Packing services: materials, labor, and fragile-item charges

Packing quotes hide their differences in the word “packing.” One provider may mean labor to fill boxes you bought; another may supply cartons, label every room, wrap art, and unpack at destination. Define the service by outputs: number and type of boxes, fragile items, labeling system, material responsibility, and disposal of used cartons. (Local Moving Labor | U-Haul; Moving Help Rates & Services | Chicago Pack & Move)

U-Haul’s Moving Help marketplace lists packing and unpacking alongside loading, heavy furniture, and specialty moves. It says the customer selects the service, crew, and hours. A live provider page shows why you must ask about supplies: that provider lists a labor rate and states its helpers do not provide a truck or supplies. Treat that rate as a local example only. (Local Moving Labor | U-Haul)

Separate “pack” from “protect.” Clothes and books may be straightforward; dishes, mirrors, electronics, artwork, and grandfather clocks need different materials and a documented condition check. Ask whether the provider will pack items you identify as fragile, whether you approve the box count, and who owns the claim if a customer-packed box is damaged.

Price unpacking independently. It may be a second labor visit after the truck arrives, with parking and scheduling costs. If the move is interstate, have the carrier identify whether professional packing changes valuation treatment and record any exclusions.

Packing bid scorecard

Question	Bid 1	Bid 2
Rooms and items included
Crew and minimum hours
Boxes, paper, tape, specialty crates
Labeling and inventory
Fragile-only or full-pack scope
Unpacking and carton removal
Damage documentation and claims contact

Ask each bidder to price “materials supplied by customer” and “materials supplied by provider” as separate options. That reveals whether a cheap labor number simply shifts the box purchase to you. Count specialty cartons and wardrobe boxes rather than accepting an uncapped materials allowance.

On move day, photograph high-value items before wrapping, keep receipts for materials, and retain a box inventory. Do not pack hazardous or prohibited materials without the carrier’s written direction. The best quote is the one that states what happens to unfinished rooms, unused materials, and boxes that must be repacked.

Scope detail to confirm

Ask for a sample label and inventory format before work begins. A box marked “kitchen” is less useful than “kitchen—upper cabinet—glassware,” especially if a second crew unloads it. Establish whether the crew can stop at a chosen spending limit and what happens to partially packed rooms. For art, computers, and documents, record serial numbers and condition before wrapping. A materials allowance should be a cap that requires approval, with receipts for specialty cartons. This makes an hourly packing quote auditable after the truck leaves.

Sources used

Local Moving Labor | U-Haul and Moving Help Rates & Services | Chicago Pack & Move.