Big Apple Moving has been moving New Yorkers since 1979, and we quote both ways: by the hour for straightforward local moves, and at a guaranteed moving price when you want it fixed before anyone touches a box. This page covers the flat fee side, also called flat price or guaranteed price moving – what it costs, how we calculate it, and when it is genuinely the better choice.
What Does a Flat Fee Move Cost in NYC?
A flat fee is a single fixed price for the whole job, agreed in writing before moving day. It does not change if the job runs long, if the elevator is slow, or if the truck has to park two buildings away. The table below shows what a local flat price move typically costs in New York City.
| Home size | Typical flat fee (local NYC move) | Equivalent hourly range |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $550 – $850 | $400 – $700 |
| 1 bedroom | $750 – $1,300 | $600 – $1,100 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,200 – $2,100 | $1,000 – $1,800 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,900 – $3,200 | $1,700 – $2,800 |
| 4+ bedrooms | $2,900 – $5,000 | $2,500 – $4,500 |
These are market-rate estimates for a local move within New York City, not guaranteed quotes. Your fixed price is set after a survey of your inventory and access.
You will notice the fixed price column sits above the hourly column. That is not a mistake and it is not padding.
On an hourly move you pay for the time actually used, so a job that goes smoothly costs less. On a fixed price move the price is locked, which means we absorb the cost if the job runs long. That risk has a price, and it is built into the number. Anyone telling you a flat price is always the cheaper option is selling you something.
What you get in exchange is a number that cannot move. If your building only releases the service elevator for a two-hour window, if you are on the fourth floor of a walk-up, if the truck cannot get closer than a block, none of it changes what you pay. For a lot of New York moves that certainty is worth more than the difference.
If a straightforward local move is what you have, hourly is usually the cheaper route – our hourly rates and crew sizes are on the NYC movers page. You can also run either model through the moving cost calculator.
Flat Fee or Hourly: Which Should You Choose?
This is the question most people actually arrive with. Here is the honest answer, job type by job type.
| Your situation | Better model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed, elevator building, short distance | Hourly | Predictable access means the job runs to plan. You pay for hours used and nothing more. |
| Fourth-floor walk-up, narrow stairwell | Flat fee | Stairs are the single biggest variable in NYC. Locking the price moves that risk to us. |
| Long carry or difficult parking | Flat fee | Carry distance can add hours. A flat fee is unaffected. |
| Building with a strict elevator window | Flat fee | If the window slips, an hourly clock keeps running. A flat fee does not. |
| Long-distance or interstate move | Flat fee | Standard for anything leaving the city. Priced on inventory and distance. |
| Multi-stop move, or storage in between | Flat fee | Too many moving parts for an hourly estimate to hold. |
| You are on a hard budget ceiling | Flat fee | Certainty is the whole point. You know the number before you commit. |
| You have decluttered and packed everything | Hourly | You have already removed the variables. Do not pay a premium for risk you eliminated. |
If you are not sure which side of this table you are on, tell us the two addresses and the floor, and we will tell you which will cost you less. We quote both.
What a Flat Fee Quote From Us Includes
The guaranteed price covers the whole job, not a starting point that grows. Everything below is inside the number.
A Binding Written Price
The figure on your estimate is the figure you pay. It is issued in writing before you commit, and it does not get revised on moving day.
Crew, Truck and Travel
Movers, the truck, fuel and travel time to and from your address are all inside the guaranteed price. There is no separate trip charge.
Full Furniture Protection
Blankets, shrink wrap and tape on everything with a finish. Floor runners and door jamb padding at both ends.
Disassembly and Reassembly
Beds, tables, desks and shelving come apart at pickup and go back together at delivery, at no additional cost.
Certificate of Insurance
Issued free to your building management, naming the building as additional insured. Send us their requirements when you book.
Licensed and Insured Throughout
Registered with the New York State Department of Transportation for in-state moves and holding an active USDOT number for interstate work, with cargo and liability coverage on every job.
How Your Guaranteed Moving Price Is Calculated
A guaranteed price is only as good as the survey behind it. A price given without one is a guess that will be revised later. Four steps, and none of them are skippable.
Moves Where a Flat Price Usually Wins
A flat price is not the right answer for every job. On a straightforward local move with elevator access at both ends you will usually pay less by the hour.
But there are four situations where the variables stack up fast enough that locking the number is worth more than the hourly saving. All four are common in New York, and the one pictured here is the most common of all: stairs are the single biggest reason an hourly estimate runs over.
Long-Distance and Interstate
Anything leaving New York is quoted flat fee as standard, priced on inventory and distance with a written delivery window. More on the long-distance movers page.
Walk-Ups and Difficult Access
Brownstone stoops, fourth-floor walk-ups, narrow stairwells and long carries. These are the moves where hourly estimates most often run over.
Office and Commercial Moves
Businesses need a number for the budget before the move is approved, and the work usually happens outside operating hours. See commercial moving.
Moves With Packing or Storage
Once packing or storage is in the mix there are too many variables for an hourly estimate to stay accurate.
How to Get a Binding Price Quote
A binding number takes about fifteen minutes of your time. No deposit, no obligation, and no charge for the survey.
What you get back is a price you can put in a budget, the crew size and arrival window in writing, and an honest answer on whether hourly would work out cheaper for your particular move.
Flat Fee Movers – Frequently Asked Questions
Binding quotes, surveys, and how flat fee compares with hourly.
UNBEATABLE PRICES
UPFRONT PRICES WITH NO HIDDEN FEES
Hidden fees are the bane of every moving experience. We will never surprise you with any added costs, and our unbeatable prices will always remain precisely as stated. We will work with you to devise a customized plan, no matter your budget or constraints, and our goal is to provide you with the option of full service moving in NYC to make your moving process as comfortable and affordable as possible.
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At Big Apple Moving & Storage, we pride ourselves with unmatched quality service and customer satisfaction rate – our services are always delivered with the utmost courtesy and highest professional standards. Whether you are scheduling a move or simply seeking information, our helpful, supportive staff will do whatever in their power to provide you with whatever information you require, and assist you in planning a smooth, hassle-free enjoyable moving experience.
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