How Moore Movers' Zone Pricing Works

Moving quotes are confusing. You call three companies, get three different numbers, and have no idea why they're different. Here's exactly how our pricing works.

Columbus Is Split Into 6 Zones

We divide the Columbus metro area into 6 zones based on distance from the urban core. Zone 1 covers downtown, Short North, and the near east and west sides (43201, 43203, 43205, 43206, etc.). Zone 6 covers the outer suburbs — places like Westerville, Lewis Center, and parts of Reynoldsburg that push up against the county line.

The further the zone number, the higher the hourly rate. This reflects actual driving time and fuel — a crew leaving our home base for a Zone 6 pickup spends more time on the road before a single box is touched.

Your Rate Is Based on Both Addresses

Here's where most moving companies oversimplify: they charge a flat rate based on the pickup zip code only. We don't do that.

We use a split-rate system. Loading hours are billed at your pickup zone rate. Unloading hours are billed at your dropoff zone rate. The split is roughly 60/40 — most of the work (loading) happens at the origin, and unloading is typically faster.

Example: You're moving from Grandview (Zone 2) to Westerville (Zone 4). You'd pay 60% of your hours at the Zone 2 rate and 40% at the Zone 4 rate. This is fairer than charging Zone 4 for the entire job, and it's exactly what we do.

Weekday vs. Weekend Rates

Friday through Sunday is our peak window. Weekend rates are higher across all zones. If your move is flexible, Tuesday through Thursday will save you money — sometimes meaningfully for larger jobs.

What's Included in the Rate

Every move includes two movers, a truck, moving blankets, basic furniture disassembly and reassembly, and fuel. We don't charge travel fees within Columbus. There's no fuel surcharge, no stair fee, no elevator fee. The hourly rate is the rate.

Add-ons that cost extra: packing labor, packing materials, additional crew members (available for large homes), and specialty items like pianos or gun safes that require special equipment.

Minimum Hours

We have a 2-hour minimum on all jobs. Studio and 1-bedroom apartments typically finish in 2–3 hours. Two-bedroom apartments run 3–5 hours. Three-bedroom homes are usually 5–7 hours depending on how packed they are and how many flights of stairs are involved.

How to Get an Accurate Quote

Use the pricing page to look up your zones by zip code. If you're booking online, enter both addresses and the system calculates your rate automatically. If something looks off or you have a complicated situation (two pickups, storage unit stops, heavy specialty items), call us directly and we'll work through it with you.

No pressure, no bait-and-switch. What you see in the quote is what you pay.

Ready to get a number? Book online or use the zone map on the pricing page to check your rate before you commit to anything.