Secure an Accurate Moving Estimate

It’s no surprise that some moving companies end up charging more for their services than originally promised. We have all heard the horror stories about unexpected additional costs tacked on the day of the move, which adds unnecessary stress to a day that is already difficult. Here at E.E. Ward Moving & Shipping Co. never want to see this happen to any fellow movers. For that reason, we asked our friends at North American Van Lines to give three tips to secure an accurate moving estimate in order to avoid those unexpected costs.

1. Full Disclosure:
To avoid unexpected additional costs, make sure your moving consultant knows, when writing your estimate, of any items that require special packing or treatment, offsite items you keep at a storage facility or at a location outside of your home that you want moved, or any additional stops the mover will have to make on moving day. Remember, any items or circumstances not detailed in your written estimate may result in extra charges at delivery.

2. Get it in Writing:
Some movers provide an initial “ball park” estimate or an initial verbal estimate – later surprising you with additional charges for packing materials and other services on moving day. Any reputable moving company will give you a written estimate that clearly accounts for all services you will be receiving and the associated cost.

3. Understand Pricing:
The cost of a move is typically calculated one of two ways:

a. Guaranteed – Mover provides you with a guaranteed price for the move based on his in-person assessment of the amount you have to move, and the services that will be provided.

b. Weight based – An estimate of the cost of the move, based on the mover’s assessment of the weight of items to be moved and the services that will be provided, but the estimate is not binding on the carrier and the final cost of the move is determined by actual weight and actual services provided.