Estimates

When you get estimates from movers to determine who you want to move you, most people think that they are just looking for the most competitive price.

 When a surveyor comes to your home to do an estimate they are there to assess how much packing materials will be necessary to pack you and how much weight you have to move in cubic feet which is then converted to pounds. The estimate itself is based on the packing materials, labor to pack and load, the shipment weight and the distance traveled. 

Most people think that the price for the estimate is all they need to focus on, but there are several things to consider. 

You want to compare the packing material, number and type of cartons that the surveyor noted 

•  See Chart

• You want to look at the estimated weight that the surveyor noted. This is important because you need to see what estimated weight the surveyor noted for your shipment so that you can relate the price to the packing materials, labor and weight. Moves are charged based on weight, miles, packing materials and labor.  - 

• Look to see if crates, third party services, extra stops or storage were added to your estimate as they will change the price.

You want to have an “apples to apples” comparison if possible so that you are able to compare the estimates easily. 

Sometimes if you ask, many movers will cap their estimates at a “not to exceed” price by 10 to 15% so once you select the mover you believe you want you can ask them if they will cap your move at a “not to exceed” price of 10 or 15 percent more than the estimate they provided to you. 

You also want to be sure to have the days required for packing are identified as well as the day the truck is loaded. Be sure to have the transit time and days of delivery clearly defined for you.