Most people massively underestimate how long it takes to load a truck. The garage door’s open, the boxes are stacked, “we’ll knock this out in two hours” — and then it’s 6pm, the truck is half-loaded, and the crew (you and your friend, if DIY) is exhausted.
Here’s what actually happens, in hours.
Pro crew load times — by home size
These are real averages from booked Loading Crews jobs. They assume boxes already packed, furniture intact (no on-the-spot disassembly), ground-floor access. Adjust below for variables.
| Home size | 2 movers | 3 movers |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 1.5–2 h | 1–1.5 h |
| 1-BR apartment | 2–2.5 h | 1.5–2 h |
| 2-BR apartment | 2.5–3.5 h | 2–2.5 h |
| 2-BR house | 3–4 h | 2.5–3 h |
| 3-BR house | 4–5 h | 3–4 h |
| 4-BR house | 5–6.5 h | 4–5 h |
DIY load times — multiply by ~1.6
DIY (you and a friend, no pro experience) generally takes 1.5-1.8× longer than a pro crew of the same size. The drop-off comes from:
- Less efficient lifting form (more breaks)
- More indecision about load order
- Pieces that don’t fit because they weren’t disassembled
- Time spent figuring out how to strap things
So a 1-bedroom apartment that a two-pro crew loads in 2.5 hours takes you and a friend 4-4.5 hours. That’s the baseline reality check.
Multipliers
Apply these to the pro-crew base time. They compound.
Stairs
| Flights of stairs | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 0 (ground floor) | 1.0× |
| 1 flight | 1.2× |
| 2 flights | 1.45× |
| 3 flights | 1.75× |
A 3-bedroom house base of 4 hours × 1.45 for a second-floor primary suite = ~5h 50m. Move it to a third-floor walk-up apartment and now you’re at 7 hours.
Specialty items
Each adds time to the base estimate:
- Piano (upright): +45-60 min, requires 3 movers
- Piano (baby grand): +90-120 min, requires 3-4 movers + dolly
- Gun safe (500+ lb): +30-45 min, requires 3 movers
- Pool table: +60-90 min, often needs partial disassembly
- Marble-top table: +20-30 min, requires careful handling
- Big aquarium: +30-60 min, often needs in-place water-out
Disassembly required
If furniture wasn’t broken down before pickup:
- Bed frame: +15-20 min
- IKEA-style dresser: +20-30 min (some don’t survive disassembly)
- Big sectional sofa: +20-30 min
- Treadmill / Peloton: +25-40 min
- Crib (newer models): +20-30 min
Each piece. Add it up. Big four-bedroom houses with 8-12 pieces of furniture to break down can add a full 2-3 hours to the base time.
Hot or cold weather
Below 25°F or above 90°F, total time goes up about 15-20% because crews work shorter spurts with more recovery breaks. Worth budgeting extra rather than trying to push through.
Parking distance
Per 50 feet beyond the door, add about 5 minutes per crew member per piece of furniture. A driveway 200 feet from the door turns into 30+ minutes of extra walking on a typical load.
Worked examples
Example 1: 2-bedroom apartment, second floor, two movers, no specialty
- Base (2 movers, 2-BR apt): 3 hours
- × 1.2 for one flight of stairs = 3 hours 36 minutes
- Add 30 min walkthrough + final strap-down = ~4 hours
Example 2: 3-bedroom house, ground floor, three movers, piano, washer/dryer
- Base (3 movers, 3-BR house): 3.5 hours
-
- 45 min for the piano = 4 hours 15 minutes
- W/D are standard for a house this size, already in the base estimate
- Add 30 min walkthrough + strap-down = ~4 hours 45 minutes
Example 3: DIY, 1-BR apartment, third-floor walk-up
- Base (2 movers, 1-BR apt): 2.25 hours
- × 1.75 for three flights = 3 hours 56 minutes
- × 1.6 for DIY = 6 hours 19 minutes
Most DIY-ers see this estimate and think it’s pessimistic. Real move days say otherwise.
When to book the crew for two hours vs three
If your pro estimate lands under 2 hours, book two — most crews have a 2-hour minimum anyway.
If your estimate is 2-3 hours, book three. The extra hour at the hourly rate is cheap insurance against blowing the truck rental window.
If your estimate is 4+ hours, talk to the crew at booking about whether a three-mover crew (faster, fewer total hours) or a two-mover crew with more hours is cheaper for your specific load. Usually three movers wins on total cost above 4 hours.