What Additional Services Do Professional Movers Offer?

Hiring professional movers for a local or long-distance move is a big investment, so choosing the right one is important. Easier said than done, though, right? Well, worry not—we’ll make it easier by helping you understand what additional services (outside of shipping your belongings) your mover should offer.

Yup, the good professional movers offer additional services! Additional services, also known as “accessorial services,” are all the different jobs a moving company can perform for you—aside from delivering your things from point A to B. Of course, these extras come at added cost to you, and the pricing depends on the service. But they can make your move more hands-off on moving day, meaning less stress for you.

For most reputable movers, the sky's the limit as far as additional services are concerned. That said, we can give you an idea of some of the most popular ones:

At this point, you probably know that moving companies can pack your belongings for you. But did you know that your mover can also schedule unpacking services for an additional fee? A crew will come to your home and unpack your boxes, place your things in closets and cabinets the way you want, and remove all the packing material.

Average cost: $400–$1500 for packing or unpacking services

If you’ve got a hot tub or piano, we’re lookin’ at you! And if you’re moving with items that large, you may be wondering if your mover can handle it. In most cases, they can—and will. A good professional mover will also be able to manage moving specialty or high-value goods for you.
Whether they bring additional crew members, or they crane-lift large pieces from your balcony, a good mover should be able to get it done.

Average cost: $175–$400 bulky charge (or hoisting fee) per item, depending on the size and equipment needed

American Van Lines is a professional moving company that specializes in moving bulky items and pianos at no extra cost.

Need expert help with your hefty belongings?

Homeowners can definitely benefit from this service if they own their own appliances. Refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, barbecues, and other large appliances need to be disconnected before professional movers can move them. So unless you feel confident disconnecting electrical or gas appliances, it may be a good idea to let the pros handle it.

Average cost: $35–$85 for appliance disconnection or reconnection services

This moving service is pretty straightforward, and you can bet your movers will charge extra if they’ve got to go up multiple flights of stairs to reach your residence. You’ll also encounter an additional fee if they need to use an elevator. The simple truth is that moving is hard work, and stairs (or elevators) make that work even harder.

Average cost: $50 for every flight of stairs after the first one

Okay, so maybe you don’t have a stair problem but a long hallway problem. Or your apartment is tucked in a hard-to-reach corner of your complex. Either way, if your moving crew has to carry your belongings more than 75 feet from your front door to the moving truck, it’ll cost you a little extra.

Average cost: $90–$120 for every additional 75 feet

If you live in the city, you know parking can be tricky at best and downright impossible at worst. And professional movers know they won’t be able to fit their larger 18-wheelers next to your downtown apartment. So instead they’ll use a smaller truck—called a shuttle—to carry your belongings from your home to the larger truck parked more safely nearby. It’s not always cheap, but you might not be able to avoid it, depending on your location.

Average cost: $200–$1000 depending on the size of your move

This service may be for you if you’ve got items to pick up at your residence and at a second location, like a storage unit. Or maybe you’re downsizing from a five-bedroom home into a two-bedroom apartment and you’ll need to store extra furniture at another location. Your mover can handle either scenario for an added fee.

Average cost: $150–$500+ depending on how much your movers handle at each location and the distance between locations*

It’s important to be available during the estimated delivery window because it’ll cost you if you’re not home when the drivers arrive. Drivers and their crews will wait a few minutes, but generally, after 30 minutes, they’ll either charge you a wait fee, or leave and try delivering another day.

But be wary, friend: this is not like getting an Amazon package delivered. Re-delivery can be very expensive because the driver must unload your shipment at a local warehouse and then reload it for delivery when the moving company reschedules it. That’s a lot of unused labor, and unfortunately, you’ll have to pay for it.

Average cost: $50–$100 per hour for a waiting fee and $500–$1000+ for re-delivery

Storage, also referred to as storage-in-transit (SIT), should be available at either your original location or the new one if you’ve picked a decent moving company. A good mover will have a large warehouse capable of storing all of your belongings in the short term.

Pricing for storage depends entirely on the size of your shipment, and companies usually charge for it monthly. And because warehouse employees must use a forklift to store and retrieve your shipment, it will also cost additional money to access anything you have in storage (if you must). Silver lining? Many movers offer up to 30 days of SIT for free with your move.

Average cost: $40–$300 per month for storage depending on the size of your shipment and $75 per hour for storage access

A well-established mover may be able to offer expedited or guaranteed delivery for an additional charge. But it could be worth the cost if you’re particularly worried about damage or loss to your belongings. If you pay for exclusive use of the truck, you don’t have to worry about your belongings being loaded and unloaded (or crammed in with other families’ belongings).

Average cost: $300–$1500+ for expedited delivery or exclusive truck use. The customer generally needs to pay the equivalent of the average capacity of the truck—up to 25,000 pounds for a trailer.

If you’ve gotten this far, you have probably picked up on the fact that professional movers can help schedule virtually any service associated with moving—including cleaning (or maid) services. Sometimes moving companies have dedicated crew teams for this service. Other times, they partner with established third-party vendors to deliver the service. So if you dread move-out (or move-in) cleaning and disinfecting, this option might be for you.

Average cost: $200–300+ depending on the size of your home

After reading a long list of extra charges, you may be wondering what movers will cover during your move. Well don’t worry; there are still plenty of services you will usually receive if you hire a seasoned moving company:

- Disassembly and reassembly of furniture
- Removal of packing materials (also called “debris”)
- Wrapping or protecting large furniture
- Floor coverings (for moving crews)
- Delivery of boxes and furniture to preferred rooms
- Access to recycled moving boxes (usually free!)

We know hiring a professional mover isn’t cheap, but sometimes it’s worth it to add a few extra services to make your move that much simpler. From getting help with packing to disconnecting appliances and providing move-out cleaning services, a proper moving company will be able to coordinate it all. That way, you can stay focused on settling into your new home much sooner.

On average, local movers cost $25–$50 per crew member per hour. For example, if you need a three--person crew for six hours, it will cost between $450 and $900, depending on the company you choose.

The cheapest day (or days) to hire a mover are on the weekday. Generally, your mover will charge less if you move between Monday and Thursday, and they’ll charge more on the weekends.

You should hire a professional mover if you want to save time and energy on a local or long-distance move. A professional moving company can pack, load, and deliver (and even unpack) your belongings in your new home, so all you have to do is direct and supervise.

Hiring the best movers comes down to research and getting quotes. We can certainly recommend some of the best moving companies in the industry, but we also suggest getting quotes from more than one company to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. A few we recommend? American Van Lines, International Van Lines (IVL), North American Van Lines, United Van Lines, or Allied Van Lines.

The cheapest way to move your stuff long distance is by using a moving truck and handling the move yourself. However, you may actually end up saving money hiring a mover—especially if you have a lot of heavy furniture or difficult access for a moving truck.

Bulky item removal is a common professional moving service. It can cost anywhere from $175 to $400 for a professional mover to handle heavy or bulky items for you. Keep in mind, though, that the cost will really depend on the size of the item and the equipment needed to remove it.

Full-service moving help is another way of saying “comprehensive” or “all-inclusive” moving help. Professional moving companies often describe their moving help as “full service,” which means they can help you during each phase of your move—from packing and loading to delivery and beyond.

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