Moving Company Hourly Rates by Crew Size

Almost every local mover in the US bills by the hour. The rate goes up with the size of the crew, and the right crew size is what keeps a move fast and profitable. Here is how to set rates for each crew and how to pick the crew.

A simple rate card

Start with your base rate for two movers and a truck, then add a fixed amount for each extra mover. A common rate card for a small company in a mid-size city:

Crew	With truck	Labor only
2 movers	$140/hr	$110/hr
3 movers	$185/hr	$155/hr
4 movers	$230/hr	$200/hr

Each extra mover adds $45 an hour, which covers their wage, taxes and comp with some margin. Most US movers charge between $100 and $200 an hour for two movers and a truck and add $40 to $60 for each extra person. Your market sets the top; your costs set the floor.

Minimums

Set a minimum for every crew. Two hours is the most common. For two movers and a truck that is $280 at the rates above; for labor only it is $220. A minimum protects you from the 40 minute couch move that still burns a crew, a truck and two drives.

Travel time

There are three common ways to handle the drive to the first address:

1. A flat travel fee, often equal to one hour of the crew rate
2. Clock starts at the yard and stops when the crew is back
3. Clock starts at the door, with travel built into a slightly higher rate

Any of these works if you say it up front. The worst option is surprising the customer on the final bill.

Which crew for which home

More movers is not always more expensive. Three movers often finish a two-bedroom in 5 hours ($925 at $185) where two would take 7 ($980 at $140). The customer pays less and your crew is free sooner. A rough guide:

• Studio or 1 bedroom: 2 movers, 3 to 4 hours
• 2 bedrooms: 3 movers, about 5 hours
• 3 bedrooms: 3 or 4 movers, 6 to 8 hours
• 4 bedrooms and up: 4 movers, a full day, sometimes two trucks

That is why a price by home size works well for customers: a one-bedroom at $480, two bedrooms at $930, three at $1,380. The calculator does the crew and hours math, and the customer sees one number. Read how much to charge for a local move for the full table.

Labor-only jobs

Labor-only work, loading or unloading a rental truck or a portable container, is a good filler for weekdays and for new companies without a truck. At $110 an hour for two movers with a two-hour minimum, a four-hour load is $440. These jobs are fast to sell and easy to schedule around full moves.

Peak rates

Many movers charge $10 to $30 more per hour on month-end weekends and in summer, or add a flat fee for a date this week. If you do, publish it. See month-end and summer peaks for how to handle the busiest days without losing customers.

Rounding and billable time

Decide and write down:

• Do you bill in 15 or 30 minute steps after the minimum?
• Does a lunch break count? (Most say no.)
• Does time waiting for an elevator or for the customer count? (Most say yes.)

Put these lines in your booking confirmation. They prevent almost every billing argument.

When to add a mover mid-job

Sometimes a move is bigger than the customer said: a full garage nobody mentioned, or boxes still unpacked. Call it early. Tell the customer what you see, offer a fourth mover at your published rate to finish sooner, and let them choose. Adding a person at 10 a.m. with their agreement is better than a 9 p.m. finish and an angry review.

Show the rate, not just the total

Customers trust movers who show the hourly rate. A website that says "$140 an hour for two movers and a truck, two-hour minimum" and also shows a price by home size answers both kinds of shoppers. Try it on the free hourly movers cost calculator.