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How Denver local movers bill (and what the published numbers look like)
Most in-town moves are priced by the clock, not by the pound. That sounds simple until the minimums, travel time and add-ons show up. This page lays out the usual parts and the ranges we found, with where each came from.
The usual pieces of an hourly quote
- Crew and truck rate. One price per hour for a set number of movers and a truck.
- Minimum hours or a starting fee. Some companies write a minimum job length; others add a flat opening charge.
- Travel time. Whether the clock starts at your door or at the company yard, and whether the return trip is billed.
- Extras. Stairs, long carries from truck to door, heavy items, packing materials, fuel or mileage.
Colorado law does not leave these vague: the written contract has to itemize the rates and services for transportation and any extra services. So any item that is not itemized is a fair thing to ask about. See estimates and contracts.
Ranges we found (all dated, all from public pages)
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Typical in-city crew and truck | About $115 per hour, with a starting fee of about $262 sometimes added | FreightWaves moving-cost guide (2026) |
| Two movers plus truck | $140 to $220 per hour | A Denver mover’s price guide (2026) |
| Whole local move | Roughly $600 to $2,800 depending on home size and access | Same price guide |
Read these as ballparks. They come from a freight-industry publication and a moving company’s own marketing page, not a government survey, and an individual quote can land outside them. The point of getting three written quotes is to see where your move actually falls.
Questions that keep the bill honest
- Is there a minimum, and what does it cover?
- When does billing start and stop?
- Which of these are extra: stairs, shuttle, bulky items, wardrobe boxes, tape and pads?
- How is payment taken, and when is it due?
- If the job runs long, is the hourly rate the same for the extra time?
How to make quotes comparable
Give every company the same facts: floor numbers, elevator or stairs, how far the truck will sit from your door, anything over 250 pounds, and your date. Different assumptions are the main reason three quotes look so different.