Becoming a moving helper.
CHF 25–40 an hour, no permit, no tools, three peak weekends a year. What a moving day looks like, what you bring, how to quote, who pays for a scratch — and the one Suva rule that keeps your back working.
Moving help is the simplest side job there is: show up, carry carefully, be nice. It pays CHF 25–40 an hour.
Every Swiss lease ends on the last day of a quarter, so three weekends a year the whole country moves at once — and nobody has enough friends with strong backs. No permit, no training, no tools: a good pair of shoes, gloves, a partner, and the Suva rule about 25 kilos.
- Find a partner.Teams of two are what clients book. CHF 55–60 an hour for the pair.
- Take the call seriously.Rooms, floor, lift, parking, piano. The quote comes from those five answers.
- Carry like Suva says.25 kg alone at most, the rest in pairs, knees bent, load close to the body.
- Agree who pays for damage before you lift.Employee: the employer. Own account: you — so get business liability insurance.
The rate, the weight, the van.
Four parts, six to eight hours.
- The call, two days before.How many rooms, which floor, is there a lift, where does the van park, is there a piano. Ten minutes that save an hour.
- Pack and protect, 30 minutes.Blankets on the parquet, cardboard on the stairwell corners, doors off the hinges if the sofa says so.
- Carry, 3–5 hours.Heavy and big first, boxes last. Two people on everything above 25 kg. The van is loaded tight so nothing moves.
- Unload, 2–3 hours, and the walk-through.Each piece into the right room, then one round with the client: nothing scratched, nothing missing, payment on the spot.
Three lists.
Rooms, floor, lift, team — the estimate.
A rough planning tool for your first quotes, based on typical moving times. Adjust after your first ten jobs.
Six things to settle before the first box.
- Paperwork: usually a household wageIf a family pays you directly, the family is your employer: AHV from the first franc through the simplified procedure, and the family insures you against accidents. If a moving company hires you by the day, it deducts AHV above CHF 2 500 a year. If you invoice several clients yourself, you are self-employed — see Becoming self-employed in 7 steps. [7]
- Damage: say who pays before you liftAs an employee, damage you cause falls on the employer unless you were grossly negligent. On your own account, your private liability policy does not cover paid work — business liability insurance does. Agree it in writing before the first box. [9]
- Accidents: insured from the first hourAnyone who employs you — a family or a firm — insures you against accidents at work from the first hour. On your own account, keep accident cover in your health insurance. [8]
- Driving: category B is enoughA van up to 3.5 t total weight needs only a normal licence. Above that: category C1 and professional driver training. Your own car for client goods counts as commercial use — tell the insurer. [6]
- Price it per hour with a minimumCHF 30 an hour, minimum three hours, travel included inside the city. Tips of 5–10 % are common on a good day — never ask, always say thank you. [2]
- Season: end of month, end of quarterSwiss leases end on 31 March, 30 June and 30 September; the last weekend of those months is the busiest of the year. Block them in your calendar now.
What the ten weekend tasks pay side by side: Weekend side jobs: 10 tasks you can offer now. Insurance in full: Insurance for side work.
Short answers.
How much does a moving helper earn in Switzerland?
Private helpers earn CHF 25–40 an hour; two-person teams are booked at CHF 55–60 an hour, three at about CHF 80. Professional firms charge CHF 80–120 with a van and driver. A typical flat takes 4–8 hours.
Do I need my own van?
No. Most clients rent a van or book a firm; you provide muscle and care. If you do drive, a van up to 3.5 t needs only a category B licence.
Who pays if something breaks?
If a family or firm employs you: the employer, unless you were grossly negligent. If you work on your own account: you — so take business liability insurance and agree the rule in writing before the job.
How much may I lift?
Suva recommends about 25 kg for men and 15 kg for women for occasional lifting, less with age. Carry heavy pieces in pairs, keep the load close to the body, bend the knees.
Do I need a permit or training?
No. Moving help is free to offer. The useful preparation is a partner, good shoes and gloves, and the Suva lifting rules.
Every task. One app.
Werkara connects people who need help around the house with verified taskers nearby. Register in a few minutes and get your first task this week.
Become a taskerWhere the rules come from.
- [1]Lohncheck — Umzugshelfer — private moving helpers CHF 20–30 an hour. lohncheck.ch
- [2]Umzug 365 — Umzugshelfer — team prices: 2 helpers CHF 55/h, 3 helpers CHF 80/h, 4 helpers CHF 105/h; tips 5–10 %. www.umzug-365.ch
- [3]knows.com — Stundenlohn Schweiz — moving help CHF 25–50 an hour on platforms. www.knows.com
- [4]20 Minuten — Handwerk ist der gefragteste Nebenjob (2026) — moving and transport among the most requested side jobs. www.20min.ch
- [5]Suva — Heben Sie Lasten clever — occasional lifting about 25 kg for men, 15 kg for women; load close to the body, bend the knees, carry in pairs. www.suva.ch
- [6]Swiss Confederation — Road Traffic Licensing Ordinance (VZV), Art. 3 — category B covers vehicles up to 3 500 kg. www.fedlex.admin.ch
- [7]AHV/IV information centre — Merkblatt 2.01 / 2.06 — CHF 2 500 rule; household employers deduct from the first franc (2026). www.ahv-iv.ch
- [8]Suva — BU/NBU — accidents at work insured from the first hour by the employer. www.suva.ch
- [9]Helvetia — Private liability insurance conditions — professional and business activities excluded. www.helvetia.com