Moving resources
Moving Containers For A Move Out Of California
Five container companies, what each one actually does differently, when a container beats a full service mover, and the questions that decide whether the quote you were given is the price you will pay.
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Worth a quote
Five container companies, and what each is good at
Quote at least three on the same dates and the same load. The differences below are real, but the right choice depends on your driveway, your dates, and how much you are moving.
U-Pack
Runs on the ABF Freight network, so your load travels on a scheduled line haul rather than a dedicated truck. You are billed for the space you actually use inside a trailer or a ReloCube, which suits a partial load or a downsize well. Delivery to your driveway is available in most places, but in tight urban areas or restricted neighborhoods you may be routed to a service center instead.
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PODS
The most driveway-oriented of the group. A container is dropped at your home, you load it on your own schedule, and it can sit in a PODS storage center for as long as you need between pickup and delivery. That built-in storage is the reason to choose it when your California closing date and your destination move-in date do not line up.
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1-800-PACK-RAT
Similar driveway-drop and storage model to PODS, with steel containers rather than a composite shell. Worth a quote alongside PODS on the same dates and the same container count, because the two compete directly and pricing on a given lane can differ meaningfully.
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Zippy Shell
Uses a narrower street-legal container that can be parked where a full-size container will not fit, which matters on a tight California street or a driveway with limited clearance. Storage between pickup and delivery is available. Coverage is thinner than PODS or PACK-RAT, so confirm both your origin and your destination are served before you plan around it.
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U-Haul
Different product from the other four. U-Haul is primarily a truck rental company, so the default option is you driving the load yourself across the country. It also offers U-Box containers, which are smaller than a typical driveway container and often picked up at or delivered from a U-Haul location rather than left at the curb. Choose it if you are willing to drive, or if you want a container option bundled with rental equipment and local storage.
Visit U-HaulWhen a container makes more sense than a mover, and when it does not
When a container usually wins
You are willing to pack and load yourself, your load is modest or you are downsizing, and your dates are flexible. Because you supply the labor, a container is typically the cheaper option on a long haul. It also handles a gap between selling here and closing there better than a van line does, since the container can sit in storage in between.
When a container is the wrong tool
You have a full house of heavy furniture, a tight and fixed delivery date, or nobody to help you load. Container transit windows are ranges, not appointments, and a late delivery is on you to absorb. If you need your belongings on a specific day, a full service mover with a guaranteed delivery window is worth the extra money.
Driveway and HOA restrictions are a real constraint
A container has to sit somewhere legal for a day or several. Plenty of destination neighborhoods, and plenty of California ones, limit how long a container can occupy a driveway or a street, and some HOAs prohibit it outright or require a permit. Check the rules at both ends before you book, not after the container is on a truck.
You are doing the labor, or paying for it
The quote covers the container and the transport, not the loading. If you hire local labor at each end, add that to the comparison. Once you price loading help on both sides, the gap between a container and a full service move narrows, and on a heavy load it can close entirely.
How to compare container quotes
What counts as a container, and how many you need
Container sizes are not standardized across companies, so two quotes for one container are not comparable. Ask each provider how many containers of their size they recommend for your home, then compare the total price for the recommended set. Ask what happens if you underestimate and need another one after the first is loaded.
Whether storage time is included
Some quotes include a period of storage between pickup and delivery and some bill it monthly from day one. If your dates are not locked, this line item decides the real price. Get the included storage window and the monthly rate after it in writing.
Delivery and pickup windows
Ask for the drop date, how many days you have to load before pickup, and the delivery window at the destination. A window is a range, so ask what the provider does if it misses the range and whether anything is guaranteed. Also confirm who is responsible if the container cannot be placed when it arrives.
What the liability coverage actually covers
Container companies generally cover the container and the transport, not the way you packed the contents. Damage traced to how items were loaded is usually excluded, and basic included protection is minimal. Ask what the default coverage pays, what the upgrade covers, and whether your homeowners or renters policy covers goods in transit, before you assume anything is protected.
Get the whole number, not the base rate
Ask each provider for one written total that includes the containers, transport, any storage you expect to use, the coverage level you want, and every fee. Then compare those totals. Comparing base rates across companies with different container sizes and different storage rules is not a comparison.
Related resources
Long distance movers
If you would rather not pack and load yourself, compare full service carriers and learn how to read their estimates.
Moving checklist
A week by week list of what to handle before, during, and after an out of state move. Free, no email required.
Own your California home? See the closing cost credit for homeowners selling here and buying in another state.