If you are PCSing and considering a Personally Procured Move (PPM, formerly called a DITY), one of the smartest financial decisions you can make is hiring a labor-only mover instead of paying for a full-service PCS bid. For most service members, a labor-only crew paired with a rental truck captures more of your PPM reimbursement, gives you more control, and still takes the backbreaking work off your shoulders. Whether you are moving out of Joint Base San Antonio or NAS Corpus Christi, understanding when a labor-only mover beats a full-service bid can put real money back in your pocket.
At Half Price Movers, we have been helping Texas military families move for over 40 years. Here is why labor-only wins most of the time, and the few cases where it does not.
Quick Refresher: PPM, Full-Service, and Labor-Only
Before we compare, let us define the three terms clearly.
PPM (Personally Procured Move)
A PPM is when you handle your own move instead of using a government-arranged carrier. The government reimburses you based on what it would have cost them to move your authorized weight. Any savings you create, you keep (as taxable income). This is the whole reason labor-only becomes so attractive.
Full-Service Move
The moving company handles everything: packing, materials, loading, transport, unloading, and sometimes unpacking. You pay for all of it. In a PPM, a full-service bid eats into your reimbursement because you are paying premium rates for the entire process.
Labor-Only Move
You provide the truck (or container). The crew provides the muscle and expertise to load and unload. You drive. This is the classic PPM play: rent the truck, hire pros for the heavy lifting, pocket the difference.
Why Labor-Only Usually Wins for a PPM
The math is the core of it. A PPM pays you a fixed reimbursement based on weight and distance. The less you spend executing the move, the more of that reimbursement you keep.
You Keep More of Your Reimbursement
A full-service bid is the most expensive way to move. When your reimbursement is fixed, every dollar you spend on full-service is a dollar out of your pocket. Labor-only costs a fraction of full-service because you are only paying for loading and unloading, not the truck, fuel, packing, and materials markup.
You Control the Truck and the Timeline
With labor-only, you rent the truck, so you control the schedule. You are not waiting on a carrier's availability window during peak PCS season (May through August), when full-service crews book out fast and rates climb.
You Still Get Professional Loading
Here is the part many service members miss: labor-only does not mean doing it all yourself. A trained crew loading your rental truck properly protects your belongings just as well as a full-service load. Weight balance, padding, and strapping are the same. You just skipped paying for the truck and the drive.
You Avoid the Weight-Guessing Game
Full-service carriers estimate your weight and price accordingly. With a PPM and labor-only, you control the load, get your own certified weight tickets, and know exactly where you stand for reimbursement.
You can see how our labor-only and full-service options compare on our services overview page, and learn more about how a complete move works on our residential moving services page.
The Real Cost Difference
While every move is different and we never quote guarantees, the general structure looks like this:
- Full-service PCS bid: You pay for packing labor, materials, loading, truck, fuel, driving, and unloading. All of it comes out of your reimbursement.
- Labor-only move: You pay for a rental truck (often reimbursable), fuel, and a crew to load and unload. The crew cost is a fraction of a full-service bid.
For a typical PPM, that difference can mean keeping significantly more of your reimbursement. That is money that stays with your family instead of going to a premium full-service carrier.
For the official rules on how PPM reimbursement is calculated, the Move.mil PCS planning portal is the only authoritative source.
When Labor-Only Is the Clear Winner
Labor-only is the right call for most PPMs, and especially when:
- You are moving a studio, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom where the load is manageable
- You already rented a truck or container (U-Haul, Penske, PODS, U-Box)
- You are comfortable driving a rental truck to your next duty station
- You want to maximize your PPM reimbursement
- You are moving during peak season when full-service crews are booked and pricey
- You have time to pack your own belongings or only need help with the heavy items
- You are doing a partial PPM and just need labor for the items you are moving yourself
This describes the majority of PCS moves out of JBSA and NAS Corpus Christi.
When Full-Service Might Be Worth It Instead
Labor-only wins most of the time, but not always. Full-service can be the better choice when:
- You are moving a large four or five-bedroom home with a huge volume of belongings
- You physically cannot pack or manage the logistics due to injury, deployment timing, or a solo-parent situation during your spouse's absence
- You have extensive high-value or fragile items that need professional packing throughout
- You have zero time because of a compressed report date
- You are moving overseas (OCONUS) where the logistics are far more complex
In these cases, the convenience and completeness of full-service can outweigh the reimbursement savings. The right answer depends on your specific situation, which is why we build customized moving plans rather than pushing one option.
The Hybrid Approach: Best of Both Worlds
Many smart PCS movers do not pick one extreme. They combine services to balance savings and convenience.
Fragile-Only Packing Plus Labor-Only Loading
You pack the everyday items yourself. We professionally pack just the valuables (china, electronics, art, antiques). Then our crew loads your rental truck. You keep most of the reimbursement while protecting the items that matter most.
Labor on Both Ends
For a long-distance PCS, you rent the truck and drive it, but hire a crew to load in Texas and another crew to unload at your destination. You get professional handling at both ends without paying for a full-service cross-country carrier.
Labor-Only Plus Specialty Handling
You handle the general load, but bring in pros for the one item that scares you, like a piano or a gun safe. We handle specialty items on their own.
Customized plans like these are exactly what a value-focused, family-owned mover is built to offer.
How to Set Up a Labor-Only PPM the Right Way
If labor-only is your play, here is how to do it without losing reimbursement.
Step 1: Get TMO Counseling
Visit your installation's Traffic Management Office (TMO) at JBSA or NAS Corpus Christi, or use Move.mil, to get pre-approved for a PPM and receive your DD Form 2278.
Step 2: Reserve Your Truck Early
Peak PCS season fills up fast. Reserve your rental truck or container as early as possible, and size up rather than down.
Step 3: Book Your Labor-Only Crew
Confirm your loading date (and unloading date, if using crews on both ends). Verify the company is licensed and insured through the Texas DMV Truck Stop database. Half Price Movers is fully licensed and insured in Texas.
Step 4: Get Your Weight Tickets
Weigh the empty truck before loading and the full truck after. Certified weight tickets are required for reimbursement. No tickets, no reimbursement.
Step 5: Save Every Receipt
Truck rental, fuel, labor, supplies, tolls, and lodging. Submit everything to your TMO within 45 days of arrival.
You can request your free labor-only quote online to get started, and see all the Texas areas we cover on our areas we serve page.
Where Half Price Movers Fits Into Your PCS
Half Price Movers was practically built for the PPM customer. We are family-owned, fully licensed and insured in Texas, and based in both San Antonio and Corpus Christi, right next to the bases our military families move to and from. For a labor-only PCS, we offer:
- Loading and unloading crews for your rental truck or container
- Crews on both ends of a long-distance PCS
- Fragile-only packing for valuables you do not want to pack yourself
- Specialty handling for pianos, antiques, artwork, and oversized items
- Local knowledge of JBSA Lackland, Randolph, Fort Sam Houston, and NAS Corpus Christi
- Transparent, competitive pricing with no surprise fees
We help you capture the reimbursement a PPM is designed to give you, while still getting the professional muscle that protects your belongings.
Ready to Make Your PCS Move Pay Off?
For most service members, a labor-only mover paired with a rental truck is the smartest way to execute a PPM. You keep more of your reimbursement, control your own timeline, and still get professional handling where it counts. Whether you are moving out of Joint Base San Antonio or NAS Corpus Christi, Half Price Movers is ready to help you do it right.
Ready to make your move? Half Price Movers has been serving Texas families since 1979. Call (361) 245-3862 (San Antonio) or (361) 937-7615 (Corpus Christi), or get your free quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a labor-only mover and still get my PPM reimbursement?
Yes. This is one of the most common ways to run a PPM. You rent the truck or container, hire a licensed crew to load and unload, and provide certified weight tickets and receipts. Your move fully qualifies for PPM reimbursement.
Is labor-only really cheaper than a full-service PCS bid?
Almost always, yes. A full-service bid includes packing labor, materials, the truck, fuel, driving, and unloading, all at premium rates. Labor-only covers just the loading and unloading, which is a fraction of the cost. For a fixed PPM reimbursement, that difference stays in your pocket.
Does labor-only mean I have to pack everything myself?
Not necessarily. Labor-only refers to loading and unloading. You can pack yourself to save money, or add fragile-only packing so pros handle just your valuables. Many service members mix and match with a customized plan.
Will a labor-only crew protect my belongings as well as full-service?
Yes. A trained crew loads your rental truck with the same weight balance, padding, and strapping techniques used on a full-service load. The protection is the same. You just skipped paying for the truck and the drive.
When is full-service actually the better choice?
Full-service makes more sense for very large homes, OCONUS moves, situations where you physically cannot manage the logistics, or moves with extensive high-value items needing professional packing throughout. For most stateside PPMs, labor-only wins.
Do you provide crews on both ends of a long-distance PCS?
Yes. For long-distance moves, we can load your rental truck in San Antonio or Corpus Christi, and partner crews can unload at your destination. This gives you professional handling on both ends without a full-service cross-country carrier bill.
Are Half Price Movers licensed and insured?
Yes. We are fully licensed and insured in Texas, and our credentials can be verified through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. We are happy to provide our license number and certificate of insurance on request.
How do I make sure I do not lose my reimbursement?
The two most common mistakes are missing weight tickets and lost receipts. Get certified empty and full weight tickets, save every moving-related receipt, and submit everything to your TMO within 45 days of arrival. Your TMO can walk you through the exact requirements.