How much do moving helpers cost per hour in Virginia?

Why there is no set rate

Virginia's moving price rules are written for carriers that haul your goods. The Code defines a household goods carrier as one that undertakes to transport household goods by motor vehicle for compensation,^[1] and for deliveries over 30 miles, a household goods carrier must charge the rates in the tariff it filed with DMV.^[2] A crew that carries boxes into a truck you rented, and drives nowhere with them, is not transporting anything, so no tariff sets its price.

That changes if the helpers also bring a truck and carry your things for you. Virginia law makes it unlawful to operate, offer, advertise or arrange to transport property for compensation as a motor carrier without first getting a permit or certificate of fitness from DMV.^[3] There are exemptions: DMV does not require operating authority for vehicles that deliver property within the boundaries of the same Virginia city or town where it was picked up,^[4] or for carriers that operate only passenger cars and vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less.^[4] If a crew offers to haul as well as load, ask which authority it holds or why it is exempt; see whether movers need a licence in Virginia.

How loading crews price the job

Ask every crew the same four questions, because the answers change the total more than the headline rate does:

• Per worker or per crew? A rate for each worker per hour and a rate for a two-person crew are not the same number. Multiply it out.
• What is the minimum? Many crews set a minimum number of hours. For a small job, the minimum may be the whole bill.
• How is time billed after the minimum? By the full hour, the half hour or smaller blocks.
• Is there a trip or travel fee? Some crews charge for the drive to you, especially outside their usual area.

Loading at one address and unloading at another are often two bookings, each with its own minimum. Ask whether one crew can do both and how the time between is billed.

What adds hours

• Stairs and elevators. Every flight adds trips, and a shared elevator adds waiting. If the new place has stairs, Penske suggests unloading enough to reach the heaviest items and moving them first, before the crew gets tired.^[6]
• Long carries. A truck parked down the block instead of at the door adds minutes to every trip.
• Heavy and awkward pieces. Appliances, sleeper sofas, armoires, treadmills and safes take more people and more time. Some crews add a surcharge or will not move pianos and safes at all.
• Taking things apart. Bed frames, cribs, desks and sectionals are billed at the same rate as lifting.
• Wrapping and packing. If the crew wraps furniture or packs boxes, that is crew time, and materials may be extra.
• Being unready. Half-packed rooms, loose items and a truck that has not arrived yet are the most expensive hours of all.

The rest of a do-it-yourself move

The labour quote is only part of the cost when you hire helpers instead of a full mover. Add the truck rental, mileage, fuel, pads, dollies and boxes. Penske suggests picking up the truck the day or evening before you move,^[6] which can mean another rental day.

Price the truck coverage too. U-Haul says major credit cards do not cover rental trucks or trailers,^[5] and that most auto insurance policies do not cover a large moving truck,^[5] so check with your own agent before declining the rental company's coverage.

When you have the full total, compare it with a written quote from a full-service mover on the same inventory. For a small, short move, helpers plus a truck are often cheaper; for a large home, the gap can shrink. See whether to hire movers or just loading help and how much local movers cost in Virginia.

What to ask for in writing

A text or email is fine, as long as it shows:

• The hourly rate, whether it is per worker or per crew, and the crew size.
• The minimum hours and how time is billed after it.
• Any trip fee, heavy-item surcharge or materials charge, by name.
• Whether the quote covers loading, unloading or both.
• What insurance the crew carries for damage to your belongings and home.
• When and how you pay.

To cut the hours, pack and label every box before the crew arrives, take apart beds and tables yourself, save a parking spot near the door, and have the truck in place on time. For the loading order itself, see how to load a moving truck so nothing breaks.

Stop and call a pro if

• The job includes a piano, a gun safe, a hot tub or anything that needs rigging. Ask for a specialty mover's quote.
• A crew offers to haul your things in its own truck but will not say whether it holds DMV authority or is exempt.
• A crew will not put its rate, minimum and extras in writing, or wants full payment before any work.
• A gas range or gas dryer has to be disconnected before it can be moved. That is a job for a licensed pro.

Getting quotes on Loclis

On Loclis you describe the job once, businesses quote, and contact details are shared only after you book. Browse more junk removal and moving answers, see loading and unloading crews, or describe your move and get quotes from loading crews.