How Much Are Movers? Understanding Costs and Services

When planning a move, understanding how much movers charge is crucial for effective budgeting. The costs associated with hiring movers can vary significantly based on several factors, including the distance of the move, the size and weight of your belongings, and any additional services you may require, such as packing, unpacking, or storage solutions.

For instance, local moves tend to be charged by the hour, while long-distance relocations are often based on the total weight of your items and the distance traveled. By grasping these factors and how they influence pricing, you can make informed decisions that align with your financial plan and avoid unexpected expenses.

Additionally, being aware of potential extra charges—such as fees for moving heavy items or navigating difficult access points—can help you prepare more thoroughly. This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the costs associated with hiring movers, breaking down the various elements that contribute to pricing.

By understanding these details, you can ensure a smoother relocation experience and choose a moving service that fits both your needs and your budget effectively.

Understanding Moving Expenses

Does Distance Matter When Determining How Much Are Movers?

In the moving services business, depending on the distance, the price of movers may be high or low as there are different parameters to gauge the average cost to move properties from one location to another. Distance is one of the main parameters when determining how much does a mover cost.

Distance in the moving service business is divided into local relocation, long-distance relocation, and cross-country or international relocation.

Local Relocation

Local moving means that the movement is happening within the same vicinity you were leaving before. This could be within the same town, city, or state.

Hence, the parameters usually used to determine the local movers' cost here are the number of personnel used to pack and move and the number of hours used as there is an hourly rate for those hours.

Long Distance Hauling

Long Distance relocation is another kind of relocation. Here, the place you or the intending mover is relocating to is farther than the local vicinity, and it is regarded as a long-distance journey as it is likely to take hundreds of miles and long hours.

The weight, special provisions, hours spent, etc., are all computed to estimate how much do long distance movers cost.

International Shiftings

International Relocation is another type of relocation in the moving service business with a separate costing system.

This is because relocation happens between countries, such as between the United States of America and Canada.

Here, different parameters are used to determine the long distance moving cost, including the customs duties, weight, cost of documentation, miles covered, etc.

Top Moving Companies

When considering how much movers charge, it's essential to look at reputable moving companies that specialize in your area. Companies like Two Men and a Truck, U-Haul, and Mayflower offer tailored services based on local needs, ensuring that they understand the specific challenges and requirements of your move. These companies provide transparent pricing structures that include various options such as:

• Packing Services: Professional packing can save you time and ensure that your belongings are securely packed.
• Storage Solutions: Many movers offer short-term and long-term storage options for items you may not need immediately.
• Insurance Coverage: Protecting your belongings during the move is crucial, and reputable companies often provide insurance options to give you peace of mind.

Researching these companies can help you find competitive rates while ensuring quality service during your move. Additionally, consider reading customer reviews and asking for recommendations to gauge the reliability of the movers.

By doing thorough research and comparing services, you can select a moving company that not only fits your budget but also meets your specific needs, leading to a smoother relocation experience.

Cost of Relocation Services

How Much Do Movers Charge For Local Move?

In most cases, local movers charge an hourly rate. So, how much does it cost movers per hour for local moves? Based on local moving cost averages, you can expect to pay between $90 and $120 per hour for the labour, moving team, and truck. When calculating the average price for local moves requiring only labour, the moving cost drops to an hourly rate of $60 to $80.

Keep in mind, though; the overall local hauling expense will vary based on where you live, the state, and the metro area.

Regardless, you will be charged hourly for the movers' time on your relocation. This includes packing, wrapping, loading, and transport from point A to point B. Depending on the pickup location, travel fees may also apply. However, in most cases, you can negotiate this cost with any of the local moving companies.

Depending on the size of your home, the local movers' costs can be expensive or cheap. Your home size will determine roughly how long your move takes and directly impacts the hourly rate.

If we consider the average charge of $25 per hour per mover, here are some estimated costs for moves:

How Much Local Shifting Companies Charge

• Studio apartment or 1 bedroom apartment with two local movers: the move will command about $150 to $200. Assuming that the loading, transport, and unloading are done within 3-4 hours, the movers price is based on the hourly rate. The hours used are higher than the estimated hours, so the moving cost goes up using the per hour rate.
• Two-bedroom house (or 1000 square foot house) with three movers: the move will charge about $375 to $450 total, supposed to be completed within 5-6 hours.
• 3-bedroom house (or 2000 square foot house) with four movers: your three-bedroom move will cost about $800 to $900 total. Suppose the local move is done within 8-9 hours.

Suppose your home is any larger than the above estimates, including the 3-bedroom house. In that case, you can expect the cost from any of the relocating companies to rise substantially.

Also, this does not factor in any additional services such as packing, unpacking, packing materials, or tipping your movers. However, this gives you a good rough idea of how much movers cost for a local move.

The rates per hour do change depending on the number of local movers and hours needed for the movement.

How Much Does It Cost For Long Distance?

When compared to local moves, many more factors go into the expenditure of hiring movers for long-distance relocation. The weight, additional services, and the distance to your new home will be factored into the long-distance moving cost.

When hiring movers, you can expect to pay an average of $0.70 for one pound of household items transported roughly 1000 miles away. This estimation does not include any additional services.

In most cases, companies will charge you for your long-distance move based on the weight of your entire shipment. These types of moves are calculated on a case-by-case basis, as each relocation is unique. Relocating companies may also charge you by the mile for long-distance moves.

For the most accurate moving costs, you will need to request an in-home estimate. A representative from your shifting company will come out, assess your belongings to be moved, and craft a customized moving quote.

The best way to know how much movers cost will be for long-distance relocations is to contact the movers for an estimate which is high or low, depending on the size of your apartment.

However, let's take a look at some examples to help provide some approximated moving company prices for long-distance:

Long Distance Moving Costs

• Studio apartment: When the range of the weight of possessions is around 1800 pounds, and the distance to the new home is not farther than 1,000 miles, the average cost of relocation, barring other service costs, would be around $1200. Where there are other services done for you by the movers, there will be an increase in the total cost.
• 1-bedroom apartment: When the range of the weight of possessions in your one-bedroom apartment is around 2200-3200 pounds and the distance to the new home is not farther than 1,000 miles, barring other service costs, the total charges of hiring long-distance movers for this job is roughly around $1500 to $2200.
• Two-bedroom home: When the range of the weight of possessions is around 5000-6000 pounds and the distance to the new home is not farther than 1,000 miles, barring other service costs, the average fee is roughly around $3500 to $4200.
• Three-bedroom apartment: When the range of the weight of possessions in your three-bedroom apartment is around 9000 pounds and the distance to the new home is not farther than 1,000 miles, barring other service costs, the total outlay is roughly around $6300. The weight and other factors are included in the cost.

Again, these are just examples of long-distance moving estimates with a professional mover.

The actual price will depend on your situation as parameters based on the number of bedrooms and other factors, such as a change in distance, the weight of possessions, extra services, location, etc., will cause a price change.

It is necessary to ensure that you know the estimated charge to work towards getting the money it will command you to effect the move within a particular period.

Also, depending on where you are shifting to, the average cost of relocation can be competitive or increase more. If you are shifting to a location where companies frequently ply, the moving costs will be competitive. Still, if you move to a location not easily plied by companies, you will discover that it will cost more.

How Much Does it Cost to Make Cross-country Moves?

Cross-country moves are for movers that we experienced in the business with experienced and smart drivers.

The relocation sometimes involves thousands and thousands of miles, which will take several hours before getting to the final destination. Also, it involves two different nations with different laws and customs requirements.

For movers to successfully and satisfactorily meet the two countries' requirements, the fees are usually on the high side depending on the weight of the properties, the usual requirements of each country, and the distance of the journey.

These types of moves are calculated on a case-by-case basis, as each relocation is unique.

For the most accurate price, you will need to request an in-home estimate. A representative from the company will come out, assess your belongings to be moved, calculate the standard fee for processing documents to your preferred country, calculate the distance of the journey, and craft a customized moving quote.

The best way to know how much movers cost will for cross-country relocations is to contact the movers for an estimate. However, let's take a look at some examples to help provide some approximated fees for moving cross-country:

Charges To Hire Haulers for a Cross-Country Relocation

• Studio apartment: The base price for, say, 1000 miles is higher than $1200, but this depends on the weight of the properties, the distance of the journey from your house, the costs of processing custom documents, and other allied costs. Where there are other services done for you by the movers, there will be an increase in the total cost.
• 1-bedroom home: Depending on the weight of the properties in your one-bedroom apartment, the distance of the journey from your house, costs of processing custom documents, and other allied costs, the average moving fee for, say, 1000 miles is higher than $1500 to $2200, barring other service costs.
• Two-bedroom home: When the range of the weight of possessions is around 5000-6000 pounds and the distance to the new home is not farther than 1000 miles, barring other service expenditures, the total expenditure is on the high side of $3500 to $4200.
• 3-bedroom house: When the range of the weight of possessions of your three-bedroom house is around 9000 pounds and the distance to the new home is not farther than 1000 miles, barring other service costs, the total expense is higher than $6300.

Since most cross-country relocations are more than 1000 miles, your budget should start from the estimates stated above unless you live in a border city or town.

It will be tough to find a moving company willing to accept less than these estimates for a distance of more than 1000 miles and with considerable weight.

Parameters Used to Calculate Expenses

Numerous parameters determine how companies come about their moving costs. Some of them will be listed and explained here:

Distance:

No matter the weight of your properties, distance will always matter. It determines the vehicle or truck the company brings to your house for the journey, the cost of gas, and the maintenance needed to ensure that the vehicle performs optimally during the journey.

The longer the distance from your house, the higher the expense of moving.

Time of the Year:

The year you wish to move also determines the costs because there are periods within the year when requests for moving are always high. This period happens mostly during Christmas and summer. Since it is the holidays, people tend to have time to move to their new place. Hence, the higher the demand, the higher the price.

So, the price goes higher during this period. There are also times when the price is reduced as there are few orders or requests for movement.

Moving Date:

People tend to move more at the beginning of the month or the end of the month. So, relocation services costs are usually higher at that period as there are many requests at that time.

So, to get lower moving costs, you should move in the middle of the month when requests for moving are at a low point.

Weight:

The weight of your properties matters a lot. It determines the truck or vehicle the hauling company brings to your doorstep for the relocation.

It also determines the stress placed on the driver: the weightier your properties, the more expensive your bill from the moving company.

Speciality Items:

Where you have items and goods that need special care and movements, such as fine arts, pianos, furniture, and other sensitive and delicate properties, these items' extra care and movement would cost more than your properties' normal contents.

So, it is necessary to keep this in mind when estimating the cost of your relocation.

Also, when you wish that the movers, who have experience packing and carrying these specialty items to help you with the packing, you would pay an extra fee for such packing.

Packing is done by the movers:

Where you are not available or wish that the movers, who are professional packers, to help you pack your properties, this act will command you extra as it is beyond their base function of transporting your properties from one location to another.

They would pack your properties to ensure safety and that minimal damage is done to the properties.

Carriage Fees:

Here, many fees can be accrued from carrying properties from one place to another. If the company truck is parked far away from your house because of the restrictive access to your house and the movers have to carry your properties from your house to the moving truck, it will command you extra.

Also, suppose the packing and carrying involve climbing stairs or an elevator. In that case, your transport costs will increase as the cost of packing, packing supplies, and carriage will be added. Other carriage fees can be accrued, depending on the individual case.

Storage Facilities:

Where you intend to move to a location but have not gotten a house to stay, or you wish to have your properties stored in a place for some time, the relocating company you engaged for your work would have this option where you can store your properties for some time before you need it.

Depending on the moving company you engage in and the period you intend to use a storage unit, the price the moving company would quote can be higher than usual or lower.

How To Manage Expenditures Of A Moving Company

When you inquire from a moving company for a quote, and the quote seems to be beyond your moving budget, what should you do?

We do not have all the answers, but we would list some things you can do to save money and get a lower quote within your moving budget.

Get Multiple Quotes:

You are shifting to a highly competitive location as there is a high rate of movement to and from the location. You should get more than one quote as the quotes will be competitive. You might get one that falls within your moving budget. Even if the location is not competitive, getting more than one quote is advisable to ensure that you are going for the best deal with adequate provision and equipment to perform the services you wish at a reduced or minimum price.

The Do It Yourself option:

You can have the DIY option where the size of your move is quite small, and you do not have extra cash to pay movers to pack, carry and drive the truck rental containing your properties yourself from your location to the new place. You may have liked to know how much it will cost to move by yourself. Well, not much, as it would cut off a whole lot of added fees as the only business you have with the moving company is the hire of the truck you used in packing and moving your properties from one place to another. The cost of hiring a truck rental is definitive lower than having the moving company with its workers doing all the work for you. You should try this soon as it is also a great experience.

Have a Flexible Pickup and Delivery Date:

Before it becomes necessary to be at a location at a particular time, you can have a flexible pickup date that may be subject to change by the moving company and a flexible delivery date. Since your relocation is not the priority for the moving company and you are okay with any date the company picks, the rate and cost of such movement will be reduced. The job is not an urgent one but one that the company can do when it has all the time and capacity to do it without straining its workforce.

Request for the moving company services long before the relocation date:

Another way to ensure that you get a reduced price is to be an early bird, where you can book hauling services long before you need them. You would get a lower quote than having your relocation within a few days or weeks. The farther the relocation date from the booking date, the lower the cost of the relocation will be. So, when you know you have a few months in your present location and already have your next vacation and home fixed and ready, the right time to make your booking is now.

Reduce the items you intend to move:

The weight of your properties is a big factor that determines the cost of such a movement. Where the weight is greatly reduced, the effect will be seen in the cost as it will also reduce significantly. You can reduce these items by gifting them out, putting them in the trash, or selling them. From your sale, you can get money for the relocation and some more money to buy some of the properties you sold off in your new location. Hence, you have saved yourself a lot of money and gained more money.

Insurance

There are insurance schemes available for anyone interested. It is one of the factors you should consider when calculating the cost of your relocation. Insurance ensures that you have a backup where there any damage or accident happens to your property.

You should speak with your moving company as they would advise and point you in the right direction of the insurance schemes available for your kind of movement.

The insurance scheme could cover your normal properties and special items. It is necessary to factor in your preferred insurance before your move date to ensure you are insured no matter what happens.

Why Are Full-Service Movers Worth It?

If you've ever had to move before, you've likely been faced with the age-old question of whether or not to DIY or hire professionals. In nearly all moving situations, especially cross-country moves, you will need a moving company to assist with the most challenging aspects of the relocation.

When it comes to residential relocations, previous experience is very important. For example, if you have a large four-bedroom house and have never had to move, you should seek the help of full-service movers. You will save yourself the stress of having to plan, organize, and execute all of the various stages of your move.

Time may simply be the deciding factor for hiring a moving company. If you have the time, you may be able to complete a local move by yourself.

However, moving long-distance or simply having a large home will increase the time it takes to move, and if you don't have a lot of time to spare, you may need some help.

With all of this in mind, your primary concern is likely price. How much will it set me back to hire movers to move my properties?

When you're spending your hard-earned money on a top-rated moving company, you expect them to have professionalism, experience, great customer service, and be reasonably priced. When choosing a professional haulers, these are the qualities that you should look for.

How Much Haulers Charge Per Hour For Additional Services

Professional movers provide several additional services. Most relocators offer the extra service of packing and unpacking your household goods.

If you elect to take advantage of this offer, you can expect to pay roughly $25 to $35 per hour. Most companies include the cost of packing materials at this rate, so you won't have to worry about that!

If you are happy with the way that your movers handled your relocation, tipping is generally appreciated. So long as gratuity isn't already included in your moving costs, it is customary to tip 10-15% of the total or $5 per hour per mover. Of course, you can always tip your movers more if you're very satisfied with their work.

It's just a nice way to thank them for their services and acknowledge that they did a great job!

How Much Do Three Movers Charge?

This company provides a series of services for anyone interested in moving.

The company plies the local route for local relocation. The company also has the capacity and equipment for long-distance travel, especially from the Northern part of the United States of America to the Southern part of the country and vice versa; the company also makes cross-country relocation, including journeying from the United States to Canada.

Suppose you need a full-service moving company including packing services. In that case, that can take you to your desired location, whether it is just hundreds of miles away or thousands of miles away, Three Movers is very much capable of fulfilling all your desires and wants.

What Should I Look For When I Talk To Transporting Companies?

When you, as movers, start speaking with the long-distance moving companies, make sure their customer service is friendly.

Don't bother with moving services that are not willing to answer your questions over the phone. If you're confused by something, good moving companies will be happy to explain it.

Registration

It's also essential to make sure the Department of Transportation licenses the company. Interstate moving companies have to be registered with the DOT, more specifically, the FMCSA.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will regulate the brokers and carriers. If they are not registered with the FMCSA, it could be a sign of a scam.

You can also use the FMCSA database to search for safety violations and complaints about the company.

Interested Service Provided

Also, ensure the moving companies can go the long-distance or cross-country and stop at your preferred location.

Whether within your state, another state, or another country, provide the moving services you need, such as the full-service option.

Conclusion

It is very important to know the amount movers charge to help move your properties from your old location to your new place of abode.

This idea will help you get enough money to cover the packing, carrying, transporting, offloading, etc., of your properties.

Here, we have highlighted the estimates for local transport, long-distance moving costs, and cross-country.

We have also given tips on reducing the cost of the moving companies by involving in the DIY option, selling off some of your properties, having a flexible pickup and delivery date, being an early bird in the booking of your move date, etc.

We also have mentioned some of the parameters that determine the cost of hiring movers.

Lastly, we suggested Three Movers as the right moving company to aid you in moving your properties, and we gave you reasons to do business with us.

How much do local movers usually charge?

A single mover usually costs $25 an hour for a local move. But you will have to pay extra for additional services. To move a normal-sized house, you'll have to pay somewhere between $90 and $120 an hour for labour, a moving team, and a moving truck.

How much should you pay a hauler?

You should pay the mover based on the amount of work they have done. You can use factors like hours worked, weight transported, and distance covered to calculate the amount of work.

What is a good hourly rate?

$25 - $50 is a good hourly rate for local movers. Long-distance movers cost more per hour. However, a flat rate system is used in most long-distance rather than hourly rates.

How much are you supposed to tip movers?

On average, people tip 10 - 15 % of the total cost. But it is also okay to tip each mover $5 per hour.

How much does it command to pack and move?

The cost of packing services can significantly vary based on the size of the move and the fragility of the items being packed. It usually costs somewhere between $270 and $2,200, and the price of moving services to pack and move.

What is the average fee of shifting per square foot?

The average moving cost per square foot in the US cities is somewhere between $12 and $16.

Is it cheaper to move yourself?

Theoretically, it is cheaper to move by yourself. But, moving without professional experience can cause many mistakes leading to unwanted cost overruns.

Do you pay movers before or after?

When hiring reputable shipper, you will only have to pay after the move is complete. But you may have to make a deposit upfront.

Do you feed the movers?

For local moves that take only a few hours, you'll not have to feed movers. But, we suggest feeding movers during moves that take longer.

Popular Areas We Service

Three Movers provides low-cost moving services throughout the United States. The following are some of the most popular regions for relocation services, and there are long-distance moving firms and moving trucks ready to assist you as your service provider: