A good moving estimate does two jobs at once: it wins the customer and it protects your margin. Here is how experienced movers build a price that does both.
Start with the three ways to quote
Most local moving companies price in one of three ways, and many use all three depending on the job.
- Hourly. A crew rate per hour, plus travel. Simple, fair to both sides, and the most common way to price local moves.
- Flat or not-to-exceed. A single price for the job, built from an hourly estimate with a cushion. Customers love the certainty; you carry the risk if the job runs long.
- Itemized. A price built from the inventory itself: every sofa, bed and box has a weight or time value. It takes longer to quote, and it is the most accurate for larger homes.
Whatever you choose, the same building blocks sit underneath.
Size the crew and the truck
Crew size drives everything else. A useful rule of thumb is two movers for a studio or one-bedroom, three for two bedrooms, and four or more for larger homes, adjusted for stairs, long carries and heavy items.
Match the truck to the volume. Two half-empty trucks cost you a crew; one overloaded truck costs you a second trip. Ask about the largest items early: pianos, safes, gym equipment and oversized sectionals change both the crew and the truck.
Estimate the hours honestly
Break the job into its parts: loading, the drive between addresses, unloading and any extra stops. Then add what makes a job slow:
- Stairs and elevators at either end, and how far the truck can park from the door
- Disassembly and reassembly of beds, tables and wall-mounted pieces
- Packing on the day, if the customer is not fully packed
- Building rules: reserved elevators, loading-dock hours, certificates of insurance
Customers rarely complain about an honest estimate that comes in on time. They do remember one that ran two hours over.
Don’t forget travel, minimums and materials
Travel time covers the trip from your yard to the first address and back; many companies charge a flat travel fee instead. Minimums protect you on small jobs: two or three hours is common. Materials such as boxes, tape, mattress bags and wardrobe cartons should be priced per item, not given away.
Valuation coverage and any rules for binding or non-binding estimates vary by state. Check the household goods regulations where you operate and make your estimate wording match them.
Price the date, not just the job
The same move is worth more on the last Saturday of June than on a Tuesday in February. Demand for moving bunches up around weekends, month-ends and summer, and a single flat rate quietly gives away margin on your busiest days while doing nothing to fill your slow ones.
A simple discount calendar helps: modest savings on open days, full price as a date fills up. Customers who can be flexible get a better deal, and your trucks stay busy.
Make the estimate easy to say yes to
Send the estimate the same day, in writing, with the date, the crew, what is included and what could change the price. Follow up within a day or two. The company that answers first and clearly wins far more often than the company that is cheapest.