Hiring movers in the Birmingham area runs $155 an hour for two movers and a truck at Move Gurus, $235 an hour for three movers, and $295 an hour for four. Using those rates, a sample 1 bedroom apartment move works out to about $540 and a sample 3 bedroom home to about $1,590, before tips. Your final bill comes down to how many hours the crew works and how travel time is counted.
If you are asking how much do movers cost for your own local move, the published rates, travel rules and sample estimates below let you run the numbers yourself.
How Much Do Movers Cost Per Hour?
Most local movers charge by the hour for a crew and truck, with a minimum number of hours per job. Here is how Move Gurus prices local moves out of its Alabaster and Sylacauga offices.
| Crew and trucks | Hourly rate | Minimum | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 movers, one 16 foot truck | $155 | 2 hours ($310) | Deliveries, 1 to 2 bedroom apartments, 2 bedroom homes, 3 to 5 large items |
| 3 movers, two 16 foot trucks | $235 | 3 hours ($705) | 2 to 3 bedroom homes |
| 4 movers, two 16 foot trucks | $295 | 4 hours ($1,180) | Larger homes and heavier loads |
A bigger crew costs more per hour but usually finishes sooner. Three movers at $235 cost about 52 percent more per hour than two movers at $155, so the upgrade pays off whenever the extra person cuts the job by roughly a third. On a full house, the extra set of hands often makes that difference.
Every truck is 16 feet long. That size is safer on steep hills and fits tight driveways, and on a bigger home the crew brings two trucks instead of one oversized rig.
How Travel Time Is Billed
The clock starts when the crew arrives at your first location and runs until they finish unloading at the final location. Driving between your old home and your new one happens on the clock. After the job, you are also billed the travel time back to the original location.
If the job has only one address, such as moving furniture between floors or loading a storage pod, there is a 30 minute minimum travel charge. A move from Alabaster to Calera will carry less return travel than a move from Alabaster to Auburn, so factor distance into your estimate.
Sample Estimates for Three Common Moves
These examples use the published hourly rates above. The hours are assumptions for illustration only. Real jobs run faster or slower depending on how much you own, how ready you are on moving day, and access at both homes, so treat each total as an estimate rather than a quote.
| Move | Crew | Assumed hours on the job | Assumed return travel | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture rearrange at one address | 2 movers | 2 hours (minimum) | 30 minutes (minimum) | $387.50 |
| 1 bedroom apartment across town | 2 movers | 3 hours | 30 minutes | $542.50 |
| 3 bedroom home, nearby town | 3 movers | 6 hours | 45 minutes | $1,586.25 |
The math is simple: add job hours and return travel, then multiply by the crew rate. For the three bedroom example, 6.75 hours times $235 equals $1,586.25. If you pay that bill by credit card or Venmo, a 3 percent fee adds about $47.59, for a total near $1,633.84. Paying with cash or Cash App avoids the fee.
What Makes a Move Cost More or Less
Under hourly pricing, anything that adds time adds cost. A few factors account for most of the difference between a quick job and a long one.
Crew size and total hours
Hours are the biggest lever. The amount you own, how it is packed, and how far the truck parks from your door all feed into the clock. Choosing the right crew size matters too: two movers on a packed four bedroom house can end up costing more than a larger crew that finishes hours earlier.
Stairs, long walks and tight access
Stairs, narrow hallways and a long carry from the door to the truck slow every trip. Angi’s 2026 moving cost guide estimates that obstructions such as narrow staircases or no elevator often raise the price by $200 to $500. With hourly billing, that shows up as extra time rather than a separate fee, so reserve an elevator or clear a parking spot close to the entrance ahead of time.
Packing
Boxes packed and taped before the crew arrives keep the job short. If you would rather hand that off, professional packing services cost extra but can save days of your own time. Angi puts packing and unpacking service at $280 to $2,200 nationally, depending on home size. One detail saves real time with Move Gurus: clothes, towels and linens can stay in dresser drawers, because the drawers are shrink wrapped for the ride.
Distance and season
Longer drives between homes add hours, and the return trip is billed as well. Timing matters too. Angi notes that the peak season from May to September costs more because of higher demand, and Bellhop’s 2026 local moving guide points to weekends, holidays and the end of the month as the busiest dates. A midweek, midmonth date in fall or winter is usually easier to book.
How These Rates Compare With National Averages
National figures give useful context when you ask how much do movers cost across the country. Angi’s guide, updated in July 2026, reports that local moves typically cost $876 to $2,547 and that movers charge around $80 per hour for each mover. Bellhop’s guide lists $120 to $180 an hour for two movers with a truck and $170 to $250 an hour for three movers with a truck.
By home size, Angi lists $250 to $700 for a 1 bedroom move and $900 to $2,000 for a 3 bedroom move. The sample estimates above, $542.50 and $1,586.25, fall inside those national ranges. Move Gurus’ $155 rate for two movers and a truck falls inside Bellhop’s range. When you compare quotes, check whether each one includes the truck, travel time and furniture disassembly, because those details change the real total.
Ways to Keep Your Moving Bill Down
Because you pay for time, preparation is the cheapest discount available. These habits trim hours from almost any job:
- Finish packing and label every box by room before the crew arrives.
- Get rid of what you will not use; junk removal before moving day means fewer trips to the truck.
- Reserve parking or an elevator at both addresses.
- Pick the right crew size so a small team is not stretched across a large house.
- Pay with cash or Cash App to skip the 3 percent card and Venmo fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does furniture assembly cost extra?
No. Disassembly and reassembly are included at no extra charge, and every truck carries the tools for it. Nationally, Angi lists furniture disassembly at $50 to $150 per hour when a company bills for it separately.
How much should I tip movers?
Move Gurus suggests 5 to 20 percent of the move total. Cash is the preferred way to tip, though tips can also go on a card.
What happens if something gets damaged?
Coverage is standard mover liability of no more than $0.60 per pound for damaged or missing items. A 50 pound dresser would be covered for up to $30 under that standard, so plan ahead for how you will protect valuable pieces. The Move Gurus FAQ page covers claims and other policies.
Is it cheaper to rent a truck and move myself?
It can be, if you have strong helpers and only a few large items. Angi lists truck or van rental at $20 to $100 per day, but you still supply the labor, fuel, dollies and pads, and you carry the risk of injury or damage. For comparison, the two mover minimum here is $310 for two hours plus travel time, with the truck, tools and furniture disassembly included.
Get a Price for Your Alabama Move
Move Gurus is family owned, started in Birmingham, and has been moving families since 1990 from offices in Alabaster and Sylacauga. The crews handle residential moving across Alabaster, Calera, Sylacauga and the greater Birmingham area, plus packing, furniture delivery, junk removal and office moves. Tell the team your home size, both addresses and your preferred date, and they can recommend the right crew and explain how much do movers cost for your specific home. Call (205) 319 7175 or request your moving estimate.
