If you’re trying to work out what movers cost in Vancouver, Surrey, or anywhere else in BC, the short answer is: it depends on the truck size, how many movers you need, and how long the job takes. In BC, Quick & Easy Moving charges from $149 per hour for a 3-ton truck with two movers, with a 3-hour minimum. Below is the full published rate card, plus everything that can move your final price up or down.
A lot of moving-cost pages talk in generalities, “prices vary,” “get in touch for a quote,” without ever showing a number. If you’re comparing cheap movers in Vancouver or looking for cheap movers near you in Surrey, the table below is the actual rate card we quote from, not an estimate range. Read it alongside the “What affects your final price” section further down, since your specific total depends on the details of your move as well as the hourly rate.
What movers charge per hour in BC
These are Quick & Easy Moving’s published hourly rates for local moves in Vancouver, Surrey, and across the Lower Mainland.
| Truck size | Crew | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-ton truck | 2 movers | $149/hr |
| 3-ton truck | 3 movers | $180/hr |
| 5-ton truck | 2 movers | $175/hr |
| 5-ton truck | 3 movers | $190/hr |
A few things apply across the whole rate card:
- 3-hour minimum on every truck size and crew combination. Even a short job is billed for a minimum of 3 hours.
- Weekends and holidays cost about 10% more. If you can move on a weekday, you’ll pay the standard hourly rate above rather than the weekend or holiday rate.
- The rate you need depends mainly on how much you’re moving: a 3-ton truck with two movers suits a smaller apartment or condo, while a 5-ton truck with three movers is built for a larger home with more furniture and boxes.
These are hourly rates for local moves. If you’re moving a longer distance within BC or out of province, see “Local vs long-distance pricing” below.
Which rate applies to you comes down to the size of your home and how much you own. A one- or two-bedroom apartment with a standard amount of furniture usually fits a 3-ton truck. A larger home, or a smaller home with a lot of belongings, is often better suited to a 5-ton truck and a three-person crew, since more hands moving more volume keeps the job inside fewer billed hours. If you’re not sure which applies to your move, tell us your home size and we’ll recommend the right truck and crew before you book.
What affects your final price
The rate card above tells you what you pay per hour. What changes is how many hours the job takes, and that comes down to a handful of factors.
Home size. More rooms, furniture, and boxes mean more time to load and unload, which is why a studio or one-bedroom move is typically quicker (and cheaper) than a three- or four-bedroom house on the same hourly rate.
Access. Stairs instead of an elevator, a long elevator wait in a high-rise, or a parking spot that’s far from your door all add time to loading and unloading. Tell us about access at both the pickup and drop-off address when you book, so your quote reflects what actually happens on moving day.
Volume. How much you own, not just how many rooms you have, drives the time on the clock. A lightly furnished three-bedroom home can move faster than a one-bedroom apartment packed with belongings.
Packing. Doing your own packing ahead of time keeps the crew focused on loading and unloading, which keeps the job shorter. Needing boxes packed on moving day adds time to the hourly total.
Distance between addresses. A move across the street takes less travel time than a move across Greater Vancouver. Local jobs are billed on the hourly rate above, which includes the crew’s time getting between your old and new address.
Day of week. As noted in the rate card, weekend and holiday moves cost about 10% more than weekday moves. If your schedule is flexible, a weekday booking is the simplest way to keep the cost down.
None of these factors change the hourly rate itself. What they change is how many hours end up on the clock, which is why two moves booked on the same truck and crew size can still come out at different final costs. The most reliable way to keep your cost close to the minimum is to be ready to go when the crew arrives: boxes packed and labelled, a clear path from your door to the truck, and parking arranged in advance.
Local vs long-distance pricing
How your move is priced depends on whether it’s local or long-distance.
Local moves (within Vancouver, Surrey, and the rest of the Lower Mainland) are billed hourly, using the rate card above: truck size, crew size, and time on the job. As Vancouver movers, this is the pricing model we use for the large majority of the jobs we quote, since most moves we do start and end inside the Lower Mainland.
Long-distance moves are quoted per job rather than by the hour. Because a long-distance move depends on the distance travelled and the volume of your belongings, we put together a specific quote for your route rather than applying an hourly rate. Two moves of the same home size can cost different amounts depending on how far apart the addresses are and how much needs to go on the truck, which is why a single hourly figure wouldn’t be an honest way to price a long-distance job. If you’re planning a long-distance moving job out of the Lower Mainland, get in touch and we’ll quote it based on where you’re going and how much you’re taking.
How to get an accurate quote
The rate card above tells you the hourly rate; it doesn’t tell you exactly how many hours your move will take. To get a firm number, we need a few details from you:
- The size of your home (number of bedrooms, or an inventory of larger items).
- Access at both addresses: stairs or elevator, parking distance, and whether either building has any move-in restrictions.
- Whether you want packing included, or you’ll pack yourself.
- Your preferred moving date, including whether it falls on a weekend or holiday.
- Whether the move is local (within the Lower Mainland) or long-distance.
With those details, we can tell you which truck and crew size fits your move and give you a realistic estimate of the hours involved. The fastest way to get that number is to get a free quote online, or call us directly at 778-871-8999. Both options go to the same team, so pick whichever is easier: fill in the form if you’d rather send details in writing, or call if you’d like to talk through access and timing on the phone.
Quick & Easy Moving is rated 4.9 stars from more than 700 Google reviews, so you can check what past customers say about their move before you book. We quote from the same published rate card shown above, so the number you’re given upfront is the one your invoice is based on, not a placeholder that changes once the crew arrives.
FAQs
What is the cheapest day to move?
A weekday move is cheaper than a weekend or holiday move. Weekends and holidays cost about 10% more than the standard hourly rates on the rate card above, so if your schedule allows it, booking Monday to Friday keeps your cost to the base hourly rate.
Is there a deposit?
We confirm any deposit when we book your date. Get in touch or get a free quote and we’ll walk you through exactly what’s needed to lock in your moving day.
Do you tip movers?
Tipping isn’t required, but many customers choose to tip their crew for good service. For a full breakdown of how much is typical and how to work it out, see our guide: do you tip movers.
