Moving & storage
Moving Cost Calculator
Prices a move, where local and long distance are charged on entirely different bases.
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. That shape fits a local move directly, because local work is charged hourly for a crew and a truck with a minimum. Long distance is different: it is priced on the weight or volume of the shipment and the distance, with accessorial charges for stairs, long carries, shuttles and storage added separately. Using an hourly figure to estimate a long distance move, or a weight figure for a local one, gives an answer that bears no relation to the quote.
What moves the number
- Local against long distance, which determines the entire pricing basis.
- Crew size and truck capacity, which on a local move set the hourly cost.
- Access at both ends, since stairs, long carries and lifts all add time or charges.
- How much is going, which for long distance is the primary cost driver.
Where this one goes wrong
For an interstate move, the carrier has to be registered and has to provide a written estimate, and those are checkable facts rather than formalities. Confirming registration is the single best protection against the rogue operators this industry is known for. The other thing worth understanding before the truck arrives is liability: carriers offer a basic level included in the price that pays a fixed amount per pound, which on a damaged television or a laptop is a very small sum, and a full value protection option that costs extra. Most people assume their goods are insured for value and they are not unless they chose and paid for that.
Before you quote
- Confirm the basis is hourly or weight-and-distance before comparing quotes.
- Check interstate carrier registration before booking.
- Establish which liability level applies and what it actually pays.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
Why are local and long distance moves priced differently?
Local work is charged hourly for a crew and truck because the cost is time. Long distance is charged on the shipment's weight or volume plus the mileage, because the cost is hauling. Comparing an hourly quote with a weight-based one directly is meaningless; they answer different questions.
Are my belongings insured during a move?
Not for their value unless you chose and paid for full value protection. The basic liability included pays a fixed amount per pound, which is a very small sum on electronics or anything light and valuable. It is one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of a moving contract.
How do I know a moving company is legitimate?
For an interstate move, check that the carrier is federally registered, which is a verifiable fact rather than a claim. A written estimate is also required. Those two checks are the practical protection against the rogue operators the industry is known for.
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.