How to calculate the cost of your move to Burbank, CA?

Moving to the media capital of the world which still retains the small-town feel sounds great, right? After all, who wouldn’t want to live just over the Hollywood Hills and be so close to LA? However, before you can actually call Burbank your home, you’ll have to unpack the whole process of relocation. The organization of the move comes down to hiring professional help, but this can sometimes turn out to be pricey. Still, there are ways to calculate the cost of your move to Burbank and find ways to reduce the final bill. Stick with us until the rest of the article and learn all about it!

Request free estimates

A successful move is all about careful planning. With this in mind, you should start mapping out your relocation plan as early as possible. Yes, even a few months prior to the date, unless it’s a last-minute move, of course. A big part of this process is drawing up a moving budget. But, of course, in order to know how much money to set aside, you need to know the cost of your move to Burbank. To do this, you need to ask professional moving companies to give you an estimate. The good news is that these estimates are usually free and you can request them online or by giving them a call. Many companies nowadays have online moving estimate calculators where you can take the DIY approach. Still, the best and most reliable way to a precise cost of relocation is an in-house estimate.

How do these in-house estimates work, you may wonder? A representative of a moving company comes to your house and accesses how much the move will cost. That’s how he’s able to determine the weight of your items more effectively, plus you get to ask them all the questions face to face. After all, the better you get to know them, the easier it will be to let professionals handle your move in this area.

a man holding a wallet
A precise estimate is crucial in order to determine the cost of your move to Burbank

Distance matters!

Now, unless you live really close, and your move can be considered a local move, your mover will charge you by the hour. In case of a long-distance move, however, you have to take the actual distance into account too. This means that you will be charged for truck and gas mileage as well. But, how is this included in the full cost of your move to Burbank? In California, this type of fee is called Double Drive Time – a price from your place of origin to Burbank times two.

Of course, different moving companies can charge this fee in various ways. Some of them will only charge you the hourly rate without fuel while others will bill fuel separately. For the sake of comparison, moving a one-bedroom apartment from NY to Burbank costs approximately $2600. Of course, the more stuff there is and the longer the distance, the higher the price. To be on the safe side, it’s always best to go with a renowned local moving company like Los Angeles Transfer and Storage. This way, you’ll know that the distance charges you’re paying for are precise and fair.

pouring gasoline into engine
Be ready to pay the mileage rate when you decide to move

Weight of your belongings is important too

But distance isn’t the only factor when it comes to calculating the cost of your move to Burbank. Another equally important thing is the total weight of the shipment. In fact, some movers may offer exclusively weight-based estimates. These types of estimates are also called non-binding estimates and the rate per pound is usually 1$/lb. A one-bedroom apartment is somewhere in between 2200 and 3200lb, so do your math before to learn the approximate cost. Of course, once you find a reliable moving company that will weigh your belongings, you’ll get a precise estimate.

However, no matter how much you trust your movers, it’s crucial you be present during the weighting. You even have the right to request the shipment be weighed at a certified scale, inspected by the government or licensed agency. Additionally, you should be present during the weighting of the truck to make sure you are not cheated in any way. The more you inform yourself on how the cost of your move to Burbank is deduced, the lesser the worries.

Don’t forget about additional services

So we’ve gone through the methods your movers will most likely estimate the relocation price. However, this only applies to the basic moves, which don’t require special equipment or for clients that require additional services. For example, let’s say you need to move a grandfather’s clock or a piano to your new California home. These are considered bulky items, and they require specialized moving equipment dollies or piano skids. Because heavy items are usually challenging to load and unload, movers introduce special fees. Another important part of the move is insurance, which is $.60 per pound per item in California. But it’s not just additional services like packing that cost more – the time of the move can impact the price too. What happens if you want to relocate safely during the coronavirus? Of course, it’s possible, but you may come up against higher prices due to the risk movers are facing while working during the pandemic. Inform yourself on time so there are no unpleasant surprises on the moving day!

relocating a piano before your move to Burbank
Moving bulky object will require special equipment, so notify your movers on time

Ways to lower the price

In case you’re moving on a budget, you’ll naturally want to lower the cost of your move to Burbank. After all, relocation really can be costly and you want to start your new life with money set aside. For this reason, here are a couple of tricks that can help you negotiate with your movers or even go the DIY route:

  • moving during the off-season

  • declutter your home for a lighter shipment

  • save money on packing supplies by using free cardboard boxes, household blankets, etc.

  • check for discounts

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