When you're comparing removalists, you'll usually see two pricing models: hourly rate, or a fixed quote. Both are legitimate, but they work differently, and it's worth knowing why before you book.
Fixed price
A fixed price is agreed upfront, usually after a phone call or an in-home assessment. The advantage is certainty, you know the number before moving day. The trade-off is that the mover has to price in some buffer for the unexpected, since they're taking on the risk if the job runs long. That buffer is baked into the number whether your move needs it or not.
Hourly rate
An hourly rate means you pay for the time the job actually takes. If your move goes smoothly and finishes early, you pay less. If it runs longer than expected, say a lift breaks down or there's more to pack than planned, you pay for that extra time rather than the mover absorbing a loss or the price being padded to cover it either way.
The trade-off is less certainty about the exact final number, which is why a good estimate range matters. We quote $120/hour with a 2 hour minimum, and give you a real low-to-high range based on your actual move, not a single number pulled from thin air.
Why we quote hourly
We think it's the fairer model for most household moves. You're not paying for a worst-case buffer you might never need, and you can see exactly what's driving the price, base hours for your property size, access at both ends, and any extras. See our pricing page for worked examples, or get your own estimate.