Why Your Move Won’t Be Cheaper With Fewer Movers

1795763_818068038217889_6419290821201040947_nEveryone who’s on the mover’s end of the phone while setting up a move has heard a version of this question: “wouldn’t my move be cheaper if there were just two movers instead of the three you’re quoting me?” Generally, to the customer’s dismay, the answer is no. Fewer movers can actually result in a more expensive move.

Yes, that’s tough to imagine. After all, you pay by the hour for the each man, right? Yes, that’s true, but to properly answer the question, you have to put yourself in movers’ shoes for just a minute.

Moving companies have a pretty singular goal and that is to move you as efficiently and quickly as possible. While it might sound strange, that a moving company wants your move to go as quickly as possible, it makes perfect sense if you think about how moving companies arrange their schedules. Unless you have a fairly large move, it’s unlikely it’s the only on that the dispatch office has planned for your moving crew that day. It’s always better for a moving company to have two happy customers than to have one unhappy but high-paying customer.

An experienced moving consultant will factor in all aspects of your move. Are there a lot of stairs, a long distance to the truck or lots of packing? If so, it’s better to have a larger crew so the move can be run with assembly line efficiency.

Even if your move is straightforward, the proper number of movers will save you money. Why? It’s simple math. Yes, you are paying an hourly rate for each mover, but you are also paying for the truck. When your moving consultant estimates your move, he or she will be taking a complete inventory of your furniture and boxes as well as an assessment of the moving environment. After surveying everything, the consultant will calculate the number of man hours. For example, your move might require 15 man hours, including pick-up and delivery, and that can be divided up one of two ways:

2 movers for 7.5 hours each or 3 movers for 5 hours each

Either way, you are paying the same in man hours, but the second way will be quicker, and there’s another factor, there’s the truck. If just two movers are sent, you will be paying for two and a half more hours for the truck and the move will be done less efficiently.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t question your mover. You should always question your mover, but don’t always think that an estimate that includes fewer movers will be a cheaper move.