Moving Weight Restrictions

Does the weight of your stuff matter for long-distance moves? 

When you’re packing up a whole household to move, you’ll likely have some heavy things like sectionals, wooden furniture, or appliances like washers and refrigerators. Most homes won’t have a scale able to measure these items, but does it really matter how much everything weighs? Well, that depends on the mover and equipment you choose.  

Full-service moving companies can charge by weight 

Full-service movers typically charge by the weight of your belongings. Usually, you’ll start with an in-home visit by a full-service company representative who will estimate the cost of packing, loading, transporting and unloading your things.  

Later, your price will be adjusted based on the final weight of your items and the time it took to handle the whole process. This could lead to unpleasant surprises in the cost if the representative underestimated anything about the shipment.  

It’s a good idea to compare movers first to understand if weight will affect your price. 

Can you avoid cost-per-pound moving?

Absolutely! With a DIY-moving solution like U-Pack®, you can handle the packing, loading and unloading yourself and let experienced professionals handle the driving. The best part is you’re only charged for the space your belongings need (linear feet in a moving trailer or number of ReloCube® moving containers). Weight is not a factor in the price! Get your free online quote today or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant. 

You might also consider renting a moving truck, but keep in mind that the heavier your shipment, the lower the fuel efficiency of the vehicle will be. Fuel prices are not included in rental truck rates. 

Note: All moving equipment will have maximum weight limits. For example, U-Pack’s ReloCubes hold up to 2,500 pounds and our moving trailers have a maximum limit of 22,000 pounds, which can handle typical household goods shipments including boxes, appliances and furniture. 

Shipment weight for military moves 

If you’re moving with the military, you may need accurate weight tickets to avoid delays with reimbursements. Talk to your branch’s Transportation Office about any limits before the move. If you’re making a Personally Procured Move (PPM), also called a do-it-yourself (DITY) move, and need weight tickets, make sure to use a moving service that can provide military weight tickets like U-Pack.  

If you plan to drive a rental truck, you’ll need to allow extra time to stop at a certified scale to get empty and full weight tickets for the truck. 

What else to consider about shipment weight 

Besides cost, there are a few other things you’ll want to consider about the weight of your belongings when moving. 

Moving extremely heavy items

If you have heavier belongings to move like a piano, it’s best to find a crating service equipped to handle the weight and safe transportation of the specific piece. This will help protect your heavy item from damage (or from damaging your other belongings) during transit. For this example, you could do an online search for “Piano movers near me” to get started.

Safety

Driving an overloaded (or improperly loaded) rental truck or moving trailer can be dangerous. If the shipment is too heavy or not balanced properly, it can be difficult to control the equipment, especially when braking or making turns. Make sure you follow the moving company’s guidelines for loading and distributing the weight of heavy items in the equipment. 

Questions? 

If you have additional questions about how weight can affect your long-distance move, let us know in the comments. We’re always happy to help!