When it’s time to pack up your belongings and start the moving process, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. To reduce the moving tasks you’ll need to handle (and your stress level), you may want to hire a full-service moving company. These companies have the equipment and crew members to handle all your moving needs. While they’re packing your things and loading them onto a truck, you can take care of other last-minute errands, like forwarding your mail or visiting with neighbors you’re going to miss.

This article contains details on what full-service moving companies have to offer and how much they could cost.

What is a full-service moving company?

Two movers work together to lift a chair (Rawpixel via Getty Images)

A full-service moving company offers services to pack up your entire house, load the truck, take apart larger furniture and even dispose of packing materials after the move. They may also be able to schedule adjacent services, like cleaning or junk removal, to fit around your moving timeline. They differ from standard moving companies in that full-service movers offer a wider range of services than simply moving your belongings.

How much does a full-service move cost?

Junk removal company helping a family move out of their old home (MartinPrescott via Getty Images)

Several factors affect the price of a full-service move, and these may differ between companies. For starters, the company may want a representative to evaluate an inventory of all the items you want to move in person. This process will help the company deliver a more realistic quote.

When creating your quote, the company will also consider how far you’re moving, how many staff members they need to complete the tasks, and the time of year. Summer moves tend to be pricier because that is when moving companies are at their busiest. After conversations with Mayflower and United Van Lines, we would ballpark moving a two-bedroom home about 100 miles away at $1,200 to $3,100 during the summer. However, if you can wait until the cooler months, we learned you can take advantage of significant savings on a full-service move. The same two-bedroom, 100-mile move will likely cost as little as $1,000 to $2,800.

What can full-service movers help with?

Packed moving boxes sit in a hallway waiting to be moved (JodiJacobson via Getty Images)

Aside from transporting furniture and other items from your old place to your new one, full-service moving companies offer various accessory services. Most full-service movers offer some or all of the options listed below.

Complete or partial packing

Full-service movers can pack up everything or only some of your things, depending on the arrangement. Their crews have plenty of experience performing this task and usually work at a faster pace than customers. However, if you want to pack certain items on your own, like family heirlooms, these companies can also provide all the packing supplies and materials you’ll need. You can potentially save a lot of time with such packing services.

Loading or unloading all items

Once all your items are in boxes or wrapped to protect them from scratches and dings, full-service movers load everything into the moving trucks for transport. This could be a good option if you plan to relocate appliances. Not only are appliances cumbersome to lift and load, but you may also require a professional to disconnect and reconnect them.

Disassembling heavy or large furniture

With large furniture, like bed frames or dressers, it can be beneficial to have professionals handle the packing. Your movers may disassemble these larger pieces for transport, making them easier to wrap, load and unload. More pieces also mean more padding around each piece, preventing potential damage to the furniture you love.

Scheduling cleaning services

Many full-service moving companies can also help schedule cleaning services for the residence you’re leaving. Such services can help you recoup some or all of your deposit (if you paid one) or can be a way to thank a new owner for buying your place. Most movers outsource this task to another company, but it’s one less task you’d have to manage.

Unpacking all items

After your move to the new place, you’ll face the arduous task of unpacking. Instead of staring down a wall of boxes in every room, you could let a full-service mover do the unpacking, giving yourself more time to organize things and make yourself comfortable.

Recycling packing materials

After all your furniture and other household items are out of their boxes, you’ll be left with cardboard and other packing supplies cluttering your floors and closets. Some full-service moving companies will recycle these items for you. At the very least, they may offer a disposal service.

What additional fees can you expect with a full-service move?

Moving boxes and appliances sit in the main room of a home (onurdongel via Getty Images)

Although you need to opt-in to most add-on services, some full-service moving companies tack on extra fees for situations or tasks that take longer than expected. Here are a few examples to be aware of.

Your door is far from the street

If your movers have to do a lot of extra walking while taking your belongings to or from the truck, you might see an extra fee on your bill. Make sure a moving company representative evaluates the distance before the crew starts your move.

Many bulk items or appliances

Most full-service movers handle your appliances, but there may be a limit on how many. If your collection of appliances goes beyond the “standard” washer, dryer, refrigerator, and range, you may need to pay more. Don’t forget to include dishwashers or wine chillers, for example, if you want to move them.

Stairs and elevators

Moving large items or heavy boxes up and down the stairs can slow the entire move. Additionally, if the crew needs to wait for an elevator every time they make a trip from the home to the truck, you’ll likely see a charge for it.

Parking issues

If there is no parking in front of your residence, the movers may need to park the truck elsewhere and transport everything. Before you reach that step, you’ll want to ask the moving company if they can secure permits for parking in residential spots or on the right of way. After speaking to the staff at City Hall in Sarasota, Florida, we learned that these permits rely on a city engineer to evaluate the parking situation. While every city’s requirements and fees will differ (meaning there is no average), Sarasota’s permit fees will be based on the number of moving day(s), the season, the road’s traffic volume and other factors. If the moving company is not handling this permit, you’ll want to find out if you need one, and if so, get started on securing it right away.

Priority delivery dates

Moving companies have a limited supply of large trucks and drivers, so they may need to share their truck space. This process can involve unloading and reloading your belongings if another customer’s move takes priority over yours or transferring items belonging to multiple customers in one truck. As the customer, if available, you’ll want to clarify this situation with your mover and learn about their insurance policies. You may need to pay extra to guarantee exclusive use of the truck, which we think is worth the cost to prevent unnecessary damage.

Should you hire a full-service mover?

A person in the process of loading a moving truck (Thomas Barwick via Getty Images)

When evaluating or choosing a full-service moving company, you should consider those with fully transparent pricing models. Moving is stressful enough without worrying about an ever-climbing bill at the end of the process. Additionally, you’ll want to get several quotes to make sure you land the best deal. No one wants to overpay for these services.

Whether you want to skip many of the arduous tasks associated with moving or you just need some help, a full-service moving company may be a great option, but do your research because these companies offer varied services at different prices.

More Yahoo Local-approved U.S. movers

Best California movers

Bakersfield / Fremont / Fresno / Irvine / Los Angeles / Oakland / Sacramento / San Diego / San Francisco / San Jose / Santa Rosa

Best Florida movers

Boca Raton / Fort Lauderdale / Fort Myers / Gainesville / Jacksonville / Melbourne / Miami / Naples / Ocala / Orlando / Sarasota / St. Petersburg / Tallahassee / Tampa / West Palm Beach

Best New York movers

Albany / Binghamton / The Bronx / Brooklyn / Buffalo / Clifton Park / Hamburg / Ithaca / Kingston / Manhattan / New Rochelle / Poughkeepsie / Queens / Rochester / Syracuse

Best Texas movers

Arlington / Austin / Corpus Christi / Dallas / Denton / El Paso / Fort Worth / Houston / Midland / Plano / Round Rock / San Antonio / The Woodlands