Moving estimates are an important aspect of every move. Your move estimate will vary depending on the type of move that you are doing and the type of moving company that you choose to handle your move.
Local moves are generally estimated by the number of crew members needed to complete the job at a flat hourly rate per crew (e.g. 3 men at $125.00 per hour). Long distance moves are priced by the weight of your shipment, and the types of additional services you request. A local move estimate should be fairly clear, but a long distance estimate can sometimes be confusing.
Long distance move estimates should have the charges for each type of service requested clearly broken out on your estimate. These charges may be listed with a full tariff price, and then be shown after a specified discount the mover will apply. You should expect higher discounts during the winter months and much lower discounts during the busy summer months. In addition to each service charge, other tariff or line items will be included in the estimate, some of which cannot be discounted.
Packing charges will include the carton cost, labor to pack, and unpacking charges if you have requested that service. These are charges that can be discounted from the base price by the movers. If mattress cartons and certain other large cartons are needed, the estimate will most often include unpacking of these cartons. The reason is that at destination the mover will need to set your beds up, and will have to unpack those cartons. Other unpacking charges may apply for cartons such as a grandfather clock box in order to place your furniture where you request.
Transportation charges will also include an origin and destination service charge. These charges are determined by the weight of the shipment, and the particular origin and destination. Labor costs vary in different areas. Therefore, since the origin and destination service charge is primarily to help with these costs, they will not be the same in each location. These charges should also be listed on the estimate as charges that can be discounted.
Charges that may be shown but which cannot be discounted are third party services, fuel surcharge, insurance related surcharge, and valuation.
Third party charge examples are appliance servicing, crating of fine items, disassembly and reassembly of certain exercise equipment, and outdoor play equipment. These types of services are not generally performed by the mover and an outside company is hired to complete them. For this reason, there is not a negotiated discount price off of these services and these charges are normally just pass through charges from the 3rd party company to your movers.
Due to the very high price of fuel today, the trucking industry in general has been allowed to off set those costs with a fuel surcharge. This charge is based on a percentage of your transportation costs and varies from company to company. Charges for fuel surcharge may be a different from one mover to the next only based on the policy of the company. This charge is generally not negotiable.
Insurance related surcharges are a tariff item that became necessary because of the high costs of trucking insurance. Insurance is a rather confusing topic for many consumers. There is often a misconception about what insurance protection is in place for their goods. The insurance surcharge on your moving estimate actually has nothing to do with protection against lost or damaged goods. This surcharge applies to allow the carrier to off set some of the trucking insurance costs that they pay the moving trucks that actually transport your household goods.
Valuation charges are based on the dollar amount that you place on your shipment. For full replacement valuation, often the amount of coverage is based on a minimum amount per pound of the shipment. An example would be as follows: The shipment weight is 10000 lbs, and the mover requires a minimum of $5.00 per lb. You will find a charge for the $50,000 of valuation coverage on your estimate. Some companies will allow you to choose between full replacement coverage or let you buy a deductible type of coverage. Given the importance of insurance, this is an area that you should feel free to discuss openly with your moving company.
Professional movers will be happy to explain each line item of your estimate, and it is important to have a clear understanding of all charges listed when you make your choice of the moving company that you are going to have handle your move.
