The Cost To Move a Three-Bedroom House (2024)
Written by
If you’re moving from a three-bedroom house, setting your moving budget is an important task. It’s helpful to have a ballpark figure in mind when you request moving quotes from the best moving companies or DIY services.
Learn about the cost of moving your three-bedroom home, complete with estimates for packing services and add-ons, such as piano moving and storage services. We also include tips for planning your move to keep you on track with your budget, and we outline our recommendations for the best movers.
Average Cost of Moving a Three-Bedroom Home
The average cost of a three-bedroom move will depend on whether you’re going the DIY route, renting a moving truck or moving container, or hiring full-service movers. The tables below show average costs from a sample provider for each time of move for both local and long-distance moves of a three-bedroom home.
Note that the quote we requested with 1-800-PACK-RAT includes two or three 16-foot units, and the quotes include delivery, transportation, and one-month rentals with all containers. Pricing for the Penske truck rentals includes unlimited mileage, but you’re responsible for fueling the trucks during use.
Local Moving Costs
Our local quotes are for moves between Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts, with the move date set a month after getting the quotes. The full-service cost is approximate, based on Moving APT’s average. The cost of a local three-bedroom move is as follows:
| Move Method | Company | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Truck rental | Penske Truck Rental | $234* |
| Moving container | 1-800-PACK-RAT | $736–$1,104 |
| Full-service | Moving APT | $1,250–$1,700 |
*Penske quote does not include the cost of fuel.
Long-Distance Moving Costs
Our long-distance moving costs were gathered from quotes for moves of 500–600 miles.
| Move Method | Company | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Truck rental | Penske Truck Rental | $1,504* |
| Moving container | 1-800-PACK-RAT | $2,250–$3,300 |
| Full-service | Moving APT | $3,500–$6,900 |
*Penske quote does not include the cost of fuel.
Significant Cost Factors
When you get quotes from long-distance or local movers, you should consider several factors.
The most significant aspects of your move’s total cost are described below.
Home Size and Shipment Weight
In terms of cost, your home and shipment size are the largest factors. Local moving companies bill hourly, whereas long-distance movers will charge based on shipment weight and move distance.
If you’re hiring local movers, your cost will be determined by how long movers take to load and unload all your belongings. For long-distance moves, your truck will be weighed before and after loading, with the total shipment weight used to determine your price.
Move Distance
Both local and long-distance moving costs will be influenced by overall distance. When moving locally, your movers’ drive time between your old and new homes will simply be folded into the hourly rate you’ve been contracted to pay.
However, your movers will charge an overall rate for long-distance moves that accounts for both distance and shipment weight. This is called a line-haul fee, and it is standard among long-distance professional moving companies.
Add-on Service Requirements
Add-ons will inflate your overall price. The most common add-on costs will be full-service packing, unpacking, and storage. You should ask about all possible additional services you’ll need when you get a quote. Even binding estimates are subject to change if you add services or inventory to your move.
Season
Moving companies experience heightened demand during the warmer months. This peak moving season lasts roughly from May to September. During this time, you can expect moving services to have a slightly higher price range.
Last-Minute Booking
Booking within a week or two of your expected moving date could limit your moving company choices. Especially during peak moving season, movers’ schedules fill up quickly. A week or two may not be enough lead time to book comfortably. Some movers may also attach convenience fees for last-minute or same-day bookings.
Common Added Fees
Other additional costs will stem from convenience and ease of access at the pickup and drop-off locations. Long-distance full-service movers typically charge fixed fees for long carries, lifting heavy items like pianos or pool tables, assembly and disassembly, extra flights of stairs, and similar tasks.
The Most Common Service Add-Ons
Full-service moving providers typically offer the following services as part of their basic moving packages:
- Loading and unloading
- Transportation
- Basic furniture protection
- Basic assembly and disassembly of furniture
Anything else will cost extra. Local movers will typically provide added services without added fees; a client’s payment for these will be the added time these add-on tasks add to the total duration of the move. When asked to provide such services, long-distance movers will usually calculate a fixed fee to add to the total bill. The most commonly requested add-ons are as follows:
Packing
Packing and unpacking are the most common add-ons clients inquire about when hiring movers. You’ll have the option of purchasing your own packing supplies or buying them from your mover. However, you’ll pay a markup for the convenience of buying them through your mover. Aside from this, labor typically costs around $50 per hour, per mover, according to International Van Lines.
Full-Value Protection
Valuation coverage is an option offered by most moving companies, including container providers. The baseline coverage mandated by the moving industry is called released liability coverage and is included in the base price of any move. This reimburses you $0.60 per pound per item for any lost or damaged goods.
Full-value protection will provide far greater protection for your household goods but at a higher price. This cost will vary among movers. We recommend asking about this when you request your moving quote to ensure you have an accurate appraisal of covered goods.
Storage
According to SpareFoot, an average 10-by-10-foot storage unit will cost $108.18 per month, or $1.16 per square foot. Some moving companies offer a free month of storage along with long-distance service, but this could come with stipulations regarding unit size and location.
How To Plan a Three-Bedroom Move
An apartment or house move is a fairly complicated process. Here, we’ve broken down a rough timeline to follow. Being prepared will help you get an accurate moving quote and maybe even save some money by having time to sell or donate unwanted items ahead of your move.
Eight Weeks
Write down a full inventory of your home. Go through your home room by room and list all the goods you plan on keeping and all that you would like to get rid of. Once you’ve done this, begin researching movers near you. Also, try to estimate how many boxes you’ll need for each room in your home.
Six Weeks
Obtain boxes and begin packing your things. Depending on the size of your home, you should pack anywhere from one to four boxes per day from this point until moving week. Label your boxes with their contents, as well as the destination room in your new home. At the same time, you’ll want to get rid of excess items by hosting a yard sale, donating items, or making trips to your local dump.
You should also field quotes from moving companies. Try to get written, fixed estimates in hand to compare several movers’ service offerings and costs.
Four Weeks
Confirm your move time and date with your moving company of choice. Book your move as early as you can to avoid potential convenience fees for last-minute moves. You should get copies of your moving contract and a second copy of your move estimate when you confirm your booking. Keep these on hand until you’ve paid the final bill for your move.
Around the one-month mark, you should arrange for utilities to be turned on at your new home and set a switch-off date at your current address. For long-distance moves, aim for an overlap of a day on each end.
Two Weeks
By now, you should have most of your nonessential goods packed. As you finish up your packing, arrange for child or pet care on moving day, and file a change-of-address form with your local post office.
Moving Week
Plan your meals for the week, as you’ll only have access to certain essential kitchenware items while you wait for your move. Label all major pieces of furniture with their destination room in your new home to expedite the unloading process.
Moving Day
The night before your movers arrive, pack a moving bag. This should include your move contract and estimate, laptop, toiletries, water, snacks, essential identification and bank documents, and similar items. Keep this on your person (or in your personal car) at all times. If you’re traveling across multiple states, bring changes of clothing for the trip.
The Best Moving Companies for Three-Bedroom Moves
We’ve listed our picks for the best full-service moving brokers and carriers for your three-bedroom move. You can use these as a starting point when shopping around for quotes.
- International Van Lines: Best Service Offerings
- Interstate Moving & Relocation Group: Most Efficient
- Safeway Moving Inc.: Most Reliable Pricing
- American Van Lines: Best Overall Moving Labor
- Moving APT: Best Customer Service
- JK Moving Services: Most Customizable Full-Service Mover
- Allied Van Lines: Best for Vehicle Relocation
Our Conclusion
We recommend getting quotes from at least three moving companies. Be sure to get a visual estimate with an accompanying written fixed pricing figure to ensure that your needs are met at an agreed-upon price on moving day.
Whether you’re handling your move on your own or hiring a full-service moving company, we think that the pricing data and general information here should make for a hassle-free moving experience.
Three-Bedroom Moving FAQ
Will my movers move unpacked, loose items?
Typically, movers will not move loose or unpacked items. If you’re unsure whether you’ll be able to finish packing your home, there are plenty of options for hiring last-minute packers. Labor services like HireAHelper, Dolly, and TaskRabbit can assist.
How long should a cross-country move take?
Cross-country moves should take one day and night per 400 miles. With all going well, this is the maximum distance you can expect a moving company driver or container shipper to cover in a single day. Department of Transportation drive-time regulations and traffic will keep mileage around this number.
What won’t movers pack in their trucks?
Moving companies will not move the following:
- Batteries
- Corrosive or toxic chemicals
- Fertilizer or live plants
- Fuel sources like oil or lighter fluid
- Harsh cleaning chemicals or compounds
- Perishable food items
This includes tools with gasoline still in their tanks as well. Movers do not carry HazMat endorsements, so the items above cannot be carried under any circumstances.
Our Rating Methodology
We back up our moving company ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each company. We conduct research by reading through the company websites, analyzing customer reviews, conducting consumer surveys, requesting quotes, and speaking with customer representatives. We then score each moving company against our review standards for services, contents coverage, scheduling, trailer and container options, additional benefits, and reputation to arrive at a final score out of 100.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at [email protected].
