Lynn has more triple-deckers packed into it than almost any city on the North Shore, and that single fact changes what a move here actually costs compared to a single-family suburb twenty minutes up Route 1. Frank Moving has been pricing and running moves out of this city since 2011, and the question we hear most from people calling about a third-floor unit near Union Street or a two-bedroom out toward the Lynnway is the same one every time: what is this actually going to cost me? Here is the real breakdown, not a padded “estimate” that turns into a different number once the truck is parked outside.
Two Ways We Price a Lynn Move
Every move gets priced one of two ways, and which one applies depends on the job itself, not on whichever number happens to be bigger. Small moves, partial moves, and jobs where the load is hard to pin down ahead of time go hourly. Full home moves where we can walk the space, or work from real photos and a room list, go flat rate — so you know the number before the truck ever leaves our yard at 142 Broad St.
Hourly Rate, By Crew Size
| Crew Size | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 2 movers | $109/hr | Studio or small 1-bedroom, light load |
| 3 movers | $149/hr | 1-2 bedroom, average household |
| 4 movers | $189/hr | Larger 2-3 bedroom, or a tight timeline |
The clock covers loading, drive time between addresses, and unloading. It does not include padding for a crew standing around figuring out how to get a sectional around a triple-decker landing turn — Sean sizes that into the crew count ahead of time, so the movers we send already match the building.
Flat Rate, By Home Size
| Home Size | Flat Rate |
|---|---|
| Studio | $399 |
| 1 Bedroom | $799 |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,395 |
| 3+ Bedroom | $2,150 |
Flat rate means flat rate. If the crew runs into a jammed stairwell or a building elevator that’s out of service that day, that’s ours to solve — it does not become a line item on your invoice. A piano or organ is priced separately at a flat $399, and short-term storage between move-out and move-in runs $140 a month if your dates do not line up.
Why a Lynn-Based Crew Can Beat a Boston Price for the Same Job
A lot of the bigger names quoting Lynn jobs are based out of Boston, Somerville, or the Seaport, and that address shows up in your price whether you notice it or not. A downtown Boston lease, downtown parking and permitting costs, and a truck that has to cross the Tobin or fight Route 1A traffic just to get to your building before the clock even starts — all of that gets built into the hourly rate somewhere. Frank Moving stages out of 142 Broad St, in Lynn, for Lynn jobs. There’s no bridge toll or half hour of dead time baked into your invoice, and the crew already knows this housing stock because they’ve been working it for years, not guessing at it from a spreadsheet.
Lynn’s still a working city in the way it built its economy — GE’s River Works plant anchored generations of blue-collar households here, and that same practical, no-frills character is baked into how we run the business. We’re not pricing like a boutique outfit serving the Seaport; we’re pricing like a crew that grew up loading trucks a few blocks from the same triple-deckers we move people out of every week, whether that’s a walk-up near the MBTA Commuter Rail stop or a two-family off Washington Street downtown.
“I spent eight years on somebody else’s truck before I started this one, and the biggest thing I noticed was how much of the bill had nothing to do with the actual work. Being based here, in the city we work in, means the number we give you is mostly labor and time — not overhead that has nothing to do with your move.” — Frank Sullivan, owner
What Actually Moves the Number
Two moves with the same square footage can price out very differently. The variables that matter most:
- Stairs and access. A ground-floor unit and a third-floor triple-decker walk-up are not the same job, even at the same size. See our full breakdown on moving out of a Lynn triple-decker for what that actually involves.
- Piano and heavy items. Uprights, safes, gun cabinets, and gym equipment need dedicated handling. Details are on our piano and heavy-item moving page.
- Packing. Full-service packing adds time and materials but saves your back and your dishware. See full-pack service if you want us handling boxes top to bottom.
- Distance and timing. A local move across Lynn is priced differently than a run out to Worcester or Hartford, and weekend or last-minute bookings can affect crew availability.
We walk through all of this on the phone or in person before we give you a number — Frank himself still does a lot of the in-home walk-throughs on triple-deckers, because a flat quote is only fair if somebody actually looked at the stairs first.
Booking Your Move and the Deposit
A $100 deposit holds your date and crew size on the calendar. Marie handles scheduling out of the office, and Sean does the estimating and dispatching, so between the two of them your move date, your crew, and your truck are locked in well before moving week. The deposit comes off your final bill — it is not an extra fee. If your plans shift, call or email as early as you can so we can move things around before the week fills in.
Long-Distance Route Pricing
For moves out of Lynn to another city or state, pricing runs on distance, load size, and access at both ends. The ranges below are a starting point for a typical one-to-three-bedroom household — your actual number comes from a real conversation with Sean, not a table on a blog post.
| Destination | Approx. Drive Time | Typical 1–3BR Range |
|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | 20–30 min | $400 – $900 |
| Worcester, MA | ~1 hr | $700 – $1,600 |
| Providence, RI | ~1 hr 15 min | $750 – $1,700 |
| Manchester, NH | ~1 hr | $700 – $1,600 |
| Springfield, MA | ~1 hr 45 min | $900 – $2,000 |
| Hartford, CT | ~2 hrs | $950 – $2,100 |
| Portland, ME | ~2 hrs | $950 – $2,100 |
| Albany, NY | ~3 hrs | $1,200 – $2,600 |
| Burlington, VT | ~3.5 hrs | $1,300 – $2,800 |
| New York City, NY | ~4 hrs | $1,400 – $3,000 |
We’re licensed and insured in Massachusetts and carry our own DOT and interstate authority for the runs that cross state lines, so there’s no separate carrier involved and no handoff between companies — the crew that loads your truck in Lynn is the crew that unloads it at the other end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you charge extra for stairs in a triple-decker?
Not as a hidden fee. On flat-rate jobs, stairs and access are part of what gets walked and priced before we quote you. On hourly jobs, we simply send a crew size built for the building. Either way, you know what you’re paying for stairs before move day, not after.
Is the $100 deposit refundable?
It comes directly off your total bill, so you’re never paying it “on top of” your move cost. If you need to reschedule, reach out as soon as you know — we’ll do our best to shift your date and hold the deposit toward the new one.
Do you offer packing by the hour or as a flat add-on?
Both, depending on how much of your home you want packed. Talk to Sean about a full-pack quote or a partial pack for just the kitchen and closets — see full-pack service for details.
How far in advance should I book?
Two to four weeks out gives you the best pick of dates, especially for weekend slots in the busier summer months. We do take last-minute jobs when the calendar allows — call and ask.
Do you move pianos, safes, or gun cabinets?
Yes. Pianos are a flat $399, and other heavy or awkward items get quoted individually once we know the weight and the path out of the building. See piano and heavy-item moving.
Get Your Real Number
No inflated estimate, no bait-and-switch on move day — just a straight quote from a crew that’s priced Lynn’s triple-deckers for fifteen years. Tell us about your move and we’ll walk you through exactly what it costs.