Why there is no single answer
People ask how long a house move takes because time is what they pay for on a local move. The honest answer is that it depends on the house, the contents and the access far more than on the number of bedrooms. A tidy three-bedroom house with a driveway can be quicker than a cluttered two-bedroom with a narrow staircase and nowhere for the truck to park.
This guide breaks a house move into its parts, so you can see which ones will take longest in your own home. It does not quote average durations, because FleetGo does not publish an average-hours figure and every estimate is built from the specific move.
The parts of a house move
- Walk-through and agreement: the crew confirms the inventory and access, and the agreement is signed. Billing starts after signing.
- Protection and preparation: floors, banisters and door frames are protected where needed, and large furniture is padded or wrapped.
- Disassembly: beds, tables and other standard furniture are taken apart where needed. Basic disassembly is included when it is reasonably required and within the booked scope.
- Loading: furniture first, then boxes, packed tightly so nothing shifts.
- Driving: the travel between addresses is part of the billed time on a local move.
- Unloading and placement: items go to the rooms you choose, and furniture that was taken apart is reassembled.
What makes a house move longer
- Stairs inside the house, especially basements and narrow or turning staircases.
- A long carry from the door to the truck, or no driveway space.
- Garages, sheds, attics and crawl spaces that were not included in the inventory.
- Heavy items such as safes, treadmills, stone tables or large appliances. Items over 100 lb carry a $100 heavy-item charge each.
- Boxes that are not packed or closed when the crew arrives.
- Furniture that has to be taken apart or that does not fit through a doorway in one piece.
- Traffic between the two addresses, particularly at rush hour.
FleetGo does not guarantee that every item will fit through every doorway or staircase. Measuring the largest pieces before move day avoids surprises.
What makes it shorter
The fastest house moves have three things in common: everything is packed and closed, the truck can park close to the main door, and someone is on hand to answer questions about what goes where.
Group boxes by room and label them on the side as well as the top, so they can be read when stacked. Clear a path from each room to the door. Keep items that are not moving in one marked room, so the crew does not have to ask about them. Disconnect appliances in advance; that is the customer's responsibility unless arranged otherwise.
Choosing a crew size for a house
Houses usually have more large furniture and more rooms than apartments, which is why larger crews are common. FleetGo's published rates are $125 an hour for two movers, $169 for three, $209 for four and $249 for five, plus a $120 service fee and HST, with a three-hour minimum. A bigger crew costs more per hour but can shorten the day when the access allows several people to carry at once.
The residential moving page explains how crew size is chosen, and how moving estimates work shows how the hours become a price.
Examples of documented house moves
FleetGo has documented house moves in its case studies, including a five-bedroom house move in Newmarket and three-bedroom house moves in Brampton. The case studies describe what was moved and how; they do not publish the hours, because one household's duration is not a reliable estimate for another.
Planning your day
Start in the morning if you can. A house move that runs long is much easier to finish when there is daylight and the rest of the day available. Plan for the unexpected: a closing that is delayed, keys that arrive late, or a driveway that is blocked.
When you have your inventory and the access details for both houses, request a free quote. The estimate will be based on what you describe, so the more complete the description, the more useful the number.