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Moving is often considered one of the most stressful things people do in their lives. Even if you think you've anticipated every obstacle, there are plenty of roadblocks and stressors that could crop up around moving in Alameda.
Along with all of your other moving-related stresses, you might be worried about how much movers will cost.
You can reduce your stress by using our carefully crafted guide to Alameda's best movers, who can help you make your move much easier.
Local movers are the experts at getting around Alameda. Local movers are often better for local moves, or for last-minute ones. They generally have better availability on short notice as well as lower prices.
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You might be wondering how much you should expect to spend on your move. In Alameda, the normal hourly cost for movers is:
You will first have to decide what type of mover you need. As shown above, whether a local or national mover is better will depend on some of the details of your move. There is also the decision between a self-service versus a full-service mover. Self-service moving companies provide a truck and a driver, but you will be expected to have everything packed and ready when they arrive. A full-service mover will offer packing services, which can be great if you're someone who loathes packing boxes.
You can read up on a company's reputation via online reviews and the BBB. You will also benefit from knowing which movers near you meet the licensing requirements for movers in California. Every company on our list of Alameda's best movers is well-reviewed and picked by our experts.
Once you've narrowed down your list, you can start talking to movers. It is strongly suggested that you reach out to at least two of the movers on our list to ask about getting a free estimate. Be sure that you provide a list of all of the services you think you might need for your move. Also ensure that your estimate is a "binding estimate" — otherwise, it may be subject to change.
When moving to a new city or state, there are certain resources that are helpful to have:
Alameda currently has a median house value of around $702,606. Other facts about housing in Alameda include:
Alameda has greater tree coverage than 49% of the U.S. Other natural features include:
The median income in Alameda is $98,150. In addition:
85% of Alameda's 78,841 residents report being physically active. In addition:
There are about 220 eating places in Alameda, plus:
A national moving company will be more experienced at moving across state lines and have greater familiarity with regulations in multiple states. This makes them a good choice if you are moving out of California or over 50 miles. National movers often also have bigger moving trucks.
International Van Lines (IVL), founded in 2000, can act as a carrier or a broker for long-distance moving. They provide full-service moving, offering services such as packing and loading for customers to choose from. IVL has been operating in over 180 countries since 2004, helping customers worldwide create custom moving packages to meet their unique needs.
For more than 20 years, Moving APT has been providing a top-notch interstate moving experience to customers across the U.S. Originally founded by a five-person crew in Florida, Moving APT has now served over half a million customers. They are fully compliant with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Founded in 1933, North American Moving Services now has over 500 agents all over North America. They provide both residential and corporate moves, and can handle moves that are local, long-distance, or international. The company offers packing, loading, and storage services, and they back up all of their services with 24-hour customer service.
American Van Lines was founded in Pompano Beach, Florida, but now provides long-distance moving across the country. The company has been offering a variety of full-service moving packages for over 50 years. They have won one of Newsweek's 'Best Customer Service' Awards twice, in 2019 and 2021.
Allied Van Lines is an expert broker-carrier. They can complete moves with their own team, or they can outsource to other carriers if you are in an area where they don't offer direct services. A representative from Allied Van Lines can walk you through what options are available near you. Allied Van Lines has over 90 years of professional moving experience.
JK Moving prides itself on the use of modern technology to help make moving fast and easy. They use tools like GPS tracking and climate-controlled storage to help everything in your move go smoothly. Since its founding in 1982, JK Moving has also prioritized the use of sustainable practices, such as recycling its materials. The company partners with the Race for Hope, Fight for Children, and Habitat for Humanity.
Alameda's top movers are Gentle Giant Moving Company, California Movers Local & Long Distance Moving Company, and NorthStar Moving Company, per our research.
We compile our list of best Alameda movers based on multiple weighted factors. These include the sorts of moves the company offers (international, interstate, and/or local), if they provide additional services such as packing, insurance offerings, the ease of scheduling, and reviews on other websites such as the BBB.
If you need to move a piano, you'll want to go with a mover that has expertise and knowledge in moving them. Not all movers offer this service. It is best to contact two or three companies to learn which ones have the ability to move a piano, and to ask them for references for pianos they've moved in the past.
Generally, you'll want to start preparing and packing four to six weeks prior to your move date. For shorter moves, you might need less time. You should also plan to book your mover about two months in advance. (Keep in mind that local movers may have better last-minute availability than national ones.)
Things that might affect how long your move takes include the traffic in Alameda that day, the weather, and the size of your house. Alameda has higher traffic than many places in the country, which may affect what day of the week or time of day you decide to move.
Full-service moving companies can handle just about all steps of the process. These kinds of moving companies offer packing services and can help load boxes into the moving truck. Self-service movers provide only the truck and driver. If you're doing everything yourself, you'll be the one to rent the truck and drive it, on top of everything else.
The best course of action for you will depend on how much work you want to do and how much money you want to spend. Full-service companies will cost the most, but also reduce your workload the most. If you do everything yourself, you won't spend money on movers, but you'll need to do a lot of work. Self-service movers are in-between.
We strongly suggest getting in touch with two or more of the companies from our list of the best movers in Alameda to compare prices and figure out which option is best for you.
It is important to have moving insurance, also called contents protection by movers. Purchasing moving insurance ahead of time will give you peace of mind by helping safeguard your possessions. It ensures that you have protection in case any items are lost or damaged in the move.