How much will your furniture moving and heavy lifting cost?
Columbus, OH 43215
Furniture moving costs$79 - $168
National average hourly price
- Most common low price:$79
- Most common high price:$168
How much does furniture moving cost?
By Thumbtack Staff
Last updated Fri, Aug 08
The national average cost to move furniture and heavy items ranges from around $79-$168 per hour, and most people pay around $110, according to Thumbtack data. You might think you should only hire a moving company if you're moving into or out of a home, but professional furniture movers can also move heavy furniture across short distances — even if the move is occurring within the same building or home.
Furniture mover hourly rates
| National average cost | $110 per hour |
|---|---|
| Low-end cost | $79 per hour |
| High-end cost | $168 per hour |
Here's everything you need to know about furniture moving prices, including hourly rates, how to save money and how to find the best furniture movers for your needs.
Table of Contents
- Furniture mover hourly rates
- Size, weight and type of items
- What factors impact the cost of moving furniture?
- When to hire furniture movers and heavy lifters
- How to save money when moving furniture
- How to get free estimates from furniture movers
- Is it worth it to hire furniture movers?
- Find a furniture mover near you
Size, weight and type of items
Depending on the moving company and the type of item you have, its size and its weight, you might face different prices. Here's an example of how costs vary for two heavy items: pianos and pool tables.
Moving a pool table
The cost to move a pool table may be more than the standard hourly rate a moving company may charge to move a couch or a few tables. Pool table movers charge approximately $200 to $600, on average. When a pro moves your pool table, they typically also set it back up properly, paying strict attention to perfect balance.
Moving a piano
Moving a piano is a delicate operation, and you should hire a professional piano mover who is properly trained to take on the job. Your piano's balance, action and other moving parts need to be carefully handled to prevent performance problems after the move is complete.
The cost to move a piano will depend on where you live, what type of piano you have, how far you need the piano moved and whether any stairs are involved. The average cost to move a piano ranges from $175 to $500.
What factors impact the cost of moving furniture?
The cost to hire movers to move furniture and other heavy items will depend on how many items that need to be moved, the size of those items, how long it will take and other factors. Here are additional factors that may affect your costs:
Time
Time is one of the biggest cost factors for furniture moving services. Some heavy-lifting pros charge by the hour, and others charge by the project. In either case, the total time to complete a job will contribute to the final cost.Keep this cost factor in mind as you plan your move. For example, do you want movers to spend their time (and your money) wrapping delicate furniture in packing supplies? Preparing furniture to be moved by disassembling it? Reassembling furniture? By reducing the amount of time furniture movers will need to work for you, you may be able to save money.
Stairs
The number of stairs and landings may also affect the cost of services. Staircases with landings often have shorter ceilings and therefore require more strategy and time to maneuver, explains Move It For You, a company in Irving, Texas.
For example, moving a bedroom set (mattress, bed frame, dresser, nightstands) from a downstairs bedroom up one flight of straight stairs would likely take under 60 minutes, resulting in a $65 fee. However, moving the same bedroom set up a staircase with a landing and a low ceiling might take closer to two hours and cost $130 because of more difficult maneuvering, the need to disassemble and reassemble the furniture, etc.
Number of movers
Many furniture moving companies will suggest a minimum of two movers to ensure that items are safely moved without doing any damage to your home, belongings or the workers' bodies. The more movers you need, the higher your cost could be.
Distance
The distance a pro has to travel can affect the total cost of moving furniture and heavy items. They may charge a higher flat fee, or they may require more hours at an hourly rate to travel a longer distance.If you want items transported from house to house or apartment to apartment, your furniture moving company may calculate the cost based on mileage or on actual time spent in the vehicle.
Moving trucks
Some heavy-lifting pros provide transportation services along with the lifting, and others may provide only labor. Providing the rental truck (or multiple trucks) and transporting the goods to another site will generally incur extra charges.
Minimum fees
Many movers charge a minimum fee to account for their employees' effort and time traveling to the job site. A minimum service fee ensures that a business can meet its operating costs each time it accepts a job.
Travel fees
If you live far outside of town, are in the middle of a city with heavy traffic or are outside of the professional's standard service area, you may have to pay travel fees to account for the time it takes your movers to get to you.
Some companies don't charge travel fees as long as they are local. For example, Move It For You doesn't charge an additional fee as long as the job site is within 30 miles. You may also have to pay for any tolls or bridge fees.
When to hire furniture movers and heavy lifters
Furniture moving and heavy lifting services are most commonly used for moving items across short distances, such as inside your home or within the same office building. Or, you could hire furniture movers if you're strapped for time, worried about damaging your furniture (or your wall paint) or if you just need an extra set of arms.
However, companies that provide these furniture and lifting services often also provide other moving assistance. For example, they may offer long-distance moving services or help with cross-country moves.Here are some other situations where you might want to contact a pro for help:
Home remodeling and redecorating
Heavy-lifting professionals can be used for more than just traditional moving services. Furniture movers can make preparing for a home remodel much easier and safer. If you need to get sideboards, shelving, freestanding cabinets or heavy wood tables out of your dining room and kitchen, professional movers can safely stow the furniture in spare rooms or your garage until your home remodel is over.
Staging your home
Furniture movers can also help with home staging. If you're getting your home ready to show to prospective buyers, a minimalist setup helps them imagine themselves in the home. So, you might need to cut down on clutter, decor and furniture to create visual space in your house.
Instead of throwing your back out by moving furniture yourself, hire movers to rearrange or remove existing furniture from your home and into storage.
Moving single items
If you only have one (or very few items to move), furniture movers can help. Common requests for furniture moving help involve moving a couch or sofa, armchair, recliner, loveseat, dining table, bed frame, mattress, mirror, painting, piano, pool table, packed boxes and other household items.
Rearranging your office
Need to remodel or rearrange your office? You can hire professional local movers to move furniture around your business or office as well.
Decluttering
If you have furniture you're no longer using but don't want to give it away, furniture movers can put it in your garage, a storage unit or anywhere else you'd like.
How to save money when moving furniture
If your heavy lifters are working on an hourly rate, you can save money by having everything ready for them before they arrive. Break down bed frames, remove table legs and take mirrors off the back of dressers before your movers arrive, recommends Move It For You. Any prep work the customer does means less time the lifters and movers need to be paid.
For example, a king-size bed can take 20 minutes for the company to disassemble and 20 minutes to reassemble, which is two-thirds of an hour that could be spent moving. However, maybe paying the furniture movers to disassemble and reassemble furniture is worth the additional cost to you?
Another way to save money is to consolidate all heavy lifting needs into one service call. Plan ahead if you're staging your home or doing a remodel or a major redecoration. And consider all items that might need to be moved in the upcoming months so you can do it all in one visit instead of having furniture movers come out twice in three months.
Find the best Furniture Mover in your neighborhood.
How to get free estimates from furniture movers
Most professional moving companies offer free quotes and non-binding estimates for moving large items. Simply go online to find a list of furniture movers near you, and ask them to send you free estimates.
For the most accurate pricing, be very specific about the type of furniture that needs to be moved, the size, the material, how far the movers need to travel, any stairs or obstacles they'll encounter when moving and any extra services required. Providing incorrect or inadequate information online or over the phone can lead to higher costs once the workers arrive and realize the job will take longer than anticipated.
Also, when looking at potential furniture movers online, read their customer reviews and ratings to make sure you're choosing the right pro for your project. Here are more tips to help you hire a pro.
Is it worth it to hire furniture movers?
Even if you, your family members and friends are strong enough to move your furniture, professional movers are a good investment. Here are some of the benefits of hiring a mover:
You can avoid injuries
Moving furniture can be dangerous. Even if you're strong enough to haul your wood bookshelf across the room, it's easy to pull a muscle or pinch a nerve if you aren't careful to use the proper techniques for lifting and carrying. Pro furniture movers do this for a living and know how to do the heavy lifting without injury.
Your furniture will be protected
Many moving companies have insurance that covers any accidental damage to your furniture during the move. Can you say the same if you move stuff yourself? If you don't want your furniture to get scratched, dinged, dented or broken, let the pros take over.
Your home will be protected
No one plans to drop their solid wood bed frame and crack their ceramic floor tiles when moving a bed from one room to another. But if you lift heavy items by yourself, no one else will pay for the repairs. You break it, you buy it.
If you hire pro furniture movers, they will help ensure your walls don't get dented, your paint doesn't get scratched and your things are kept in good condition. Just remember to confirm your movers have the appropriate insurance in place.
Movers have heavy moving equipment
Dollies, straps, blankets, protective wrapping — professional furniture movers come to your house with everything they will need to safely move your furniture around your home or into a truck. Their preparation can save you from having to invest in moving equipment.
Find a furniture mover near you
Whether you need help moving furniture to a new home (or a different room within your current home), start your search on Thumbtack. Compare prices from the best furniture movers near you today.
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