Moving is usually priced per mover per hour plus a truck fee, or a flat price for a set scope. Whichever way you quote, check it against the real cost of the job.
Two ways to charge, and when each one works
Most local moves are priced one of two ways.
- Hourly. You charge a rate for the crew, plus a truck fee. The customer pays for the time it really takes. It is fair and it protects you from surprises.
- Flat price. You quote one number for a defined scope. Customers like the certainty, but you carry the risk if the move runs long.
If you quote flat, write down what is included: the number of rooms, the floors, the parking and the time window. Anything outside that scope is extra. A flat price with no scope is a bet you will lose sooner or later.
Build the hourly rate from your real costs
The rate for each mover must cover more than the pay on their cheque.
- Wage plus payroll taxes and workers' compensation.
- Cargo and liability insurance, shared across your hours.
- Office, phone, booking and dispatch time.
- Straps, blankets, dollies, ramps and boxes that wear out.
- Profit, so the business can grow and survive a slow month.
Add these up per mover-hour. That is your cost. Your price is that cost divided by one minus your margin. Then add the truck separately, because the truck costs money whether it moves one box or a hundred.
The clock starts before the first box
Decide how you bill travel. Many movers bill from the moment the crew leaves the yard to the moment they return. Others bill garage to garage, or add a flat travel fee.
Any of these can work. What does not work is paying the crew for the drive and billing the customer for none of it.
For long drives, remember two legs. The truck goes to the pickup, then the dropoff, then back. Fuel and truck wear apply to every leg. A short move with a long drive back can be a poor job at a normal rate.
Things that add time, and must add price
Ask about these when someone calls. They change the hours more than the number of boxes does.
- Stairs. Every flight slows each trip.
- Long carry. If the truck cannot park near the door, the crew walks further on every load.
- Elevators. A booked elevator can mean waiting. Waiting is still paid time.
- Heavy or awkward items. Pianos, safes, gym equipment and large sectionals need extra people, extra care or special tools.
- Packing. Unpacked homes take far longer. Sell packing as its own service.
- Disassembly. Beds and tables that must come apart add real minutes.
Mistakes that quietly cost you money
- Quoting from the number of bedrooms alone. Contents and access matter more.
- Setting no minimum. A two-hour job with a long drive does not cover itself. Use a minimum number of billable hours.
- Underestimating the crew size. One extra person on a heavy move can save more time than they cost.
- Not charging for supplies. Wrap, tape, boxes and mattress covers add up quickly.
- Ignoring damage risk. Claims, repairs and a bad review cost more than the margin on one job.
- Discounting to win the booking. A cheap rate on a busy Saturday fills the truck with your worst-paying work.
When to say no or raise the price
Not every move is worth taking at the standard rate.
- The customer will not tell you about stairs, storage units or items that are very heavy. Assume the worst and quote for it.
- The move is on your busiest weekend. Demand is high, so the price should be too.
- The access is risky, such as narrow stairs with a large item, or a driveway the truck cannot safely use.
- The customer wants a flat price for an open-ended job.
- The date is the last day of the month and the move may run into the evening.
A good rule is simple. If you would not be happy to do the job at the price you are about to quote on the hardest day it could go, raise the price.
Review each move against its estimate
After each move, compare estimated hours with real hours. Look for patterns: certain building types, certain customers, certain sizes of crew. Those patterns tell you which part of your quote is wrong.
CrewBrain tracks the real cost of each job so you can see which jobs earn their price.
A worked example: a two-bedroom apartment move across town with one flight of stairs
| Item | How it is worked out | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Labor | 3 people × 6 hours (including drive time) × $34 per hour | $612 |
| Materials | Supplies used on the job | $60 |
| Vehicle and fuel | Truck time and fuel for this job | $70 |
| Job costs | $742 | |
| Price at a 40% margin | $742 ÷ 0.60 | $1,237 |
| Left after job costs | $1,237 − $742 | $495 |
Where the price goes in this example
Every dollar of the price, split into the costs it covers and what is left over.
- Labor $612 (49%)
- Materials $60 (5%)
- Vehicle and fuel $70 (6%)
- Left after job costs $495 (40%)
The whole bar is the price the customer pays: $1,237. Illustrative numbers, built from the table above.
Hourly cost per person is the full cost of a mover-hour, including payroll taxes, insurance and gear wear. The truck is covered by the fuel and materials lines, and drive time is paid time. These numbers are an illustrative example of the method. They are not a price list, and not a promise of what your jobs will earn.
Try it with your own numbers
Job costs means crew time (with drive time), materials, vehicle and fuel. Hourly cost per person is the full cost of an hour, including payroll taxes and insurance, not just the wage. This is a simple calculator, not a quote.
Built for moving: the moving company pricing calculator works from bedrooms, other rooms (living, dining, office), flights of stairs (both homes), with example speeds you can change to your crew’s.
Keep going
- CrewBrain for moving companies: how the software handles quoting, scheduling and crew time for this trade.
- How to price a service job: the five-step method behind every page in this series.
- Job price calculator: the same calculator as above, on its own page.
- Price increase calculator: see how many customers you can lose before a raise stops paying.
- How to price snow removal jobs
- How to price Christmas light installation jobs
- How to price pressure washing jobs
- What is a good profit margin for a service business?
- How to estimate labor hours for a job
- How to quote a job professionally
- All pricing guides by trade
Questions owners ask
How do I price a local move?
Estimate the hours, multiply by crew size and your full hourly cost, then add the truck, fuel and supplies. Divide by one minus your margin. Check it against your minimum before you quote.
Should movers charge hourly or a flat rate?
Hourly protects you when the move runs long. A flat rate suits a clear, limited scope. If you quote flat, write down what is included and charge extra for changes.
Should I charge for travel time on a move?
Yes, in some form. You pay the crew for the drive and the truck uses fuel, so travel should show up in an hourly clock, a travel fee or a minimum.
How do I price stairs and heavy items?
Treat them as added time or added crew, not as a favour. Ask about them when the customer calls, and add hours or a handling fee to the quote.