The longer answer
Yes, loading only is available
Yes. If you are driving a rental truck yourself or shipping in a portable container, our crew can do just the loading. It is billed hourly with the same 3-hour minimum as any local job.
Loading only vs. a full move with us
| Loading only | Full-service move | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Hourly, 3-hour minimum | Hourly, 3-hour minimum |
| Drive time | None, one location | Double drive time if homes are over 10 minutes apart |
| Moving blankets and wardrobe boxes | Not included, charged as used | Included |
| Our truck | No | Yes, 26-foot truck with the crew |
| Responsibility in transit and at delivery | Yours | Ours |
Why the supplies work differently
On a normal move, our blankets wrap your furniture and come off at the new home, and wardrobe boxes are emptied and come back with the truck. When your container or rental drives away without us, those supplies leave too, and we cannot get them back. So any blankets, wardrobe boxes, tape or shrink wrap the crew uses inside your container are charged as materials.
What we can and cannot stand behind
The crew loads and stacks your container with care. Once the doors close, though, we are not driving it, unloading it or handling it on the other end, so we cannot be responsible for damage that happens in transit or at delivery. That is the main tradeoff to weigh.
When you add up the minimum, the supplies, the rental itself and your own unloading day, a full-service move is often the better value. Compare the numbers with our moving cost guide, or for a move out of the area see long-distance moving.
Before the crew arrives
- Have the container or truck parked and unlocked, with the ramp or door clear
- Know how full you expect it to be, so you are not short on space
- Box everything; loose items do not stack well in a container
Questions and answers
Can you unload a POD at the other end too?
If the other end is in our local service area, yes, as a separate hourly job with its own minimum.
Do you drive the rental truck for me?
No. With a loading-only job, you or the rental company handles the driving.
Is loading-only cheaper than a full move?
The hourly rate is the same and there is no drive time, but you pay for blankets and wardrobe boxes and still rent the container. Add it all up and compare it with a full-service quote before you decide.
