Time-based pricing is a quoting model that splits the cost of a move into two separate clocks: route time (the driving) and loading time (the actual labour at each end). It’s the model The Van Man Co. uses for its man-and-van service, sitting between the two more common approaches: pure hourly rate removals and fixed-price removals.
How it works in practice:
- Route time is calculated from the actual driving distance between the pickup and drop-off addresses (plus depot returns if applicable). The customer sees this as a per-mile or per-route component.
- Loading time covers the work at each end: carrying items down stairs, fitting them into the van, securing the load, then unloading at the new place. Estimated from the inventory or, for short jobs, charged at the actual time spent.
- The two are quoted separately and totalled. No single clock runs from the moment the driver arrives until the moment they leave. Slow lifts and quick lifts cost differently.
Why this is fairer than straight hourly:
- The customer doesn’t pay for the driver sitting in traffic on what would have been a quick run in light traffic.
- The driver isn’t penalised for working efficiently. They’re paid for the work, not the elapsed time.
- Both sides can see exactly what’s being charged for what, before the move.
And why it’s more honest than fixed-price for smaller jobs:
- A short studio move that only needs 90 minutes of loading doesn’t get penalised with a fixed-price minimum designed for full house moves.
- If access turns out to be easier than predicted, the loading-time component drops naturally instead of locking the customer into an overestimate.
For man and van jobs in Bristol, the calculator returns a quote in seconds based on the postcodes and inventory entered. Route time is pulled from real distance data; loading time uses a standard rate per item type.