From packing to disassembling furniture and from planning your moving route to carefully wrapping or crating fragile items, moving is a ton of work. An easy way to make your move easier and take a few tough tasks off of your plate is by working with a professional moving company offering labor services, especially the services of appliance moving experts. Full-service moving companies often provide hourly labor services, which can be a key convenience throughout the process of a local move.
4.5
One month of free storage included with your move
Provides moves in all 50 states
Offers air & ocean freighting
4.0
Flat rate pricing for all moves
Offers price matching
Expedited moves between big cities
4.2
Top-notch packing services
Nationwide partner network
Comprehensive moving calculator
No matter where you live, you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to local moving labor services – and the company that you choose will play a major role in your move. After reviewing dozens of professional moving companies, we’ve rounded up a few of the best companies for hourly labor services. Read on to learn more about some of the best moving labor services and get your free quote from each provider.
The 6 Best Moving Labor Services
Our top recommended moving labor services for 2023:
Compare The Best Moving Labor Services
The table below outlines data for the best moving companies on the market. We constantly update these ratings and price estimates to reflect industry changes. Continue reading in-depth reviews of several top providers.
Company | Best For | Our Rating | BBB Rating | Local Cost | Long-distance Cost |
 | Best Full-Service | B | $650–$1350 | $2,100–$5,400 | |
 | Most Transparent Pricing | B- | $550–$1,100 | $2,550–$5,700 | |
 | Best Cost Estimation Tools | B | $700 - $1,250 | $1,800 - $4980 | |
 | Best Flat-Rate | Not Rated | Not available for local moves | $2,200–$5,500 | |
 | Most Moving | B | Call for a quote | $2,750–$5,200 | |
 | Most Customizable | A+ | Call for a quote | $2,750–$6,000 | |
 | Best Vehicle | A+ | $800–$1,500 | $2,000–$5,000 | |
 | Best Pricing | A+ | $800–$1,500 | $2,000–$5,000 | |
 | Best Technology | A+ | Call for quote | $2,000–$5,000 | |
 | Best Container Service | A+ | Not available for local moves | $1,350–$2,400 | |
 | Best Valuation Coverage Options | A+ | $1,200-$2,750 | $3,100-$8,400 |
*Quote and cost data are updated and monitored continuously.
International Van Lines
4.5
Our Rating
International Van Lines (IVL) is one of the best-known moving companies out there. They have won Forbes’ Best Moving Company Award for several years running; this is due to their attention to detail and their ability to provide essentially any moving service you and your family may need.
IVL has moving plans ranging from full-service moves to simply transporting your goods with their own vehicles and moving teams. However, if it’s moving labor you’re after, they can handle packing, loading, unloading, and unpacking with their full-service package so that you don’t have to do any of the heavy lifting that traditionally comes with changing spaces.
International Van Lines will give you a free quote online. To get the most accurate quote, you can schedule an in-person walkthrough of your home with an IVL moving coordinator or you can use their MoveOne software to do a virtual walkthrough, all through your cell phone. Besides packing services, IVL also offers specialty item packing and bulky item moving. These two categories include things like antiques, art, pianos, pool tables, and hot tubs.
IVL is a full-service moving company, which means that it has staff on-hand to tackle many unique parts of the moving process. Some of the most commonly requested services from IVL include the following.
- Packing and unpacking services
- Loading and unloading services
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Crating
- Specialized packing services for fragile items
- Storage solutions for both short-term and long-term periods
- Packing supplies
- Auto transportation services
- Military moving services
- Commercial moving services
Like most moving companies, IVL uses two primary factors to determine how much you’ll pay for your moving services.
- The distance you’re traveling: The further away from your current property you’re moving, the less you’ll pay per mile. However, because you’re traveling further, a longer move will cost more than a local move.
- The size of your home: If you’re scheduling hourly labor services and you’re moving a larger property, you can expect your movers to need more time packing, loading, and transporting your things. This increases the price of your move.
We’ve collected pricing data from previous International Van Lines customers to help you get a better idea of what you might pay for your moving services. Learn more about IVL’s rates and get your free quote below.
| <250 miles | 500 miles | 1,000 miles | 2,000 miles | |
| Two-bedroom home | $1,400 to $4,400 | $1,900 to $4,900 | $2,100 to $5,100 | $2,400 to $5,400 |
| Four-bedroom home | $3,200 to $6,200 | $5,100 to $8,100 | $5,700 to $8,700 | $6,200 to $9,200 |
American Van Lines
4.0
Our Rating
American Van Lines is a full-service moving company that works in the contiguous United States. It has been in business since the sixties, and American Van Lines proudly works with its customers to create moving plans checking all the boxes that they need, whether that means only furniture loading, fragile-only packing, or more. American Van Lines service providers are all background-checked and regularly drug-tested, and they are handpicked because of their packing certifications and training.
American Van Lines facilitates last-minute moves at no extra charge, and they offer binding estimates for their moving plans with flat-rate pricing. This flat-rate pricing is to the customer’s advantage not only because you’ll know exactly what you’re paying, but also because AVL will want to complete your move as quickly and efficiently as possible so they can continue to serve more customers. If you do happen to find more advantageous pricing with a competitor, you can take advantage of the company’s price matching policy.
American Van Lines is another strong option for full-service moving processes. You can currently book the following services through the company when you book your move.
- Packing and unpacking services
- Storage unit arrangement
- Specialty packing services for items like pianos and antiques
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Crating for large items (like pianos)
- Moving supplies
- Office and corporate moving services
- Military moves
We’ve collected previous pricing data to help you get a better idea of what you might pay when you move with American Van Lines. Browse pricing information using the table below.
| <250 miles | 500 miles | 1,000 miles | 2,000 miles | |
| Two-bedroom home | $1,700 to $4,700 | $2,300 to $5,300 | $2,600 to $5,600 | $4,200 to $7,200 |
| Four-bedroom home | $4,800 to $7,800 | $5,600 to $8,600 | $7,400 to $10,400 | $10,800 to $13,800 |
Moving APT
3.9
Our Rating
No matter what your moving labor needs entail, you can find someone to hire with Moving APT, or rather, Moving APT can find them. If you need to hire moving help just to load things onto your rental truck, or if you need hourly labor to help you pack, Moving APT can search its network of local movers in your area to match you with the perfect moving helpers for your needs. They offer binding estimates and are very picky when it comes to choosing which movers they work with.
The team at Moving APT have facilitated over half a million moves over the past twenty years, and they have an extensive partner network of 2,500 companies all over the country. Moving APT specializes in matching its clients with cross-country moving companies, so if you’re moving from San Francisco to Buffalo, Chicago to Miami, even Baltimore to Anchorage, they can find you the right movers for your budget. This is a win-win situation for you and the moving company you’re partnered with, as Moving APT will even negotiate advantageous pricing for you on your behalf.
Moving APT is not a moving company itself, which means that it doesn’t offer the services that it books on your behalf. Some of the most popular services that Moving APT books for its clients include the following.
- Commercial and residential moving
- Piano moving
- Auto shipping
- Packing services
- Packing supplies (included for some moves)
- Appliance connection services
- Limited furniture disassembly and reassembly
Keep in mind that the specific services you’ll have access to may vary depending on the local team that you’re matched with. Don’t be afraid to ask about additional services if you need something that you don’t see on the list above. With more than 2,500 partnered carriers, chances are that Moving APT can help you find any service you can think of.
Moving APT offers price matching services, which can make it more difficult to estimate what you’ll pay for your move before you get your free quote. As a general statement on pricing, a recent 1,000-mile move for a four-bedroom home was quoted at a price of $7,800 from Moving APT. However, you can’t be sure what you’ll pay for your labor services until you click the link below and get your free quote.
JK Moving Services
4.2
Our Rating
Each year, JK Moving Services trains over 1,000 employees, newly hired and experienced so that they can stay on top of developments in the moving industry to better fit your needs.
Each year, JK Moving Services trains over 1,000 employees, newly hired and experienced so that they can stay on top of developments in the moving industry to better fit your needs. JK Moving Services is a full-service moving company known for offering the most customizable moving plans and packages in the industry. Although they can be pricier than some competitors, according to customer reviews, you get what you pay for. Customer service is readily available to answer your questions and address your concerns, and you’ll even be paired with your own personal moving coordinator to help you fully plan your move.
If you need to move within a specific time frame, JK will work with you to make sure you make it into your new home on schedule. If you need to hire movers for specialty items like sheds, vehicles, antique furniture, or other items, JK has got you covered. Packing, loading, driving and transporting, unloading, installing, furniture assembly and disassembly — all of this and more is available with JK Moving Services, whether you’re moving locally, long-distance, or overseas.
JK Moving Services currently offers the following list of services to its customers.
- Packing and unpacking services
- Loading and unloading services
- Long-term and short-term storage unit arrangement
- Transportation and delivery
- Freighting
- Crating
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly services
- Specialty services for items like antiques and pianos
- Specialized services for commercial moves for law firms, hospitals and other specialized workplaces
- Government moving services
- Archive services
- Auto relocation services
Like Moving APT, JK Moving Services can also help arrange services above and beyond what’s listed above.
JK Moving Services provides highly personalized moving packages, which makes it more difficult to predict what you’ll pay for your moving services before you get a free quote. As a general idea of JK Moving Services’ pricing, you can usually expect to pay between $2,500 and $5,500 when you move a two-bedroom home a total distance of 500 miles. While this estimate puts JK Moving Services a bit more expensive than its competitors, be sure to click on the link below to claim your free quote.
Allied Van Lines
4.2
Our Rating
Allied Van Lines has a long list of moving labor services that they provide, including appliance installation, furniture disassembly and reassembly, vehicle transportation, and fragile-only packing.
Loading and unloading services are included in every Allied moving plan, no matter what plan you sign up for. In fact, you can now sign up for Allied Express, which is a moving container service. It competes with PODS but instead of you loading and unloading the moving container yourself, Allied provides labor services on your behalf after booking.
If you need packers, Allied has a full-service option; if you just need packing materials and perhaps some advice about DIY packing, Allied has that available as well. They ship to over 130 countries and all fifty states, so no matter where you’re headed, Allied Van Lines can lend a hand and help you get there stress-free.
Like International Van Lines, Allied Van Lines also offers full-service moving processes and a complete list of a la carte services, including the following.
- Packing services and unpacking services
- Fragile-only packing
- Storage for in-transit items
- Arrangement of long-term storage units
- Shipment tracking
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Auto and boat transport
- Basic liability coverage
- Full-value coverage
We’ve collected pricing data from previous customers who moved with Allied Van Lines to help you get a better idea of what you might pay for your moving services. Learn more about this company’s rates and get your free quote using the link below.
| <250 miles | 500 miles | 1,000 miles | 2,000 miles | |
| Two-bedroom home | $1,800 to $4,500 | $2,400 to $5,400 | $2,700 to $5,700 | $4,400 to $7,400 |
| Four-bedroom home | $3,300 to $6,000 | $5,700 to $8,700 | $7,500 to $10,500 | $10,900 to $13,000 |
North American Van Lines
4.0
Our Rating
North American Van Lines has been in the moving industry for over 85 years. They are a company of firsts — the first moving company to traverse the Alaska Highway, the first moving company to develop a driving simulator for driver safety training, and the first mover to create its own GPS tracking system. Besides the technological advancements, North American trains its movers to be able to provide you with whatever moving services you could need, from packing everything to just driving the moving truck, as simple or as detailed as you desire.
North American’s relocation specialists are simply a phone call away and can answer any questions you have. If you need to hire extra movers for jobs like hot tub relocation or pool table disassembly, North American Van Lines has people on hand with the experience and tools to accomplish those tasks. The company even offers flexible pricing options (like not to exceed pricing) to help you control costs on your upcoming move.
You can currently book the following services through North American Van Lines.
- Full-service packing
- Fragile-only packing
- Boxes and moving supplies
- Appliance disconnection and reconnection
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Custom crates
- Loading and unloading
- Crane vans for large items
- Storage
- Auto transport
- Basic liability coverage
- Full-valuation coverage
We’ve collected previous pricing data to help you get a better idea of what you might pay when you move with North American Van Lines. Browse pricing information using the table below.
| <250 miles | 500 miles | 1,000 miles | 2,000 miles | |
| Two-bedroom home | $1,800 to $4,500 | $2,400 to $5,400 | $2,700 to $5,700 | $4,400 to $7,400 |
| Four-bedroom home | $3,300 to $6,000 | $5,700 to $8,700 | $7,500 to $10,500 | $10,900 to $13,000 |
What To Look for In Moving Labor Services
If you are contemplating using the services of expert movers, there are a few things you should consider. Whether you’re looking into signing up for a moving plan with one of the aforementioned companies, a local mover, or a few people to help you with parts of your move, here are some things you should look for when comparing your options for labor services.
- Service list: What services does the moving labor company offer? Do they offer single item moving services, are these independent contractors who offer customized labor for whatever job you have, or do they have specific equipment and training for one or two particular tasks? If you only need packing services, then you can check if the companies you’re interested in offer only that one service. If they offer packing, loading, and transport, does that mean that they have their own vehicle, or do you have to provide the moving truck? These are questions you need to ask them to see what they can specifically do for you. Maybe you need your appliances disconnected, moved, and then reinstalled at your destination. Can this company provide that service? It can be helpful to write down a list of all services you need before searching for moving companies.
- Customer reviews: What have previous customers said about the company’s services? Were the laborers professional and polite? Were they punctual and efficient? Did they damage anything? Customer reviews can be an important tool to help you make your decision on which moving labor services to go with because a mover’s website will only show you positive reviews. Customer reviews from third-party resources will show everything, giving you an uncensored idea of the type of service you can expect.
- Charging practices: The most common way to charge for moving labor services is hourly per individual mover. You can ask what the rates are with each company, and you should expect the team members to be upfront about them. If you need long-distance moving services or professional heavy equipment options, you should know that the company also charges based on mileage and weight of your items. Some movers even run the hourly clock for driving time from origin to destination rather than putting charges together in one lump sum. Be sure that you understand how exactly your movers will price your labor services before signing on the bottom line.
What Costs Are Involved with Moving Labor Services?
The costs involved with moving labor services are similar to what is involved in a local or long-distance full-service moving company. Even if you’re signing up for a la carte labor services, some of the costs are the same. The following are some expenses you’ll likely need to take into consideration before booking your moving services.
- Hourly rate: The hourly rate for moving labor is anywhere from $25 to $60 per hour per individual, sometimes even reaching up to $60 an hour. The higher rates pay for expert training in packing as well as knowledge and experience in moving specialty items like antiques and pool tables. The hourly labor for moving specialty items is higher than for regular household items.
- Renting a truck: Sometimes, local moving labor services do not have their own truck — they are simply hired on a case-by-case basis to be moving helpers or perform some other manual labor task, and so they don’t always have their own work vehicle. You may have to find an affordable rental truck service and rent a truck from them for the day so that they can load your stuff up. Be sure to clarify whether you or your moving labor service will provide you with a moving vehicle.
- Mileage: Depending on the length of the trip, moving laborers may also charge per mile to transport your household goods. Local moves tend to cost more per mile because the labor is the same as a long-distance move. Long-distance moves may require you to pay for fuel as well.
- Equipment and packing materials: If you do hire a few people to help with your move, if they don’t have their own moving company and they’re just doing the job for the day, it’s possible they won’t have all the equipment and materials needed to pack and move your things. It could help you to have dollies on-hand and you will need to purchase or acquire packing materials for all your stuff.
Final Thoughts
The best way to save money on your moving services is to begin planning ahead as early as possible. If you’re planning a major move, begin getting quotes at least a few months in advance. This allows you to be sure that you’re getting the best rate on your move by learning more about the options available to you With various rental truck options and other moving services, you will have ample time to select the best service for your moving needs.”. However, it’s important to remember that if pricing seems too good to be true, you might be considering an illegitimate moving service. Get at least five quotes to ensure that you have a full understanding of what you’re likely to pay–and to be sure that your quote is reasonable.
If you are short on cash at the time of your move, you should be aware that there are charities offering support for moving. These organizations often aim to help individuals and families during times of financial hardship, including situations where covering moving costs can be challenging.
It’s advisable to research and contact local charities, community organizations, and nonprofit groups that offer financial assistance or support programs to inquire about their eligibility criteria and the type of assistance they provide for moving expenses. Keep in mind that availability and specific criteria can vary, so reaching out to these organizations directly is the best way to find out what help is available in your area.
For more in-depth moving reviews read Colonial Van Lines.
FAQs About Moving Labor Services
What moving labor services can I choose?
You can have movers handle everything physical about your move, from packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, and transport to unpacking and reassembly. You can also hire them for single services like packing up your furniture or loading it onto a moving trailer, or even junk removal once you’re finished unpacking. If you need help moving in any aspect, moving labor services can do it.
Should I go with a local moving company or one that has offices all over the nation?
This is truly up to you. If you check out local moving companies in your area, you can also chat with those who have used them before to find out how their moving experience was. You might also be able to save some money by going with a local mover if where you live has a lower cost of living. National moving companies may serve you better with long-distance moving or a cross-country move because they are stationed all across the country.
Do I need to hire professional movers to assist me with my move?
If you’re a busy person, you have small children, you’re taking care of an elderly family member, or you have some other circumstances in your life where you think organizing and executing a move may be too much for you, then you should definitely hire professionals for your next move. If you have enough time on your hands and a limited budget for your move, you may want to consider a DIY move.
Today's Homeowner Rating Methodology
At Today's Homeowner, our primary goals are to be a reliable source of information and to be totally transparent to our readers. With that in mind, we’ve developed the following formula to render objective ratings – on a scale of 10 points – for the moving companies we review.
- Transparency (3.0): Communication and being fully straightforward regarding company policies and licensing are incredibly important. A given mover’s willingness to display these, to supply quick quotes, and to provide clearly-worded moving contracts all factor into the three points within this single rating criteria.
- Cost (2.5): A mover’s cost relative to industry averages, as well as accessibility to cost data play a role in the customer experience as much as anything else. We know that being sure of what you’re paying – and being confident that you’re not overpaying – will ultimately make for a positive move. We’ve weighted cost factors accordingly in our ratings.
- Customer Service (2.0): Establishing an easy line of contact with your movers during the booking process or during the move itself is a huge asset for any moving client. The stress of moving, in general, can be greatly eased by knowing you can talk to a licensed professional whenever you need to, which is why we’ve listed this as a key rating category. This is where customer reviews come into play; since the majority of complaints stem from poor customer service, feedback from BBB, Yelp, Google, and other review platforms factor into this criteria.
- Services Offered (1.5): This rates lower on our priority list than many would think, simply due to the fact that many movers provide a similar line of services. However, breadth of service offerings does still vary to a degree.
- Customization Options (1.0): Having the autonomy to fully customize your move should rate highly on any moving checklist. Here, we’ve taken moving package customization ability, as well as pricing for more involved add-ons. Steep pricing for such services can provide something of a soft barrier for clients looking to add to their move, and we’ve taken this into consideration.
