Moving Estimates

Moving is hard enough as it is, and getting inaccurate moving estimates can add even more to the stress.

One of the biggest complaints is that quoted moving company rates do not end up matching the original estimate. This may end up making you feel manipulated and cheated. Sometimes however, the moving estimate was an honest best assessment the moving company could offer you. Sometimes, giving wrong or inaccurate information to the movers can result in a faulty moving estimate.

Here are a few simple steps to make sure that the moving estimate you get is as close to the final price as possible:

If you are moving a household or office, you should have someone from the moving company come and do an on-site moving estimate. This is the best way to ensure that you get an accurate rate.

From your side, make sure that the information you give the moving company for the estimate is accurate. For example, after being packed, things take up a lot more space than you think they will. You may think all your books fit in five boxes; but then you find out how heavy those five moving boxes would be with nothing but books packed in back-to-back. You then realize you have to put them in twice as many smaller moving boxes. Now you have fifty moving boxes when your original moving estimate was twenty five.

Try to predict how many boxes you'll actually need. Don't forget to mention any items you have in storage that need to be moved, as well as large and heavy items. This will help the movers get you a more precise estimate.

If you want to avoid being surprised on the day of your move, ask questions. Most movers, when giving an estimate, will tell you about any extra fees or surcharges. If you don't hear anything, ask. Will there be a separate fee for the truck? How about the supplies? If the movers are also packing your belongings, how much does that cost? Having all these answers before can get you closer to an accurate moving estimate.

People assume that they have made an actual contract with the moving company based on the moving estimate and a document both parties sign agreeing to the time and location of the move. This is typically not true. There is almost always a statement that the price is not final until the movers are there on moving day to verify the number of items or the weight of the truck when packed. As long as your mover has been honest with you about the moving estimate and the pricing policy and you understand how the final price is calculated, you have to realize that an estimate unfortunately can't be 100% accurate.

The most important thing you can do is get an experienced and reputable moving company so that their moving estimate is as accurate as possible. Then make sure you let the mover survey what you are having moved instead of trying to come up with a moving estimate on your own.