Provide measurable inputs
Give full addresses, floors, elevator windows, large-item measurements and carton estimates. Mention a long carry, basement, storage locker or gated entrance. A video walkthrough can show details missed in a short web form; ask how the provider conducts its assessment.
Understand the billing model
An hourly scope needs a rate, crew size, time assumptions and minimum/travel rules. A fixed quoted scope needs clear inclusions and a procedure for added work. For long-distance moves, ask how shipment size, distance and delivery arrangements are measured and charged. Do not assume the same model applies to every service.
Compare and approve one complete version
Place competing quotes beside the same inventory. Highlight omitted packing, taxes, waiting, assembly and storage. Ask for a revised document if anything important changes. Keep the accepted scope, cancellation terms and payment milestones with your moving-day paperwork.
A quote-comparison worksheet
Copy the details below into a note before calling providers. Mark each answer as included, excluded or to be confirmed. Leaving a cell blank should trigger a question, not an assumption that the service is free. Ask for the revised quote in one document once the unknowns are resolved.
| Check | Record |
|---|---|
| Assessment basis | Actual inventory, carton count, date and both addresses |
| Billing method | Hourly/fixed scope, minimums, travel and time rounding |
| Labour tasks | Packing, loading, assembly, unpacking and cleanup |
| Transport stages | Direct/consolidated plan, transfers and storage |
| Written conditions | Payment, cancellation, changes, coverage and reporting |
Prepare for a virtual or in-person assessment
Walk through every room, cupboard area that is moving, basement and storage locker. Show the largest pieces and the entire carry route to the legal loading point. Include the destination’s access if you have it. A photo showing only a sofa cannot establish whether it will pass a curved landing. Keep dimensions written down so they do not depend on a camera angle. If access is unknown, ask what assumption the quote uses and when it must be confirmed.
Make estimates comparable
A price difference only tells you something after the assumptions and service scope have been aligned.
How to request a scope change
State exactly what changed: an added appliance, more cartons, a different date, an unavailable elevator or a new delivery address. Ask how the change affects price, crew, equipment and timing. Get acceptance before the additional work is performed. Keep the earlier version so you can see the difference, but make sure the crew receives the current version. Do not rely on a separate conversation with someone who is not responsible for the booking.
When a preliminary estimate is not enough
A broad online range or a short phone discussion can help with early planning. It should not be treated as a final scope when stairs, specialty items or storage remain unresolved. Request an assessment once the inventory and property are known. For a long-distance or cross-border move, also obtain the transport arrangement and receiving window; those dependencies are not captured by a local hourly calculation.
Understand the assumptions behind the estimate
An estimate is only useful when you can identify the shipment and conditions it describes. Look for the inventory, carton assumptions, requested services and access at both addresses. Ask what pricing basis is being used and which changes can affect the final amount. If the household has not finished deciding what to move, identify that uncertainty rather than accepting a precise-looking number as a final commitment. Request a revised document when the inventory or services change. A comparison should distinguish the stated total from possible work that has not yet been assessed. Check dates, payment terms and cancellation conditions separately. Two offers can look similar while describing different packing, storage or delivery arrangements. The worksheet below turns those assumptions into questions you can answer before you choose an offer.
Make a like-for-like quote comparison
Send the same inventory and access information to each company and record the response in a table. Compare included services before comparing price. If one proposal includes packing materials and another does not, ask for clarification rather than assuming the difference is insignificant. Mark any charge that is conditional, its trigger and the method of calculation described. Ask how additional work is authorised and who can approve it on moving day. Keep the accepted proposal and later written changes together. At the end of the move, compare the invoice with that record and ask promptly about any line you do not understand. A clear comparison does not require every company to use the same format; it requires you to understand which tasks, assumptions and obligations sit behind each total.
Compare the scope behind estimates
Enter each mover’s written answer in the same categories.
| Estimate component | What to record | Comparison question |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory basis | List or survey used to prepare the estimate. | Are all quotes based on the same belongings? |
| Crew and vehicle | Crew size and vehicle arrangement. | Do the proposed resources match the access? |
| Billing model | Hourly, fixed or other stated method. | What makes the final amount change? |
| Travel calculation | Start/end points and travel treatment. | Is travel included or listed separately? |
| Packing scope | Rooms, items and supplies included. | Who provides cartons and protective materials? |
| Access assumptions | Stairs, elevator slots and carrying distance. | What happens if the access plan changes? |
| Additional services | Assembly, storage and specialty handling. | Which requested tasks remain outside the quote? |
| Confirmation process | Validity date and procedure for scope updates. | How are revisions accepted in writing? |