Local Moving Charges Explained
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Professional Movers.com would like to help you understand the way local moving charges are determined. We believe in operating with complete transparency and doing everything in our power to help make sure you are as informed, educated, and prepared as you can be for your upcoming move. We have put much thought into the content of our website so you can come here and spend time researching everything.
You are not alone in this journey, if at any time you have a question or need a quick answer, just reach out to one of our Moving Consultants. We are here to hold your hand and guide you through our proven step-by-step process, explain your options, and develop the best pre-move plan for the most cost-effective relocation.
When you receive an estimate from us, you can expect the estimated pricing to be easy to read and simple to understand. Simplicity is genius and by keeping you informed and by keeping our pricing simple, there will never be any surprises on move day when it is time to pay for your move.
First, we need to make sure you know how a local move is defined since the way we calculate pricing for a local move is much different than the way we calculate pricing for a long-distance move. A Local Move is when a move is completed within the State of Michigan where the distance between the Customer’s origin and the Customer’s destination are less than 40 Miles. A good example of this would be if you were moving from a house in Bloomfield Hills, MI to a house in Birmingham, MI.
Local Moving Services are Billed by The Hour
Pricing for local moves is billed by the hour at the hourly rate for number of movers (labor) and number of moving trucks (equipment) provided.
Professional Movers.com charges the following hourly rates for local moving services performed Monday through Saturday from 6:00am to 6:00pm:
| Labor and Equipment | Hourly Rate |
| Background Checked Mover | *$70.00 Per Hour Per Mover |
| Moving Truck | *$30.00 Per Hour Per Moving Truck |
Many factors determine the time it will take to perform a local move. Luckily, many of those factors are within your control. For example, are you moving into a ranch style home or a house with lots of stairs or perhaps a loft with an elevator? How ready will you be when the movers arrive? Will all of your belongings be packed or would you like us to pack your home for you? Can the moving truck park close to your home so the movers won’t have to carry the furniture a long distance? Do you have any extremely heavy items that will require specialized moving equipment? Will you disassemble and reassemble all of your furniture or would you like our movers to bring tools to handle this? Do you have many fragile items or antiques that will require special care in order to prepare them for safe transport? Do you have many items being moved from or into a basement? Are you going to move on a weekday or do you need to move on a Sunday?
All the answers to these questions and many more will be the foundation to building an accurate estimate that will reflect the unique variables to your move. Nothing clarifies like clarity so the more information you provide our Moving Consultant during your pre-move survey, the better your chances are of having a smooth move within your budget.
Our experienced Moving Consultants will schedule a time to visit you in person or through a virtual video call to learn the full details of your move. Once they collect a full list of the items you are looking to move, they will easily be able to recommend the appropriate number of movers and trucks needed to complete your move.
In the meantime, below you will find some common examples of hourly pricing for labor and equipment combinations recommended for local moves:
| Type of Home And Size | Labor and Equipment Recommended | Hourly Rate |
| Studio Apartment to 1 Bedroom Apartment 450 -700 Square Feet Furniture and Less Than 50 Boxes | 2 Background Checked Movers + 1 Moving Truck | *$170.00 Per Hour |
| 2 Bedroom Apartment 900 Square Feet Furniture and Less Than 50 Boxes | 3 Background Checked Movers + 1 Moving Truck | *$240.00 Per Hour |
| 2 -3 Bedroom House / Condo 1,100 Square Feet Furniture and Less Than 50 Boxes | 4 Background Checked Movers + 1 Moving Truck | *310.00 Per Hour |
| 3 Bedroom House / Condo 1,700 Square Feet Furniture and Less Than 100 Boxes | 4 Background Checked Movers + 2 Moving Trucks | *340.00 Per Hour |
| 4 Bedroom House 2,300 Square Feet Furniture and Less Than 150 Boxes | 5 Background Checked Movers + 2 Moving Trucks | *410.00 Per Hour |
| 4 Bedroom House 3,000 Square Feet Furniture and Less Than 175 Boxes | 6 Background Checked Movers + 3 Moving Trucks | *510.00 Per Hour |
How Hourly Charges are Tracked and Calculated on Local Moves
Start time and end time for each local move will be documented on the Professional Movers.com Bill of Lading. Start time for calculating hourly charges begins when Professional Movers.com arrives at the customer’s origin. The start time and end time will be rounded to the nearest quarter hour and will follow the 7/8 rule. For example, if Professional Movers.com arrives at your home at 9:08am the start time will be rounded ahead to 9:15am. Conversely, if the movers arrive at 9:03am the start time will be rounded back to 9:00am.
Once our movers arrive and truck has pulled up to the origin, the hourly time will begin and the time will be tracked and run continuously until the following tasks are completed:
1) All of the customer’s belongings are unloaded from our moving trucks and delivered to the final destination address.
2) The customer has done a final walkthrough to confirm services are complete at the destination.
3) All Professional Movers.com tools, protective materials, and any moving equipment or rented packing materials are back inside the moving truck.
4) The customer has provided an unloading signature on the Bill of Lading and has provided payment to Professional Movers.com.
Once the above tasks are completed, the move team will have the start time and end time for the move and will now add a transportation time to determine the total move time.
Formula For Calculating the Total Move Time
Start Time (When Movers Arrive at Origin) to End Time (When Movers are Completed at Destination) + Transportation Time = Total Move Time
For example, if Professional Movers.com arrives at a customer’s origin in Farmington Hills, MI at 9:00am and complete the move at the customer’s destination in Novi, MI at 4:00pm, the movers will have worked 7 hours (From 9:00am to 4:00pm is 7 hours). In addition to the 7 hours, a transportation charge of 1 hour is added to the move to give you a total move time of 8 hours.
All local moves will include a transportation charge in the amount of 1 additional hour. In certain circumstances transportation time may be increased to 1.25 hours, 1.5 hours, 1.75 hours or 2 hours. Your transportation charge will always be listed on your moving estimate before you book your move.
What is a Transportation Time Charge on a Local Move?
In most cases, the transportation time charge for a local move will be 1 hour. The transportation time charge is designed to cover a ½ hour of time for the move team to drive our moving truck from Professional Movers.com warehouse to the Customer’s origin location. Then at the end of the move the transportation time charge covers ½ hour of time for the move team to drive the moving truck from the Customer’s destination back to the Professional Movers.com warehouse.
In situations where it may take longer than a ½ hour to drive to the Customer’s origin or longer than a ½ hour to drive back from the Customer’s destination to the Professional Movers.com warehouse, the transportation time charge may be increased to 1.25 hours, 1.5 hour, 1.75 hours, or 2 hours. Check with your Moving Consultant or on your Moving Estimate / Order for Service to confirm your transportation time charge.
Why Does a Transportation Time Charge Exist?
The transportation time charge exists because at Professional Movers.com we compensate our team members for their full working time. This means from the time they arrive at our warehouse until the time they return to our warehouse. So, while they are driving the moving truck to you at the beginning day, they are actually being paid for that time. Remember, this is a good thing, all of our team members are our actual employees who have been background checked and highly trained. If another local moving company isn’t paying their employees for this time, they are actually breaking labor law rules. So, if they are cutting corners there, where else might they be cutting corners?
Included in the transportation time charge for local moves is any time needed to prepare truck with any packing materials or moving equipment before the truck departs the Professional Movers.com warehouse at the beginning of the day and any time at the end of the day for any packing materials or moving equipment to be unloaded from truck returned back into the Professional Movers.com warehouse.
Does Professional Movers.com have a minimum hourly charge to Perform Local Moving Services?
All local residential moving services are subject to a 3-hour minimum charge. This includes 2 hours of moving time and 1 hour for transportation time. Therefore, any residential moving services provided that are completed in less than 3 hours, the full 3-hour minimum service charge would apply. For example, if Professional Movers.com arrives at a customer’s origin in West Bloomfield, MI at 9:00am and complete the move at the customer’s destination in Commerce Township, MI at 10:00am, the movers will have worked 1 hour (From 9:00am to 10:00am is 1 hour). In addition to the 1 hour, a transportation charge of 1 hour is added to the move to give you a total move time of 2 hours. Since the move was completed in less than 3 hours, the customer would actually be charged for 3 hours.
Charges for Additional Services for Local Moving Services
Local Moves may also include additional services outside of hourly rates and transportation time charges depending on the scope of your move. For a full and complete list of all charges for additional services, be sure to read our terms and conditions located on your estimate and Bill of Lading. Below you will find some of the additional services and charges that may be included on local moves:
Local Packing Service Charge: LocalPacking services are generally recommended to be performed 1 day in advance of your move date. Local packing services are billed by the hour at the hourly rate for number of packers and number of trucks provided. In addition, all local packing services include a transportation charge and separate charges for the cost of any moving supplies and/or packing materials provided to complete the pack.
Start time begins when Professional Movers.com arrives at Customer’s home, office, or storage location at origin. The time will run continuously until the following tasks are completed:
1) Professional Movers.com has packed the designated items.
2) The Customer has done a final walkthrough to confirm packing services are complete.
3) All Professional Movers.com tools, protective materials, and unused packing materials are back inside the moving truck.
4) The quantity of packing materials provided by Professional Movers.com has been documented on the Bill of Lading and Customer has provided a signature on the Bill of Lading and has provided payment to Professional Movers.com.
Start time and end time will be documented on Professional Movers.com Bill of Lading. The start time and end time will be rounded to the nearest quarter hour and will follow the 7/8 rule. Here is a quick reference table to help explain:
Moving Supplies & Packing Materials Charge: Professional Movers.com can provide special moving supplies and/or packing materials for purchase or rent for your move. Your Moving Consultant will make recommendations and include any recommended moving supplies or packing materials and pricing in your estimate for your review.
As an example, Professional Movers.com can make packing the hanging garments in your closets really easy by providing you with Rental Wardrobe Boxes that you can rent on the day of your move. These boxes have a bar inside the box that lets you transfer your hanging clothes from your closet right to the box where they can be packed and moved very efficiently. The Rental Wardrobe boxes can be brought out and used on moving day and returned to Professional Movers.com for a small rental charge.
For a full list of available moving supplies or packing materials as well as charges, please ask your Moving Consultant to provide an updated material list needed for your move.
Michigan Sales Tax: 6% Michigan Sales tax will be added to the purchase of any moving supplies, packing materials and/or the rental of any moving supplies or packing materials.
Fuel Surcharge: A charge of $30.00 per truck is added to all local moves. This is to cover the cost of fuel to operate the moving trucks on move day.
Disposal Charge: In addition to any hourly rates and transportation time that are applicable for the loading and unloading of disposal items, Professional Movers.com charges the following disposal fees for if a customer requests for the disposal of unwanted items: $75.00 for a ¼ truck of space used inside a 26’ Truck, $150.00 for a ½ truck of space used inside a 26’ Truck, $300.00 for a full truck of space used inside a 26’ Truck, and $450.00 for a full truck of space used inside a semi-trailer.
Credit Card Administration Fee: In the event you would like to pay for your moving services with a credit card, a 3% administration fee will apply.
Road Tolls, Bridge Fees, Street Meters and / or Bagged Meters: Local tolls, bridge/ferry fees, and street parking meters are to be paid by the customer. Customers are responsible to provide ample parking spaces and permits if necessary for the number of trucks required on the date of scheduled packing or moving services. Any tickets or fees acquired during packing or moving services due to parking of the moving vehicle will be the responsibility of the customer and will be added to the final bill.
Valuation Charge for Transit for Option 2 Full Value Protection: If a customer would like to add additional valuation coverage for transit in the form of Option 2 Full Value Protection for Transit, the following one-time charges will apply based on the “up to” valuation amount and deductible selected by the customer. The customer will be responsible to declare or release their belongings to a valuation amount they provide based on $6.00 per pound.
For example, if a customer’s goods weighed 12,500 pounds, the customer would multiply 12,500 by $6.00 to determine they would need to declare or release their belongings to a valuation amount of $75,000.00. They could then select if they would like to select no deductible at a charge of $675.00 or a $300 deductible at a charge of $413.00.
In the event that a customer declares or releases their belongings to a valuation amount that falls between those amounts shown on the chart below, the charge for the next highest valuation amount would apply.
| Schedule of Charges for Option 2: Full Value Protection |
| Valuation Options | No Deductible | $300 Deductible |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $25,000 | $225 | $138 |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $50,000 | $450 | $275 |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $75,000 | $675 | $413 |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $100,000 | $900 | $550 |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $150,000 | $1,350 | $825 |
If you are considering additional valuation, Professional Movers.com highly recommends that you take the time to visit and read our Valuation Options and Understanding Coverage page.
Monthly Valuation Charge for Storage for Option 2 Full Value Protection: If a customer is having their items stored at Professional Movers.com Storage Warehouse and would like to select Option 2 Full Value Protection for Storage, the following monthly charges will apply based on the “up to” valuation amount and deductible selected by the customer. These charges would be billed monthly in addition to any storage charges.
The customer will be responsible to declare or release their belongings to a valuation amount they provide based on $6.00 per pound.
For example, if a customer’s goods weighed 12,500 pounds, the customer would multiply 12,500 by $6.00 to determine they would need to declare or release their belongings to a valuation amount of $75,000.00. They could then select if they would like to select no deductible at a monthly charge of $57.00 or a $300 deductible at a monthly charge of $35.00.
In the event that a customer declares or releases their belongings to a valuation amount that falls between those amounts shown on the chart below, the charge for the next highest valuation amount would apply.
| Schedule of Charges for Option 2: Full Value Protection |
| Valuation Options | No Deductible | $300 Deductible |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $25,000 | $19 | $12 |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $50,000 | $38 | $23 |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $75,000 | $57 | $35 |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $100,000 | $77 | $47 |
| $6.00 Per Pound Up To $150,000 | $115 | $70 |
Inventory Charge for Option 2: Full Value Protection: In the event that a customer would like to select Option 2: Full Value Protection for either transit or storage services, a pre-move inventory of the items to be moved and/or placed in storage must be completed by Professional Movers.com and signed by the customer. Inventory charges are based on the number of movers provided to create the inventory and are billed hourly based on the time to complete the inventory. Start time begins when Professional Movers.com arrives at Customer’s home or storage location at origin. The time will run continuously until the following tasks are completed:
1) Professional Movers.com has inventoried all items.
2) The Customer has signed inventory sheets to acknowledge that the condition of the goods at the time of the loading is noted on the inventory and they have received a copy of the inventory.
Start time and end time will be documented on Professional Movers.com Bill of Lading. The start time and end time will be rounded to the nearest quarter hour and will follow the 7/8 rule.
Storage Move-In Charge / Storage Move-Out Charge: If Customer chooses to store their items at Professional Movers.com storage warehouse, there is a separate Move-In charge to unload the customer’s items from the moving truck(s) into the Professional Movers.com storage vault(s). In addition, when it is time to move the customer’s items out of Professional Movers.com storage warehouse, there is a separate Move-Out charge to unload the storage vault(s) and load the moving truck(s). Local hourly rates to Move-In and Move-Out of Professional Movers.com storage would not apply. Instead, the customer would receive a flat-rate cost to Move-In and a flat-rate cost to Move-Out. The cost to Move-In into or Move-Out of storage is based on the following calculation:
Estimated weight of items being placed in storage divided by 100 x $7.50. For example, if the items being moved into storage vaults is estimated to weigh 4,000 lbs. The Move-In cost would be 4,000/100 = 40 x $7.50 = $300.00. In addition, the Move-Out cost would be $300.00.
Monthly Storage Charge for Interior Storage Vault(s): Professional Movers.com offers Interior Vault storage at our storage warehouse at 1270 N. Pontiac Trail, Walled Lake, MI 48390. The dimensions of each storage vault are 8’ High x 5’ Wide x 7’ Deep. The storage space is rented per vault on a monthly basis and is NOT prorated. Storage vaults are ideal for furniture that can be pad wrapped and stacked inside each vault. Usage of interior storage vaults require items to be inventoried prior to delivery or receiving items into Professional Mover.com storage.
Each storage vault can hold an estimated 800-1,000 lbs. of household goods per storage vault. The cost per storage vault is $75.00 per vault per month. For example, (2) storage vaults would cost $150.00 per month. Storage fees are charged in one-month blocks with the 1st month beginning on date items are received into storage. Any additional months after the 1st month are charged on the 1st day of the following month(s). For example, if items are received on January 5th, 2021, the first storage month will be January 2021. On February 1st, 2021, the customer would be charged for the 2nd month of storage.
Storage Fees will not be prorated and customers are charged storage based on the total monthly price. Although storage fees incur monthly, Professional Movers.com reserves the right to invoice on a monthly or per project basis depending on the anticipated storage duration and size of the storage space utilized.
There are (2) valuation options available for interior warehouse Storage Vaults. Option 1: Limited Value Protection or Option 2: Full Value Protection. There is an additional charge for Option 2: Full Value Protection that is charged on a monthly basis. Customers are required to select their valuation option, prior to items being placed into storage.
Monthly Storage Charge for Interior Square Footage: Professional Movers.com offers Interior Warehouse Storage space rented by the square foot at our facility at 1270 N. Pontiac Trail, Walled Lake, MI 48390. The storage space is rented by square foot measurement on a monthly basis. Interior Warehouse Storage includes palletized storage, floor storage, and shelving or racking storage.
Storage space provided by square foot is ideal for single item storage like a piano or commercial projects where groups of furniture should be grouped together, but not stacked. It is also ideal for palletized storage. The Cost to rent space by the square foot at Professional Movers.com warehouse is $1.15 per sq. ft. per month. Example: a 10’ by 20’ storage space would be 200 Square Feet of Interior Storage. 200 Sq. Ft. x $1.15 = $230.00 per month.
Professional Movers.com requires a minimum charge for 43 square feet or $50.00 per month for interior square foot storage. Storage fees are charged in one-month blocks with the 1st month beginning on date items are received into storage. Any additional months after the 1st month are charged on the 1st day of the following month(s). For example, if items are received on January 5th, 2021, the first storage month will be January 2021. On February 1st, 2021, the customer would be charged for the 2nd month of storage.
Storage Fees will not be prorated and customer is charged storage based on the total monthly price. Although storage fees incur monthly, Professional Movers.com reserves the right to invoice on a monthly or per project basis depending on the anticipated storage duration and size of the storage space utilized. Usage of interior storage space by the square foot sometimes requires items to be inventoried prior to delivery or receiving items into storage.
There are (2) valuation options available for interior warehouse Storage Vaults. Option 1: Limited Value Protection or Option 2: Full Value Protection. There is an additional charge for Option 2: Full Value Protection that is charged on a monthly basis. Customers are required to select their valuation option, prior to items being placed into storage.
Monthly Storage Charge for Trailer Storage – Professional Movers.com offers Trailer Storage. This is not climate controlled. The dimensions of each storage trailer are approximately 9’ High x 8’ Wide x 53’ Long. Each storage trailer is rented per trailer on a monthly basis. The cost for a storage trailer is $450.00 per storage trailer per month. In addition, there is a delivery and pick-up fee depending on the location. Storage fees are charged in one-month blocks with the 1st month beginning on date items are received into storage. Any additional months after the 1st month are charged on the 1st day of the following month.
Storage Fees will not be prorated and customers are charged storage based on the total monthly price. Although storage fees incur monthly, Professional Movers.com reserves the right to invoice on a monthly or per project basis depending on the anticipated storage duration and size of the storage space utilized. Storage trailer is ideal for items that do not require a climate-controlled environment.
Trailer storage is recommended for short-term storage period. Customers are responsible to provide their own locks for the storage trailer. Storage trailers can be stored at customer’s location or at Professional Movers.com facility.
Option 2: Full Value Protection is NOT available for Trailer Storage. Professional Movers.com will only be liable for loss or damage to property resulting from Company negligence while the property is being loaded or unloaded from the trailer or container, while the trailer or container is stored on Company property, or while the loaded trailer or container is being transported.
The maximum amount of such liability is $0.60 per pound per article. However, Professional Movers.com will not be liable for any loss or damage resulting from water, heat, humidity, weather, atmospheric conditions, or the actions of insects or animals. Professional Movers.com will not assume any liability for loss or damage to property in the trailer or container once it has been locked and stored on the Customer’s property. Nor will Professional Movers.com be liable for loss or damage resulting from the Customer’s access to the stored property during the storage period wherever the trailer or container is located.
Bedbug Truck and Moving Pad Cleaning Charge: In the event that there is the discovery of bed bugs or any type of infestation of a customer’s origin or destination. Professional Movers.com Team Leader will notify the customer and Moving Consultant immediately. Any items already loaded onto the moving truck will be immediately unloaded off the truck and all packing or moving will stop. The customer would be responsible to provide payment for any time and materials used prior to the discovery of bed bugs. In addition, the customer will be charged a $250.00 cleaning charge so Professional Movers.com can have the interior of the truck professionally treated.
We hope you have found this page informative and gave you a peek behind the curtains to learn more about charges for local moving services. With knowledge brings confidence. We look forward to making your next move a great experience.
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