“When It Comes To Moving, We Don't Monkey Around!”Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM · Same-week availability · 619.600.5000
Your truck, our backs

Loading & Unloading Help San Diego

Driving the truck yourself or shipping a container? Hire the labor without the truck. Gorilla Movers sends the same trained, uniformed crews from our full-service moves to load or unload whatever you have rented.

4.8 ★Google · 344 reviews
A+BBB Accredited
Since 200825,120+ moves
LicensedCAL T-192729 | USDOT 3801918
The short version

Gorilla Movers provides labor-only loading and unloading across San Diego: you rent the truck, trailer, or container and we send the same trained, uniformed crews from our full-service moves to load or unload it. Loading is the part that decides whether your things survive the freeway, so it is done in tiers, tied off, and padded rather than stacked. It is the right call when you are driving yourself or shipping a container and only need the heavy part handled. Hourly. Call 619-600-5000.

Labor-only moving help across San Diego

We load and unload rental trucks from U-Haul, Penske, and Budget, portable containers like PODS, U-Box, and 1-800-PACK-RAT, freight trailers from U-Pack, plus storage units and garages. You handle the equipment rental, we handle everything heavy.

Crews arrive with dollies, straps, and tools, and every mover is a background-checked Gorilla Movers employee, never day labor pulled from an app that morning. We have loaded for more than 25,120 moves since 2008, so your container is not anyone's practice run.

Mover carefully handling a package during loading

Loading that survives the freeway

Most DIY move damage happens in transit, and it traces back to how the truck was loaded. We build tight vertical tiers, put weight low and over the axles, blanket-wrap furniture, and strap off sections every few feet so nothing shifts on the grade out of San Diego.

Containers get packed wall-tight because a POD does not just ride a highway, it gets lifted onto and off a delivery truck. If you are renting a one-way truck, ask us how many moving blankets to reserve: it is the cheapest damage prevention money buys.

When labor-only is the right call

You are driving a rental truck yourself to save money on a long-distance move
A POD or container is sitting in your driveway and the deadline is real
A military PCS or DITY move where you control the transport
You just arrived in San Diego and need a truck or container unloaded fast
A storage unit needs to be loaded so everything actually fits
Heavy furniture needs rearranging inside a home, no truck involved

Booking a crew and what to expect

Tell us what you are loading, the size of the home, and the stairs involved, and we will size the crew, usually two to four movers, and give you an honest hourly estimate. On service day you get a live-tracking text so you know exactly when the crew lands. If your container delivery window is squishy, tell us: we schedule with enough flex to absorb it.

How it works

Four steps to settled in.

1

Tell us the basics

30-second form or one call. A real quote lands within one business hour.

2

Lock your date

Crew, truck, and arrival window confirmed. Optional text reminders.

3

We do the lifting

Wrap, pack, load, transport. Protected and live-tracked at every step.

4

Settle in happy

Placed, reassembled, debris gone. You just live there now.

Pricing

What does it cost? Straight answers.

Get an exact quote
Labor-only help is billed hourly by crew size with a minimum, and travel fuel is charged and itemized up front. Estimates are non-binding unless confirmed with a free on-site survey.
FAQ

Loading/Unloading questions, answered.

How many movers do I need?
Two movers handle most studios and one bedrooms. Larger homes, stairs, or heavy furniture push the answer to three or four, and a bigger crew for fewer hours often costs about the same while finishing much faster.
Do you bring equipment?
Yes: dollies, straps, and tools come with the crew. Moving blankets for a rental truck or container are rented or purchased with your equipment, and we will tell you how many to get for your load size.
Can you load or unload at a storage facility?
Yes. We work at storage facilities, loading docks, and container yards all over San Diego County, and we pack units so the back row is still reachable when you come looking for the holiday boxes.
What if my POD shows up late?
It happens. Container delivery windows slip, so we build flexibility into labor bookings and keep communication open on the day. Call as soon as your window changes and we adjust.
Who covers my belongings once I drive away?
In a vehicle or container you arrange, transit coverage typically comes from your rental or container company's protection plan. That is exactly why we load like the truck is crossing a mountain pass, because it might be.
Can I book a crew this week?
Often yes. Labor-only jobs are easier to slot in than full moves, so short-notice load or unload help is realistic. Call 619-600-5000 with your date and window and we will check the schedule.
How soon can you send a loading or unloading crew?
Labor-only jobs are some of the easiest to fit in fast, often within the same week and sometimes the same day when a crew is free. Give us the address, the stairs or elevator, and roughly how much there is, and we will tell you the soonest we can come.
How much does loading or unloading labor cost?
Labor-only work is priced hourly by crew size with a four-hour minimum, and there is no truck charge since you supply the truck, POD, or trailer. We do not quote teaser rates; you get a written quote with the crew, hours, and total itemized.
Reviews

San Diego keeps calling us back. 4.8★ across 344 Google reviews.

★★★★★

“Gorilla movers did a fantastic job moving my mother in Oceanside. Raul was incredible. From the moment he arrived, he was very strategic in how he would complete the job. I had doubts with all of the stuff we had but trusted his knowledge and experience and he exceeded our expectations! They take care of your items, asked a lot of questions and consistently checked in on if there was anything else they could help with. Raul, not sure if we could have done this move without you!! Thank you so much and than you Gorilla movers!! -Jackie, Marty, and Liz”

J
Jackie SprongGoogle
★★★★★

“Alex and the crew were very professional and took great care of our stuff. We booked on short notice and they were accommodating and communicated throughout the move. They even helped move some of the boxes of stuff from our garage to the appropriate rooms as we had a little extra time.”

T
Taylor BasharaGoogle
★★★★★

“We used Gorilla Movers 7 years ago and they did an excellent job. So we hired them again for our current move and they worked so hard. This time we were moving our belongings into pods and the perfectly wrapped our furniture for a long move. They also perfectly packed the pods so we could fit all of our belongings. I highly recommend this moving company.”

V
Veronica GiamancoGoogle
★★★★★

“100% excellent customer service and professional movers. They have a great attitudes. They handled glass, large art and some heavy furniture,,, everything with care in two different moves. Plus their rates are fair. You won’t go wrong.”

B
Bruce McAlesterGoogle
★★★★★

“Genuinely honest and hardworking people at this company. You couldn't ask for a better service and well worth it. Absolutely indicative of their already glowing reviews!!!”

C
Chris PanteliGoogle
★★★★★

“Excellent, careful, friendly movers ... highly recommended!”

H
Harry LevinsonGoogle
★★★★★

“I cannot stress enough the quality of their service, expertise, and responsiveness. Gorilla Movers made the task of relocating my call center operation within the San Diego area far easier than I anticipated. They exceeded my expectations throughout the entire process and will be the first company I call for any future moving needs.”

C
Carlos MoralesGoogle
★★★★★

“Alonzo and Alexis were excellent. They knew exactly what they were doing and were very careful in all the details they performed. They were quick and efficient and very professional in all their duties. They responded well to questions and any changes made. Couldn’t have had two better people help us with our move. Wonderful!”

K
Karen KitinojaGoogle
★★★★★

“Raul and his team were excellent. Not only did he guide the entire process of loading my belongs into the PODS, he went above and beyond to help me organize my things and make sure everything was loaded properly. I would certainly recommend Gorilla Movers and specifically, Raul, again. Thank you to everyone at Gorilla Movers, from start to finish!!”

M
Mark BlevinsGoogle
★★★★★

“Great Staff, Easy to communicate, professional, great with our commercial moving items.”

M
Manuel MendozaGoogle
★★★★★

“Moving my daughter cross country was exhausting & exciting enough. We decided to used Gorilla Movers to unload our rented truck. What a wonderful experience. The two men were professional, respectful and got the job done quick and without any issues. I would highly recommend them!”

S
Sherri HeltGoogle
★★★★★

“Raul and his crew were very professional. They were quick and polite. 100% would hire them again.”

M
Mayisha FrugeGoogle
★★★★★

“Excellent workers great customer service 10/10 amazing”

T
Tommie WillsGoogle
★★★★★

“I had a fantastic experience with Gorilla Movers! The crew was professional, punctual, and handled all of my belongings with great care. They worked efficiently, communicated clearly throughout the move, and made what could have been a stressful day feel easy and organized. Nothing was damaged, and they went above and beyond to make sure everything was placed exactly where I wanted it. If you're looking for reliable, hardworking movers with excellent customer service, I highly recommend Gorilla Movers. I would definitely use them again!”

R
Ryan HelfandGoogle

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