Portland is the largest city in Oregon and is situated near the Pacific coast with amazing views of Mount Hood. The city is well known for its beautiful parks, many bridges, and bicycle paths. Portland has a moderate climate, a growing job market, and is an affordable place to live. It’s also one of the healthiest and most eco-friendly cities in the nation.
Portland offers plenty of outdoor activities like skiing, biking, and hiking. It also has thriving art, theater, and music scenes, well over a hundred microbreweries, and many coffee shops. Home to many tech companies and startups, Portland is also a major hub for athletic/outdoor gear and footwear. Companies such as Nike, Adidas, and Columbia are headquartered there.
A move to Portland is a big step, and you have plenty to worry about like finding a new place to live and setting up all your utilities. Hiring a moving company in Portland can help ease the stress involved in a move. Whether it’s 10 miles down the road or way across town, Portland movers will help you calculate the cost of your move and have the expertise to move your belongings safely and securely.
People relocate for many reasons, including employment, family reasons, relationships, job transfers, college, and retirement. Whatever the reason, this article can help answer questions you have about your Portland move. Although some people move long distances to Portland, this article will mostly cover local moves in Portland that can be completed in one day.
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Factors That Affect Your Moving Costs in Portland
For local moving rates in Portland, you’ll pay an hourly rate, so the more time it takes, the more you have to pay. Time multiplied by the hourly moving rate is what the final cost of your relocation will be.
Here is a list of factors that affect the cost of your move:
- Volume – the more belongings you have, the longer it will take to move them.
- Packing – if you want the movers to pack for you, then it will take more time. Having the movers unpack at your new location will also add to the moving time.
- Supplies – when the movers pack for you, you’ll have to add the cost of the additional supplies like boxes, packing materials, and bubble wrap to the move.
- Access – the distance the movers have to park from your location will affect the time they’ll need to move your things. The farther away they have to park, the more time it will take.
- Stairs/elevators – any time movers have to negotiate stairs and/or elevators, it will add to the time they need to move your belongings.
- Furniture assembly/disassembly – any furniture or similar that needs to be taken apart and then put back together will add time.
- Distance – The farther the movers have to drive the more time it will take. Traffic can also affect drive time.
- Special items/requests – Any items that require extra care, such as pianos or antiques, will add to the moving time and the final cost of the move.
Full-Service Movers vs. DIY Moving in Portland
A DIY move can save you money, but how much you’ll save can be deceptive. Portland movers rates vary, and renting a truck and moving your belongings yourself is cheaper than having professional movers do it, but when you factor in the underlying costs of things like moving equipment, boxes, tape, packing materials, fuel, and your valuable time, the cost of a DIY move can be almost as much as a full-service move.
Below are some reasons why a full-service mover might be a better choice for you when moving in Portland.
- Do it Yourself moves don’t always save you money
Between the truck rental, gas, and truck rental insurance, the cost of a DIY move can add up. Paying back friends and family for their help with food and drinks or hiring labor-only movers also adds to the cost.
- Reduce stress
Any move, regardless of how big or small, can be very stressful. Professional movers can help alleviate some of that stress by handling all the aspects of the move for you.
- Save Time
A professional mover will plan out your move for you, which will save time. If you want, movers can also pack your things, and they can do it fast and efficiently. That means you have more time to focus on things like setting up your utilities, forwarding your mail, etc.
- Movers provide expertise & experience
You might move once every 5 or 10 years. Experienced movers do it every day. They have the knowledge and expertise to move you much faster and much more efficiently than you can on your own. You don’t have to worry about whether you have the right truck, tools, ramps, and moving equipment. They bring it all with them. You don’t have to figure out how you’re going to move that huge sectional. Movers take care of heavy and bulky items every day.
- Protect your furniture and house
If you’ve ever moved yourself or helped friends and family move, you’ve probably dinged a wall or a door or scratched a floor in the process. A moving company uses moving blankets and shrinkwrap to protect your furniture, walls, doorways, floors, and staircases from damage.
- Movers provide packing services
One of the most time consuming parts of a move is packing. DIY movers often just stuff things in boxes however they can, which usually ends up with broken or damaged things by the time they unpack. We’re trained to pack your belongings securely so they arrive safely at your new home.
- Movers provide quality moving materials, equipment, and specialized trucks
Professional movers bring the highest quality boxes, materials, bubble wrap, wrapping paper, and moving blankets with them. They have specialized equipment to move your fragile valuables, and their trucks are designed to transport all your belongings to your new location safely and securely.
- Safety
Any time you move heavy or bulky items, you’re risking injury, which can be serious. A professional mover can do all the heavy lifting for you, saving you and your friends and family from potential injury.
- Storage
Professional movers offer short and long-term storage for when or if you need it.
Average Moving Costs in Portland | Portland Moving Estimates
What is the average cost of moving in Portland? As stated above, local movers costs in Portland are based on hourly rates, and the final relocation cost depends on the amount of time the movers take to complete the move plus any additional items, such as packing services and moving supplies.
A full-service mover calculates the hourly moving rate based on the number of movers you need. The rate for a 2-man team will be less than that rate for a 3-man team and so on. Movers help you decide how many crew members you’ll need for your move based on the number of belongings you have and if you have any specialty items to move. Sometimes using more movers can end up costing less as they can get the job done faster.
Cost to Move a 1 Bedroom Apt in Portland
Typically, moving a 1-bedroom apartment requires 2 movers and will cost about 3-6 hours times the hourly rate.
Cost to Move a 2 Bedroom Apt in Portland
A typical 2-bedroom apartment move requires 3 movers. The estimated time is 3-6 hours, which multiplied by the hourly rate gives you the final moving estimate.
Cost to Move a Home in Portland
A smaller home move will normally require 3 to 4 movers and about 4-7 hours. Multiply 4-7 hours by the hourly rate to find your final moving estimate.
In order to get the best estimate of hourly moving rates in Portland, call your local mover and give them the size of your apartment or home, any special items you need to be moved, and any extra services you need. If you’re moving out of the area, out of the state, or across the country, a mover can give you a binding quote for a long-distance move.
Tips to Make Your Portland Relocation More Affordable
Once you have your moving quotes in Portland, you might want to see how you can reduce the cost of moving in Portland. Here is a list of things that you can do to cut the cost of your Portland move.
- Get rid of things you don’t need!
Anything you can part with will reduce the number of things to move and cut down on the time required. Organize the things you keep to help make the move faster and cheaper.
- Pack yourself and label boxes
Packing ahead of time before the movers arrive will save a lot of time. Labeling boxes will help the movers get them more quickly to the right place in your new location.
- Disassemble and assemble furniture yourself
When you take apart and reassemble your furniture, it saves the movers from doing it and will save time and money.
- Unplug electronics and wrap the cords.
Unplugging your electronics and wrapping cords will save the movers time and save you money.
- Get the approvals you might need from your new HOA, landlords, etc ahead of time.
You don’t want the movers to wait around at your new location while you call the landlord to gain entrance or contact the HOA for the gate access code. Making sure you have access to your new location will save you time, money, and stress.
- Be a good traffic cop
Know where all your things are going before you get to your new location. Direct the movers so they aren’t wondering where things go or asking you. This is especially helpful for heavy items.
- Give the movers drinks and snacks.
Keep your movers happy, and they’ll show their appreciation by working harder and faster for you.
How To Choose a Portland Moving Company
- Look at reviews on Yelp and Google
- Check how long they have been in business
- Check how many customers they have served
- Look at their customer satisfaction rating
- Look at their claims rate
- Check that they are licensed and insured
- Check what equipment/trucks they have
- Find out how good their customer service is
PDX Movers is licensed and insured. We’ve been in business for 7+ years, and serve 1500 customers per year! Our customer satisfaction rate is 4.8 out of 5, and we’re proud of our numerous five star reviews.
Additional Portland Moving Tips
How much should you tip movers in Portland?
Typically, tipping movers in Portland isn’t always expected, but definitely appreciated. You should tip $25 per mover or 18-20% total of the final moving cost for the team to split.
Ultimate Portland Moving Checklist
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Ultimate Portland Utilities Guide
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We know you’re excited about moving to your new home in Portland, so give us a call today at 503-746-8795 for a Portland moving quote. We’d love to help with your move!
