How long does it take movers to load a truck?

When using professional moving services, you expect competence and efficiency – and you’re right to do so. The pros have specialized equipment, extensive training, and rich experience that allow them to work quickly and effectively – so you can rest assured that they will perform your move in the safest and smoothest way possible.

Yet, you may not be sure how quickly the movers will be able to complete the job – and you need to know how long your move will take in order to be able to plan things out.

The exact amount of time your movers will need to take your belongings out of your old home and load them onto the moving truck will depend on the specific circumstances in your case – the size of your move, the peculiarities of the location, the weather conditions, etc. – but having a general idea of how long it takes the pros to perform a house move will help you estimate the approximate time frame of your relocation.

So, how long do movers take to load a truck? Read on to find out – and make your plans for moving day accordingly.

Factors that affect the time it takes movers to complete the job

The time it will take your movers to manoeuver your items out of your home, carry them to the moving truck, get them into the vehicle, and secure them inside will depend on a number of factors:

• The number of boxes to be loaded onto the moving truck. When packed properly, moving boxes are easy to carry and stack on top of one another inside the moving truck. However, the more boxes you have for moving (that is to say, the more items you have for moving, as the more items you’re relocating, the more boxes you will need to pack), the more trips the movers will need to make between your home and the moving vehicle – so your move will take longer;
• The number of furniture pieces, kitchen appliances, and other larger household items you’re taking to your new home. Large items don’t fit in boxes and need to be carried to the moving truck one by one – which takes time. Besides, big and heavy pieces are very difficult to handle, so maneuvering them out of your home and into the moving vehicle will take a lot of effort – and a lot of time;
• The number (and type) of specialty items you have for moving. Pianos, pool tables, hot tubs, grandfather clocks, and other specialty items require special care – any one of these items can add up to 30 minutes to loading time;
• How prepared you’re when the movers arrive. If everything is ready by the time the moving vehicle parks in front of your home, the movers will be able to get directly to loading the truck – so the job won’t take too much time. If, however, the pros need to prepare your items for shipment – pack your things, disassemble furniture, disconnect appliances, etc. – there will be a lot of work to be done, so your move will take much longer;
• How many stairs your items will need to be taken down. Not only is taking large and heavy items down stairs extremely difficult and time-consuming, but your movers will tire more quickly if they need to climb stairs over and over again – so they will need more breaks and will start working more slowly. It is a good rule of thumb to add about 30 minutes to your move for each flight of stairs your movers will be encountering on the job;
• Access to an elevator (and size of the elevator). When moving out of an upper-floor apartment, access to an elevator is of paramount importance – whether your movers can use an elevator or not (and whether they need to wait for it or it is reserved for your move) will be one of the most decisive factors determining how much time your relocation is going to take. The size of the elevator should also be taken into account – if the elevator is too small and your furniture and other larger household items don’t fit in, they will need to be taken down the stairs, which will take extra time and effort. (See also: How to move into a building with no elevator);
• The distance from your home to the moving truck. If the moving vehicle cannot be parked close to your home, the movers will have to carry your items a long distance to the truck – which will waste a lot of time. Besides, your moving helpers will get tired more quickly and the loading process will slow down even further;
• The weather conditions at the time of your move. If it’s raining or snowing on moving day, the movers will need to take extra precautions to keep your items dry and safe – and it will take extra time to do so. In an extreme scenario, a thunderstorm or other severe weather conditions can delay your move by hours;
• The number of movers working on the job. Needless to say, the more movers are loading your items, the faster the process will go. (See also: How many movers do I need?)

So, all things considered, the more items you have for moving and the more complications there are, the longer it will take the movers to load the truck.

How long does it take movers to load a truck?

As can be seen from the above, the actual amount of time movers need to load a truck can vary greatly from move to move. Yet, based on the size of the job, professional moving companies provide some general time frames you can use to get an idea of how long your movers will take to load your stuff:

• Studio apartment – two movers for 2 hours
• 1-bedroom apartment – two movers for 3 hours
• 2-bedroom apartment – two movers for 4 hours
• 2-bedroom house – three movers for 3 hours
• 3-bedroom apartment – three movers for 4 hours
• 3-bedroom house – three movers for 5 hours or four movers for 4 hours
• 4-bedroom house – four movers for 5 hours
• 4+ bedroom home – four movers for 6+ hours

Assuming that everything is ready and the moving truck is less than 50 feet away from your house (or first-floor apartment), 2 professional movers can load:

• a 10-foot truck in about an hour
• a 16-foot truck in about 2 hours
• a 20-foot truck in about 3 hours
• a 24-foot truck in about 4 hours

When estimating how long your move will take, be sure to add 15%-20% of the baseline time for each specialty item you have for moving, another 15%-20% for each flight of stairs your movers will encounter on the job, and still another 15%-20% for every 50 feet of distance from your front door to the moving truck.

Can you hire movers just to load a truck?

If you’ve opted for a self-move and rented a moving vehicle to transport your items to your new home, but can’t (or don’t want to) do the heavy lifting yourself, you can hire movers to just load (or to load and unload) the truck. Your hired helpers will do all the hard work for you and will take good care of your belongings – you won’t need to lift a finger and will have a peace of mind that your cherished possessions are handled by experienced professionals.  

But how much does it cost to hire movers to load a truck? It depends on the company, but typically you will be charged by the hour at an average rate of $60-$80 per hour for two moving helpers.

Related: What is moving labor and why do you need it?

Now that you know the answer to the crucial question “How long does it take movers to pack a truck?”, you can figure out the optimal number of professional helpers needed for your move – and you can plan moving day in the most efficient way possible. Good luck with your move!