Local moving companies typically charge $30 to $50 per mover per hour, which includes a moving truck. Moving a three-bedroom home may require four movers and six to nine hours, or $700 to $1,000. However, how much you'll pay for your move will on where you live, how far you're moving, the number of movers you need and more.
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Many professional movers and moving companies can pack your belongings, haul them into moving trucks, transport them to your new home, and even unload and unpack those items. However, the cost to hire movers can vary greatly depending on the type of service you need and how far you're moving.
Many moving companies provide local, long-distance, interstate and cross-country moving services. Here's a look at two types of moving companies and services that tend to vary in price depending on the distance of your move.
Any move of 50 or fewer miles is categorized as a 'local move.' If you're moving anywhere within the same city or to one nearby you likely will work with a local moving company. And (generally) the shorter your move, the less you'll pay.
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If you need to move farther than across town, long-distance moving companies can help. Many long-distance movers can drive your belongings across the state or country for you. These moves are often priced per cubic foot, with total mileage affecting the cost.
More variables can affect your moving costs when you're trekking from coast to coast instead of from town to town. Distance plays a major role in moving costs, as companies must account for fuel costs and driving time of their workers.
>> Moving Long Distance? Long-Distance Movers Near You
Exclusive Direct Transport vs. Consolidated Moves
How you want your belongings moved will also affect your long-distance moving costs. The two main types of long-distance moves are consolidated moves and exclusive direct transport moves. Consolidated moves are more affordable; exclusive moves, as their name implies, are more expensive.
In a consolidated move, your belongings will be picked up and transported with the goods of other clients of that moving company. Typically, consolidated moving costs are calculated per cubic foot. Using cubic feet allows the moving companies to determine the amount of room your belongings take up in their moving trucks and charge you accordingly. When you opt for a consolidated move, your belongings will be scheduled to arrive anywhere from a few days to two weeks. In one example of consolidated long-distance moving costs, Brooklyn-based Simply Moving & Storage estimates a fee of approximately $2,000 for a consolidated move of a standard one- or two-bedroom house on the East Coast.
If you choose an exclusive direct transport move, the total cost will be higher. However, you'll have control over the arrival date, and yours will be the only belongings in the moving truck. Exclusive moves cost more because you're paying the entirety of the fuel and labor costs, instead of those costs being divided among the other clients whose belongings are on the same truck. Simply Moving & Storage, which is based on the East Coast, says that a recent exclusive move they did from New York to Florida cost $5,500, while another exclusive move they did from New York to California cost $16,000.
Choosing an exclusive move can be a good idea if you have high-value items that need special attention, or if you just need to have your items by a specific date.
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Both local moving and long-distance moving companies provide a range of services to make your life much easier during what is a notoriously stressful time. Which service level you choose will depend on your budget and how much assistance you need.
For example, simple moving services might just include helping someone unload a truck full of items into a storage unit. Or, you can hire a company to pack boxes for you if you need a few extra sets of hands.
Meanwhile, a full-service move can include boxing or packing up a home, loading, moving, unloading and unpacking. Full-service moving does cost more, but it saves you time which for many people equals money. So, spending more on a full-service move might save you money by freeing up precious spare time for work, family or much-needed rest.
Here's a closer look at the different types of moving services and some examples of how much each service can cost.
The national average cost of packing and unpacking is $404. However, this cost varies.
When movers are hired for only packing, loading and unpacking, the costs will be less than if a moving truck is also requested. Moving companies may charge for packing by the hour or by the box. The cost of packing can vary by geographic region and by the type of moving boxes you need.
Moving companies often have various prices for different types of boxes. For example, china or glassware could be an average of $18 per box, linens $10 per box and books $5 per box. Specialty moving boxes, such as 'wardrobe' boxes with a hanging rod inside, will also cost more.
For example, Elite Moving San Diego Inc. charges $3 for a small moving box, $4 for a medium-sized moving box, $5 for a large moving box and $8 for a dish-pack moving box. Packing labor costs are not included in any of those box prices. Simply Moving & Storage in Brooklyn, New York, charges $5 per book box, $10 per linen box and $18 per glassware box, including the cost of labor for packing the box.
Local moving companies may be able to provide ballpark estimates of how much it will cost to pack your home. Here's a past rough estimate for packing charges based on Elite Moving San Diego Inc.'s experience with previous customers:
Number of rooms | Number of workers | Number of hours packing | Labor Cost | Packing Material Cost |
One-bedroom apartment | 2 | 3-4 | $305-$465 | $50-$125 |
Two-bedroom home | 2 | 3-5 | $440-$625 | $100-$200 |
Four-bedroom home | 4 | 6 | $770-$1,180 | $250-$400 |
>> Need Help Packing? a Packer and Mover in Your City
Hiring a full-service moving company might be your best option if you're too busy or need extra help with your move. Full-service moving typically includes:
Unpacking items from boxes in your new home is generally not included but may be available for an additional cost.
Full-service moving companies typically request that you be present the day of packing and moving, although other arrangements can sometimes be made for people who are traveling.
The cost of local full-service moving is greater than for standard moving services, but the payoff comes in the free time you have not spent packing up all your possessions.
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Cost to Move a 3-Bedroom House:
Standard moving service | $500-$1,000 |
Full-service moving | $1,000-$1,500 |
With a standard move, your boxes are packed and ready to go the day the movers come. When they arrive, you can step back and let them do the heavy lifting. They'll also drive your belongings across town and unload them for you in your new place.
Standard local moves are attractive for the price savings they offer, as well as providing more control for people who want their items packed in a specific way.
Here are examples of average costs for a standard move and a full-service move from Texas Elite Moving:
A full-service move for a three-bedroom house: $500-$1,000. This cost includes three people packing for approximately four hours and five or six hours of loading, moving and unloading time.
Standard moving service for a three-bedroom house: $1,000-$1,500. This cost includes three people and five or six hours of loading, moving and unloading time.
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Delicate and oversize items, like your pool table or baby grand piano, require special handling. There may be an additional charge for moving these items, as technical expertise is important for safely transporting them without damage.
National Average Cost to Move Specialty Items:
Pool Table | $385 |
Piano | $251 |
Hot Tub | $360 |
If you have lots of unusual items, you may require special assistance in moving them to ensure their safety and want a moving quote that covers those items. Specifically, if you have a pool table or baby grand piano, improper moving can do real damage to their delicate components. Unless your local moving company is specially trained to move pool tables or baby grand pianos, it may be wise to hire a specialist.
National table moving costs can range between $300 and $450, but you're more likely to end up with a perfectly reassembled table that's completely level. For example, Beck's Billiards of Glendale, Arizona, charges $239 to move a 7-foot table, $249 for an 8-foot table and $299 for a 9-foot table. Mileage and stairs may incur extra fees.
The of moving a piano will vary depending on your location and any obstacles such as stairs. The pro piano movers should set it back up and tune it to your liking in your new location.
In addition to specialty items, some companies may have additional charges (beyond their hourly rate) for disassembling and reassembling furniture or moving extremely heavy items. Communicate clearly with your movers beforehand, and let them know what needs to be moved to prevent any confusion on move-out/move-in day. Keep in mind that auxiliary tasks that require extra work may increase costs and ask for these to be itemized in your moving estimate.
>> Moving Only One Item? a Single-Item Mover Near You
If you choose to store your belongings with a self-storage company, your costs might be cheaper or more expensive than storing your items with a moving company. However, your moving company may offer storage at reduced rates if you bundle their storage services and moving services at the same time.
Before hiring a mover, keep these cost factors in mind -- they could affect how much you'll pay for movers.
The cost to hire professional local movers is often calculated on an hourly rate, which can increase as more movers or moving trucks are needed. Your geographic location will also affect your hourly rate.
Often, cities with a higher cost of living have higher local moving rates than smaller cities with a lower cost of living, which accounts for higher costs of doing business, such as workers' comp, insurance and labor. For example, Elite Moving San Diego, Inc. charges an hourly rate that increases with each additional mover you require. Two movers are $105 per hour, three movers are $135 per hour and four movers are $155 per hour.
Texas Elite Moving, based in Dripping Springs, Texas, has estimated hourly rates that vary based on the number of movers and trucks. Its hourly rates also account for furniture assembly and disassembly as needed. The company's trucks arrive with premium quilted moving pads and shrink-wrap to protect items, and the movers use equipment and dollies to maximize efficiency.
Individual job prices will always depend on your circumstances, so for exact quotes, it's important to communicate directly with the moving company you plan to hire. Here are the average estimated base hourly moving rates for Texas Elite Moving:
2 movers, 1 truck | $100 per hour |
3 movers, 1 truck | $145 per hour |
4 movers, 1 truck | $190 per hour |
4 movers, 2 truck | $200 per hour |
Also, keep in mind that service fees may apply when booking a company's moving services.
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In general, the larger the house, the higher the moving cost. Seasoned movers often can provide a ballpark number for moving costs based on the number and type of rooms in a house. However, your home might be different, and that's why most moving companies will need to do a site visit to provide you with a true estimate for services.
Home size is not always an indicator of how many belongings a person has. For example, you and your partner may have more items in your two-bedroom apartment than a single person has in a three-bedroom home.
Other factors that may affect your hourly rate are logistical challenges such as stairs or steep driveways, or having many fragile items that require extremely delicate handling.
Anything that makes the move take longer or that demands more physical exertion on the part of the movers can increase the cost. Stairs at the initial move site or the new destination can increase moving costs because they require more work for movers and present more risk of injury or damage. Narrow passageways, steep driveways, lack of parking out front, and the presence or absence of elevators are other factors that can influence your local moving costs.
How movers charge for obstacles may depend on the company. Some moving companies have set rates for stairs, such as $50 to $70 per flight of stairs. If you live on a top floor and the moving company has to transport all of your belongings down in the elevator, they may have a one-time fee, such as $75 to $100.
During your initial call with the movers, it's important to provide as many details as possible. This allows them to provide you with the most accurate estimate and to ensure the safest and most efficient move for your belongings. They'll be able to bring any special necessary equipment needed to navigate the obstacles or maneuver furniture in tight places.
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Travel may affect the price of local moving costs. Some companies don't charge mileage unless the distance is over 50 miles, while others do.
For example, Texas Elite Moving's base local moving fee is $100 per hour, and the company does not charge for mileage if the distance covered is under 50 miles. Beyond 50 miles, however, a mileage fee applies. Your moving date could also affect travel costs with moves over the holidays or during peak season (typically summer in most areas) costing more.
Companies have to take distance into account to ensure they're meeting their costs for the time that driving can require, the cost of fuel for large moving trucks, and the cost of upkeep on their moving trucks. Confirm how distance is handled in the contract before signing.
An easy rule of thumb for local moves is to tip your movers 5 to 10 percent of the total bill. Tipping 5 percent is reasonable for standard local moves where the pros are in and out in a half-day. Tipping 10 percent can be appropriate when the movers are also packing your boxes and had a long workday.
Tips can be split up among all the movers, but many companies recommend you give the tip directly to each worker -- not only to recognize their effort but also to ensure that each one receives their share.
However, you're not required to provide a tip. But remember: It is a much-appreciated gesture for a job well done.
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Packing all boxes ahead of time is a big cost saver. Having all your boxes well organized and labeled (on all sides of the box) also make packing and unpacking easier. And if you're paying by the hour, this saves you cash.
When gathering boxes to pack for your move, be sure to find ones strong enough for the task. Moving boxes provided by moving companies have double walls that can support the weight of other boxes and furniture stacked on top of them. If you use single-wall boxes, the sides could crumble, damaging your goods inside.
Disassembling furniture is another way to save money. Pro movers will usually disassemble furniture for you, but if you're able to take things apart yourself, it can cut back on the number of labor hours you pay for.
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Moving can be stressful, and it's easy to make mistakes. Unfortunately, these mistakes can end up costing you money or wasting your precious time.
The experts at Texas Elite Moving have tips for you to have the most successful move possible. They've moved thousands of families, and these are the most common mistakes they encounter:
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Hiring a trustworthy team that will get the job done safely and efficiently is no easy task. But if you follow these steps, you'll likely have an easier time finding a reputable moving company:
Be sure you have a written contract and a non-binding estimate before hiring movers. Joy Hall of Joyful Movers in Cary, North Carolina explains that you'll fill out a bill of lading (BOL) before the move takes place, which will outline all the charges and fees associated with your move and the valuation of your belongings on the BOL. If there is any uncertainty about pricing, clarify before signing the BOL.
For more guidelines on how to hire the best movers for your move, check out Thumbtack's for smart hiring.
>> Get a Quote Today: a Local Mover Near You
'The typical price range for hiring movers just depends on what type of service that you're looking to get. Perhaps you're looking to get load and unload, [which] will typically run you somewhere between $80 to $120 an hour for two movers and moving truck. If you're looking for labor-only assistance, that could run you somewhere between $40 to $100 an hour.
So, we determine the hourly rate based off of the size of the home [and] how many boxes that they're looking to move.
Things that do cost extra when hiring movers [are] covers for your beds -- that often won't occur an extra cost -- as well as boxes. If you require boxes for your move and packing services, we often ask individuals to purchase those things just because they'll save them a lot more money.
We've done enough moves to understand how long a move will typically take ... If you have a five- or seven-bedroom home, you'll save more money and time -- mostly time -- going with more movers than less movers. Because two movers to move a five-bedroom house will take probably two days, whereas if you had a six- or seven-man crew -- very solid crew, enough equipment and trucks -- you can have them knocked out in one day within five to eight hours.'
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