If you’re reading this, you’re probably pondering how you should move out of your house or apartment in San Antonio. I’m going to give you a sure fire guide on the two ways you can go: personal do it yourself moving or hiring San Antonio movers. There are advantages to both so let’s explore those and really get into the local South Texas experience.
My friend recently moved from his home near Bandera and 1604. He was moving to the Bitters and 281 area. He executed a great game plan in moving efficiently and quickly. First, he asked me to help him which was smart but instead of being a bum about it he insisted that he pay me. I’ll be honest with you, at the time I didn’t know movers charged around $80 an hour and upward. Not to say I was looking to score some big time money because I wasn’t. I really would have done it for free, but since he insisted on paying, I charged him $50 for about 5 hours of work.
Now he did have some San Antonio movers come and move some preliminary huge stuff which was also a good idea. Their labor is well spent on huge china cabinets, a 60 inch TV, or dresser drawers, but it’s very inefficient to have them moving little boxes that you could pay a teenager to move.
The last step was renting a big U-haul van for the day on Saturday (same day return) and not buying any of the extras they try to sell with it. You don’t want to ever buy boxes, tape, packaging supplies from specialized companies because you’ll always pay a premium for it. If you need moving boxes, try to ask a nearby Target for spare boxes. Target constantly throws away nice cardboard packing boxes.
With he and I both moving, the total time spent loading and unloading was approximately 5 hours. We both went pretty fast and smoothly, never slowing down until the job was done. This was partly because he needed to return the rented U-haul in time and partly because when you’re doing a job like moving, you just get it done. It’s no fun to drag out because then it just takes up more of your day.
This is how you complete the do it yourself method for actually moving stuff (not packing and unpacking it – we’ve talked about that in prior entries). If you have some heavy items that require delicate lifting, you’re better off hiring a reputable San Antonio moving company for very specific items that you don’t think a normal person can handle. Also, these guys have truck and equipment built for padding and cushioning items so they don’t get damaged.
When you’re done with the big items, think about hiring a college aged student to help with other things. Obviously, you’re looking for strength but you’re also looking for attention to detail, sharpness, dedication, a willingness to listen, and most important, responsibility. Try to find a couple of young men through someone you know or someone they would recommend. Offer to pay $15-$20 an hour or perhaps a flat fee (if you’re concerned about slow movers) for moving stuff that concerns more manual labor type of moving like boxes with miscellaneous items, chairs, a microwave, lamps, etc. This is where you can take a sharp cut out of hiring a moving company in South Texas. The drawback here would be if someone gets hurt or if something gets damaged.
As you’ve gathered by now, the time to hire San Antonio movers is when you’re moving big, bulk, and/or heavy items. If this comprises the lionshare of your move, then it’s better to hire an affordable moving company. You never want to go strictly for the cheapest moving company in town because then you increase your chances of having poor movers who break or damage stuff or are outright lazy. Remember, these people are just working. They’re not working for the benefit of you and are probably receiving a set amount per hour so they aren’t really concerned whether or not you have to be out of your apartment by Tuesday or not.
Time is another perfect example of when you should hire a professional. If you have 48 hours to get all your stuff out, it’s at this point you can no longer wait around to find good help or research the best people to do the job. You just have to hire movers San Antonio and fast and hope they do a good job.
Below I have compiled a list of some of the more recommended San Antonio Moving Companies:
- Relevant Yellow aka Move For Cheap – Although a few customers had bad experiences, the majority gave a big thumbs up
- All American Discount Movers – 2 of 3 customers rated the service 4 stars or above
- All Aboard Movers – Best reviews I have seen (average rating in 4+ range for over 16 reviews
- Ward North American – One very solid review