Residential
Apartments, independent houses and high-rise buildings, using the lift or stairs. Tell us the floor, lift size and the largest item.
Loading and Unloading Services in India
Labour to load your own truck, unload at your new home, or handle both ends of a move. Tell us what is being moved, how many floors and how far the truck can park, and you get a written quote for the actual job.
- Loading only, unloading only or both ends
- Works with your own truck
- Joint count at handover
What Loading and Unloading Covers
Loading is carrying goods from your home or office to the vehicle and placing them so they don't shift on the road. Unloading is the reverse: taking them off the vehicle and carrying them to the rooms you choose. Both look simple, but they involve the heaviest lifting of a move, often on stairs, in narrow corridors and within building time slots, so the access and crew need planning.
Good loading puts heavy, stable items low and fragile cartons where nothing heavy rests on them. Good unloading checks that everything has arrived, then places each item where it belongs instead of leaving it in a heap at the door.
Loading Only, Unloading Only, Both Ends or Full Move
Pick the scope that matches what you have already arranged. Labour-only work does not include the vehicle, transport or packing unless you add them.
| Scope | What the crew does | What you arrange |
|---|---|---|
| Loading only | Carries your packed goods to the vehicle and loads them | The vehicle and driver, packing (unless added), and unloading at the other end |
| Unloading only | Unloads at your new address and carries goods to the agreed rooms | Packing, loading and transport, plus the vehicle's arrival time |
| Both ends | Loading at the first address and unloading at the second | The vehicle and transport. The crew at each end may differ. |
| Full move | Packing, loading, transport, unloading and any agreed unpacking | Society permissions and your valuables. See house shifting services. |
Confirm the agreed rooms for placement and whether reassembly and packing material removal are included in your booking. If you also need packing, see packing and unpacking services.
Loading and Unloading Charges: Market Budget Guide
These ranges are based on rates publicly listed by moving companies in October 2026. They are a budgeting guide only, not ALPM's confirmed rates. They cover labour only, with no vehicle or transport. Your quote depends on the actual goods, floors, carry distance and timing.
| Home size | Loading only | Unloading only | Both ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BHK | ₹1,500 – ₹2,500 | ₹1,200 – ₹2,200 | ₹2,500 – ₹4,500 |
| 2 BHK | ₹2,500 – ₹4,000 | ₹2,200 – ₹3,500 | ₹4,000 – ₹7,000 |
| 3 BHK | ₹4,000 – ₹6,500 | ₹3,500 – ₹5,500 | ₹6,500 – ₹11,000 |
| Larger homes and offices | Assessed quote | Assessed quote | Assessed quote |
Some movers also list hourly labour, typically around ₹300–₹500 per worker per hour with a minimum of two workers. Small jobs with only a few items are sometimes priced from around ₹1,200.
Hourly rate or total job price?
- Per worker per hour: you pay for each worker for each hour, usually with a minimum number of workers or hours. Check what happens if the job runs over.
- Total job price: one figure for the agreed scope. Check what it assumes: number of items, floors, lift use, carry distance and time.
- Waiting time: if the crew is ready but the vehicle is late, ask how waiting is charged before you book.
- Travel: ask whether the crew's travel to the address, or between two addresses, is included.
- Equipment: ask what equipment the price includes for your job.
- No double counting: if your moving package already includes loading and unloading, don't book separate labour for the same work.
A worked example
This is an illustration only, not a recommended crew size or a set rate. Four workers for two hours at ₹400 per worker per hour comes to 4 × 2 × ₹400 = ₹3,200, before any agreed extras and applicable taxes. The crew size for your job depends on the heaviest items and the access, and is agreed in the quote.
Job Sheet: Details for Both Addresses
A short job sheet makes access, timing and handover easier to coordinate. Share these details when you enquire.
| Detail | Loading address | Unloading address |
|---|---|---|
| Goods | Number of packed cartons and loose items, all numbered | The same list, to check against |
| Heaviest item | Name and rough size, e.g. a double-door fridge or a sofa | Whether it fits the door, lift or staircase |
| Route | Floor, lift size, stairs, narrow turns | Floor, lift size, stairs, narrow turns |
| Truck parking | Where it can park, and how far goods must be carried | Where it can park, and how far goods must be carried |
| Permitted time | Society or building slot for moving goods | Society or building slot for moving goods |
| Contacts | The person present and the driver's number | The receiver's name and phone |
| Securing and handover | Who secures the load in the vehicle, and the count signed at departure | The count checked and signed at arrival |
Using Your Own Truck: Timing Both Ends
- Confirm the vehicle first. Book the crew for a time when the truck is confirmed to be at the address, empty and ready to load.
- Check vehicle size. Make sure the truck can take your goods in one trip. Share the inventory with the operator so vehicle capacity and any further trip can be planned before the crew arrives.
- The destination crew is confirmed separately. For an intercity move, do not assume the loading crew travels with the truck. Agree destination availability and the expected arrival window in advance, then reconfirm when the driver has an updated arrival time.
- Agree waiting terms. If the vehicle may be late, agree in the quote how waiting time is handled.
- Who secures the load: agree whether the crew or the driver ties down the load, and who checks it before departure.
Before Lifting: Checking Cartons and Furniture
If you packed yourself, the crew checks cartons before lifting. A weak base, an open top or a leak can mean the carton fails while being carried.
- Weak, open or overloaded cartons are pointed out before lifting. Arrange suitable repacking or reinforcement before handling; tape alone may not support a weak or overloaded base. Confirm who supplies any extra materials.
- Leaking items, such as bottles or liquids, are identified before handling. Check safe, lawful acceptance and suitable containment; do not load a leaking package.
- Existing marks and repairs on furniture and appliances are noted before handling, so the record reflects their condition at the start.
The crew handles the outside of your cartons. They cannot verify contents they did not pack. Noting condition protects both you and the crew; it does not remove responsibility for the handling work agreed in the quote.
Step-by-Step Loading Process
01 Pre-loading check
The crew walks the route from your door to the vehicle, checks carton labels and the item count, and plans the order: heavy and sturdy items first, fragile cartons later.
02 Stacking with care
The crew and vehicle operator agree positions that support the load and distribute weight safely for that vehicle. Heavy, stable items are kept low where suitable. Fragile cartons sit where nothing heavy rests on them, and gaps are filled so goods cannot slide.
03 Securing the load
Goods are tied down with straps or ropes where the vehicle has tie-down points, as agreed. Before the vehicle leaves, the count is checked and signed by you and the crew.
Unloading and Handover
Count and check on arrival
The receiver and crew use the numbered list as goods come off the vehicle, noting visible carton or item damage when it is found. Complete the count after unloading before signing the handover. Report anything missing or damaged straight away, and keep photos and the signed list.
Placement
Goods are carried to the rooms you choose, using the route agreed for the building. Tell the crew where large furniture goes so it is placed once, not moved twice.
Reassembly and packing material
Confirm the reassembly and packing material removal included in your booking. If you need more work, agree it before the move.
What We Handle and What Needs Separate Assessment
Office and Commercial
Office furniture, cartons, files and workstations. Your IT team or technician handles data backup, disconnection and reconnection. The crew moves the equipment physically. See office relocation.
Warehouse Goods
Ordinary cartons and packed goods are assessed by quantity and access.
Heavy and Special Items
Machinery, pianos, safes and unusually heavy or large items need a separate assessment. They may need specialist equipment or handlers, arranged where available.
Equipment and Protection
Equipment is chosen for each job at the time of the quote. Depending on the goods and access, it may include:
- Trolleys and hand trucks for appliances and heavy cartons
- Furniture sliders and lifting straps
- Quilted blankets to protect furniture in the vehicle
- Ramps, where the vehicle and ground allow
- Ropes or straps for tying down the load
Protection during handling
- Corners: edge guards for glass tops, mirrors and furniture corners.
- Surfaces: blankets or soft wraps on polished furniture.
- Screens: carried upright in their box, or a padded carton, with nothing pressing on the panel.
- Weather: film and wrapping keep dust off but are not waterproof. Agree suitable shelter and weather protection for exposed carry paths before goods are moved; wrapping alone does not make rain exposure safe.
For cover during transit, see transit insurance.
What Affects Loading and Unloading Charges
Floor level and lift
Stairs take more time and more workers than a lift. If a packed item will not fit the lift, the staircase and other safe options need assessment before booking.
Amount and weight of goods
The number of cartons and items, and especially the heaviest pieces, set the crew size and time.
Carry distance
If the truck parks far from the door, every item has to be carried further.
Timing and waiting
Society time slots, a late vehicle or a night job can change the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does loading usually take?
As a rough guide, loading a packed 2–3 BHK home takes about 3–6 hours. It depends on the amount of goods, the floor, lift access and how far the truck is parked. That is loading time only, not the full move.
Can I hire movers only for labour?
Yes. You can book labour only for loading, unloading or both ends, using a truck you have arranged yourself. The vehicle, transport and packing are your arrangements unless you add them to the quote.
Is equipment like trolleys included?
The equipment for your job is agreed in the quote. It may include trolleys, straps, sliders and blankets. Tell us about heavy items and access so the right equipment is planned.
How can I reduce loading time?
Have everything packed, numbered and labelled before the crew arrives. Clear the route from the door to the vehicle, book the society's goods slot, and make sure the truck can park as close as possible.
Can I book unloading only at my destination?
Yes. Share the expected arrival time, the receiver's contact, the floor and lift details, and the item count. Ask for crew availability and an agreed window in advance, then reconfirm the time from the vehicle’s latest arrival update.
Are loading and unloading charged per hour or per job?
It can be either. An hourly rate is per worker per hour, usually with a minimum number of workers or hours. A job price is one figure for the agreed scope. Check what each assumes about time, floors and waiting.
Is there an extra charge if there is no lift?
Stair carrying can affect the quote because the work and access differ. Share the floor and lift details when you enquire and check whether the agreed price already includes that carry.
Will the crew load cartons I packed myself?
Yes. Weak, open or leaking cartons are pointed out before lifting so they can be fixed first. The crew handles the outside of the cartons and cannot verify contents they did not pack.
What happens if something is missing or damaged at unloading?
Check the count and look for visible damage with the crew before signing. Note any problem on the list, take photos and report it straight away. The signed list from loading and unloading supports any later report.
Do you handle pianos, safes or machinery?
These need a separate assessment before booking. Depending on the item and the access, they may need specialist equipment or handlers, arranged where available.