Deciding to book with a labor-only moving service is a great way to save money, save time, and receive nearly all of the same bells and whistles that come with a full-service moving company.

The main difference between labor-only movers and full-service movers is simply the lack of trucks and/or equipment.

Choosing the labor-only route has it’s pros and cons, and as one of the fastest growing labor-only moving service providers in the industry, we are here to break it all down and explain in detail what you can expect from a labor-only moving company. 

After all, every move is different, and we want to make sure that you choose the option that is best for you, your move, and your family!

What does it mean to hire a labor-only moving service?

Hiring a labor-only moving service generally means that you will only be receiving the man-power on your moving day. The company will send out the number of movers you reserved and nothing more.

This is ideal for packing, loading or unloading a rental truck, setting up for an event, or for any other labor task that doesn’t involve moving equipment.

Sometimes, companies will include moving equipment like dollies and furniture padding, but it’s advised to double check with the company and see what they offer. 

Labor-only may also have some restrictions on what the movers can do on moving day.

For example: most moving companies will not allow their crew to drive a rental truck that you reserved, or move certain pieces of furniture if they don’t have the proper equipment.

Again, we recommend checking with your company beforehand to see what they can and cannot do for you.

Who should choose a labor-only moving service?

There are a few factors that will influence your decision on whether or not choosing a labor-only moving service is right for you.

The first, and most obvious, is if your move requires a truck to transport your items and you do not want to drive, or can not find, a truck rental for moving day. In this case, it is in your best interest to hire a crew that can bring a truck with them to help with transportation.

On the contrary, if you do have a rental truck reserved, or if you don’t need a moving truck for your move (like moving in the same building), then hiring just the crew of movers to tackle the labor portion of your move is an easy, affordable, and much preferred option!

Additionally, labor-only moving services can come in handy if you are simply getting ready for a big move and need help with packing.

Many customers believe that they need to hire out a huge moving company to do it all in one go, but we recommend preparing a few days or weeks in advance by hiring a smaller team to get things started.

For example: if you plan to move at the end of the month, you may consider hiring out a labor-only moving service to help with your packing needs a week or two prior to the end of the month to get your belongings situated.

Then, you can hire out the full-service moving company to load, transport, and unload on the day of your move. This will save you time, stress, and money!

Lastly, quick jobs such as setting up for an event, rearranging furniture, or even hauling wood chips around the yard are all perfect scenarios for hiring a labor-only service provider.

Modern service-providers, like Caddy, are going to be pretty flexible in what they will allow their movers to do. As we like to say it: “just point, and let your Caddy’s do the work!”

For anything like this, it is definitely recommended to hire a labor-only moving service to dodge any additional charges that come with full-service moving companies.

What can I expect from a labor-only moving service?

1. Professional, Strong, and Capable Movers 

First and foremost, when you hire a labor-only moving service, you can expect a full crew of movers who are beyond capable of lifting, moving, hucking, and chucking!

Man-power is what you ordered, and man-power is what you’re going to get. Let your crew know what needs to be done, and they’ll do the work. Don’t be afraid to ask for tasks that seem “out of the norm.” Caddy Movers are there to serve you and take on whatever labor tasks are needed to ensure you’re satisfied!

2. Experienced, Natural Leaders, and Top-Notch Organization 

Hiring a professional team of moving helpers will ensure that you have people on the job that know what they’re doing. Loading up a truck, for example, may sound easy on paper, but for anyone who has done it before, space always seems to be used up quicker than anticipated!

This is where the value of having experienced movers comes into play: they will be able to direct your move and make sure that everything is packed and loaded in the most efficient manner possible.

Your movers will also act as directors; they will guide the moving process alongside you and answer any questions you may have during the move. At the end of the day, it really is nice having someone with experience on-site to put your stress at ease and assure that everything will be taken care of!

3. Transparent, Hourly Rates and No Surprises

This one might just apply to Caddy Moving, but in general, labor-only moving companies will offer their services at an hourly rate rather than for a flat-rate.

Hourly rates are much more fair for both parties, because it avoids any doubt in the quote that a full-service moving company may give you, and it respects the time of the movers.

Before you place a reservation with Caddy, you will see our pricing right upfront and have zero doubt in what you are actually paying for. Best of all: labor-only moving service providers that use hourly rates only charge for what you use, rather, a flat-rate company is going to charge you that large quote no matter how quickly the move goes!