Are you interested in moving within the state you're currently in, but plan to move a long distance? This article dives deep into intrastate moving: the long-distance moving option that's priced differently than local moves and not as involved as interstate moves.
In this blog, we'll cover everything you need to know when hiring a full-service mover for the task of moving a vast distance within the same state. Let’s look at what it means to move intrastate when using a full-service moving company and how it differs from local and interstate moving.
What Is an Intrastate Move?
Intrastate moves are anything above 50 miles within the same state. Moving within the same state doesn’t necessarily mean traveling a shorter distance. For example, moving intrastate from El Paso, Texas, to Texarkana, Texas, covers 814 miles. That is significantly more mileage than an interstate move from New York City, New York, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which spans closer to 100 miles.
Intrastate vs. Interstate Full-Service Moves
Customers often request clarification between the definitions of intrastate and interstate moves. The two sound alike, but have vastly different rules and regulations. Here are two of the biggest key differences:
- Intrastate moves travel within the same state, and interstate moves cross state lines.
- Intrastate moves must follow regulations on a state level, while interstate moves must follow Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules.
How Is the Cost of an Intrastate Move Calculated?
Many professional moving companies often use weight and distance to determine the cost of travel. Some states have different geographic features than others, making intrastate moves subjective to their surroundings. For example, a 200-mile move within Colorado may cost more than a 200-mile move within Kansas. One state has more obstacles like mountains, while the other is flat, which can affect fuel prices, staffing, and travel time. Often, a trained in-person estimator will use their best judgment to crunch the numbers and create a written quote.
The size of a customer's home and a request for additional moving services may also play a factor in the pricing of a move, but the same can be said for all moving types. An example of an additional service would be packing. This is great when you don’t have the time or resources to do so yourself.
How Bailey’s Moving & Storage Does Intrastate Moves
Throughout your moving process, our trained professionals will provide the following:
Estimator Walkthrough
Like all moves, you must contact an estimator to begin the process. The estimator is a representative who will meet with you to evaluate your personal belongings and give you a written estimate. However, if you’re not ready to meet with someone, you can always use our quoting tool to snag a ballpark estimate based on historical averages. Scheduling a meeting with an estimator may also be done through our quoting tool, but it’s not mandatory. You may also call us directly at (888) 260-5717 to get the ball rolling.
Once everything has been scheduled, you may choose to do a walkthrough in-person or virtually. During this process, your estimator will carefully evaluate the size of your home and the number of items needing transportation. From there, you will receive a firm price and details about how your household goods will reach your destination.
Speaking with an estimator is a great way to understand your move's specific details and timeline, which helps ensure transparency and accuracy. The written estimate is key to understanding what you’re paying for and why.
Loading, Unloading, and Transportation
Bailey’s Moving provides the following for standard intrastate moves:
- The loading of your household goods
- The transportation of your shipment from your origin location to your destination
- The unloading of everything once the truck has reached the destination
- Released-value coverage on your belongings
Valuation
Valuation is not only offered by Bailey’s Moving & Storage, but by all moving companies per federal law. By definition, moving valuation is not insurance; it is the liability a moving company assumes when moving your belongings. There are two types of moving valuation:
- Full-Value Protection: Your mover is liable for the total replacement value of your lost or damaged items. For example, if something is lost or broken, one of three things would happen: The object would be repaired, the object would be replaced with a similar item, or a cash settlement would be reached. This type of protection incurs an additional charge on your move.
- Released-Value Protection: This coverage is free because it’s already included in the cost of your move, but customers only receive 60 cents per pound of household goods. So, if something is lost or damaged, it will not be replaced, repaired, or reimbursed for its market value. For example, a customer would be reimbursed $18 if their 30-pound computer valued at $3,000 were irreparably harmed by the moving crew during a move.
For more information on the importance of valuation for moving, check out our blog on the subject.
Packing Services
One of the biggest hassles of moving is packing all of your household belongings. Bailey’s Moving & Storage offers complete packing services to ensure all your belongings are transported correctly. The biggest perk of having a trained moving professional pack your goods is knowing you will have a greater chance of your items being protected and reimbursed in the event of an accident while in transit.
Storage
Bailey’s offers in-house temperature-controlled storage in case you’re caught in between a move and need to store your items immediately, temporarily, or permanently. Our facility generally maintains temps between 55° F and 80°F, which helps protect your belongings from radical weather changes. However, even though this is better than not having any heating or cooling protection, temperature control only maximizes the lifespan of certain items. The main reason for this is due to moisture. Although your items may not overheat or freeze, humidity could slowly affect your goods. For example, if you need to store guitars, wine, or wood furniture, you may want to seek climate-controlled storage.
How to Choose the Right Moving Company For the Job
We understand there are plenty of movers to choose from, and even if you don’t choose Bailey’s Moving, there are still many other great options in the industry. However, when choosing the right company, remember that customer service, quality assurance, and a solid reputation are key in finding the right person for the job.
