Moving & storage
Long Distance Moving Cost Calculator
Prices a long distance move, where the headline charge is only part of the bill.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus materials and the call-out. On a long distance move the real structure is a linehaul charge based on the shipment's weight and the distance, plus accessorial charges for everything the basic haul does not include. Those accessorials are where quotes diverge: stair carries, long carries from the truck to the door, shuttle service where a full-size truck cannot reach the property, bulky item handling, packing, and storage. A quote listing only linehaul is not comparable with one that lists them.
What moves the number
- Shipment weight, which is the primary driver of the linehaul charge.
- Distance, as the second linehaul factor.
- Accessorial services, which can be a substantial share of the total.
- Delivery spread, since long distance delivery is a window rather than a date.
Where this one goes wrong
Delivery is a window rather than a date on most long distance moves, because shipments share a truck and the schedule depends on the whole load. Planning to arrive and receive the same day frequently goes wrong, and arranging somewhere to stay is more realistic than expecting a fixed delivery. The accessorial that surprises most often is shuttle service, charged when a full-size trailer cannot access the street or property and goods have to be transferred to a smaller vehicle. That is assessable in advance by describing the access honestly at survey, and it is a large charge to discover on delivery day.
Before you quote
- Get accessorial charges itemised, not just the linehaul figure.
- Describe access at both ends honestly to establish whether a shuttle is needed.
- Plan for a delivery window rather than a delivery date.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
Why is my long distance quote structured by weight?
Because the cost of hauling is driven by what the shipment weighs and how far it goes, rather than by how long loading takes. That is why long distance quotes are based on weight and mileage, with separate accessorial charges for services the basic haul does not include.
What is a shuttle charge?
A charge for transferring your goods to a smaller vehicle when a full-size trailer cannot reach the property, because of narrow streets, low branches, weight limits or restricted access. It is a substantial accessorial and it is assessable in advance by describing the access accurately at survey.
Why can't the mover give me a delivery date?
Because most long distance shipments share a truck with others, so the schedule depends on the whole load rather than yours alone. Delivery is given as a window. Planning accommodation around that window rather than a single date avoids the most common long distance disappointment.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 6 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $165.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $90.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 6 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $165 |
| Parts and materials | $90 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $1,175 |
| Labour | $990 |
| Before tax | $1,175 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $1,175: $990 of labour, $90 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $83 | $683 |
| $124 | $929 |
| $165 example above | $1,175 |
| $248 | $1,673 |
| $330 | $2,165 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 6 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $165.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $90.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.