efficiently and safely as possible. An increase in pricing is required, as specialized staff will ensure your special conditions are met.

General Moving Price Ranges by Province:

 If you are looking at general pricing for moving between homes, then moving within the same neighbourhood or city will be your lowest price range. Moving to a new home close to your old one means moving companies will spend less time on the road, which will decrease your overall quote. Many moving companies have a starting price at around R850 per hour. This means a quick move with minimal furniture. As discussed, the further you move, and the more furniture you have, the higher the price will be for your moving quotes.

If you are planning on moving within your current city, here is a good indication on how much a move will cost per hour:

• An average 2 bedroom apartment that’s around 60 square meters or larger will cost between R1500 – R2950. This is based on moving 60 square meter’s worth of furniture in 2-4 hours.
• An average 3 bedroom house that’s around 300 square meters or larger will cost between R2800 – R4600. This is based on moving 300 square meter’s worth of furniture in 4-6 hours, based on inside and outside furniture
• An average 4 bedroom house that’s around 500 square meters or larger will cost between R7500 – R12 000. This is based on moving 500 square meter’s worth of furniture in 6-8 hours, based on inside and outside furniture

However, moving between provinces can become quite expensive. For all moving companies, they follow the same major routes expanding from Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, all the way through to Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Pretoria. A move from Cape Town to Johannesburg, based on using one truck for the average 2 bedroom flat will cost you anywhere between R3500 to R6000. Again, the prices will differ based on distance and the amount of furniture you are moving. So, make sure to compare different quotes when using any moving company.

See below a rough estimate of what moving companies charge to and from Cape Town and Johannesburg to get an idea of what you might pay on off peak times.

Tips on how to decrease your quote if you’re on a tighter budget:  

1. Consider getting your own packaging material

As previously mentioned, a moving company will increase their quotes when they need to supply moving boxes and safety packaging, such as plastic wrap or bubble wrap. If you have these supplies on hand, make sure to mention it to the moving company to get a decrease in your overall quote.

A good way to collect some packaging material is to go to various stores in your local area and ask if they have any extra packaging supplies sitting around. Many companies will either give you the supplies for free or sell them at a reduced price. Having these supplies on hand means that the moving company will have everything they’ll need to pack your furniture as safely as possible without having to obtain these extra supplies at an extra cost.

2. Declutter your furniture and personal belongings

 Moving with a lot of furniture and personal belongings means that your moving quote will increase in pricing. A good way to decrease your overall quote is to declutter some of your items to ensure less items are being moved to your new home.

Take the time to go through all of your belongings and see what can be left behind or sold. If you’ve been thinking about selling your old couch and replacing it, now is the ideal time to do so. Try to minimize the amount of furniture being moved and only replace certain items when you are already moved in.

3. Compare different quotes from different moving companies

A good way to get the best for your buck, is to compare different quotes from different moving companies. Sometimes, a fully assisted move just isn’t possible. Taking the time to go through the different options each moving company offers, at their different prices, will ensure that you still get a personalised move that fits your budget.

4. Check in with your insurance

Many people forget to contact their insurance providers, to see whether they will assist with the costs of moving between homes. If your home is covered, check in with your insurance company to see if they will cover any or all of the costs of moving to a new location. The same goes for work-related moving. If you need to move because of work-related requirements, speak with your supervisors to see if any moving costs will be covered by the company.

5. Consider moving during off-peak times

Off seasons can be your new best friend when it comes to saving some money on your moving expenses. During off seasons, moving companies are not as busy as they usually would be, which means you’ll be saving some money along the way. Try and move either during the week or in between school holidays to ensure your move will be booked at a reduced rate.

We hope these tips have been helpful and wish you the best with your next move!