Local movers in the Bay Area: how an hourly move adds up
Local movers in the Bay Area: how an hourly move is billed, a worked example, double drive time, the 3-hour minimum and arrival windows.
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What counts as a local move
A
A local move is billed by the hour under California's rules for household movers: the crew loads, drives and unloads in one day, and you pay for the time. Every move inside the Bay Area is local, and so are many one-day moves just beyond it, such as wine country or the Central Valley towns over the Altamont. Longer moves inside California and moves to other states are priced by weight instead; see intrastate and interstate moves.
The pieces of a local bill
A| Line | How it works |
|---|---|
| Hourly rate | 2 movers $145, 3 movers $175, 4 movers $235, for the whole crew and truck, any day |
| Minimum | 3 hours, then 15-minute steps |
| Travel to you | Not charged |
| Drive between homes | Job time; counted twice when the addresses are more than 10 minutes apart |
| Extra stop | No fee, only the time it adds |
| Elevator waiting | Job time |
| Included | Blankets, tape, wardrobe boxes, floor protection, furniture disassembly and reassembly |
| Materials | Boxes, mattress covers ($15) and other supplies as used |
| Not charged | Tax, mileage, fuel, stairs, long carries beyond their time |
A worked example
AA one-bedroom apartment, three movers at $175 an hour. Loading, wrapping and unloading take 3.5 hours. The drive between the two homes is 15 minutes, which is more than 10, so it counts twice: 30 minutes. The billed time is 4 hours, and 4 x $175 = $700, plus any boxes or covers used. Had the new place been 8 minutes away, the drive would have counted once, and if the whole job had finished in under 3 hours, the bill would still be the 3-hour minimum of $525.
Want a ceiling instead of an estimate? Book a free on-site inspection and you get a not-to-exceed price; the bill can come in under it but not over. Local moves are not sold at a flat price.
How long local moves take
A| Home | Time range David gives customers |
|---|---|
| Studio | 3 to 4 hours |
| 1 bedroom | 3 to 5 hours |
| About 1,200 sq ft | 5 to 6 hours, double drive time included |
| 4 bedrooms, about 2,200 sq ft | 7 to 9 hours, usually with 4 movers |
For what real jobs took in 2026, by home size, see moving cost by home size.
Moving day, hour by hour
ATrucks leave at 7:00 AM. Morning arrival windows are 8 to 10 AM in the South Bay and on the Peninsula, and 9 to 11 AM in San Francisco and the East Bay; the crew calls about 30 minutes before arriving. An afternoon start is sometimes possible, depending on that day's schedule. The foreman walks the home with you, the crew protects floors and doorways, takes apart what needs it, wraps and loads. At the new home they place furniture where you want it and put the beds and tables back together. You pay at the end; there is no deposit on a local move.
Ways to keep a local move short
A- Have every box packed and sealed before the crew arrives.
- Reserve elevators at both buildings.
- Clear a parking spot for a 26-foot truck, about 40 feet of curb with the ramp.
- Empty dressers and take food out of the refrigerator.
- Put items that stay behind in one room and tell the foreman.
- If the new place is close, ask yourself if it is under 10 minutes away: that is where double drive time starts.
More on local moves
AQuestions and answers
QIs there a minimum charge for a local move?
Yes, 3 hours. With our standard crew of three that is $525. After that, billing is in 15-minute steps.
QAre weekends more expensive?
No. The rate is the same every day, and we work Sundays.
QDo you charge for the drive back to your base?
No. You pay neither for the trip to your first address nor for the trip home. Only the drive between your two addresses is billed.
QCan I add a stop at a storage unit?
Yes. There is no extra-stop fee on a local move, only the time the stop adds.
QCan you give me a flat price for a local move?
Local moves are billed by the hour. After a free on-site inspection we give you a not-to-exceed price, so you know your maximum.