Renting a moving truck or hiring a full service moving company may seem like a pretty basic task but many people overlook the important factors when it comes to choosing a moving truck company. Many people who plan on doing home renovations or relocation usually rent a moving truck to drive themselves rather than paying for a full service moving company to handle their possessions. Sometimes this is the cheaper and more optimal choice especially if you plan to relocate to a nearby area. But often times it makes more sense to hire a full service moving company to transport your possessions for you. Choosing the right moving truck or full service moving company could seem daunting without any past experience. In either case, listed below are the top tips to help you choose a moving truck or full service moving company.

1. The most important step when choosing a moving truck is determining the size of the truck needed. If you end up picking a truck that’s too small, you’ll lose money making extra trips. A truck that is way too big is also a waste of money, and leaves room for your possessions to dangerously slide around inside the truck. Different full service moving companies use either two standards of measurement to determine what size truck is needed. Some companies weigh the total weight of all possessions being moved, while others measure their volume in cubic feet (based on how they will be packed in the truck). If you’re planning on moving multiple furnished rooms during a home relocation, then a good rule is that 1 furnished room needs approximately 125 to 150 cubic feet. A small one bedroom apartment (350 cubic feet) needs a 10 foot truck. A two bedroom house (750 cubic feet) needs a 15 foot truck. A three to four bedroom house (1,250 cubic feet) needs a 20 foot truck. A five to six bedroom house  (1,550 cubic feet) needs a 25 foot truck. This is a pretty ideal reference for home relocation truck size calculation. If your moving a full basement, attic, garage, or storage unit it’s ideal to go up one truck size. The truck size you pick should be large enough to accommodate 10 to 15% more than what you plan on moving. This leaves enough breathing room inside the moving truck, without it being too loosely packed.

2. Calculate the distance you’re moving your possessions to and from. Some moving truck rental companies will charge a daily flat rate, including a determined amount of miles, while others will charge an inclusive rate.

3. Figure out the date you plan to rent the truck. Call at least two weeks in advance so you can ensure there’s availability for the required truck you decided on. Some moving truck rental companies increase the price depending on moving truck availability.

4. If you’re planning on driving the moving truck yourself, it’s important to ask the moving truck rental company how to operate the truck. This will help you avoid vehicular accidents. Moving trucks need more space and time to react compared to a personal vehicle such as a car. Find out how tall the moving truck is, and know ahead of time of any low bridges or clearance areas that are part of your traveling route.

5. Before signing off on a moving truck, inspect it for any damages. Ensure that the dealer is aware of all damages to the moving truck before using it. It’s a good idea to have a written list of any damages signed by the moving truck dealer. This will protect you if the moving truck rental company wants additional payment for the pre-existing damages.

There’s the first 5 tips of the top tips to know when renting a moving truck or hiring a full service moving company. Check back tomorrow for part 2 of this informative article. If you’re interested in A Space Place Storage’s moving truck rental prices, check out our moving truck page.