This number will make or break your margins. Time to lock on like your company depends on it.
Profit per job isn't just another metric—it's the difference between running a charity and building a real business. And (yikes!) 54% of moving companies don't track it. 🤯
Do you track profit per job?
| Yes | No | |
| Best-in-class moving companies | 71% | 29% |
| Average moving companies | 46% | 54% |
Data from our 2025 State of Moving report.
Your gross profit per job should be 40% or higher. Not hitting that? You're not alone—but you're also leaving serious money on the table. Here’s how to fix it.
How much profit should you make on every job?
Most movers survive on slim margins, believing that's just how the industry works. Meanwhile, market dominators are tripling their take-home by doing one thing differently: obsessing over job profit.
Here's what that looks like:
Starting out (0-3 years)
Beating competitors out of the gate means pricing and staffing smarter than your peers.
🎯Target profit per job: 25-35%
⚠️Common pitfalls: Taking any job that comes in
💡Smart move: Start tracking costs on every job, in spreadsheets if you have to
Growing (3-5 years)
With tools like SmartMoving, this stage sees big jumps in quoting accuracy and labor control.
🎯Target profit per job: 35-45%
⚠️Common pitfalls: High-revenue jobs that actually lose money
💡Smart move: Set minimum profit thresholds for bookings
Established (5+ years)
Best-run operators with integrated systems consistently hit 50% gross profit per job.
🎯Target profit per job: 45-55%+
⚠️Common pitfalls: Inconsistent pricing (different reps = different quotes)
💡Smart move: Use automated pricing rules
More profit, even with more overhead?
Yes. Job profit should outpace your expenses—if you have good systems.
By the time companies hit $500K–$1M, the smart ones have:
✅ Standardized quoting
✅ Trained crews
✅ Dispatch systems
✅ Basic job costing
That’s when gross profit starts to climb—even with more overhead.
❓Job margins vs. company margin: If you're making 40% or more gross profit per job, what should your net profit be? Most think 7-10%, but here's the real answer.
5 ways to boost your profit per job
1. Know your true costs
Every job—whether it takes 1 hour or 10—needs a clear cost breakdown. The right moving software handles this automatically, tracking everything from drive time to credit card fees.
Don't guess. Track these on every job:
- Crew labor (including drive time)
- Fuel and truck expenses
- Packing materials
- Claims and valuation/insurance
- Marketing cost per lead
🚨Make sure to include sales commission in your job costs. It's easy to overlook, but every dollar makes a difference.
2. Price for profit, not volume
Copying competitors' rates is a race to the bottom. Smart movers build their pricing from the ground up, starting with real costs and adding healthy margins.
Track these in your pricing:
- Base rate = actual costs + margin
- Peak season premium (20-30% higher)
- Emergency/last-minute fees
- Distance-based fuel surcharges
- Heavy item/specialty fees
3. Book better jobs
Want more money on fewer jobs? One high-profit move beats 100 break-even jobs every time.
Target these high-profit moves:
- Local moves in upscale neighborhoods
- Mid-size homes (3-4 bedrooms)
- Customers who book additional services
- Short-distance full-service moves
4. Stop the profit leaks
Most moving companies bleed profit through tiny holes they don't even see. Getting serious about plugging these leaks can add 10-15% to your bottom line overnight. 📈
Here's what to watch for:
- Crews running over estimated hours
- Underestimating stairs/long carries
- Not charging for extra stops
- Missing valuation upsells
5. Track everything
Profit isn't about working harder—it's about working smarter. Top performers know their numbers like they know how to wrap a couch. Here's what they do:
- Respond to leads within 5-10 minutes
- Follow up at least 6 times within 2 weeks
- Track booking percentage, revenue per job, and marketing ROI daily
- Hold their sales teams accountable with clear metrics
The most profitable movers aren't just tracking numbers—they're using them to make better decisions every day.
Make every job count
Trusting your gut is great for making dinner plans. But not for stopping money leaks. The trick is to know what you're making on every. single. job.
Track it, improve it, scale it. 💪
