3 Best Moving Companies | How We Chose | Best Overall | Best for Range of Services | Best for Trusted Reputation | Cost of Movers | Avoiding Scams
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As one of the largest cities in the U.S., Houston has plenty of people who need to move — and movers to help them. The city has 197 full-service moving companies rated 4 stars or above.
Houston full-service moving companies such as Los Flores and Optimus Moving Services take care of all of the packing, loading, and unloading for your move. If you're planning a move outside of Texas, 3 Men Movers can help you across state lines.
In all, we assessed 643 local moving companies in Houston and ranked the top three so you know where to start looking for your next move.
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3 Best Moving Companies in Houston (at a Glance)
| Company | What We Like | Avg. Customer Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Los Flores Movers | Best Overall | 4.7 (347 reviews) |
| 3 Men Movers- Houston | Best for Range of Services | 4.5 (4754 reviews) |
| Optimus Moving Services | Best for Trusted Reputation | 5.0 (394 reviews) |
How We Chose the Companies on This List
Our team spent over 100 hours researching moving companies across the United States. We started with a list of more than 25,000 moving companies, then narrowed it down by eliminating companies that:
- Were not registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA)
- Had fewer than 10 customer reviews
- Didn’t have a website
- Had a relatively high number of safety and service violations according to the FMCSA
The remaining companies were ranked based on the following metrics:
- 5x: Average customer rating across all platforms (Yelp, Google, Angi, etc.)
- 4x: Total number of customer reviews (more reviews indicates a more reliable average rating)
- 3x: Total count of out-of-service violations (as indicated by the FMCSA)
- 2x: How many drivers a company has on staff per vehicles it has registered
- 1x: Whether a company is full-service or only offers labor services
Each metric was normalized and then graded on a 100-point scale. The combined weighted average of the scores determined the final ranking score.
We also mystery-shopped to gather quotes from more than 150 moving companies and surveyed our team members — who have moved more than 300 times collectively — on what was most important to them when choosing a moving company.
Who Should Use a Full-Service Mover?
We recommend full-service movers for people who can budget at least $300 for a one-bedroom apartment and at least $1,600 for a three-bedroom home.
Full-service is helpful if you have large, complicated things to move, can’t carry heavy stuff, or have a busy schedule (which may include closing on your new home). Likewise, if you don’t have friends and family available to help, hiring experts can make your move much quicker.
Full-service moving typically includes:
- Packing your items
- Disassembling furniture
- Loading the truck with your items
- Delivery to your new home
- Reassembling furniture
If you feel comfortable doing some of the heavy lifting and driving yourself, consider DIY moving or using labor-only movers who help you load your rented truck. DIY will certainly save you money (but maybe not your back).
3 Best Moving Companies in Houston
1. Los Flores Movers: Best Overall
We rated Los Flores Movers as the best overall mover in Houston because of its competitive prices, positive reviews, and good reliability. In reviews, customers singled out the company’s fast, efficient crew, while the rare negative reviews usually mentioned final charges that were higher than the estimate.
Los Flores offers residential and commercial moves and can also provide moving supplies. The company only operates within Texas, though, so if you’re heading out of state, you’ll need to find another company.
Los Flores prices are very reasonable. The estimate of $1,200 it provided us for a three-bedroom move within Houston is lower than the area average of $1,411.
We gave Los Flores a medium reliability rating since the company employs more than one registered driver for each of its four company vehicles. That means it can likely handle your move, even during peak season.
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⚡ Quick Tip: We recommend getting custom quotes from independent moving brokers. These services are free to use with no obligation and make it easy to compare multiple options to find the best fit and value. Get instant quotes here. |
2. 3 Men Movers- Houston: Best for Range of Services
3 Men Movers offers a wide variety of moving services. These include local residential and commercial moves, packing and unpacking services, long-distance moves, specialty moves of items like safes and pianos, and “supersize” moves using a semi-truck and large moving crew.
The company holds good reviews, too. Satisfied customers mentioned 3 Men Movers’ careful handling and flexible scheduling (and rescheduling), while the occasional negative reviews mentioned lateness and damage to items or homes.
3 Men Movers’ professional movers operate within Texas and can move you to any neighboring state, but if you’re going farther than that, you may need to look at alternatives.
Finally, we gave 3 Men Movers a medium reliability rating. It employs one registered driver for each of its 99 company vehicles, so you shouldn't have trouble booking a move — even during busy times of the year.
3. Optimus Moving Services: Best for Trusted Reputation
Optimus Moving Services boasts excellent company reviews, holding an aggregate rating of 4.95 out of 5 based on nearly 400 reviews. A quick survey of those reviews reveals that satisfied customers singled out Optimus’ responsive communication and skilled, polite crew. Many of them were also repeat customers, which is a strong indicator of quality.
Optimus offers local residential and commercial moves, as well as packing and unpacking services. The company only operates in the Houston area.
Optimus’ pricing is very reasonable. Its estimate of $1,290 for a three-bedroom move within Houston is just below the area average of $1,411.
Optimus Moving employs one full-time registered driver for its sole vehicle, so we gave it a medium reliability rating. This means the company can handle your move whenever you need it to.
Next Steps: Compare Moving Companies in Houston
How Much Do Movers Cost in Houston?
If you have a studio apartment, expect to pay about $280 for a full-service move in Houston. Full-service professional moving for a 3-bedroom home will set you back about $1,411, and moving a 5-bedroom home will cost around $2,479. Moving to another state or long-distance across Texas costs even more.
The final cost depends on your home's details and your belongings. Get a customized quote from your mover for an accurate estimate.
Typical Cost Breakdown
The cost of your full-service move depends primarily on four key factors:
- Size of your home
- Number of movers and hours you’ll need them
- Driving distance from door to door
- Charge for use of truck (if not included in hourly rate)
At base, most companies charge an hourly rate per mover, then tack on additional fees for other factors.
| Don’t forget to tip 💸
It’s common courtesy to tip your movers 10–20% of the total cost. For a three-bedroom home, that could be upwards of $300. |
Other Things That Could Increase Your Cost
Circumstances and challenges specific to your move could cost you more money.
| 🕰️ Timing |
Companies often charge higher rates for weekends, holidays, and jobs that require movers to work overtime. |
| 🎹 Specialty items |
Moving pianos or other heavy and awkward pieces might require additional time and movers. |
| 🧳 Packing supplies |
Extra bubble wrap for fragile items, large wardrobe boxes for clothes, and other packing supplies can add up. Save by providing your own. |
| 📦 Unpacking service |
Some companies offer unpacking as part of full-service moving. You can save money by doing this yourself. |
| 🏢 Difficult circumstances |
Stairs, narrow hallways, elevators, and distant parking can incur additional time and fees. |
| 🗝️ Storage |
If your new home isn’t ready, you’ll need to store your items until you can move in. |
| 🛡️ Insurance |
If your renters or homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover transport of your possessions, you can buy insurance from your moving company or a third party. |
How to Get a Quote
You can get a quote from most movers by calling or filling out an online form to provide details about your home.
For the most accurate estimate, ask the mover to stop by your home in person or virtually to take a look at your belongings. This will allow the mover to take note of more complicated items, such as antique furniture or extra heavy items.
Alternatively, a moving broker can do the work for you, providing a quote from a carrier in your area.
How to Avoid Moving Company Scams
Check your mover’s Federal registration. You can check the company’s registration, violations, and complaint history by searching on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website.
Look for complaints on the Better Business Bureau website. Searching the company’s BBB profile can give you an idea of what kinds of complaints have been filed against the company and how the business resolved them.
Understand your rights and responsibilities. By law, every interstate mover must provide documentation about your rights as a consumer and the mover’s responsibilities. Make sure you read it carefully!
Know about your insurance options. If you’re moving within the same state, your mover may offer you coverage, or you can purchase a moving insurance policy independently. According to Federal law, interstate movers must offer two different types of valuation coverage: full value protection and released value.
If you notice one or more of these red flags when researching a moving company, it's probably best to avoid it.
How Far in Advance Should I Reach Out to a Mover in Houston?
If you're moving locally within Houston, look for a moving company about one month before your move — or two months ahead of time if you plan to move during the peak season of May through August. For interstate moves, start looking two to three months out, depending on the season.Sources
We drew from the following sources to write this article:
- “What is the Cost to Move in Houston,” moveBuddha
- “Here’s How to Determine How Many Movers You Need for Your Next Move,” Angi
- “How Many Movers Do I Need?” moveBuddha
- “Liability and Protection,” Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- “Spot the Red Flags,” Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
