start a small moving company

Starting a moving company is commonly confused with a business idea that requires a large amount of working capital, especially since we commonly associate moving companies with large or commercial-sized trucks and a number of staff and personnel. However, if you look at the overall move, only 20% of the work is for furniture and really big items, the other 80% is for ordinary small parts. In this logic, a small moving company has an advantage, since if you were the client, you would most likely avoid hiring a large carrier to move your small items or just a few pieces of your belongings. Instead, it would be logical to opt for a smaller, locally owned moving company, as their service would likely have lower costs and fees.

If you own a truck or van, you might start a small moving company. Of course, no job or business is easy to do. If you want to make a profit and be successful, you need to invest in this business with your diligence and skills. It will often require you to carry some heavy objects and so you had better stay fit enough to perform such a task with caution and ease. While for some elements it would also be necessary to hire an extra hand. Remember that you are providing service and therefore you must handle your client’s belongings with care.

With your own truck ready at hand, you’ll also need to invest in gas, ropes, tie-downs, and blankets or plastic and moving boxes. A dolly can also be purchased if you don’t plan on having an extra hand, it would be very useful for lifting larger and heavier items. Advertising for your small business can vary in cost, such as ads in local newspapers or perhaps even free ad posting websites on the Internet. Another way to promote your business is through word of mouth, ask your friends and family to recommend you if they know someone who needs the services of a small moving company. A local furniture store may need it to deliver their products to their customers, so it wouldn’t hurt to ask as well. Small movers can charge an average of $50 to $200, depending on the size of the furniture and the distance to be moved. If you can allocate 10-20 hours a week in this small business, you could earn a small fortune of $700-1000 per month.

After deducting your monthly expenses like gas and mileage, there will surely be extra amounts as profit. You’d be wise to set aside a portion of your earnings for future repairs or upgrades to your moving truck and equipment. Who knows, in the near future your small moving company may become a big one. So if you plan to make this a full-time business, consider a few tasks where your truck can be used to maximum utility. In addition to asking local furniture stores if they can deliver your products, another good idea is to offer and expand into scrap hauling. Most people need moving services not just to move residences from one place to another. Moving services may also be required to transport and transfer discarded items to the junkyard or any appropriate location.