3 Best Moving Companies | How We Chose | Best Overall | Best for Moving on a Budget | Best for Long-Distance Moves | Cost of Movers | Avoiding Scams
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In St. Petersburg, hiring a full-service mover for a three-bedroom home costs about $1,640. While that might sound like a lot, for people who don't want to deal with the hassle of lifting boxes, renting a truck, and unpacking, it's worth it.
For a three-bedroom home, you'll need four movers working for about eight hours to get everything moved to your new property. Count on paying about $50 per mover per hour, plus the cost of the truck and packing supplies. You should also budget for a 10–20% tip.
Not sure what company to go with? We researched 406 local moving companies in St. Petersburg and ranked the top three so you know where to begin your search.
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3 Best Moving Companies in St. Petersburg (at a Glance)
| Company | What We Like | Avg. Customer Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Brothers EZ Moving | Best Overall | 4.4 (1240 reviews) |
| Bull Moving | Best for Moving on a Budget | 4.6 (1126 reviews) |
| All About Moving Tampa Bay | Best for Long-Distance Moves | 4.9 (120 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 St. Petersburg
1. Brothers EZ Moving: Best Overall
We highly recommend Brothers EZ Moving because of its wide range of services and good online ratings. Past clients commend its team for being punctual, hard-working, and very polite. However, it does have some negative company reviews about damage to items.
Brothers EZ Moving has several branches throughout Florida. It can handle full-service residential and corporate moves, as well as long-distance moving and labor-only services. Besides that, it offers specialty services, such as piano moving, safe moving, and even car hauling.
We gave Brothers EZ Moving a medium reliability score because it only employs one driver per vehicle. This opens up the possibility for scheduling conflicts and delays if one of its employees can’t show up to work at the last minute for any reason.
One more selling point is its affordable pricing. The company quoted us only $922 to move a 3-bedroom home, which is a far cry from the city average of $1,640.
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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. Bull Moving: Best for Moving on a Budget
Bull Moving provides affordable moving services throughout St. Petersburg. It has numerous positive company reviews that highlight its hard-working team, efficient services, and excellent conduct. Complaints center around damages and poorly planned moves — but all of these were diligently addressed and replied to by the owner.
Bull Moving's service area spans Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, and Pasco County. Its moving services include local and long-distance moves for both residential and commercial clients. It also offers packing services and removals.
We gave Bull Moving a medium reliability rating, as it only has a one-to-one ratio of drivers to vehicles. This can lead to possible delays if there are missing workers on the day of the job.
We were given a quote of $1,425 to move a 3-bedroom home. This is a bit cheaper than the city’s average cost of $1,640 for such a move.
3. All About Moving Tampa Bay: Best for Long-Distance Moves
We recommend All About Moving Tampa Bay for St. Petersburg residents looking for expert long-distance moving services. Although it has only a few online ratings, the majority of them are positive. Previous clients commend the company for its efficient team, dedicated customer service, and top-notch services. The few negative company reviews — most of which are several years old — revolve around communication issues and mismanaged expectations.
All About Moving Tampa Bay offers services throughout the Tampa Bay area. It can handle local and long-distance moving for both residential and commercial needs. It also does labor-only jobs, including packing and loading services.
We gave it a high reliability score for having at least two drivers per vehicle it owns. This means it can handle almost any job promptly and with ease.
Next Steps: Compare Moving Companies in St. Petersburg
How Much Do Movers Cost in St. Petersburg?
Hiring a full-service moving company in St. Petersburg typically costs $383 for a studio apartment and $1,640 for a 3-bedroom home. A 5-bedroom home will cost about $2,834.
Of course, these are estimates. To know for sure how much your move will cost, contact a moving broker to get quotes based on your situation.
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.
Moving Companies in St. Petersburg to AVOID
Be wary of movers that provide a low quote that seems too good to be true. Victims of a recent moving company scam fell for deceptively low quotes provided by Andrey Shuklin of Miami, who was later sentenced to 78 months in prison for his role in the extortion scheme.
Unified Van Lines
Unified Van Lines was one of several that Andrey Shulkin used to defraud clients who trusted them to move their belongings. The company stole over $2.5 million from customers over a five-year period. Prosecutors said Shulkin and others falsely inflated the number of goods customers were shipping, then held their belongings hostage until the customers paid more.
How Far in Advance Should I Reach Out to a Mover in St. Petersburg?
If you're moving locally within St. Petersburg, 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 St. Petersburg,” 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
