Moving From Houston to Los Angeles: Movers, Costs, and Benefits

The people are jerks. There’s bums everywhere. The traffic is AWFUL. But despite all this, people are still moving to LA - and those steep property values aren’t going anywhere. If you’re feeling brave enough to make the move to Los Angeles, you’ve got our support. Heck, we’ll even help you with the packing.

iMoving is the only platform that lets you shop around, compare moving companies, and book your move entirely online. We don’t make you deal with any house calls or phone calls. Just enter your move info, and pick from over 1000 verified movers in our marketplace.

Your Houston to LA move is just a few clicks away, but if you’re still on the fence, no problem. Read on, and see what you can expect on moving day and beyond.

It’ll cost you between $2,500 and $6,000 to hire Houston to LA movers. It’s a pretty big window (and we’ve seen the odd move that was cheaper or more expensive), but it really comes down to how much stuff you’re moving, and how far you’re traveling.

It’s about 1,550 miles from Houston to Los Angeles. No matter how hard you try, you can’t really do much about the space between point A and point B. But fortunately, you can do plenty to cut down on the amount of stuff your movers need to transport.

If you want to save money on a long distance move, the best thing to do is to downsize. If you don’t want it, don’t take it with you, and DEFINITELY don’t pay money to have it moved, either! Sell off that old sofa, and hand down that juice you were totally gonna start using this year. When in doubt, throw it out - or just pawn it off to recoup the price of the big move.

Long distance moving usually takes between 1 and 21 days. Since you’re looking at the Houston to LA route, it’ll be 4 days minimum. Under federal law, drivers can’t log more than 400 miles of interstate transport per day. And since LA and Houston are just shy of 1,600 miles apart, well, you can do the math.

Keep in mind, that 4-day minimum is a 4-day MINIMUM. If you’re only moving a studio or 1-bedroom apartment, your move isn’t going to be big enough to fill up an entire truck. Moving companies don’t like to send half-empty trucks all over the place, so they’ll most likely bundle several other moves in the same trailer with yours.

Don’t worry. Bundling moves is a common practice, and your movers will keep everything separate and secure. This practice also keeps prices low, by ensuring your movers are getting the most out of every mile they travel. But, it does mean you may have to wait a little longer than expected.

The smaller a move, the more time it’ll take. But if you somehow manage to fill a moving truck with just your stuff, your movers will send it right to your destination. And if you’re lucky, you may end up with a moving company that offers rush delivery…

$2,500 and $6,000 is a pretty big price window. Let’s take a look at what goes into the final price of your move (and how you can save some money when you’re shopping for quotes).

1. Distance

When you’re dealing with long distance movers, the mileage is usually the biggest factor behind your price. A move just across the state line is a lot easier and faster than a move across the country. Since you’re looking at a Houston to Los Angeles relocation, you may want to prepare your wallet accordingly.

2. Size (Not to be confused with distance.) 

The physical size of your move is arguably the second most important factor behind your moving costs. Movers will either assign a weight (in pounds) or a volume (in cubic feet) to all of your belongings.

If you have more stuff, you’ll have to pay more money. Fortunately, you can downsize before shopping for moving quotes. If you’re not married to that old couch, get rid of it so you don’t pay to have it moved.

3. Specialty Moving

You’re moving from Texas. Do you have a gun safe that needs transporting? Pianos, pool tables, antiques - pretty much anything that’s big, bulky, or just plain awkward will require a more careful approach on moving day. You’ll have to pay a little extra for that extra TLC, but it’s worth it if you’re trying to avoid damaged property.

4. Packing

Yes, you can pack your own boxes. But should you? It’s a tough job. It’s time consuming, frustrating, and Home Depot never seems to have enough of the boxes you need.

Rather than DIYing it, we recommend shelling out a little extra for packing. This can cost you anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand, but the convenience is way worth it.

5. Insurance

Moving companies offer basic insurance coverage, but it’s only good for like $0.60 per pound of items lost, damaged, or destroyed. If you want to get more than $2.40 for that busted laptop, you’ll have to pay extra for full coverage insurance.

NOTE: Most movers don’t offer full coverage unless you also pay for packing! Make sure you ask about insurance before you jump for the boxes and bubble wrap.

6. Access Fees

Every home is different. You may be living in an apartment, with elevators, long hallways, and multiple flights of stairs. You may be in a McMansion with a long driveway and a gate.

All of these obstacles are going to make life harder for your movers - and believe us, they’ll let you know. Expect access fees for all of these complications. Can’t do much about ‘em, but you can at least call up your movers ahead of time so there aren’t any unpleasant surprises.

7. Tips

If you’re already rolling your eyes about tipping, we’ve got some bad news about Los Angeles… In the moving industry, tipping is usually accepted and expected - and it’s always appreciated.

Your movers aren’t flipping an iPad around at some subpar boba shack. They’re doing hard work, and carrying everything a long way. Don’t be cheap. 15% to 20% is a good amount, to be divided up across the whole crew.

You’re moving out of Houston, and moving out of Texas. But why head to Los Angeles? Let’s take a look at why people are moving to LA - and let’s leave all the Hollywood crap out of it.

• It’s LA: When you travel around the world and tell people you’re from Los Angeles, they’ll be pretty impressed. When you tell them you’re from Houston, well… if they even know what that is, it won’t be as flashy. LA gives you bragging rights. Embrace it.

• There’s plenty of work: Entertainment (obviously), aerospace, medical, and more. There’s also tech. Everyone’s got their own asinine “silicon [BLANK]” to show off their annoying tech startups; LA has Silicon Beach. If you can’t find it in LA, it doesn’t exist.

• It’s more than one city: Unless you’re from California, odds are you think LA is just one big city. But it’s actually broken up into a huge sprawl of cities that fits under the Los Angeles umbrella. Every little city its own flavor, so feel free to explore.

• It’s huge: Again, if you can’t find it in Los Angeles, it probably doesn’t exist. LA is a massive city, and if you’re trying to start a new life with a blank slate, there’s something romantic about the anonymity you get in that sea of traffic and angry faces.

• There’s plenty to do: Nobody’s bored in Los Angeles. Sure, they may act like they’ve done it all before, but they’re most likely getting up to something this weekend. In fact, we’ve written a whole section just about those LA activities…

Even if you’re strapped for cash, you can find plenty to keep you occupied in Los Angeles. The following is by no means a full list, but it should give you a few good ideas:

• Go to a show: There’s live music venues everywhere, and LA is a major stop in any band’s world tour. There’s the Hollywood Bowl, the USC Coliseum, the BMO stadium, and tons of smaller venues for all types of music. Just don’t expect a friendly crowd.

• Go to a game: LA went from having zero football teams to having two football teams in just a few years. They also have two basketball teams, and (if you count the Angels), two baseball teams. Why? Probably for more tailgating.

• Go to a museum: The Getty is probably gonna take you like a week if you want to see everything. There’s also LACMA if you want to do the touristy thing and take photos in front of the lamps. Check out the Museum of Natural History, too!

• Go to the beach: Are there better beaches in California? Sure, but I’m not gonna tell you where they are. The beaches in LA are pretty nice, though, assuming you can stand all the crowds. Don’t be afraid to do a little driving to find a better spot, though.

• Go to some LA thing: Food truck gatherings. Night markets. Art walks. Water tastings (yes, it’s real, look it up). You’re going to find something that makes you think “Wow, that is the most LA thing I’ve ever heard of.” WELL, NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO TRY IT.

Thanks for reading to the end! Hopefully by now you’ve learned a thing or two about Houston to LA moving, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of the services you need and don’t need on moving day. Now that you’ve met our favorite movers, why not shop around to see if there are any other Houston to LA pros in our marketplace?

iMoving makes it easier than ever to shop, compare prices, and book your move. Just tell us more about your moving plans, and let’s get you on the road!