Residential and commercial moving share one thing in common: both are incredibly stressful. Other than that, these two processes feature several factors that distinguish them from each other. If you’re planning to relocate, knowing the operation’s ins-and-outs will help you cope with the expenses and brace yourself on what to expect. Lucky for you, this blog will help you with that today.
Residential Moves vs. Commercial Move s
Although both operations share the same purpose, they are different in many ways. Residential moves typically involve the transport of valuables and home materials. On the other hand, commercial moves deal with transferring various electronic equipment, retail machinery, and important documents. That said, here’s a little table summing up their differences:
Residential Move | Commercial Move |
Operates in a more personal scale | Business-oriented |
Includes homes, duplexes, apartments, and condominiums | Involves office buildings, retail space, warehouses, hospitals, accommodation, etc. |
Requires less manpower and is easier to execute | Requires more people and extensive planning |
Little to no time constraint | Greatly pressured by downtime |
Typically costs $1250 and below for local moves. $2000 and up for long-distance ones. | Expected to cost around $5000 or higher. |
Alright! Now that you’ve got a superficial understanding of the moving types, it’s time to dive deeper into details.
Objects Involved
As stated earlier, residential moves deal with items you can typically find in a home setting. This includes furniture, collections, appliances, toys, and kitchen utensils. Commercial moves, however, transport objects found in offices like computers, fax machines, and the like. Both moves evoke different levels of pressure due to the responsibility involved. You don’t want damage to personal belongings that hold practical or sentimental value. Meanwhile, you have to be extremely careful with business-related equipment since it can be mega expensive.
Property Type
There’s a massive difference regarding area between the two types of moves. When performing a residential move, you’ll most likely have to clear three to four rooms filled belongings. Even large dwellings only have an average of ten rooms on average (including kitchen, living room, home office, etc.). On the contrary, commercial moves are concerned with entire building floors crammed with equipment, cubicles, and archives.
Manpower
In general, two to three movers can perform a residential move, depending on the size of your home. You can expect them to be done within the day. But that’s not the case in commercial moves. Since these operations involve heavy lifting on a larger scale, the moving company might decide to send a handful of their personnel to assist with the move. It generally takes at least a few days to properly pack for and execute a commercial move.
Time Constraints
Although both moves require haste, one is more time-demanding than the other. Business owners typically want the relocation to be complete as soon as possible. They require so to avoid downtime, minimize loss of revenue, and get back to productivity. However, this doesn’t mean that movers can slack off during a residential move. It’s just that there’s more room to breathe since it’s easier to perform and can be done in a few hours.
Cost
Considering the scale of both operations, a commercial move is more expensive without a doubt. It requires more planning to swiftly relocate the business without compromising item safety and downtime. Plus, you can’t expect a regular family to pay the same amount a large corporation can anyway. Needless to say, a residential move can still be expensive. Make sure to do some research on life hacks to reduce the costs.
How Can I Save on My Next Move?
Regardless of whether you’re transferring a business or moving out of your old house, there are countless ways to make your relocation budget-friendly. The first is to find a cheap but trustworthy moving company so you won’t have to worry about your cargo’s safety. Next is to downsize as much as you can. Get rid of stuff that you don’t use by selling or donating it. It also helps to be resourceful when packing. Use existing materials in your home or office instead of buying new ones. Lastly, try to time your move. Prices are cheaper when relocating during off-seasons like fall and winter.
