When do I need a crew of 4 movers instead of 3?
Spartan sends 4 movers ($235/hr) for 3-bedroom homes over 1,800 sq ft, 4+ bedroom homes and grand pianos. David sets crew size for each job.
By Spartan Moving Systems · Updated October 2026 · Cal-T #0190543When four movers fit the job
We move up to a 4-person crew at $235 an hour when the home is a 3-bedroom over about 1,800 square feet, or has four or more bedrooms. Certain pianos also call for four. For most other homes, our standard team of three is the right size.
Jobs that usually get a fourth mover
- A 3-bedroom home larger than roughly 1,800 sq ft
- Any home with 4 or more bedrooms
- A grand or baby grand piano, which always gets four people
- An upright piano that has to go up or down a flight of stairs
An upright on a level path is handled by three. David reviews your home size and access and confirms the crew in your quote. See our piano moving page for more on keyboard instruments.
When a fourth person does not pay off
Extra hands speed up the carrying, not the driving. The hourly rate applies to the entire crew while the truck is on the road between your pickup and drop-off, and on longer drives that segment counts double under California rules. On a job with a long drive, David has advised customers that adding a fourth mover raises the total noticeably without making the trip any shorter. In that case three movers is usually the more sensible choice.
How David decides
Crew size is set job by job, not by a formula you have to work out yourself. When you ask for a quote, give us the number of bedrooms and the approximate square footage, plus anything awkward like a third-floor walk-up, a long hallway to the street, or very heavy furniture. For any single piece over about 300 pounds, send a photo so David can confirm the plan. With that in hand he picks three or four movers and writes it on your quote, so the crew that shows up matches the work waiting for them.
Hourly comparison
| 3 movers | 4 movers | |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | $175 | $235 |
| 3-hour minimum | $525 | $705 |
| Per 15 minutes after | $43.75 | $58.75 |
Both include the truck. Our residential moving page explains how a typical house move is organized.
Other crew-size questions
Questions and answers
- Can I ask for four movers on a smaller home?
You can ask, and David will tell you whether it makes sense for your access and inventory.
- Is a fourth mover always faster?
Loading and unloading go quicker, but road time does not change, so long-drive jobs rarely benefit.
- How many people come for a grand piano?
Four, every time, and a piano-only grand job has a 4-hour minimum.