Cost to move
How much it costs to move a refrigerator
Reviews that mention a refrigerator show the price of the whole move, not a line for the appliance itself. Haulest is not a carrier; we publish what reviewers paid so you can compare a fridge move with the rest of the file.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 2026-09-24
What moves with a refrigerator cost
It is not a fee to haul the refrigerator alone.
The figure is a whole move. In 214 reviews from 193 movers, dated 2009 through 21 Sept 2026, the median price of moves that mention a refrigerator is $3,699, based on 209 priced reviews. That is the total the household paid, next to a file median of $3,255 across 24,086 priced reviews on moving cost. It is not a fee to haul the refrigerator alone. If that median is not published, too few priced reviews were available.
A total is not an item price. Our review file prices the move as a whole. People mention a refrigerator inside that story, so the dollar figure sits beside the rest of the job: distance, home size, stairs, and other goods. A table by home size follows this section and is not repeated here. Read a moving estimate the same way, as one bill, not a catalog of piece rates.
Whole-move price in reviews that mention a refrigerator, against all reviews. Dated reviews from 2009 to 21 Sept 2026. A median needs 35 priced reviews overall, or 10 in a size row.
| Moves that mention a refrigerator | All moves | |
|---|---|---|
| Median whole-move price | $3,699 (209 priced) | $3,255 (24,086 priced) |
| Middle half | $960 to $7,890 | |
| Between states | 48.1% | |
| Mentions damage | 78.5% | 35.4% |
| One or two stars | 82.2% | |
| Mean rating | 1.72 | 3.08 |
Source: Haulest review file, 21 Sept 2026 (whole-move prices, self-reported).
Same comparison by home size. Rows with fewer than 10 priced reviews show the count only.
| Home size | Mentions a refrigerator | All moves |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 3 priced | $2,000 (605) |
| 1 bedroom | $3,600 (12) | $2,150 (3,231) |
| 2 bedroom | $4,520 (31) | $3,764 (6,535) |
| 3 bedroom | $4,500 (45) | $5,000 (4,703) |
| 4 bedroom | $4,775 (30) | $6,215 (1,618) |
Source: Haulest review file, 21 Sept 2026 (whole-move prices, self-reported).
Why these reviews run negative
That selection effect is why these reviews run more negative than the file as a whole.
Damage shows up more often here. 78.5% of reviews that mention a refrigerator mention damage, against 35.4% of all reviews. 82.2% of these reviews are one or two stars. The mean rating is 1.72, against 3.08 for the file as a whole. 48.1% of the refrigerator mentions describe a move between states. The gap is in the reviews that chose to name the appliance.
People name the thing that went wrong. Reviewers often mention a refrigerator because something happened to it. That selection effect is why these reviews run more negative than the file as a whole. The complaints tend to be about damage, the rating, and how the whole move was handled, not a separate refrigerator tariff. Naming the appliance is not the same as blaming the appliance.
Recent reviews
What reviewers said about a refrigerator
1 of 5 · 6 Aug 2026 · reported $7,052
“run Run RUN....this has been the worst experience move I have had since I started moving around for work in 2012. This is not by far the longest I have gone. The initial person Jaime on the phone was great and very personable. Then I had to start dealing with the "owner" as he stated. He was rude…”
1 of 5 · 1 Aug 2026 · reported $9,762
“I was assigned this mover through iMoving, a moving broker, and boy, am I sorry I went with them. I was told by the broker that I would receive professional packing and unpacking for my move. I didn't receive either! My move was supposed to take place over two days, one to pack and the second to…”
1 of 5 · 31 Jul 2026 · reported $19,000
“We chose JK Moving because of its reputation for quality and care, which makes our experience all the more disappointing. Our belongings were loaded in Chantilly, VA, on May 30. The moving truck arrived already more than one-third full with another customer’s shipment. About five hours into…”
How to get it priced right
A mover must offer full value protection.
Put the refrigerator on the inventory. Name it on the written inventory and on the written estimate, including a water line if it has one. Ask whether stairs, long carries, or extra handling change the price, and whether doors or handles come off so the unit fits. Use the inventory calculator before you book, and check accessorial charges for stairs and other add-ons.
Ask for the valuation in writing. On an interstate move the default liability is released value, 60 cents per pound per article, unless you buy full value protection. A mover must offer full value protection. Get that choice on the written estimate before load day so the refrigerator is a named item with a named liability, not a line you discover after the truck leaves.
When to call a specialist
A general mover is enough once the lines are already handled and the path is clear.
A general mover can carry it. Most of this job is an upright ride on an appliance dolly after you empty, defrost, and dry the refrigerator, and disconnect the water line if it has one. Ask how the crew will protect the floors. Doors and handles sometimes come off so the unit fits a doorway. The fridge rides with the rest of the load, which is the closest it gets to a parade. See the heavy items guide.
Call a specialist for the lines. Many movers will not disconnect water or gas lines. That job may need a plumber or the building, not a second moving company. Book that work before moving day so the refrigerator is empty, dry, and ready for the dolly. A general mover is enough once the lines are already handled and the path is clear.
From the review file
Movers whose reviews mention a refrigerator
How this list was made. Active FMCSA household-goods authority, at least 10 reviews on record, and at least two held reviews that mention a refrigerator. Sorted by review volume, not rating. A mention is not an endorsement: read the reviews. Sorted by how many matching reviews each mover has, not by rating. Corpus as of 21 Sept 2026. Not a ranking and not a recommendation.
| Mover | Based | Record | Matching reviews | All reviews | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daryl Flood Moving & Storage | Coppell, TX | Broker and carrierUSDOT 125563 | 4 | 243.3 mean, dated | 25 Oct 2022 |
| ABC Moving Systems Inc | Skokie, IL | CarrierUSDOT 2437030 | 2 | 202.2 mean, dated | 30 Mar 2021 |
| Interstate Direct Movers LLC | Des Plaines, IL | CarrierUSDOT 3560320 | 2 | 174.5 mean, dated | 22 Oct 2025 |
| Motivated Movers | Millbrook, AL | CarrierUSDOT 2083342 | 2 | 123.1 mean, dated | 16 Sept 2021 |
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 21 Sept 2026; FMCSA Licensing and Insurance, household-goods authority (record column).
Before you hire
Four checks before a deposit
Written estimate after a look
Interstate movers must give the booklet and a written estimate after a survey or a full description. A $499 ad is not an estimate.
FMCSA Protect Your MoveLegal name matches SAFER
USDOT on the paper, the truck doors, and the census. A different name is the walk.
USDOT / Companies House lookupWalk from cash and blank paper
FTC: unregistered interstate, huge deposit, cash only, or a blank contract. Photograph and leave.
FTC: hiring a mover110% on a COD non-binding job
Pay up to 110% plus agreed extras and they must hand over the load. Not a cap on extras you signed.
US interstate rules
Reviewed by Anthony Bale, 24 Sep 2026. Corpus as of 21 Sept 2026. Drafted with grok-4.7-medium via cursor-agent on 2026-09-24, then edited. Haulest is not a carrier.
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- What does a refrigerator figure on this page mean?
- It is the whole move a reviewer paid, in a review that mentions a refrigerator. The median is $3,699 across 209 priced reviews, set next to a file median of $3,255 across 24,086 priced reviews. It is not a fee to move the refrigerator by itself.
- Why do these reviews look more negative?
- 78.5% of reviews that mention a refrigerator mention damage, against 35.4% of all reviews, and 82.2% are one or two stars. The mean rating is 1.72, against 3.08 for all reviews. People often name the item because something happened to it, which is why this slice runs more negative than the file.
- What should I do before moving day?
- Empty, defrost, and dry the refrigerator, and disconnect the water line if it has one. Many movers will not disconnect water or gas lines, so a plumber or the building may need to do that. Ask the crew how they will protect the floors, and whether doors or handles need to come off.
- How does valuation work on an interstate move?
- The default liability is released value, 60 cents per pound per article, unless you buy full value protection. A mover must offer full value protection. Ask for the valuation in writing, and name the refrigerator on the inventory and the written estimate.
- When is a general mover enough?
- A general mover can carry the refrigerator upright on an appliance dolly once it is empty, dry, and clear of its supply lines. Call a plumber or the building when water or gas must be disconnected and the mover will not do it. 48.1% of reviews that mention a refrigerator describe a move between states, and that price is still the whole move.
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About Anthony Bale
A moving industry professional, author and writer. Anthony has been at different positions in the industry for the last 10 years, gaining significant knowledge on the relocation process. He himself has moved 6 times already, which helped him explore the other side of the moving process.
At Haulest he writes the US cost, hiring, and rights pages, reading the licensed review file every week so the numbers on the page are the numbers people reported.
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