How much do packing services cost?
The national average cost for packing services is $60 – $80. A packing professional can help with packing in both home and commercial spaces. Whether you need help packing or unpacking a few things, or have multiple floors filled with items to pack or unpack, a packing professional can be a huge help.
Professionals can provide boxes (for a fee) or use the boxes that you provide. Most of the time, these packing professionals can also help with furniture assembly, loading and unloading items, furniture moving and heavy lifting. If you’re looking for some help packing and unpacking, take a load off and let’s chat.
What’s in this cost guide?
What affects the cost of packing services?
Hiring a packing service can make your move faster and smoother. These people are professionals and have experience in packing and moving many different types of items, from the most delicate glassware to the heaviest pianos. Various factors affect the cost of packing services, including whether the moving boxes are provided or not, hourly rates, size of home or office, and if there are specialty items that need to be treated differently.
How much are moving boxes?
If the packing service provides the boxes, the overall cost of the job will increase. Many companies have tiered pricing for boxes based on their size. Some companies include the cost of packing labor in their box prices, while other companies charge separately for boxes and labor.
Average cost of boxes by size (not including labor):
- Cost for a small moving box: $3
- Cost for a medium moving box: $4
- Cost for a large moving box: $5
- Cost for a dish-pack moving box: $8
Packing services costs (materials & labor included):
- Cost per book box: $5
- Cost per linen box: $10
- Cost per fine china/glassware box: $18
Hourly rate for packing services
Companies may charge packing and unpacking services by the hour. If this is the case, the more items to pack, the higher the overall cost for services. Some companies offer multiple workers, with the cost per worker decreasing as more workers per hour are hired.
Cost of packing services by hour (national average):
- Two packers at $42.50 per hour per worker: $85 per hour total
- Three packers at $35 per hour per worker: $105 per hour total
- Four packers at $32.50 per hour per worker: $130 per hour
Location
Some companies charge a travel fee when packing services are provided separately from moving services. This typically applies only if the job site is outside of the standard service range and covers employee time and transportation expenses getting to and from the job site.
Packing a house
Some professional movers provide packing estimates based on the size of the house and the number of items in each room. Here are a few examples of nationwide averages:
|
Home size |
Price of packing service |
Price includes |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment | $305 – $465 | 3 – 4 hours of packing by two workers and $50 – $125 for packing materials |
| 2-bedroom house | $440 – $625 | 3 – 5 hours of packing by two workers and $100 – $200 for packing materials |
| 4-bedroom house | $770 – $1,180 | 4 – 6 hours of packing by four workers and $250 – $400 for packing materials |
Cost to pack specialty items
Delicate items such as antiques, glass, and artwork may need to be placed in custom crates. Pricing for specialty items is generally based on what is required to crate the item, its size, and other variables. Packing specialty items will generally raise the overall cost of extra services.
Travel fees
Some companies charge a travel fee when packing services are provided separately from moving services. This typically applies only if the job site is outside of the standard service range and covers employee time and transportation expenses getting to and from the job site.
How to hire professional packing services
There are a few steps you can take to aid in your decision making and to ensure that you hire packing professionals who are right for the job:
- Determine your budget: Figure out how much you have to spend on professional packing services. Knowing your budget will help determine what items you can afford to have professionally packed.
- Check out multiple companies: Not all packing services are created equally. Some companies may specialize in office moves, while others may excel at packing up a home. Figure out your needs and shop around.
- Ask for reviews: Ask for reviews to make sure you're choosing the right packing company for the job. Even if they're less expensive, you don’t want to entrust your precious belongings to a company known for breaking fragile items! You'll thank yourself in the long run.
For more tips on smart hiring, see our safety page.
How to save money on packing services
Hiring a professional packing service doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some ways to save money on packing services costs:
- Buy your own boxes: Plan to buy your own boxes (or source some free ones!). If you provide your own, you eliminate the need to purchase them from the packing company.
- Get rid of stuff: It doesn’t make sense to pack and move items that you’re just going to get rid of. Take stock of your belongings and get rid of stuff that doesn’t need to make the move.
- Pack some things yourself: Save some dough by packing up some of your items yourself. If you save only the items that are particularly heavy, fragile, or difficult to move for the professional packing company, you’ll spend less than if they were to pack your entire home or office!
Benefits of professional packing services
When you hire a professional packing service, you can rest assured that they have experience in handling fragile, heavy and special care items. Your professional packers have expertise in wrapping and packing your fragile/special care household items with the utmost care ensuring everything reaches your new home or office safely and without a hitch.
Professional packers have experience and familiarity with packing materials and procedures – you will have peace-of-mind knowing that your personal effects are carefully protected using specialized packaging materials secured in sturdy boxes. When you hire a highly trained professional packer, they will arrive at a designated time with all the necessary packing materials (such as cardboard boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap and packing tape), and get the job done efficiently, in a minimal amount of time. They know what problems commonly arise and how to pack and transport effectively to minimize these problems during your move. Using a professional packer can also reduce the number of boxes used, meaning fewer boxes to be unpacked upon arrival to your new home and more time for you!
In addition, professional packers also have training in health and safety to either avoid or handle moving accidents. Professional packers have been trained on how to properly lift and carry your large furniture and boxes which will eliminate any potential harm caused when moving these yourself.
