We Tried Hiring Movers Outside Home Depot: What It Costs & What to Know

If you need help moving a couch, dresser, appliance, or a few heavy pieces of furniture, hiring day laborers outside Home Depot can seem like a simple solution.

Find someone available. Agree on a price. Get the furniture moved.

But once we actually tried it, several questions came up:

• Does the worker have a truck, or are you hiring labor only?
• Is the price hourly or for the entire job?
• Is there a minimum number of hours?
• Are moving blankets, straps, and a dolly included?
• Who is responsible if something gets damaged?
• Is it actually cheaper than booking a mover?

We wanted to find out.

Are Movers Outside Home Depot Actually Home Depot Movers?

The people we spoke with outside Home Depot were independent workers, not Home Depot employees.

That meant we were negotiating the job directly with each person, and very little was standardized.

Pricing varied. Vehicles varied. Equipment varied. Even the way people wanted to price the job varied.

There was no standard:

• hourly rate
• minimum charge
• vehicle
• moving equipment
• number of workers
• booking process
• damage policy

Two people standing outside the same store could quote completely different prices for the exact same move.

That’s why we quickly realized the first question shouldn’t simply be:

“How much do you charge per hour?”

A better question is:

“What would you charge to complete this entire job?”

We Tested the Process

To make the comparison fair, we gave everyone the same moving job.

The job

• Item: Couch purchased on Facebook Marketplace
• Distance: Approximately 10 miles
• Stairs: Two flights at the destination
• Truck needed: Yes
• Timing: Same day

We asked each person essentially the same question:

“I need to move a couch about 10 miles. I need help loading it, transporting it, and carrying it up two flights of stairs. What would you charge for the whole job?”

Then we compared the answers.

What Does It Cost to Hire Movers Outside Home Depot?

There isn’t one standard rate.

We spoke with 13 workers across three Home Depot locations and asked them to price the same couch-moving job.

Quotes ranged from $120 to $280.

That was one of the biggest things we learned.

The price can depend on:

• how many workers are needed
• whether a truck is included
• how long the move will take
• how far the furniture is traveling
• whether stairs are involved
• the size and weight of the item
• whether moving equipment is included

And the cheapest quote wasn’t always the cheapest complete move.

A $120 quote can look great until you realize you still need to rent a truck, provide straps, or find another person to help lift the couch.

The Biggest Difference: Labor Only vs. Labor + Truck

This was probably the most important distinction we found.

When someone says they can help you move furniture, that can mean two very different services.

Labor only

The worker helps you:

• lift the furniture
• carry it
• load your vehicle
• unload it at the destination

But you provide the transportation.

This can make sense if you already own a pickup truck or have rented a U-Haul.

Labor plus transportation

The worker provides both the labor and a vehicle.

That vehicle might be:

• a pickup truck
• cargo van
• box truck

This is much closer to hiring a traditional mover.

The important lesson: don’t assume a truck is included just because someone says they can help with a move.

Ask before agreeing to the price.

Ask for the Total Price, Not Just the Hourly Rate

One thing we would do differently after going through this process is focus less on hourly rates.

If someone says:

“$30 an hour.”

That still leaves a lot unanswered.

Is that:

• $30 per worker?
• one worker or two?
• a two-hour minimum?
• truck included?
• travel included?
• stairs included?

For example:

2 workers × $30/hour × 3 hours = $180

And that may still not include transportation.

For a small, clearly defined furniture move, asking for the total price for the entire job makes comparison much easier.

Ask What the Price Actually Includes

Before hiring someone, we would ask these questions:

1. What is your total price for the whole move?
2. Is that hourly or flat-rate?
3. Is there a minimum number of hours?
4. How many workers are included?
5. Is the truck included?
6. Do you have moving blankets, straps, and a dolly?
7. Are the stairs included in the price?
8. What happens if the furniture gets damaged?

Those questions make it much easier to compare two quotes that initially look similar.

Equipment Matters More Than We Expected

Price wasn’t the only difference between the workers we spoke with.

Some had moving equipment.

Others didn’t.

For a couch move, we would ideally want:

• moving blankets
• ratchet straps
• a dolly
• a vehicle large enough for the couch

This matters because a low quote can become less attractive if you have to provide all of the equipment yourself.

It also affects how comfortable we would be transporting the furniture.

A couch loosely placed in the back of a pickup is very different from one protected with blankets and properly secured with straps.

Don’t Forget to Mention Stairs

Stairs can materially change the amount of work involved.

There is a big difference between:

“Move this couch 10 miles.”

and:

“Move this couch 10 miles and carry it up two flights of stairs.”

Give the worker the full job description before agreeing on a price.

That includes:

• stairs at pickup
• stairs at delivery
• elevator access
• long walks from parking
• tight hallways
• heavy or oversized furniture

The clearer you are upfront, the less likely you are to renegotiate once the move has already started.

What Happens if Something Gets Damaged?

This is another question worth asking before anyone starts moving the furniture.

When you're hiring someone informally, don't assume there is a formal damage or insurance process.

Ask directly:

“What happens if the couch, wall, or property gets damaged during the move?”

How important that question is may depend on what you're moving.

For a $100 Facebook Marketplace couch, you may be comfortable accepting more risk.

For an expensive sectional, antique, television, or appliance, you may want a more formal moving arrangement.

What We Learned From Talking to 13 Workers

Our biggest takeaway wasn’t that hiring movers outside Home Depot was cheap or expensive.

It was that there is no standard experience.

We received quotes ranging from $120 to $280 for the same job, but the services behind those prices were not necessarily identical.

Some of the most important differences were:

• whether transportation was included
• how many workers were included
• whether the quote was hourly or flat
• what equipment was provided
• how clearly the entire job was defined upfront

That makes comparing only the headline price misleading.

A better comparison is:

What am I paying, and exactly what do I get for that price?

When Hiring Movers Outside Home Depot Can Make Sense

Based on our experience, this option makes the most sense when:

• you already have a truck
• you mainly need lifting help
• the move is straightforward
• you're comfortable negotiating directly
• you need help the same day
• the furniture isn't especially valuable

If you already rented a U-Haul and just need two people to help load and unload, hiring day labor can be a practical option.

When Another Moving Option May Make More Sense

We would compare other options if:

• you need the mover to provide the truck
• you want to know the price before leaving home
• you want to see mover reviews
• you need a scheduled pickup time
• you're moving expensive furniture
• you want communication documented
• you want to compare several movers before choosing one

The more complicated the move becomes, the more valuable coordination becomes.

Home Depot Day Labor vs. Laborhutt

The biggest difference isn't necessarily price.

With workers outside Home Depot, we had to go there, explain the job, negotiate directly, and figure out what each quote included.

With Laborhutt, you can post the move first and let local movers respond with offers.

That means you can compare the price, vehicle, mover, and job details before deciding who to hire.

For someone who already has a truck and just needs two extra sets of hands, hiring labor outside Home Depot may still make sense.

For someone buying a couch on Facebook Marketplace who needs both pickup and delivery, comparing complete moving offers may be easier.

Our Verdict

Would we hire movers outside Home Depot?

For the right job, yes.

If we already had a truck and simply needed loading or unloading help, it could be an inexpensive and flexible option.

But for a complete furniture delivery, especially when we also need the truck, we would compare the total cost and what's included before deciding.

Our test produced quotes ranging from $120 to $280 for the exact same couch move.

That spread alone reinforced the biggest lesson from this experiment:

Don’t hire based on the hourly rate. Hire based on the total job.

Before agreeing to anything, confirm the final price, transportation, number of workers, equipment, stairs, and exactly what happens from pickup to delivery.

Compare Moving Prices Before You Go

If you're considering hiring someone outside Home Depot, you can compare the price with local movers before making the trip.

Tell Laborhutt:

What you're moving
Where it's being picked up
Where it's going

Then see what local movers offer for the entire job.

Get moving offers →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do movers outside Home Depot charge?

There is no standard rate. In our test, we asked 13 workers across three Home Depot locations to price the same couch move and received quotes ranging from $120 to $280.

Are movers outside Home Depot employed by Home Depot?

The workers we spoke with were independent workers rather than Home Depot employees. We negotiated the job and price directly with them.

Do movers outside Home Depot have trucks?

Some may provide transportation while others offer labor only. Confirm whether a truck is included before agreeing on the price.

Can I hire someone outside Home Depot just to load a U-Haul?

Yes, labor-only help is one of the situations where this approach can make the most sense. If you already have transportation, you may only need help lifting, loading, and unloading.

Should I pay hourly or agree on a flat price?

For a small, clearly defined furniture move, we prefer knowing the total price before the job starts. If you're paying hourly, confirm the number of workers and any minimum hours.

What should I ask before hiring someone?

Confirm the total price, number of workers, vehicle, equipment, stairs, minimum hours, and what happens if something is damaged before the job begins.