How to estimate a local move

By the Enqovo team · Published 2026-10-28

Why a range works better than one price

Two 2-bedroom moves can take very different times. Stairs, long walks to the truck, how well the customer packed and how much they own all change the clock. A range from your low to your high hours is honest, and it still gives the customer a number to plan around. Say clearly that the move is billed by the actual time, with your minimum hours.

This guide covers local moves. Interstate moves follow federal rules from the FMCSA (Protect Your Move), so price those separately.

Set an hourly rate for each crew size

Most local moves are priced per hour for a crew and a truck. Set one rate for each crew you send:

• 2 movers and a truck
• 3 movers and a truck
• 4 movers and a truck

Base each rate on your wages, payroll costs, truck costs, fuel and insurance, plus your profit.

Match a crew and hours to each home size

Look back at your last few dozen moves and write down the crew you sent and how long each move took. Group them by home size and note the low and high end for each. You end up with a table like this:

• Studio: crew size, low to high hours
• 1 bedroom: crew size, low to high hours
• 2 bedrooms: crew size, low to high hours
• 3 bedrooms: crew size, low to high hours
• 4 or more bedrooms: crew size, low to high hours

Worked example

Here is the math with the example starter rates in Enqovo, which every owner changes to their own: 3 movers and a truck at $169 an hour, a 2-bedroom move at 4 to 6 hours, and a $99 trip fee.

• Low end: $169 × 4 hours + $99 = $775
• High end: $169 × 6 hours + $99 = $1,113

So the estimate is $775 to $1,113, billed by the actual time. If your minimum is 2 hours, a very short job is still charged at least 2 hours.

Flat fees and add-ons

Add the costs that don’t depend on the clock as flat fees or extra hours:

• A trip or truck fee for each move
• Distance bands, such as 10 to 25 miles and 25 to 50 miles
• Extra time for each flight of stairs, at pickup and at drop-off, and for an elevator
• Packing: extra hours for each home size, plus a materials fee
• Upright pianos and small safes as a fixed fee

Know which jobs you price yourself

Some jobs are too different to price from a table. Grand pianos, heavy safes, pool tables, hot tubs, long-distance moves, storage and item-by-item inventories are good examples. When one of these comes in, call the customer and price it yourself.

Ask the right questions before you quote

A good estimate needs only a few facts. Ask every customer the same questions so your quotes stay consistent:

• How many bedrooms, and is there a garage, basement or storage unit?
• Which floor at each end, and is there an elevator?
• How far can the truck park from each door?
• Any heavy or awkward items, like a piano, safe or large TV?
• Do they need packing, or will everything be boxed when the crew arrives?

Explaining an hourly estimate to customers

Customers worry that an hourly move will run long. Be clear up front: the range is your best estimate, the clock runs from when the crew arrives, and you bill the actual time. Say what makes a move go faster, like boxes packed and taped, and a clear path to the truck. If the job is clearly bigger than described when the crew arrives, say so before you start.

Common mistakes

• Sending a 2-person crew to a job that needs 3, which often costs the customer more in hours
• Forgetting drive time between the two homes
• Not having a minimum, so short jobs lose money
• Promising a single fixed number for a move you haven't seen

Quick checklist

• An hourly rate for each crew size, with the truck
• A crew size and low to high hours for each home size
• A minimum number of hours
• A trip fee, distance bands, stairs and elevator time
• Packing hours and a materials fee
• A short list of jobs you always price yourself
• The words “billed by the actual time” on every estimate