Movers Los Angeles CAYou rent the truck. We bring the muscle. You save 40–60%.
UniMovers is LA’s labor-only moving company. Rent your own U-Haul, Penske, Budget truck, or PODS container — our crew handles all the loading and unloading. Same trained movers as a full-service company, at a fraction of the cost. Local LA crews who know the 405, the 101, the freight elevators in Downtown lofts, and the tight winding streets in the Hollywood Hills.
Why Labor-Only Movers Save You Money
Compared to traditional full-service moving companies, most LA residents pay $2,500–$5,000 for a 2-bedroom move — and it’s often even higher for coastal, hillside, or high-rise moves. Most of that isn’t labor — it’s truck fees, fuel surcharges, insurance markups, and overhead. UniMovers strips that out. You handle the truck (rent one for $40–$80/day). We handle the heavy lifting at $90/hr per mover. Same crew, same care, way less money.
★ Los Angeles Labor-Only Crew Our LA movers are the same trained, insured, background-checked college crews as any full-service company. The difference is you’re paying for muscle, not markup. No fuel surcharges. No mileage fees. No mystery line items on the invoice.
For a typical 2-bedroom LA move, most of our customers save $1,000–$2,000 by going labor-only. You rent a U-Haul or POD, we load it up, then you drive to your new place (or the container gets picked up), and we unload it there.
- Flat hourly rate. $90/hr per mover. 2-hour minimum. No fuel fees, no stair fees, no long-carry charges. What we quote is what you pay.
- You control the truck. Rent your own U-Haul, Penske, or Budget truck — or use a PODS/1-800-PACK-RAT container. You pick the size, you save the fee.
- Same trained crew. Every UniMovers LA crew member is background-checked, trained on proper padding and stretch-wrap technique, and dispatched by your local team — not a national call center.
- Actually local. From Santa Monica beach condos to Silver Lake craftsman homes to Studio City duplexes to Beverly Hills estates to downtown lofts, we know LA’s housing stock and how to move it — and how to time it around the 405.
How Labor-Only Moving Works in Los Angeles
If you’ve only ever hired full-service movers, labor-only sounds unusual. It’s actually the smart way to move — you just remove the middleman on the truck. Here’s how it works:
You rent the truck (or container)
Book a U-Haul, Penske, or Budget truck at any LA location. Or use PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT, or U-Pack if you want the container dropped in your driveway. Typical cost: $40–$100 for local moves.
We load and unload
Our LA crew shows up with pads, dollies, stretch-wrap, and tools. We load your rental truck or container carefully and efficiently. You handle the drive to your new place (a U-Haul is easier to drive than most people expect — automatic transmission, no CDL needed). Then our crew (or one at your destination) unloads it — same trained care from start to finish. You choose 2, 3, 4, or more movers based on how fast you want it done.
You pay only for actual labor time
Billed by the hour, 2-hour minimum. Most 1-bedroom LA moves finish in 3–4 hours. Most 2–3 bedroom moves finish in 4–6 hours (add 30-60 min if you’re crossing between the Westside and the Valley at rush hour). You pay only for time worked — no padded invoices.
Los Angeles Labor Rates
Flat hourly rates. 2-hour minimum. No fuel fees, no stair fees, no long-carry surcharges.
Studios, 1-bedroom apartments $180/hr
2–3 bedroom homes, faster loads $270/hr
4+ bedroom homes, large jobs $360/hr
Faster moves, larger jobs +$90/hr
💡 Compare: A typical full-service LA move for a 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,500–$4,500 (higher for Westside, Beverly Hills, or downtown high-rise). Same job with UniMovers + a $60 U-Haul rental? Usually $900–$1,600.
Need an exact quote for your LA move? Call (760) 760-2370 or email LA@unimovers.com.
Los Angeles Moving Services
Movers Los Angeles CA Wide
LA is 12 different metros glued together. Our LA movers work every one of them — from Westside beach condos to Valley ranches to Hollywood hillside homes to Downtown lofts. Here’s where we run the most jobs.
Santa Monica, Venice, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Playa Vista. High-rise condos, Silicon Beach lofts, and cliffside homes. We know the beach traffic, parking permits, and Westside building rules.
Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Van Nuys, Woodland Hills. Ranch homes, mid-century modern, and studio-industry professionals. Big driveways, straightforward truck access.
DTLA lofts, Arts District warehouses, Little Tokyo, South Park high-rises. Freight elevators, loading dock schedules, concierge coordination — standard for us.
Historic Craftsman bungalows, hillside homes, and vintage apartments. Tight winding streets, narrow driveways, original hardwoods — we pad-wrap and protect the details.
Estates, hillside compounds, and gated communities. Long driveways, restricted access, discretion required. We handle these regularly.
Modern condos, converted lofts, and duplexes. Restricted parking, permit zones, and creative-industry moves are our bread and butter here.
Creative offices, tech startups, and post-conversion apartments. Silicon Beach adjacent, growing fast. Easy freeway access to the 405 and 10.
Beach cities with tight streets, HOA rules, and coastal timing. We know Highland Ave, PCH, and how to time around the weekend beach crowd.
Downtown Long Beach condos, Naples canal-front homes, San Pedro hillside. Port-adjacent, easy 710 access, plenty of parking room in most spots.
Historic Pasadena craftsmans, Glendale mid-rises, Burbank studio-industry duplexes. Tree-lined streets, older buildings, careful moves.
Hillside homes with impossible driveways and tight turns. Sometimes we shuttle in a smaller truck. We do this often enough to know exactly what fits.
Historic bungalows, revitalized neighborhoods, mixed housing stock. Tight residential streets, community-focused, growing rapidly.
What You’ll Need to Rent
Since we’re labor-only, you’ll need to arrange the truck or container yourself. Here’s what most LA customers use. Book 1–2 weeks ahead if you’re moving on a weekend or end-of-month.
Rental Trucks
Best for local moves under 30 miles. Pick up in the morning, return the same day or next. Cost: $40–$80/day + mileage.
Portable Containers
Best if you need flexibility. Container dropped in your driveway, you (or we) load it, they haul it. Cost: $150–$400 depending on size and duration.
Movers Los Angeles CA: Common Questions
How much do labor-only movers in Los Angeles CA cost?
UniMovers Los Angeles charges $90/hr per mover with a 2-hour minimum. That’s $180/hr for 2 movers, $270/hr for 3 movers, and $360/hr for 4 movers. A typical 2-bedroom apartment move takes 3–4 hours with 3 movers — around $810–$1,080 in labor, plus $40–$80 for your truck rental. Full-service LA movers charge $2,500–$4,500 for the same job (higher for Westside or high-rise). See our full rate breakdown.
Do you provide the moving truck?
No — we’re labor-only, which is exactly what keeps our LA pricing 40–60% below full-service movers. You rent a U-Haul, Penske, or Budget truck (or use a PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT, or U-Pack container) and handle the drive between locations. We handle all the loading and unloading — see our U-Haul loading service and PODS loading service.
Is driving a U-Haul really that hard?
Not really. Rental trucks up to 20 feet drive like an oversized minivan — automatic transmission, standard car license, no CDL required. Just take corners wide, use your mirrors, and give yourself extra stopping distance. If you’re still nervous, our team can book you a rental truck the day before so you have time to get comfortable behind the wheel.
What truck size do I need for my LA move?
Studio or 1-bedroom apartment: 10–15 ft truck. 2-bedroom apartment or small house: 15–20 ft truck. 3+ bedroom home: 20–26 ft truck. When in doubt, size up — an extra $10 in truck rental beats needing a second trip. We can help you figure this out when you book.
Do you serve all of LA and the suburbs?
Yes. We cover the entire LA metro: Westside (Santa Monica, Venice, Brentwood, Culver City, Playa Vista), the San Fernando Valley (Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Van Nuys, Woodland Hills), Downtown LA and the Arts District, Hollywood and Silver Lake, Beverly Hills and Bel Air, West Hollywood, the South Bay (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa, Redondo), Long Beach, Pasadena and Glendale and Burbank, the Hollywood Hills, and the Eastside (Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Boyle Heights). A small travel fee applies outside our base service zone.
Can you load a PODS or 1-800-PACK-RAT container?
Yes — PODS and container loading is one of our most-booked LA services. Your container gets dropped in your driveway, our crew loads it (packing it tight and secure for the long-haul move), and the container company hauls it to your new address.
Do you do same-week or same-day moves in LA?
Yes, we frequently have same-week and even same-day LA slots. Availability is tightest at end-of-month, end-of-summer (August/September college move-in season), and around Labor Day — the last major LA demand spike of summer.
Can you install IKEA or Wayfair furniture?
Yes. Furniture assembly is one of our most popular LA services. We do IKEA bedroom sets, Wayfair desks, Crate & Barrel sectionals, West Elm dressers, cribs, and patio sets. Bring the flat-pack, we bring the tools and the muscle.
Do you do student and college moves in Los Angeles?
Yes. LA has more colleges than almost any other US city: UCLA, USC, LMU, Occidental, Pepperdine, Cal State LA, CSUN, Cal State Long Beach, Pomona College, Cal Tech, Otis, ArtCenter. As a company built around college students, we handle dorm move-ins, dorm move-outs, off-campus apartment moves, and faculty home moves. Plan early during August/September and May/June — those weekends fill up fast.
What about downtown LA and Westside high-rise moves?
We work DTLA, Century City, and Westside high-rise moves all the time — South Park, Arts District, Century City towers, Marina del Rey. We know how to schedule freight elevator windows with your building manager, use floor runners and door jamb protectors, and coordinate with concierges. Just let us know your building and your elevator time when you book.
Are UniMovers Los Angeles insured?
Yes. UniMovers carries full liability insurance on every LA job. Every crew member is background-checked, trained, and dispatched by your local LA team — not a national call center. If anything ever gets damaged, our damage claim process is straightforward.
What if I need help moving from LA to San Diego, San Francisco, or beyond?
Easy. California regional moves are common for us. Our LA crew loads at origin and coordinates with our San Diego team or another destination crew for the unload. If you’re using a PODS container or a moving truck you’re driving yourself, we just handle the labor on both ends.
Moving Out of Los Angeles?
Plenty of LA residents end up moving elsewhere in California or the Southwest. Our crew handles the loading here, and our team in your destination city handles the unloading. One coordinated booking, two local crews.
Long-distance move out of California entirely? See all UniMovers locations → · Heading south? See our San Diego movers →
Book Your LA Move Today
Labor-only pricing, no hidden fees, same-week availability. Book online in under 60 seconds, get a free estimate first, or call us. Check our full rate card if you want the details first.