In short
- Two Ottawa firms print labour-only rates: $119 an hour for 2 movers (3 h minimum) on one list, $140 an hour (4 h minimum) on another.
- Three movers run $165 to $175 an hour on the same two lists.
- The truck is yours. On both lists, tools, blankets and dollies are the customer's job, or an extra charge.
- A price over $50 needs a written contract in Ontario, and the final bill is capped at 10% above the estimate.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 movers, labour only | from $119/h | One Ottawa firm’s list; 3 movers from $165/h; 3 h minimum (2 h work plus 1 h travel); truck not included |
| 2 movers, labour only | $140/h | A second Ottawa firm; 3 h of work plus 1 h travel, 4 h minimum |
| 3 movers, labour only | $175/h | Same second firm; 4 h of work plus 1 h travel, 5 h minimum |
| Minimum charge, 2 movers, labour only | $357 to $560 + HST | The two lists above multiplied out: 3 h at $119 on one, 4 h at $140 on the other |
Sources. ottawabestmovers.ca, Prices, seen 29.10.2026. Move-Ottawa Movers, Our Prices, seen 29.10.2026. Move-Ottawa Movers, Labor Only Moving Help, seen 29.10.2026. Men In Trucks, Labour Only Movers Ottawa, seen 29.10.2026. Ontario.ca, Hiring a mover, seen 29.10.2026. All rates are before HST; the company that calls sets its own.
When labour only fits
You have a truck, a trailer, a POD or a storage unit, and you want strong hands for the lifting.
When you have no vehicle, or you want furniture padded and wrapped, the job is a full move. See local moving for that service and apartment moving for buildings with elevators.
What the crew brings and what you bring
One Ottawa firm states it plainly: with labour-only help, the movers do not carry professional equipment, and the customer arranges tools, blankets and dollies. A second firm says the same and offers the equipment at an extra cost, if you ask when booking. Neither price includes a truck.
That makes preparation part of the price. A dolly saves a trip on every stack of boxes, and straps keep a fridge from shifting.
How the hours are counted
The two published lists use the same structure with different numbers. The first lists labour at $119 an hour for 2 movers and $165 for 3, with a 3-hour minimum made of 2 hours of work and 1 hour of travel. The second lists $140 for 2 movers (3 hours of work, 1 hour of travel, 4 hours minimum) and $175 for 3 (4 hours plus 1, minimum 5). Both say rates are before HST.
The minimum charge for 2 movers multiplies out to $357 on the first list (3 hours at $119) and $560 on the second (4 hours at $140). Quotes only compare when they show the same crew, the same travel rule and the same minimum, as the moving quote checklist spells out. Crew-by-crew rates for full moves are on movers’ hourly rates.
What adds hours
- Stairs and long carries to the truck.
- Waiting for an elevator booked for a different time.
- Heavy items nobody mentioned: a piano (piano moving) or a safe.
Who is responsible for the load
Ontario’s advice for hiring any mover is to ask about insurance, including whether it covers things you packed yourself, and to check your home insurance. The truck belongs to the rental company. Ask whose insurance applies to a dropped dresser and write the answer into the contract. The full list of questions is on moving insurance and valuation.
Contract, deposit and the 10% rule
Above $50, Ontario wants the contract written, with each price, the total, the dates and the payment terms. The bill can pass the contract estimate by 10% at most, unless you ask for more work. Your rights by signing method are on moving contracts in Ontario.
Booking around Ottawa dates
OttawaBestMovers.ca prints the same date rule for labour-only as for full moves: special prices between the 5th and the 25th, possible changes at month-end, on weekends and in high season. If the date is flexible, ask what the rate is on a weekday in that window. Date notes are on July 1 moving day.
Who sends the labour
One independent mover gets your labour-only request from Ottawa Moving Desk. It asks what is being lifted, picks the crew size and sets the rate. Add boxes to the message if you want them packed too; see packing services.
Questions to ask the company
- Is the hour of travel billed once, or at both ends of the job?
- What is the minimum, and does it count travel?
- Can your crew bring dollies, straps and blankets, and what does that add?
- Does your insurance cover my truck's load while your crew loads it?
- What happens to the clock if the elevator or the rental truck is late?
Have this ready for the call
- The rental truck, POD or trailer booked for the exact start time, with the ramp or lift side known
- A count of heavy items: appliances, safes, sectionals, mattresses
- Stairs at each address, the elevator booking and the length of the carry to the truck
- Dollies, straps and blankets, or a note asking the company to bring them
- Boxes closed and labelled, so the crew spends the clock lifting
Questions people ask
What does labour-only moving help include?
The crew lifts, carries and stacks. You supply the vehicle: a rental truck, trailer, POD or storage unit. Two Ottawa firms add that the movers arrive without professional equipment, so tools, blankets and dollies are yours to arrange or to buy from the company at an extra charge.
Can the crew load a POD or a U-Haul?
Yes, this is a common request. One Ottawa firm names POD loading and U-Haul loading help as separate bookings, depending on availability and scope. Containers shift in transit, so the load has to be tight and balanced. Give the container size and delivery window in the request.
How many movers do I need for labour only?
Two cover a one-bedroom or a short carry. Three suit a house or a second-floor flat with a long carry, and the two published lists price a third mover at $165 to $175 an hour. Describe stairs and heavy items, and the company that calls will recommend a crew size for the job.
Why is there a travel hour on a labour-only job?
Both published lists charge travel for the crew to reach the job and return, one hour for local moves, and both state it up front. One list states the minimum as 2 hours of work plus 1 hour of travel, the other as 3 plus 1. Ask whether the travel hour is flat or counted by distance.
What happens to the clock if the truck or the elevator is late?
On an hourly job, waiting is usually time on the clock, and both published lists charge by the hour with a minimum. Ask the company whether it bills waiting time and when the clock starts. One Ottawa firm’s guide says stairs, long carries and elevator delays add time. Book the elevator and the vehicle for the same start time.
