I Loaded the Trailer, They Drove It Montana to South Carolina
Kalispell, MT → Greer, SC
$6,523
Four-bedroom home, about 5,200 pounds
$6,523
Exactly what I was quoted
2,350 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I compared four options before I hired MovingYourself for my Montana to South Carolina move.
- My final bill was $6,523, exactly what I was quoted, because I stayed inside the 24 feet of trailer space my price covered.
- I shared all of it, my quotes, my bills, and my ratings, as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
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This account is based on a conversation with Joel M., who moved from Kalispell, Montana, to Greer, South Carolina, in October 2025 using MovingYourself. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from Montana to South Carolina
I took a new job and my family and I decided it was time to be closer to relatives, which meant getting five people and a full house about 2,350 miles from Kalispell, Montana, to Greer, South Carolina. I had already done the drive-a-giant-truck-across-the-country thing in a U-Haul once before, and I had no interest in repeating the mountains, the weather, and the fatigue.
The stakes were high on timing. I was selling in Montana and buying in South Carolina about a week later, so the schedule had to hold. Budget mattered just as much, because moving costs were competing with a down payment and everything else that stacks up during a relocation. This also wasn’t a light shipment: a four-bedroom, three-bathroom house of about 2,367 square feet plus an oversized detached garage with e-commerce inventory in it, somewhere between 200 and 300 boxes, and a freight estimate around 5,200 pounds. Specialty items were minimal, though I did have a pinball machine.
While I compared moving container companies and DIY options, I found moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project and used its resources, including the MovingYourself review. According to moveBuddha, users who compare movers this way save more than 30% versus taking the first quote they get.
My MovingYourself experience at a glance
Here’s what stood out most about moving with MovingYourself, good and bad.
- Communication: MovingYourself set expectations clearly, with a detailed “what to expect” email a few days out and a text establishing texting as the day-of channel. Expect a handoff, though, because I booked through MovingYourself and the actual drop-off and pickup were coordinated by the carrier and driver.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: I paid $6,523, exactly what I was quoted. The overage terms were spelled out in advance: my price covered 24 feet of a 28-foot trailer, and each additional foot would have cost $271.
- Timeliness: Six business days, eight calendar days, and every date matched what I’d been told. Delivery landed inside the promised 8 a.m. to noon window.
- Professionalism: The driver called ahead for both drop-off and pickup, placed the trailer where I wanted it, set up the ramp, and pulled the bulkhead.
- Paperwork: This is where I got nervous. My contract link stopped working after I submitted it, which spiked my scam radar. One email got me a copy, and the lesson is to save everything offline the moment you sign.
- Would I use MovingYourself again? Yes. I paid what I was quoted and hit every date I was counting on.
over my original MovingYourself quote
Find out what a move from Montana → South Carolina actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose MovingYourself
My decision came down to pricing, communication, and transit time. MovingYourself quoted $6,523 for 24 feet of a 28-foot trailer, 8 feet wide and 9 feet high, which was lower than I expected. I filled out the online form, got a quote back a few days later, and got steady answers as I asked questions. That responsiveness matters when you’re coordinating a sale, a purchase, and a tight delivery window at once.
Driving a U-Haul was technically on the table, and I knew exactly how stressful that is, and I wanted my family traveling together in one vehicle. I got close to booking something else, too: I had U-Haul U-Boxes reserved and canceled them at the last minute once MovingYourself’s plan, pricing, and timing came together. Availability shaped things as well, because PODS wasn’t available in my zip code, and that detour is part of what pointed me toward a “you load, they drive” service in the first place.
- Combines affordability of DIY moving with convenience of a truck and driver
- Only pay for the truck space you use
- Offers vehicle shipping
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my relocation, including what I was quoted and what I actually paid for my Montana to South Carolina move.
| Move date | October 20, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Moved from | Kalispell, MT |
| Moved to | Greer, SC |
| Distance | ~2,350 miles |
| Move size | 4 bed / 3 bath + garage / ~200–300 boxes / ~5,200 lbs |
| Moving company | MovingYourself |
| Moving quote | $6,523 |
| Actual cost | $6,523 |
We found that when you use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator, you can save 30% on moving costs compared to customers who go with the first quote they receive.
Quotes I compared
I priced the do-it-all-yourself route, compared container-style movers, and tried to avoid unnecessary risk. Here are the quotes I documented.
| Company | Estimate amount |
|---|---|
| MovingYourself | $6,523 |
| U-Haul (truck rental) | $5,000+ (plus ~$1,000 gas + the stress of driving) |
| U-Haul U-Box | ~$7,000+ (with a longer transit time) |
| U-Pack | ~$10,000–$11,000 |
If you’re weighing the same trade-off, our comparison of hiring movers versus renting a truck covers where each option makes sense.
rating
4.23 / 5
- Specialty packing services
- White-glove reputation
- 80+ years' experience
Pickup day
The trailer arrived at 8:00 a.m., on schedule, and the driver called ahead. Since this was a “you load, we drive” move, my family and I handled the packing and loading ourselves, which meant a lot of prep: selling items, running a multi-day garage sale, and plenty of late-night packing.
Knowing my space allowance in advance changed how I packed. I had 24 feet of a 28-foot trailer, and every foot past that was $271, so I could make calm decisions about what came along instead of guessing under pressure.
One hiccup: a paperwork moment that felt like a scam, until it wasn’t
My biggest spike of anxiety was about trust signals rather than logistics. I got text messages signed from “Adam,” and when I called I ended up speaking with someone else, which felt odd. Then, after I submitted my credit card information and signed the contract, the record of it seemed to vanish from the system and the link stopped working.
I emailed asking for a copy and received it, which settled the matter. It is still a strong argument for saving copies of everything the moment you sign, particularly with a service that uses a brokered carrier network.
Delivery day
My belongings arrived in six business days, eight calendar days, right on schedule. I rated timeliness 5 out of 5 because the drop-off, pickup, and transit dates all matched what I’d been told they would be.
While the trailer was in transit I checked in once and was told everything was on track. I had also put a tracking beacon inside the trailer, which helped me feel in control of a shipment crossing the country without me.
Delivery landed inside the promised 8 a.m. to noon window, with the trailer arriving close to noon. I’d have appreciated a quick heads-up when the driver was on his way, and the arrival still met the agreed timing. The driver placed the trailer where I wanted it, set up the ramp, and removed the bulkhead, and then my crew of friends helped unload. All 24 feet took about two to two and a half hours.
Final thoughts
I landed near the cost of driving a truck myself without taking on the hardest part of it, which was the point. Long stretches, mountains, and unpredictable weather were exactly what I was paying to avoid, and my family got to travel together in one vehicle.
The honest downside of a brokered or multi-party move is psychological. Even when everything works, small inconsistencies like a contract link that breaks or a name on a text that doesn’t match the voice on the phone can trigger real fear in an industry where brokers and scams are a legitimate worry. Ask questions early, keep communication in writing, and request copies if anything looks off. The company answered quickly, sent the contract, and the move delivered what it promised.
Comparing hybrid options for your own move? Use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to see real prices from vetted movers before you book.
My ratings
Here’s how I scored MovingYourself on a scale of 1 to 5 based on my end-to-end experience.
- Communication: 5 out of 5. A detailed “what to expect” email, texting set up as the day-of channel, and calls ahead of both drop-off and pickup.
- Timeliness: 5 out of 5. Six business days, and every date matched what I was quoted.
- Quote accuracy: 5 out of 5. I paid $6,523 against a $6,523 quote, with the per-foot overage terms clear before I loaded.
- Overall experience: 5 out of 5. The contract-link glitch made me nervous, and the company resolved it quickly and the move hit every mark.
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Joel M.’s experience:
- Consider “you load, they drive” as a middle ground: Joel M. wanted to skip the drive without paying full-service prices, and a hybrid service landed him near truck-rental cost with none of the mountain driving.
- Get clear on trailer space and overages before you load: Joel M.’s quote covered 24 feet of a 28-foot trailer with each extra foot at $271. Knowing that number in advance lets you make rational decisions while packing under pressure.
- Download your paperwork the moment you sign: Joel M.’s contract link stopped working right after he submitted his card details. Save contracts, receipts, and “what to expect” emails offline so a broken portal never becomes your problem.
- Expect a communication handoff: Joel M. booked with MovingYourself, and the driver and carrier ran the actual drop-off and pickup. Ask who will contact you on move day so a new name in your inbox doesn’t read as a red flag.
- Ask for a “driver on the way” call: Joel M.’s delivery hit its window and he still would have liked a heads-up as the driver approached. Request that call when you book rather than hoping for it.
- Put a tracking beacon in the load: Joel M. used one to watch his things travel from Montana to South Carolina. It changes nothing about the transit and does a lot for your peace of mind.
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