How Much Do Full-Service Movers Cost?
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed while planning a move. That’s why many renters and homeowners alike spend extra for a full-service move. So, how much do full-service movers cost?
Hiring full-service movers typically costs at least $2,000, but it varies based on home size. A full-service move for a 1-bedroom apartment costs $550 to $4,500 or more depending on if it is local or long-distance. However, a long-distance full-service move can cost up to $15,000 when moving across the country.
Services like full packing, unpacking, and furniture assembly are included in the cost of a full-service move. Follow along as we explore how much full-service movers cost and highlight key cost factors.
How Much Does a Full-Service Move Cost?
You can expect to spend at least $2,000 on a full-service move, or $1,000 to $15,000. The wide cost range may be confusing, but it’s based on many factors, such as:
Home Size
Home size is one of the biggest cost factors for full-service movers. Bigger homes naturally have more belongings, such as furniture, art, and bedroom sets. That’s why moving from a 4-bedroom house is more expensive than moving from a studio apartment.
For example, the items in a 1-bedroom apartment may weigh 1,800 pounds while a 3-bedroom home often weighs 7,000 pounds. Keep in mind that there is no ironclad rule regarding shipping weight based on home size. Instead, moving companies employ their consultants to figure out how much the belongings in your home roughly weigh.
Sometimes, this comes from an estimate based on the type and volume of your belongings. In other cases, the crew may weigh the empty truck and weigh it again once it’s loaded. The chart below highlights the typical price ranges for full-service moves based on home size. Note that the low-end prices are local moves and high-end prices are long-distance
| Home Size | Price Range |
| 1 | $550-$4,500 |
| 2-3 | $670-$10,000 |
| 4-5 | $1,400-$14,000 |
| 5+ | $3,500-$15,000 |
Local
Local full-service moves are naturally cheaper than long-distance moves. Moving companies have different criteria for what they consider a local move. For example, some moving companies consider 50 miles the cutoff for a local move whereas others consider 100 the local move cutoff.
A 4-bedroom full-service move typically starts at $1,400 for a local move within 100 miles. Once you reach 250 miles, the cost jumps to $2,500 or more, on average. The higher cost comes from mileage, fuel costs, tolls, and labor.
A local full-service move can take as little as 3-5 hours depending on the size of your home. That’s especially true if you move between 15 and 50 miles away. However, your move may take at least 6 hours if you have a 3-4-bedroom home with a large shipping weight.
Long-Distance
You can expect to spend between $1,500 and $15,000 on a long-distance full-service move. For example, a 2-3-bedroom full-service move within 250-500 miles costs $3,5000. The price quickly increases once you exceed 500 miles, and you can spend up to $8,500 if the shipping weight is high.
Long-distance moves sometimes entail covering boarding costs for the moving crew. This is often necessary for big moves between 500 and 2,500 or more miles. Doing so can add hundreds of dollars to the price of your full-service move.
Keep in mind that long-distance moves don’t automatically cost a fortune. You can spend as little as $1,500 on a full-service move within 100 miles, which many companies consider long-distance.
What Do Full-Service Movers Do?
Full-service movers handle every part of a move. This gives homeowners plenty of time to organize their belongings and tie up loose ends. Full-service movers offer useful several services, such as:
Furniture Disassembly and Assembly
Taking furniture apart and putting it back together is one of the most annoying parts of moving. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about doing that if you hire full-service movers. Furniture disassembly and assembly are included in the cost of full-service movers.
Granted, you can take some of your furniture apart before the crew arrives if you want to save time. However, it’s worth letting them assemble your belongings upon arrival. This doesn’t add to the cost, and it gives you time to organize your belongings.
Full Packing
Full packing is one of the most desirable moving services that full-service movers offer. Many people don’t have time to pack their belongings before a big move. This is understandable while balancing work and life, and that’s why full-packing services are so popular.
The moving crew will arrive at your home and start packing your belongings. This typically occurs on the day of the move. In that case, the moving crew will arrive several hours earlier than they otherwise would.
However, full-packing services sometimes begin the day before a move. That may be necessary if you have a large home with 4 or more bedrooms and lots of belongings. The cost of the packing supplies the movers use is also included in a full-service move.
Unpacking
The unpacking service is just as useful as the packing service. Full-service movers will unpack your belongings and follow your directions. Many moving crews will unpack the boxes in the room in which you intend your belongings to go.
This can save you hours, and it’s one of the most convenient parts of a full-service move. Keep in mind that you can always request to unpack your belongings without their help if you’d prefer that.
Loading and Transportation
What would a full-service move be if the crew didn’t pack and transport your belongings? The moving crew will carefully arrange and load your boxes and furniture after packing them. Full-service movers are experienced and use ratchet straps and dollies to protect your belongings.
While transportation is included, distance ultimately affects the cost of a full-service move. However, that price is typically dictated during the consultation process for a fixed-rate move.
Once they arrive at your new home, they will carefully unload your belongings. The moving crew will also dispose of your used packing materials and boxes as needed.
Full-Service Movers You Can Trust
At Optimum Moving, we handle every aspect of moving as full-service movers. Full-service moving comes in handy for people with busy lives and work schedules as well as families. We handle full-service moves within New Jersey and New York and help people move across the country. Call Optimum Moving at (855) 315-6683 to schedule your full-service move.
