How Much Do Professional Packers Charge?

We know it’s not cheap to move, whether you’re moving yourself or hiring movers. But if there is space in your budget, we definitely recommend hiring professional packers to help your relocation move along a bit faster. But how much do professional packers charge? Keep reading to find out how the pros break down the charges.

The national average for professional packing services is around $60 per hour. However, the industry’s leading packing pros charge their services in two different ways: either by the hour or using a flat rate.

Hourly packers are a great option because they charge an hourly rate per crew member, plus a standard fee per carton (or box). However, this can be tricky because the amount you pay depends entirely on how long your packers take. Local moving companies will usually charge this way.

For example, the average three- or four-bedroom home takes professional movers about seven to eight hours to pack. At that rate, your bill will probably be around $420 to $480, plus the cost of packing materials.

Flat-rate packers, on the other hand, tend to be a bit more expensive because they’ll set a base price for packing supplies and labor depending on the sizes (and number) of the boxes you’re moving. Interstate or long-distance moving companies tend to use this method for packing charges.

An example of this would be if a professional packing company charges you $30 per dish pack, $20 per TV box, and $15 per wardrobe box, no matter how long it takes the crew to pack them.

There are a few different things that factor into the price for professional packers, including:

• Time of year (summers and holidays tend to be more expensive)
• The time of the week (weekdays are cheaper than weekends)
• How much labor is needed (more crew means more money)
• How many boxes you need (and which sizes)
• Fuel costs

Once you hire professional packers, the process is generally pretty straightforward, no matter which company you decide to work with. Here’s what you should expect:

• A virtual or physical in-home survey
• Packers arrive one day before (or the day of) your move
• Packing crews arrive with their own supplies
• Crew members pack each room one by one
• Packers remove and pack your things from dressers and cabinets, remove items (like mirrors) from walls, and label boxes
• Crew inventories all your stuff
• Crew makes note of high-value items
• Crew removes packing debris (trash)
• All parties sign the necessary paperwork

There are quite a few things packing crews are not required to do, and most of them require more heavy labor. For example, things like rolling carpets, disassembling furniture, and loading your moving truck are not things packers will handle.

Additionally, packers aren’t responsible for helping you decide what to keep, toss, or donate—and they won’t be able to help you get rid of things you don’t want to take with you. You’ll probably need to hire a junk removal service for that.

People who should consider hiring professional movers are those of us who have a little extra room in the budget (think $300–$800 on average), don’t have much time or energy to pack, are on a strict timeline, or don’t have much help or experience packing. This may also be an important choice for someone living with disabilities.

Some of the benefits of hiring professional packers include:

• It saves time. Forget taking days or weeks to pack—with professional movers the packing will be done quickly and efficiently, so you’ll be able to focus on loading your moving truck and hitting the road.
• It reduces stress. Instead of worrying about safely packing your belongings in the right boxes with the correct packing materials, you can leave the details to the pros with experienced hands.
• Professional packers are safer. Professional packers (and movers) accept responsibility for damaged items while also absorbing the risk of common injuries you may experience while moving.

Benefits aside, we’d be wrong not to mention the few downsides to hiring professional packers you should be aware of:

• It’s an expensive addition to an already costly process.
• It can feel invasive and uncomfortable for strangers to touch and pack your things.
• It’s difficult to relinquish control over how important belongings are handled, even to the pros.

If you’re on the hunt for some professional packers for your next move, you can easily find them by contacting a local moving company in your area or even a professional van line.  Whichever option you choose, we strongly suggest that you avoid working with any company that:

• Do not perform a survey or walk-through of your home to estimate packing services
• Does not provide an itemized estimate of the charges
• Does not offer reimbursement for poorly packed or damaged items

We also recommend that you get multiple quotes from different packing companies to make sure you’re getting the best price for your move.

If you need the pros to pack only a few boxes, you’ll probably be able to pay less than $200 for packers. Packing a full house, however, could cost several hundred to several thousand dollars. Either way, if you can afford it, hiring professional packers may be a great way to streamline your move so you can get on the road even faster.

For more help planning your move, we recommend checking out the following resources:

• What is the Best Car Shipping Company?
• Should I Move Myself or Hire a Mover?
• Do I Need Moving Insurance?
• Are Moving Expenses Tax Deductible?
• How to Pay for Your Move
• The Best Moving Discounts and Deals