managing our third mover's pay in rural virginia - good or bad move?

We've run our moving company for almost 5 years now in rural Virginia, where folks mostly do coal mining and make about $125k a year on average. Last year we pulled in $285k, up from over $200k every year since starting, and I'm damn proud of that with just my husband, one full-time guy at $25/hr, and a part-timer at $20/hr. Now with a family situation, we've added a third full-timer at $20/hr, and with min wage here at $15, it feels solid for handling bigger loads without scrambling for day laborers on rush jobs.

been there with adding that third guy, it changes everything but the payroll hits hard.

$20/hr for movers in rural areas? that's generous, most places stick to min wage and bonuses only.

bump that full-timer to $28 if you're hitting $285k, loyalty pays off in this game.

PODS and U-Haul are killing small movers like us with their cheap rates, can't compete on pay forever.

third employee? good luck with the drama, mine started slacking after two months.

we're in the same boat, rural PA, $22/hr average here keeps 'em coming back.

family hires always backfire, keep it professional next time.

$285k with two guys? damn, that's the dream, but scaling means headaches.

use Jobber for scheduling the crew, saved my ass with three movers.

hit $300k last year with four guys at $21 avg, focus on repeat commercial moves.

don't skimp on training, one bad lift and workers comp skyrockets.

man, adding that third just means more BS from lazy hires.

crossed $250k with three at $19/hr, but Virginia taxes eat it up.

exactly like my setup, but now one's always calling out sick.

r/moving had a thread on this, everyone hates scaling pay.

big corps like Two Men and a Truck pay crap and still dominate, fight the power.

third guy at $20? you're spoiling them, start at $18 and motivate with tips.

we pay $23 for experienced loaders, cuts down on turnover big time.

$285k revenue ain't profit, factor in truck maintenance before celebrating.

rural coal towns? goldmine for moves during mine shifts, but yeah, pay competitively.

proud of you hitting those numbers, took me 7 years to get there with four guys.

family member hire? recipe for disaster, seen it tank teams.

same here, added a third and suddenly overtime eats 20% of the budget.

feels your pain, rural moves are feast or famine on labor.

my crew of three at $21/hr just wrapped a $15k office relocation, smooth.

don't lowball, good movers are unicorns in rural spots.

watched Moving Matt on TikTok, he says pay for quality over quantity.

third employee pushed us to $320k, but only after firing the first one.

warn ya, three guys means coordinating breaks or fights break out.

corporate moving outfits are the real enemy, undercutting us on every bid.

is $20 enough for heavy lifting in Virginia heat? bump it or lose 'em.

laughed my ass off adding my third, thought it'd be easy - nope, all egos.

your numbers sound fake good, most rural movers hover at $150k.

feels bad, but three at that pay keeps the wheels turning.

we do $24/hr base plus mileage bonuses, hit $290k easy.

The Contractor Fight group is full of rants on employee pay wars.

scaling to three wrecked my back scheduling, outsource dispatching.

$285k with minimal staff? genius, but yeah, pay 'em right to keep it.

same struggle, third guy boosted jobs but payroll doubled.

use flat rates per move, not hourly, avoids pay disputes.

proud moment hitting over $200k consistent, congrats on the growth.

family hires? never again, they expect favors and slack off.

rural Virginia moves are brutal with hills, pay extra for stamina.

your setup mirrors mine, three guys at $20 keeps us lean.

big warning: without clear contracts, one injury and you're sunk.

Tommy Mello talks scaling crews on his Insta, check it for tips.

love the pride in your numbers, motivates us all to push.

$25 for full-time is spot on, don't undervalue your core.

controversial take: pay 'em less and train harder, weeds out quitters.

funny how adding one guy turns your quiet op into a zoo.

had a third guy quit mid-move, cost me $500 in delays.

bump to $22/hr, seen it retain talent in similar rural spots.

we're at $280k with three at $19, Virginia's market is forgiving.

echo that, payroll creep sneaks up fast with expansions.

Moving Professionals FB group has templates for pay agreements, use 'em.

scaling pain is real, but $285k makes it worth the sweat.

insurance for three guys jumped my premiums 30%, watch that.

hate how U-Haul poaches our low-wage help constantly.

your story's inspiring, finally seeing real growth after years.

joke's on us, third hire means more bathroom breaks on long hauls.

r/moving thread on pay scales helped me adjust mine.

frustrated with lazy third hires, fire fast or suffer.

totally get the family hire dilemma, complicated everything for me too.