3 Best Moving Companies | How We Chose | Best Overall | Best for Customized Services | Best for Long-Distance Moves | Cost of Movers | Avoiding Scams
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In Lexington, KY, hiring a mover for a three-bedroom home costs about $1,349. That's around $600 less than the average cost of $1,963. For many people, the cost is worth the convenience.
If you're moving from a three-bedroom home, you'll need four movers working for eight hours to pack everything, load the truck, and drive it to your new home. Once there, the movers will unload the truck and assemble furniture. Your costs will include about $50 per mover per hour, a fee for the truck, the cost of packing supplies, and a 10–20% tip.
We looked at 41 local moving companies in Lexington and ranked the top three so you know where to start your search.
3 Best Moving Companies in Lexington (at a Glance)
Company | What We Like | Avg. Customer Rating |
---|---|---|
2 Dudes Moving | Best Overall | 4.7 (549 reviews) |
Alpha Moving Solutions | Best for Customized Services | 4.8 (103 reviews) |
From Here to There | Best for Long-Distance Moves | 5.0 (50 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 Lexington
1. 2 Dudes Moving: Best Overall
2 Dudes Moving, a local moving company in Lexington, KY, is our top pick for its straightforward pricing and full-service offering.
Previous clients rate 2 Dudes Moving highly, praising it for its professional and efficient service, manners, and affordability. Customers have given the company a few negative reviews online. Those negative reviews are a couple of years old, which highlights the company's improved customer satisfaction performance.
2 Dudes Moving operates throughout Kentucky, and its services include commercial moving, residential moving, labor for hire, and decluttering. The company may decline to move items its professional movers believe are a health-risk or dangerous, such as firearms and hazardous materials. It also doesn't move hot tubs, weight stacks that aren’t disassembled, pianos, and other very heavy items.
We gave 2 Dudes Moving a medium reliability score. The company has more than five vehicles, but less than two drivers for each vehicle. If multiple drivers are out sick at the time you need the team to arrive, you could face scheduling conflicts.
2. Alpha Moving Solutions: Best for Customized Services
We recommend Alpha Moving Solutions for customized moving services in Lexington, KY.
Alpha is a veteran-owned professional moving company, and the majority of its reviews are positive. Past clients rave about its friendly and professional team, quick service, and lack of hidden fees. Customers gave Alpha a few negative reviews several years ago, which were related to some mishandling of items.
Alpha Moving Solutions serves Lexington, Louisville, and the surrounding areas with options from labor-only to full-service moves. It also can move heavy items like safes and pianos. Alpha will charge extra if it needs additional workers to help with packing or has to use more than one truck.
We give Alpha a high reliability rating, as it has at least three drivers per vehicle it owns. If one driver can't work, the company has more than enough backups to complete your move.
3. From Here to There: Best for Long-Distance Moves
For long-distance moving services we recommend From Here to There, a local moving company in Lexington, KY, that operates throughout the southeast.
From Here to There launched in early 2020. As a relatively new company, it has few online reviews. However, the clients that left reviews say the company's team of professional movers is efficient, quick, communicative, and polite. As of this writing, customers haven't left any negative company reviews.
From Here to There also handles full-service local, labor-only, commercial, and transition moves, as well as furniture delivery, junk removals, and estate clean-outs. The company charges extra for pianos, gun safes, and other heavy items.
We gave From Here to There a high reliability score for having more than two drivers per vehicle, which means it can likely complete your service even if a worker calls in sick.
From Here to There gave us a very reasonable quote of $1,250 for a full-service three-bedroom move. The city average for such a move is $1,349. The company also charges no hidden fees.
How Much Do Movers Cost in Lexington?
You'll pay about $295 for a studio apartment and $1,349 for a 3-bedroom home for full-service moving in Lexington, KY. A 5-bedroom home costs about $2,349. You'll pay more if you're moving long distance across Kentucky or out of the state.
Rates for full-service movers vary depending on the details of your move, so contact a moving company for an accurate quote.
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 Lexington?
If you're moving locally within Lexington, 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 Lexington,” 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