Published by Chris Townsend
Last updated Apr, 09 2026
Are you thinking about hiring professional movers for your upcoming move? A full-service is often ideal for those too busy to pack up and shift their home by themselves. It’s also a good choice for anyone who is moving at the last minute, being relocated by their job, or not having the energy to DIY their move. Fortunately, with full-service transporters, you can sit back, relax, and let them handle every detail – without even lifting a finger.
However, you may wonder, “How much do full-service cost?” Well, when it comes to full-service moves, you certainly get what you pay for. Your movers will pack your belongings, load them into the moving truck, provide transportation, and unload everything at your new place. They may even reconstruct furniture disassembled before the move and unpack everything for you.
How Much Do Full-Service Movers Cost?
If you’ve ever had to move independently, you know how stressful and overwhelming it can be. For this reason, many choose to opt for a full-service move. While hiring full-service transporters may be the most convenient way to move, it comes at a hefty price. The cost of hiring full-service movers depends on several factors, with the amount of items to be moved and the distance they need to travel having the biggest impact.
That said, the average cost of full-service shifters for those under 100 miles is between $80 and $100 an hour. Shifting over 100 miles for a long-distance move can be significantly more expensive, ranging in price from $2,000 to over $5,000 per move.
Fortunately, the best advantage of hiring a professional full-service moving company, like Three Movers, is that they estimate costs before the move. This is crucial to determining how much you must spend on your move, which helps you budget accordingly.
Factors that Decide the Price
Three key factors determine the cost of hiring full-service carriers:
- The total weight of your belongings
- The amount of labor required
- The distance between your current location and your new home
These points play the biggest role in deciding how affordable or expensive it is to hire full-service movers. However, these aren’t the only factors to consider.
Additional Factors that Impact Expenses
In addition to weight, labor, and distance, the following factors can influence the cost of moving with professional full-service movers.
- Travel fees. This plays into the distance, but travel fees can significantly increase when relocating long distances—these fees factor in fuel and labor prices for getting your belongings from one home to another.
- Packing services. Are you choosing to have your movers pack and unpack your stuff? While this is incredibly convenient, it can raise the price of your move by a couple of hundred dollars, if not more.
- Additional services. Any additional services you choose to include will influence the charges of hiring full-service movers. These may include hauling specialty items, disassembling and reassembling furniture, and transferring supplies provided.
- Your shifting date. The date that you relocate is just as important as how you move. Believe it or not, the specific date can drastically impact the price. For instance, moving on a weekend and during peak season typically costs more than an off-season move during the week.
- Insurance coverage. If you’re working with shifters, you must buy liability coverage. Fortunately, most movers offer different levels of protection based on your needs, such as Basic Release Value Protection and Full Value Protection. However, you may still have to purchase additional third-party insurance.
- Storage. If your move is especially complex, you may need to place your items in storage before, during, or after the move. Of course, you can expect to pay extra for this service. Rates vary based on the moving company, so please inquire about details.
Hire Affordable Movers
Beyond simply loading and unloading the moving truck, Three Movers offers additional services to simplify your move. While full-service moves are certainly more expensive than DIYing your own relocation, the time, stress, and energy that you save are often worth the expense. As a full-service firm, we can assist you with every aspect of your experience.
The best way to determine how much full-service transporters cost is to contact one of our specialists and receive an estimate. Contact us today to receive your free, no-obligation moving quote and find out how to save up to 20% when you choose Three Movers as your full-service shifters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Full service movers typically cost 1,300–8,500 for most households, depending on whether the move is local, intrastate, or interstate. Local moves often run 1,300–3,000, while long distance deliveries can reach 4,500–8,500 or higher for multi-bedroom homes. Prices reflect move size, packing labor, materials, stairs or elevator access, long-carry distance, special items like pianos, and seasonal traffic patterns. For a quick ballpark, try the average cost of movers calculator.
A full service package includes packing, loading, transportation, unloading, and basic furniture assembly. Crews bring all packing materials, protect fragile items, wrap furniture, and handle disassembly of beds or large pieces as needed. Costs rise with home size, volume of items, complex packing, storage requirements, and challenges such as tight hallways, freight elevator scheduling, or HOA loading rules. Long distance moves add fuel, mileage, and delivery-window considerations. See what’s typically handled in a full service movers package.
Moving a 2,000-square-foot home usually ranges 2,800–7,200 locally and 5,500–11,000 for interstate service. Costs reflect 4–5 bedrooms, the amount of packing labor, the number of movers required, and the access conditions at both locations. Stairs, steep driveways, limited truck parking, or long-carry distances can add labor time. Interstate pricing also factors mileage, fuel, and delivery spread, which is typically 5–14 days depending on the route. For comparison, review broader long distance pricing ranges on our long distance movers page.
Movers price full service moves using home size, inventory volume, packing time, and the number of movers needed — typically 2–5 movers for local jobs and larger crews for big homes. Local moves are often billed hourly, while interstate moves follow weight-plus-distance formulas under DOT and FMCSA oversight. Additional fees apply for specialty items, storage, shuttle trucks, or restricted loading zones. For planning, you can compare estimates using the moving cost estimator.
Full service movers are generally worthwhile for 3–5 bedroom homes because they shorten packing time, reduce damage risk, and streamline loading in busy metro areas. Larger homes require more labor hours, specialty packing, and coordination with building management, making full service support more efficient than DIY options. Weather, long driveway access, or tight stairwells increase the value of professional labor. If you want a structured option that includes truck, equipment, and packing, consider an all-in-one moving services overview.
The biggest price drivers are move distance, inventory volume, packing level, number of movers, and difficult access. Costs rise with pianos, safes, artwork, crating, multiple flights of stairs, long-carry paths, or tight urban neighborhoods where parking permits are required. Prices may drop when moving on non-peak days, reducing labor strain and traffic delays. Seasonal shifts (summer peaks), weather conditions, and route congestion also affect timelines. If you want purely labor-only options, review our movers by the hour guide.
