Free Moving Estimate Template

Moving is stressful enough without billing surprises. This free moving estimate template gives professional moving companies and independent movers a comprehensive, professional format for quoting residential and commercial moves — whether local, long-distance, or international.

The template covers inventory-based pricing, hourly rates for local moves, weight-and-distance rates for long-distance moves, additional services (packing, storage, special handling), and regulatory-required disclosure language. It helps moving companies present clear, professional estimates that set proper expectations and protect both parties.

What Is a Moving Estimate?

A moving estimate is a document provided by a moving company that communicates the expected cost of a relocation project. It is based on a survey of the goods to be moved — either in person, by video walkthrough, or (for long-distance moves) a detailed inventory form — combined with the distance and any additional services required.

Moving estimates are governed by specific regulations for interstate moves (the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets rules for binding and non-binding estimates, valuation coverage, and required disclosures). Professional moving estimates must include certain disclosures that are not required in other service industries.

The estimate type matters significantly. A binding estimate guarantees the price; a non-binding estimate is an approximation. Make sure the client understands which type they are receiving before signing.

Key Sections of a Moving Estimate

Moving Company Information — Company name, address, phone, USDOT number (for interstate moves), state license number, and MC number. In the US, interstate movers must have a USDOT number and Motor Carrier (MC) number; include these in all estimates for cross-state moves.

Client and Move Details — Client name, current address (origin), destination address, and move date.

Estimate Type — State clearly whether the estimate is binding, non-binding, or time-and-materials. This determines what happens if actual costs differ.

Inventory Summary — An itemized or summarized list of the goods to be moved:

• Number of rooms or approximate cubic feet (local moves)
• Estimated weight in pounds or hundredweight (long-distance moves)
• Number of large items (appliances, pianos, safes)
• Any items requiring special handling or custom crating

Rate Structure — For local moves: hourly rate per mover, minimum hours, truck fee. For long-distance: rate per hundredweight (cwt) by weight bracket and rate per mile.

Additional Services — Itemize any additional services:

• Packing (partial or full) with cost per box
• Unpacking
• Appliance disconnection/reconnection
• Furniture disassembly/reassembly
• Storage (per month)
• Custom crating for fragile or valuable items
• Piano or safe moving

Accessorial Charges — Additional fees for conditions that add difficulty:

• Stairs (per flight)
• Long carry (over a set distance from truck to door)
• Elevator use
• Shuttle service (if truck cannot park at origin or destination)
• Extra stops

Valuation Coverage — Explain Full Value Protection and Released Value options with associated costs. Required for interstate moves.

Fuel Surcharge and Additional Fees — Any fuel surcharge, tolls, or other fees that may apply.

Payment Terms — Deposit amount to reserve the move date, balance due date, accepted payment methods.

How to Create an Accurate Moving Estimate

Step 1: Conduct a Thorough Survey — For local moves, walk through the home and count every room and large item. For long-distance moves, require an in-person or virtual inventory survey. An accurate inventory is the foundation of an accurate estimate.

Step 2: Assess Access Conditions — Note stair counts, elevator availability, long carry distances, narrow doorways, and any other access challenges that will generate accessorial charges.

Step 3: Identify Special Items — Note items requiring special handling: pianos, safes, artwork, pool tables, large appliances, items requiring custom crating. These require specialized equipment and pricing.

Step 4: Calculate Base and Accessorial Costs — Apply your rate structure for the base move, then add all applicable accessorial charges. For long-distance, calculate estimated weight and distance, then apply your rate schedule.

Step 5: Present the Estimate with Options — Give the client options where possible: packing vs. self-packing, valuation levels, move date flexibility. Options increase the perceived value of your service.

Sample Moving Estimate

SmoothMove Relocation Services

800 Moving Truck Way, Houston, TX 77001

Phone: (555) 901-2345 | USDOT: 2847653 | MC: 98765

ESTIMATE #SM-2026-0414

Date: April 14, 2026

Valid Until: April 28, 2026

Client: The Williams Family

Origin: 1200 Oak Lane, Houston, TX 77004

Destination: 5502 Sycamore Drive, Austin, TX 78745

Move Date: May 10, 2026 (estimated)

Estimate Type: Non-Binding (estimated total; final cost based on actual weight)

Estimated Inventory:

• 3-bedroom single-family home (approximately 1,400 sq ft)
• Living room, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, garage
• Large items: refrigerator, washer, dryer, dining table (8 chairs), sectional sofa, king bed (2), dresser (3)
• Special items: upright piano (Living Room)

Rate Summary:

Note: This is a non-binding estimate. Final charges will be based on the actual weight of the shipment and services rendered. A deposit of $1,200 is required to reserve the move date.

Related Templates

• Contractor Estimate Template — General contractor format.
• Free Estimate Template — Universal free estimate for any service.
• Auto Repair Estimate Template — Related service industry estimate format.
• Cleaning Estimate Template — Service industry estimate format.
• Free Estimate Template — Printable — Printer-friendly version.

Required Fields on a Moving Estimate

A complete moving estimate should include every one of the following fields. Missing any of them makes it nearly impossible to compare two estimates side by side or to dispute a surprise charge on moving day:

1. Mover details — legal company name, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number for interstate moves, motor carrier number, address, phone, and insurance details.
2. Pickup and delivery addresses — including the floor number, stair count, and any long-carry or shuttle requirements at each end.
3. Move date and arrival window — for long-distance moves the delivery window can be a 7 to 21 day spread, which the estimate should state plainly.
4. Inventory list — every box, piece of furniture, and special-handling item recorded by room.
5. Estimated weight or volume — long-distance moves are priced by weight (cents per pound) while local moves are priced by hourly labor with a 2-hour minimum.
6. Labor hours and crew size — number of movers, hourly rate per mover, and total estimated hours.
7. Truck size and mileage — for long-distance moves the per-mile rate is the largest line item.
8. Packing services and materials — boxes, tape, bubble wrap, custom crating, with quantity and unit price for each.
9. Accessorial charges — stair fee per flight, long-carry fee per 75 feet, shuttle fee, elevator wait fee, piano or safe surcharge.
10. Insurance and valuation — released value protection (free, 60 cents per pound) vs full-value protection (paid, replacement cost) clearly explained.
11. Fuel surcharge — typically 5 to 12 percent of the base move cost, listed as a separate line item.
12. Binding type — binding (price locked), non-binding (estimate only), or not-to-exceed (cap on the final bill).

Local Move vs Long-Distance Move Pricing

Pricing for a local move (under 50 miles, typically same-day) and a long-distance move (over 50 miles or interstate) work fundamentally differently. Confusing the two is the single largest source of unpleasant surprises on moving day:

• Local move — billed by the hour, typically 100 to 200 dollars per hour for a 2-mover crew with truck, with a 2 to 4 hour minimum. Total cost for a typical 2-bedroom apartment runs 600 to 1,400 dollars including drive time and supplies. The hourly clock usually starts when the truck leaves the warehouse and stops when it returns.
• Long-distance move — billed by weight (cents per pound) plus mileage plus accessorials. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules require an in-home survey or video survey before any binding estimate over 50 miles. Total cost for a typical 3-bedroom interstate move runs 4,000 to 12,000 dollars depending on distance and weight.
• International move — billed by container volume (cubic feet for a 20-foot or 40-foot container) plus port-of-entry fees, customs documentation, and at-origin and at-destination handling. Typical full-container international move runs 12,000 to 30,000 dollars.

For interstate moves the FMCSA requires the mover to provide a Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move booklet and a written estimate. A move with no written estimate is a federal violation.

How to Compare Multiple Moving Estimates

Best practice is to collect at least three written estimates from licensed movers, all on the same scope, before booking. The comparison should be apples-to-apples — same inventory list, same pickup and delivery dates, same insurance level. The decision-making checklist:

1. Verify the USDOT number on the FMCSA website at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov — confirm active operating authority and recent safety record.
2. Check that each estimate is on company letterhead with a signed contact name and date, not a verbal phone quote.
3. Confirm all three estimates list the same binding type (binding vs non-binding vs not-to-exceed). Comparing a binding estimate to a non-binding estimate is meaningless.
4. Line up the inventory lists side by side — any significant difference in box count, furniture pieces, or special-handling items will skew the price.
5. Check that valuation and insurance coverage match. Released value at 60 cents per pound is essentially worthless for a 50-pound television.
6. Compare accessorial charges line by line. The cheapest base price often hides expensive per-stair or long-carry fees that other movers include.
7. Read each company review across at least three platforms (Google, Yelp, MovingCompanyReviews.com). Look for complaints about hostage cargo or surprise fees on delivery day.

The lowest price is rarely the right choice. The right choice is the mover whose estimate is the most detailed, whose accessorials are clearly listed, and whose binding type and valuation coverage match your risk tolerance.

Hidden Fees to Watch For

Even on a binding estimate, certain charges can legally appear on the final bill that were not on the estimate. These are the most common surprise fees:

• Stair fee — per flight, typically 75 to 100 dollars per flight per crew member. Apartments above the third floor add up fast.
• Long-carry fee — per 75 feet from truck to door, typically 75 dollars per increment. Common at high-rise buildings with limited loading-zone access.
• Shuttle fee — when the main truck cannot reach the address, a smaller shuttle truck is used, typically 350 to 700 dollars.
• Elevator wait fee — billed by the hour if the building has only one elevator and the move team has to wait.
• Bulky item fee — pianos, safes, hot tubs, motorcycles, gun safes — typically 200 to 800 dollars each.
• Re-weigh fee — for non-binding interstate moves, the mover may re-weigh at destination at the customer expense.
• Fuel surcharge — 5 to 12 percent of base cost, varies by current diesel price.
• Storage-in-transit fee — if the customer is not ready for delivery on arrival day, daily storage fees apply.

Always ask each mover to walk through every possible accessorial charge before signing. A reputable mover will explain them all upfront.

Red Flags in Low-Ball Moving Estimates

A moving estimate that comes in 30 to 50 percent below competitors is almost always a setup for one of three problems on moving day:

• Hostage cargo — the mover loads everything, then demands cash on delivery at a price well above the estimate. Refusing means the household goods are kept until the mover is paid. This is illegal but happens routinely with rogue movers.
• Phone-only estimate — any mover who provides a binding estimate over 500 dollars without an in-home or video survey is in violation of FMCSA rules. The estimate will inevitably balloon on moving day.
• Massive deposit demand — legitimate moving companies typically require no more than 20 percent deposit. Anything above 50 percent is a red flag for an exit scam.
• Missing USDOT number — for any interstate move, the mover must display a valid USDOT number. No number means no federal authority and no consumer protection.
• Generic email and untraceable website — a mover that uses a Gmail or Yahoo address and a website with no physical address is likely a broker that resells the job to whatever cheapest carrier is available, with no quality control.
• Cash-only payment — legitimate movers accept credit cards and checks. Cash-only is a flag that the company is operating outside the banking system.

If any two of these flags appear together, walk away even if the estimate is the lowest. Filing a complaint after the fact with the FMCSA, the state attorney general, or a credit card chargeback is a long and uncertain path.