How much do movers charge per hour?

It’s important to keep in mind that when moving to a new home located within a radius of around 50 miles in the same state, you’re actually performing a local move. In other words, you’re moving locally.

And why is this important for you to know, you may ask?

The significance of this piece of information lies in the fact that, when you hire professional movers to move your belongings from Point A to Point B, you will be charged by the hour.

Whenever you hire movers by the hour, you must be familiar with the typical hourly rate for local movers so that you can have a rough idea about how much you will pay the professionals in the end.

Read on to learn the average cost of movers per hour and the extra hourly rates for local movers.

Confirmation: You’re hiring local movers for your move

If you’re trying to find out how much movers cost for a local move, then you must have already solved the inevitable dilemma when moving locally: hire movers or move by yourself?

That’s right – sometimes it can be really difficult to decide which way to go – the professional way or the DIY way.

There are 4 major hints to follow in order to make the right decision:

• Previous experience. Have you ever organized a self-move before? If not, then you should seriously consider hiring a reputable local mover. Moving out for the first time is never an easy thing to do and the shorter distance of your residential move won’t really make things much easier for you either.
• Time until Moving day. How much time you have until the move-out date will play a major role in your decision whether you should hire local movers or try to organize a self-move. If you’re really short on time – usually during an emergency move, then your best bet is to use the services of an experienced local moving company.
• Enough manpower. Do you have enough reliable helpers to give you a hand on the day of the move? Are you confident that your best friends will answer your call for moving assistance? If not, then you should hire the services of a local moving company.
• Special items to move. Do you have any specialty items of great value in your home – a piano, a pool table, a grandfather clock, or antique furniture pieces? If yes, then you should leave the delicate job to experienced local movers.

See also: Should you hire movers or do it yourself?

How much do movers cost per hour?

The moment you hire a local mover to take care of your belongings, TIME becomes a huge factor. Naturally, when you’re being charged by the hour, the duration of the house move will determine the final cost.

The average hourly rate for movers is around $80 per hour per mover.

For 2 movers and a truck, you should expect to pay roughly $160 per hour.

Although the hourly charge can be higher depending on your specific location and the moving company itself, you can still use that national average cost of local movers to get a rough estimate of the expected final bill.

Before signing any paperwork, make sure you get a binding estimate in writing from a trustworthy local mover.

So, with an average moving company hourly rate of $80, here are the approximate local move costs broken down into various home sizes:

Home Size	Local Movers	Hours	Average Moving Cost
Studio	2	3	$480
1-bedroom	2	4	$640
2-bedroom	3	6	$1,440
3-bedroom	4	7	$2,240
4-bedroom	4	9	$2,880

• Studio apartment: $480. When moving out of a studio apartment, 2 movers should be able to complete the job in around 3 hours, which will cost you roughly $480. This estimated cost does not include any additional services or extra charges.
• 1-bedroom home: $640. Moving out of a 1-bedroom home should cost you around $640 provided that 2 local movers work on your move for around 4 hours. This cost estimate does not include extra services or charges.
• 2-bedroom home: $1,440. When moving out of a 2-bedroom place, 3 hired men should be able to finish the relocation job in 6 hours, which will amount to around $1,440 without any extra costs or charges.
• 3-bedroom home: $2,240. When moving out of a 3-bedroom apartment or house, 4 local movers should be expected to complete the move in 7 hours or so, which will increase the movers hourly charge to about $2,240. Any additional fees and charges will be billed extra.
• 4-bedroom home: $2,880. If you’re moving out of a 4-bedroom home, the local moving cost will increase to around $2,880 without any extra charges or fees. Again, it’s essential that you get a precise moving cost estimate from reputable and reliable local movers.

Read also: How much does it cost to move an apartment?

Additional moving rates per hour

Although the above-mentioned average costs of local movers will help you get a ballpark estimation of the cost of your move, the final price you pay will depend on the nature and number of any extra services you request and any additional charges and fees.

• More hired helpers. Each additional mover you hire should cost you an extra $80 or so. The good news here is that, in theory, at least, more professional movers should be able to complete the move faster, which will reduce the total move time, hence the final price will go down as well.
• Additional services. It goes without saying that each additional service will cost you more. If you want your items placed in storage until you are ready to receive them at the new address, that will cost you extra. If you request special crating services for some of your super valuable items, then the cost will increase. Additional services by moving companies
• Extra charges and fees. You may get charged more if your movers have to handle bulky items or if they need to carry your things up and down multiple flights of stairs in case of a broken or missing elevator. A long carry fee is another charge you should be aware of. Also, most local movers charge a travel fee – the time they need to reach your home from their head office. Just make sure you discuss all possible charges and fees with your local moving company prior to Moving day. What are the hidden costs of moving?
• Additional insurance. The basic coverage you will receive free of charge is practically non-existent – Moving Valuation offers a compensation of only 60 cents per pound. Therefore, if you’re moving relatively valuable items, then you’re strongly advised to purchase additional insurance, either from the local mover itself or from an insurance company. Do you really need moving insurance?
• Packing materials. The local moving company you hire is likely to charge you extra for the packing supplies they use to pack up your things. Depending on the number and type of household items you have for moving, the required packing materials can cost between $150 and $450.
• Tipping local movers. Hiring movers by the hour will also mean that you will be expected to tip your local movers unless you’re really dissatisfied with their work. So, it’s a good idea to include the tips in the final cost of the local move. How much to tip local movers? A good tipping rule you should adhere to is to tip $5 an hour per mover if they do a good job, or $7-$8 an hour per mover if they do an outstanding job packing and moving your possessions. Remember to tip each hired worker individually – NEVER give the lump sum to the foreman (usually the driver). Should you tip movers at all?

That’s right, moving to a new home can be rather expensive. Luckily, there are a number of good ways to reduce moving costs, so what are you waiting for?

Get free moving quotes from the best local movers in your area to start off your relocation adventure on the right foot.