Updated November 2026 US, UK, Canada and Australia Free calculator
Labor-only moving help is the simplest moving business there is: the customer rents the truck or container, and you and a helper load it, or unload it at the other end. No truck to buy, no license to haul goods for hire, no long-distance liability. What catches new movers out is that the hours on the clock are the easy part. The stairs, the long walk from the door to the truck, the sofa that will not turn the corner and the customer who has not packed are what decide whether the job pays.
For $260–$470 two helpers can load a rental truck for three hours in the US and be priced in line with labor-only crews. In the UK the same help runs £120–£200, in Canada C$270–C$450 and in Australia A$290–A$500. In the UK most of this work is sold as man and van, with the helper bringing the vehicle, and the calculator handles that too.
Set the job details to get a price to quote, then check what that price leaves you per hour once driving, supplies and tax are counted.
hours
Hours on the job, from arrival to the last item loaded. Two is the usual minimum. A studio takes 2 to 3 hours with two helpers, a two-bedroom apartment 3 to 6. The earnings check counts hours for every helper.Hours on the job, from arrival to finish. Two is the usual minimum. A small flat takes 2 to 4 hours with two people. The earnings check counts hours for every helper.Hours on the job, from arrival to the last item loaded. Two is the usual minimum. A studio takes 2 to 3 hours with two helpers, a two-bedroom apartment 3 to 6. The earnings check counts hours for every helper.Hours on the job, from arrival to the last item loaded. Two is the usual minimum. A one-bedroom unit takes 2 to 3 hours with two helpers. The earnings check counts hours for every helper.
We only publish going rates for the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Enter the price you plan to charge and the calculator shows what it pays you per hour, and the lowest price you should accept.
Charge about
$350
per job, for 3 hours
Budget$260Typical$350Premium$470
$
per job, in your own currency
What you really keep
$41an hour in your pocket at the typical price
Adjust the numbers above to match your job.
The price is built as a base fee plus a rate for the size of the job, then adjusted for the options you pick. Time is an estimate for one person working alone; change it if you know your own pace.
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Price list
Moving Help prices by job size
Job
United States (USD)
United Kingdom (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
A few items or a studio
$180–$3202 hours, two helpers
£80–£1402 hours, two helpers
$190–$3102 hours, two helpers
$200–$3402 hours, two helpers
One-bedroom apartment
$260–$4703 hours, two helpers
£120–£2003 hours, two helpers, a one-bed flat
$270–$4503 hours, two helpers
$290–$5003 hours, two helpers, a one-bedroom unit
Two-bedroom home
$420–$7705 hours, two helpers
£190–£3305 hours, two helpers
$440–$7405 hours, two helpers
$470–$8205 hours, two helpers
Three-bedroom house
$660–$1,2208 hours, two helpers
£300–£5208 hours, two helpers
$690–$1,1708 hours, two helpers
$740–$1,3008 hours, two helpers
Hourly rate
$40–$75what working pros bill
£18–£32what working pros bill
$42–$72what working pros bill
$45–$80what working pros bill
Minimum charge
$90smallest job worth the trip
£40smallest job worth the trip
$90smallest job worth the trip
$100smallest job worth the trip
Prices are per job in local currency, from a fair budget price to an established operator in a higher-cost area.
United States: Labor-only crews charge about $40 to $80 per mover per hour, and most require a two to four hour minimum. A typical two-hour job for two movers comes to $200 to $400. Peak season and weekends run 10% to 30% higher, and big cities sit at the top of the range.
United Kingdom: Most moving help in the UK is sold as man and van: one person with a small van at about £30 to £50 an hour, or two people with a van at £50 to £80, and £60 to £100 in London. Most jobs carry a two to three hour minimum. Labor-only help with no van is less common and priced well below those rates.
Canada: Local movers charge about C$100 to C$180 an hour for a crew of two with a truck and C$140 to C$250 for three, with a two to three hour minimum. Labor-only crews sit below that. Stairs-only buildings commonly add C$50 to C$150, and tipping movers is standard.
Australia: Two removalists and a truck cost about A$111 to A$200 an hour, with Sydney the most expensive. Weekends, public holidays, end of month and November to January run 20% to 30% higher. Stairs with no lift add about A$25 to A$80 a flight.
Method
Ways to price moving help
01Per helper, per hour, with a minimum
The standard for labor-only work. One hourly rate per person, a two or three hour minimum, and billing in half hours after that. Customers can see what each extra helper costs, and you are paid for every slow staircase. This is how the calculator on this page works.
02Crew rate per hour
One price per hour for a crew of two or three, the way most moving companies advertise. It is simpler to quote, but make sure the crew rate covers what you pay your helper plus a margin for finding the work and carrying the risk.
03Man and van, per hour
You bring the van and drive it, with or without a second person. The hourly rate is higher because it covers fuel, the van and the driving time between addresses. This is the normal form of small moves in the UK and a good step up from labor-only work anywhere.
04Flat price per job
A fixed price for a clearly defined job, such as loading a 10-foot truck from a ground-floor studio. It wins customers who fear the clock, but only quote it after seeing photos or a video call, and say what happens if the job turns out bigger than described.
Price factors
What changes the price
01Number of helpers
Price per person per hour. Two helpers is the working minimum for furniture: one person cannot safely carry a sofa or a fridge. Three or four finish a large house much faster, so the total can come out close to two people working longer. Offer the customer the choice, and show them both totals.
02Stairs and the carry to the truck
A third-floor walk-up can double the time of the same load from a ground-floor house. So can a truck that has to park half a block away. Ask for the floor, whether there is an elevator and how close the truck can park, and charge more for stairs and long carries up front. Canadian movers commonly add C$50 to C$150 for stairs-only buildings, and Australian removalists about A$35 a flight.
03Whether the customer is packed
Labor-only help assumes boxes are packed, taped and ready. If you arrive to half-packed rooms, the clock keeps running while you wait or pack. Say so in the booking confirmation, and offer packing as a separate hourly service rather than doing it free.
04Your own vehicle
Bringing a van changes the job. You now drive between addresses, pay fuel and carry the customer's goods on the road, which needs the right insurance. Charge about a third more per hour than labor-only, and count the drive between addresses as paid time.
05Timing and season
Summer weekends and the last few days of each month are when leases end and everyone moves. Crews book out and rates rise 10% to 30%. Midweek, mid-month moves are your quiet slots. Offer a small discount there instead of cutting your weekend rate.
06Heavy and awkward items
Pianos, gun safes, big fridges and solid wood wardrobes need more people, straps, a dolly and more care. Price each one as an add-on, and turn down items your crew is not equipped for. A dropped piano costs more than the whole job paid.
Worked examples
Real quotes, step by step
United States
Loading a rental truck from a walk-up
A one-bedroom apartment on the third floor with no elevator, loaded by two helpers into a 15-foot rental truck on a Saturday at the end of the month.
Stairs and a month-end Saturday together add over half to the job. Ask about floors and dates before you quote, not when you arrive.
Base price, 3 hours
$175
2 helpers
× 2
Several flights with no elevator
× 1.35
Weekend, month end or peak summer
× 1.15
Quote, rounded
$540
Going range
$400–$730
Time, with 15 min driving
8.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $8
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $133
You keep
$48 an hour
United Kingdom
One man and a van for a student move
A student moving a room's worth of boxes, a desk and a bike across town on a weekday. One person, a small van, about two and a half hours door to door.
Single-person man and van jobs are the bread and butter of UK moving help. Price the drive as part of the hour, and keep a minimum so short jobs still pay.
Base price, 2.5 hours
£65
You bring a van or truck and drive it
× 1.35
Quote, rounded
£90
Going range
£70–£115
Time, with 15 min driving
3.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− £16
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− £19
You keep
£17 an hour
Canada
Unloading a container with three helpers
A three-bedroom house delivered in a portable storage container. Three helpers unload it into a two-storey home, beds reassembled upstairs, over five hours.
Three helpers on a big unload finish far sooner than two, and the customer gets their evening back. Quote both crew sizes and let them choose.
Base price, 5 hours
$285
3 helpers
× 3
One flight of stairs or a long carry
× 1.15
Take apart and reassemble beds and furniture
+ $40
Quote, rounded
$1,020
Going range
$800–$1,320
Time, with 15 min driving
18 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $8
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $253
You keep
$42 an hour
Australia
Truck and two removalists on a weekend
A two-bedroom unit moved across town on a Saturday. Two helpers bring their own truck, load, drive 25 minutes and unload, with a piano at the old address.
Once you bring a truck you are a removalist, competing with full-service firms. Your price can sit just below theirs and still pay well for two people.
Base price, 5 hours
$310
2 helpers
× 2
You bring a van or truck and drive it
× 1.35
Weekend, month end or peak summer
× 1.15
Heavy item: piano, gun safe or large appliance
+ $100
Quote, rounded
$1,060
Going range
$830–$1,370
Time, with 15 min driving
12.75 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $20
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $260
You keep
$61 an hour
Your costs
What it costs you to do the work
Labor-only moving help needs little equipment. Moving customers' goods in your own vehicle needs a van, the right insurance and more equipment.
Item
USA (USD)
UK (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
Hand truck, furniture dollies, straps and lifting straps
$150–$400
£100–£300
$200–$500
$200–$500
Moving blankets and shrink wrapBlankets last years. Wrap is a running cost, so charge for it.
$100–$300
£70–£200
$130–$380
$130–$380
Liability insurance, per yearCovers damage to the customer's home and belongings. Goods in transit cover is extra once you carry goods in your own van.
$500–$1,500
£100–£400
$500–$1,500
$500–$1,300
Wages for a helper, per hourIf you hire help, your crew rate has to cover this plus your margin.
$18–$28
£13–£16
$18–$26
$24–$32
Avoid these
Pricing mistakes that cost beginners money
No minimum hours
A one-hour job still costs you the drive, the setup and a slot you could have filled. Set a minimum of two hours, such as $90 in the US or £40 in the UK, and bill in half-hour steps after that.
Quoting without asking about access
Floor, elevator, parking distance, narrow hallways and whether boxes are packed decide the job. Ask every customer the same list of questions, or ask for a short video, before you give a price.
Pricing a crew like one person
A crew rate of twice your solo rate leaves nothing for finding the work, the equipment or the risk. If you pay a helper, charge for their hours at your full rate and keep the difference.
Doing it without insurance
A scraped door frame or a dropped TV can wipe out weeks of earnings. Get liability insurance before your first job, and if you carry goods in your own van, check your vehicle and goods in transit cover too.
Agreeing to drive the customer's truck
Labor-only means you load and unload. Driving the customer's rental truck can void their rental cover and puts any accident on you. Leave the driving to the person named on the rental agreement.
Questions
Common questions about moving help prices
How much should I charge for moving help?
For two helpers loading a rental truck for three hours, charge $260–$470 in the US, £120–£200 in the UK, C$270–C$450 in Canada and A$290–A$500 in Australia. Charge more for stairs, long carries, weekends, heavy items and your own vehicle.
How much should I charge per hour for labor-only moving?
About $40–$75 per helper per hour in the US, £18–£32 in the UK, C$42–C$72 in Canada and A$45–A$80 in Australia, with a two-hour minimum. A crew of two charges double that.
How much does a man with a van charge in the UK?
One person with a small van charges about £30 to £50 an hour, and two people with a van about £50 to £80, or £60 to £100 in London. Most jobs have a two to three hour minimum. Use the vehicle option in the calculator to see your range.
Should I charge extra for stairs?
Yes. Stairs slow every trip and wear your crew out. Either add a fixed amount per flight, as Australian removalists do at about A$25 to A$80, or raise your hourly rate for walk-ups. Tell the customer before the job, not on the invoice.
How many helpers does a move need?
Two for a studio or one-bedroom apartment, two or three for a two-bedroom home, and three or four for a larger house. More helpers cost more per hour but finish faster, so the total does not rise as much as you might expect.
Should movers get tipped?
In the US and Canada, tips are common. US guides suggest 5% to 10% of the job, and Canadian guides C$20 to C$40 per mover for a half day. Tipping is less expected in the UK and Australia. Price without counting on tips.
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Where these numbers come from
The rates on this page were set in November 2026 from the published price guides below, then checked so that the calculator, the price list and the examples all agree. How we work out prices.