How Much Does It Cost to Hire Movers in New Zealand?

There are many important things to consider, decisions to make, tasks to complete, and challenges to overcome when moving within New Zealand but the first and foremost concern is the relocation cost – and more specifically, the estimated cost to hire movers. Knowing how much moving companies charge in different relocation scenarios will effectively solve the dilemma “hire a mover or do it yourself” and allow Kiwis on the move to make the right choice for their specific relocation needs and available budgets.

The cost of hiring a removal company depends on a number of factors (size of the move, complexity of the job, time of the year, etc.), but the type of the move (a local move or a long distance move) is the major determinant. So, to learn the answer to the question “How much does it cost to move a house in New Zealand?”, one needs to find out the cost to hire movers in town and the cost to hire long-distance removals first.

Read on to learn the average cost to hire a moving company and understand how removal company costs are calculated for different types of house moves.

Benefits of Hiring Professional Removals

Hiring a removal company will give you peace of mind and will take much of the moving stress off your shoulders – the professionals will do all the hard work for you, will provide your belongings with the best possible protection, and will ensure a safe, smooth, and successful relocation.

It is a good idea to hire professional removals when:

• You’re moving a large household;
• You have many specialty items – antique furniture, grandfather clock, piano, pool table, etc. – that are difficult to pack and move;
• You’re moving long distance (such as from Auckland to Wellington or from Nelson to Dunedin);
• You’re moving from the North Island to the South Island (or vice versa);
• You don’t have enough time to pack up your entire home, organize the complicated relocation process, and complete all arduous relocation-related tasks;
• You don’t have previous experience moving house.

Risking damaging your valuable belonging or hurting yourself lifting and carrying heavy items is not worth it – using professional moving services may cost more than moving yourself, but it will save you time, effort and trouble. The pros have the rich experience, technical know-how, and specialized equipment to perform your move in the safest and most efficient way possible. And they will tell you the final moving cost in advance (the removal company quotes include all the charges – packing materials, moving labor, transportation, extra fees, etc.), so you can plan your finances and make a realistic moving budget.

Removal Company Costs

So, how much do movers charge? Depending on the type of the move, removal companies estimate the cost based on the time to complete the job or on the total weight of the shipment.

Local moving cost

Time is the most important factor when estimating the cost of a local move, as local removals charge by the hour. They tally up the time that the removal truck will need to get from the origin to the final destination and the number of work hours it will take the moving crew to load and unload the shipment and add the costs of the required extra services and packing materials. The resultant equation looks like that:

Local moving cost = (Hourly rate) X (Number of movers) X (Number of hours to complete the move) + (Charges for additional services and packing materials)

Keep in mind though that many local removal companies have a minimum charge, equal to the charge of 2-4 hours’ work, so even if your move takes less time, you will have to pay this minimum amount.

Long distance moving cost

When it comes to long distance moves, the moving cost is estimated based on the volume of the goods (or the total weight of the shipment) and the actual distance to the final destination. The basic formula to calculate the cost of a long-distance move across New Zealand is as follows:

Long distance moving cost = (Load volume/weight) X (Rate per pound per mile) X (Relocation distance) + (Charges for accessorial services and packing materials)

The removal companies’ rates are listed on the companies’ official websites.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Removal Company?

The average cost of hiring a removal company is about $1000-$1500 for a local move and about $4000-$5000 for a long distance move. Of course, the price can be much lower or much higher depending on the specific circumstances in each individual relocation case.

How much does it cost to hire movers for a local move?

Based on the average local removal company costs, hiring two men and a van for a move across town will cost you between $110 and $160 per hour (every extra man is an additional $35 per hour).

Depending on where you live, the rates and the overall local moving cost will vary. Travel fees or booking fees may also apply depending on the pickup location.

Here are the approximate costs you can expect for your local move, depending on the size of your home:

• Moving out of a one-bedroom apartment with the help of 2 local movers will cost you about $500 if the entire loading, transportation and unloading operations are completed within 4 hours.
• The cost of moving a 2-bedroom home (approximately 1000 square feet) across town will be about $700-$800, presuming that the relocation job is finished in 5-6 hours.
• When moving out of a 3-bedroom apartment or house (roughly 2000 square feet), you can expect to pay between $1000 and $1500 for a moving crew of 4 members who manage to complete the local move in 8 hours.
• For larger homes, the moving price can go up to $2500.

If you request packing services, the cost of your local move will increase by $400-$800 (packing materials are usually included in the price).

Good to remember: If you’re happy with the way your local removals handled your relocation, you may want to reward their efforts by offering them a tip. The standard tip when you’re moving short distance is around $5 per mover per hour, but you can always tip your removalists more if you’re really satisfied with their job. Just make sure you hand each crew member their share instead of giving the lump sum to one person.

These sample prices can give you an idea about the average cost of local moves in New Zealand but the best way to find out the actual cost of your move is to get a free moving quote and see what different local removal companies have to offer.

How much does it cost to hire movers for a long distance move?

When moving to another region, your moving cost will be determined by the volume of your items and the distance to your new home. Expect to pay an average of $5000 to have the contents of a 3-bedroom home moved at a distance of 1000 kilometers. You will be charged extra for any additional services you may need and some extra fees may apply /see below for more information/.

It’s important to know that long distance moving costs are calculated on a case by case basis because the moving price depends on too many factors. To learn your actual moving cost, you need to get several removal company quotes and request on-site estimates from three of four long-distance movers who seem to best suit your relocation needs and requirements. A company representative will visit your home, assess the situation (number and type of items you have for moving, possible difficulties and obstacles, desired pickup and delivery dates, etc.), and will give you an accurate estimate of your moving costs. (It’s a good idea to request a binding estimate as it will guarantee to some extent that the final cost of your move will not exceed the estimated amount.)

CAUTION: Should you happen to receive a price estimate that is way lower than the rest, proceed with caution as that could be a sign of moving fraud.

Here are some sample long distance moving costs to give you an idea about what you can expect to pay for your intercity move:

• Moving out of a 1 bedroom apartment will cost you around$2000 for a distance of 1000 km.
• The cost of moving a 2 bedroom home at a distance of 1000 km will be between $3000 and $4000.
• Moving a 3 bedroom house to a place located 1000 km away will cost about $5000.
• The cost of moving a larger home can soar up to $7000 and more.

Remember that all these example prices are only approximate. To learn how much it will cost you to hire professional removals for your long-distance relocation, you need to request in-house surveys from reputable New Zealand removal companies and get accurate price estimates.

Additional costs when hiring a removal company

Professional removals offer a number of accessorial services you may wish to use to make our relocation safer and easier.

Besides, there may be some difficulties or obstacles (narrow streets, insufficient parking space, narrow doorways and hallways, etc.) that necessitate additional moving services. Every extra service you use will incur extra costs and add to the final cost of your move:

• Packing – How much does it cost to hire movers to pack for you? Local removals charge about $50-$100 per hour for the extra service of packing up a home. For long distance moves, the pros will quote a price depending on the number and nature of the items you have for moving. Unpacking services and disposal of packing materials are also available for an additional fee;
• Crating – If you have very fragile and/or very valuable items (pieces of art, antiques, crystal items, etc.) that need to be packed in wooden crates for optimal protection, you’ll have to pay for custom crating services;
• Furniture disassembly (and reassembly) – If some of your larger furniture pieces need to be dismantled before the move, your removals can do the job for you for an extra charge;
• Moving items up and down stairs – In case your apartment building doesn’t have a service elevator or it is non-operational and your hired removals are forced to go up and down many flights of stairs, you’ll be charged an additional fee;
• Hoisting services – If some of your larger items don’t fit through the doors or along the hallways and need to be taken out of (or into) your home through a window, you’ll have to pay extra for the specialized service;
• Long carries – If there isn’t a convenient parking place for the removal van near the entrance of your home and the movers need to carry your items a long distance to the moving vehicles, you’ll be charged a long carry fee;
• Shuttle services – In case your old property (or your new one) is not accessible to a large moving truck, your items will be picked up or delivered with the help of a smaller vehicle – which will cost you an extra fee;
• Storage – If you need your items to be placed in storage for a while before being delivered to your new place, it will further increase your final moving cost.

The costs of additional moving services vary from company to company, so you need to ask your chosen removals how much they charge for the extra services you’re going to need and plan your finances accordingly.

If you still can’t find the answer to the question “What is the cost to hire movers in New Zealand?”, get your free moving quote now.

Ways to Reduce the Moving Costs When Using Professional Removal Services

You may not be able to reduce the cost to hire professional movers but you can significantly lower your overall moving costs by planning ahead of time, being organized, getting everything ready in time, and taking care of the details:

• Choose your moving date wisely – During peak season (November-March), as well as on weekends and holidays, removal company rates can be up to 20% higher than their standard rates. Therefore, if possible, try to avoid the busiest relocation periods and schedule your move for a time when professional moving services will be more affordable and more easily available;
• Book your chosen movers well ahead of time as hiring a removal company in the last minute will cost you more and the choice of available removals will be limited;
• Do your own packing – You can save anywhere from $500 to $1500 by packing your items yourself. To save even more money, you can try to find packing boxes for free and, whenever possible, use alternative materials to packing paper and bubble wrap (old towels, linen, etc.);
• Pack as many of your items as possible in boxes to make your move faster and more efficient (boxes are easier to carry and stack in the truck);
• Ensure safe and easy access to your old home and your new property – reserve a convenient parking space for the removal truck, clear the way of obstacles, etc.;
• When moving a large household within town, book more manpower to get the job done faster (since you’re paying an hourly rate);
• When moving intercity, take along only your most essential and most cherished possessions – the fewer items you relocate, the cheaper and easier your move is going to be. So, be sure to get rid of everything you don’t need or don’t like anymore, as well as of items you can buy cheaply in your new city, and save time, effort, and money on your move;
• When moving to another region, consider shared load moving (groupage) – your shipment will be loaded on the same truck with other people’s goods traveling in the same direction. It will take longer for your items to be delivered but you will be sharing the moving costs with the other customers and will pay significantly less for your move.

Bonus tip: Get insurance – just to be on the safe side. Even if you’ve hired one of the best New Zealand movers, accidents do happen and your items may be lost or damaged during the relocation. Transit insurance will provide cover if the unforeseen happens when moving and will help ensure your peace of mind. There are various options available, but your best bet is to get full coverage – even though it will add to the cost of your move.

Whether you’re moving from Wellington to Auckland, from Dunedin to Christchurch, or just within your current city, knowing the cost to hire movers will help you make an informed decision and organize a smooth and successful relocation. Good luck with your move within New Zealand!