U Can Move Yourself : Save Money, Retain Control : Benefits of Self-Move Include Saving Money and Control of Process

Of the 6 million Californians who will relocate this year, an estimated 75%, or 4.5 million people, will move themselves.

“Two reasons for moving yourself are to save money and to be in complete control of your move,” said Dona Hollifield, a Chicago-based moving consultant who is also the author of “It’s Your Move.”

“You can stop along the way, like we did--visit friends--and not worry about racing a moving truck across the country,” she said.

As with all moves, proper planning can make the relocation process go much smoother, experts advise.

The first step in making a do-it-yourself move is to determine what size truck you will need. A 10-foot van will hold one room or about 2,000 pounds, a 12-foot to 15-foot van will hold three or four rooms or about 2,600 pounds. An 18-foot van will hold about five or six rooms or 7,400 pounds while a 24-foot to 26-foot van will hold about seven rooms or 10,000 pounds.

“It is common for non-professionals to underestimate the amount of space needed to accommodate a shipment of household goods,” Henry P. Costantino writes in his book “Moving? Don’t be Taken for an Expensive Ride.” “There is always ‘wasted space’ due to odd-shaped pieces of furniture.”

Most of the larger vans, 24-foot to 26-foot trucks, only come with standard transmissions. Do you or your traveling companions know how to drive a “stick-shift?”

Because rental rates vary from company to company, shop around for the best prices on the equipment you need to rent. Rental rates for a local move, within 100 miles, are generally based on a standard charge per day, or scheduled rental period, and a mileage charge.

In the Los Angeles area, a 24-foot standard transmission van currently rents from U-Haul for $39.95 a day with an additional charge of 49 cents a mile. A 24-foot van rented from Ryder in Santa Clarita currently costs $59.95 a day with a 35-cent charge per mile.

Rates for one-way moves out of California also vary, and are generally based upon the inventory of vehicles in an area.

“We have certain areas that we consider ‘pit areas,’ ” Kathy Carper, a U-Haul travel control manager, said. “That is, we have too many vehicles sitting in one area. For example, Winner, S.D., is currently a pit area. The flat rate (out of Los Angeles) to rent a 17-foot truck for eight days to Winner is $1,595. The rate to rent the same truck for the same period to Yankton, S.D., which is 100 miles farther, is only $1,032.”

Based on U-Haul rates in effect as of January, 1992, renting a 24-foot van for a one-way move from Los Angeles to Orlando, Fla., would cost $1,782.

This flat rate covers the use of the vehicle for 11 days, and 2,809 miles. If the vehicle is kept for more than 11 days, the additional cost is $40 a day. The cost of each mile beyond 2,809 allowed would be 40 cents a mile.

The rental charge for a 26-foot van for this same one-way trip would be $2,211, and additional days would be $50 each.

The rates quoted above do not include extras such as insurance (truck damage, injury liability or contents), dollies, furniture blankets, boxes or other packing materials. An appliance dolly rents for $10 for a one-way rental with U-Haul, and $7 for a daily rental rate. Furniture blankets rent for $10 a dozen, or $1 each.

Most people, whether they are moving with a professional mover or doing it on their own, seem to want to move at the same time.

“It’s best to reserve early, at least a week or two in advance,” Carper said, “especially if you want to rent at the end of the month, which is our busiest time.”

“If you are making a one-way, out-of-state move, you should reserve your truck at least two weeks in advance,” she added.

Besides the rental costs, another factor in a do-it-yourself move is the cost of the fuel. Most rental trucks will get about seven miles to the gallon. To determine the fuel cost divide the number of miles you are traveling by seven. Multiply the estimated number of gallons by a cost per gallon.

Additional travel costs are incurred in a do-it-yourself move in the costs of motel rooms and food. You will be traveling at a much slower speed in a loaded moving van than you could in a car. If you are also towing a vehicle, you will be moving even slower.

A do-it-yourself move means that you will also be doing all of your own packing. Many rental companies also sell the packing supplies you will need such as boxes, dish-packs, wardrobes, bubble wrap, wrapping paper and rope.

Liquor stores are also a good source of sturdy boxes. Several stores specialize in shipping containers including Box City, Box Bros. and The Boxx Shopp. Check the Yellow Pages.

Everything you own will be in that moving van, so it makes sense to take your time and use common sense when packing your household goods.

Start early, several weeks in advance of the actual move, by packing items you don’t need. If you are making a local move, Hollifield recommends you use a lot of drawstring trash bags in your packing.

“Pack anything soft in them--clothes, linens, pillows, sofa cushions, etc.,” she said. “When you unpack them, you’re left with a tiny pile of folded bags that can be reused, and no boxes to get rid of!”

(For additional packing tips, please see accompanying story.)

There are hidden costs in a do-it-yourself move, and the biggest item in this category is your time. How long will it take to pack your household goods? How long will it take to load? How much time will be spent in the drive to your destination? Once you arrive, how much more time will you spend unloading the truck, reassembling beds, tables, etc.?

If you were moving to Orlando with a professional carrier, you would pay for the shipment when the truck arrived at the destination. When you are making a do-it-yourself move, you must pay the moving costs when you pick up the equipment.

These charges would include the flat rate of the truck rental, insurance, taxes, additional equipment rented, and the security deposit (if not paid when the reservation was made). Most of the rental companies accept major credit cards; all accept cash, and some will accept personal checks.

“Make sure that you read your contract,” Carper advised. “It is a binding agreement, so be inquisitive as to what you are renting. I would also recommend that you rent our moving video and take a good look at your options.”

Many U-Haul agents have a limited number of copies of “Moving Made Easier” available for free viewing. They may, however, charge a small deposit that is returned when the video is returned.

The 60-minute video is in three parts. The first part demonstrates packing techniques that will help you “pack like a pro” as well as instructions for loading the van.

The second part of the video deals with the mechanics of operating a 26-foot diesel moving van. Topics covered range from engine starting procedures to driving tips.

The last part of the video offers guidelines for selecting the right equipment and reduces the issue to three basic questions: 1) What is the square footage of your home? 2) How many bedrooms do you have? and 3) How far are you moving?

The van should be positioned up as close as possible to the house to make carrying distances as short as possible. Many vans have a space above the cab for fragile items. U-Haul calls this area “Mom’s Attic.” This area should be loaded first.

Loading a truck requires certain expertise. Load the heaviest items first--major appliances such as the refrigerator, washer and dryer. Pull the dollies up the loading ramp rather than try to push the items up the ramp.

“One of the biggest mistakes consumers make in a self-move is in the packing and loading of the vehicle,” Carper said. “Rather than load the heaviest items in first, they load them last. This weighs down the vehicle, and beyond the wear and tear on the back axle, it makes the vehicle harder to navigate, especially if you are traveling through mountains.”

Hollifield offers this advice in loading: “Mattresses, box springs, sofas, tables (with legs removed) should be placed against the sides of the truck and tied town. Table tops should be padded. Heavy boxes should be stacked one on top of each other.”

Loading a moving van is like solving a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. To do it efficiently, you should measure as you load. Measure the available space and then find something to fit that space. Pack the van as tightly as possible from top to bottom to prevent the load from shifting while on the road. As you load each cell or section of the van, tie the items down.

If you cannot remove table legs, pad the table and load it upside down--legs upward. Before a dresser is loaded, all drawers should be removed. After the dresser is in, reinsert the drawers and turn the dresser toward a wall of the van or against a mattress to prevent the drawers from opening. If you can’t do that, tie the drawers shut.

If, after you have loaded the van, you still have items left over, you may also have to rent a trailer. To determine the amount of additional cubic feet you need, arrange the leftover items in a rectangular shape. Measure the length, width and height. Multiply all three dimensions to determine the cubic feet required.

If you need to tow a car, there are three options: the traditional tow bar; the auto dolly and the auto transport. With a traditional tow bar, all four wheels of the car are on the road. The auto dolly is recommended for front wheel drive vehicles because only the two rear wheels are on the ground. The auto transport is a trailer that carries the vehicle without any of the car’s wheels on the ground.

Before making a final decision on whether or not to make a do-it-yourself move based strictly on dollars and cents, Costantino recommends you consider the following:

“Are you and others who will be helping with the loading and unloading physically able to lift the heavy items without risking injury? Do you have dependable people at both origin and destination who can definitely be relied upon to show up? If the truck breaks down on a highway during the evening hours, what can you do when stranded?”