How to Estimate Costs for a Moving Van

Moving is a stressful affair. If you are moving homes or moving apartments, not only do you have to worry about packing up your entire life and paying for the new location, but you also have to factor in the cost of moving. It's not often cheap, but by estimating your total costs you can shop around to find the best deal when renting a moving van.

• 1

  Take inventory of the items you'll be moving. The more items you have to move and the larger the items are, the larger the van you'll need. Most moving van rental companies offer a variety of van sizes to meet your needs, with the larger trucks and vans costing more. Determining the amount of stuff you plan to move is your starting point.

• 2

  Calculate the mileage between your current location and your final destination. Moving van rental companies often charge per mile. Use an online mapping service such as Google Maps, MapQuest or Bing Maps to double check the mileage.

• 3

  Determine the price of gas. Depending on how far you have to move, you will need to refill the gas tank a few times. Even if you're just moving across town, you will need to top off the gas tank before returning the van.

• 4

  Go online and view the websites of a few different moving van companies to determine the company that offers the best rates. Look at both the initial flat rate and the per-mile fee.

• 5

  Locate the closest rental facility. After determining the company that will offer you the best overall rate, consider the proximity of its rental locations to both your starting point and your final destination. If a company offers the best rate overall, but has no locations near you, the additional mileage may drastically increase the price.