Many people get these mixed up, either way you will still get a price, but there is an important difference.
An estimate is a rough idea of the cost and is often based on minimal information like “Average 2 bedroom house,” or “Small 3 bedroom + outdoor dining set,” or “1 bedroom upstairs flat.”
Assuming the info is reasonably accurate, then the estimate will be too.
Estimates often work out slightly cheaper, but you won't know the exact total until the job is complete.
A quote is a fixed price but requires a lot of info, including a complete list of every single item.
A quote may seem better because you know the exact cost in advance, but often costs slightly more because quotes may include a tolerance to cover any unexpected things that may not go smoothly.
Also note, quotes/estimates do not include time we may have to spend waiting, for example if keys are not available on time.
Someone who books in advance will almost certainly get a better deal than someone who rings up asking if we are available for today or tomorrow.
The average booking is confirmed around 2-3 weeks ahead, which is ideal.
Weekends are the most popular days to move, followed by Fridays and Mondays.
A quote or estimate is only accurate if the information you provide is honest and complete.
If inaccurate or incomplete info is provided when requesting a quote, it may become invalid.
Some people simply don't realise how much stuff they have until moving day, while others may “bend the truth” to try and get a cheaper price.
Either way, you could end up with a larger bill than expected if you are not honest up front.
Don't be afraid to admit if you are a hoarder; at least we will both know what to expect.
Requesting a quote and only describing the contents as “Whole house” is one we get all the time, but it doesn't give us anything to go on, we cant even give a ballpark estimate based on that info. Houses vary in size by quite a lot, it could be 5 cubic meters, it could be 40, it could be 1 bedroom, it could be 5! Who knows! We don't, so tell us!
In order to price a move accurately, we need to know what we are moving.
We recommend going through the house one room at a time and making a list of every item, plus an estimate for the number of boxes/bags from each room. Do not make this list from memory; trust me, we will know.
If you know the approximate volume then that's generally good enough for an estimate, Just bear in mind that if you're going by the volume of your last move, a lot may have changed since then.
A lot of people only focus on what is inside the house, often forgetting things like the garage full of gardening equipment; lawnmower, wheelbarrows, ladders, outdoor furniture, BBQs, 14 cubic metres of firewood (I kid you not), the sleepout, kids play equipment like trampolines and swing sets etc.
These things can be quite bulky and may affect the price considerably if not mentioned.
If you can dismantle them in advance, please do so.
And the winner for “Most commonly forgotten outdoor item” is... Drumroll please...
Plants! They may not seem significant, but they actually require a lot more space in the truck than people realise, because they are notoriously difficult to stack on top of each other.
A few steps up to the front door probably wont make a difference (keyword there is “few”) but if it is a multi-level property or has more than several steps then we definitely need to know in advance because carrying things up stairs takes longer than delivering to ground level and will affect the cost.
Be as descriptive as you can when it comes to access; everyone seems to think they have “Good easy access” because they navigate it daily, it's not until we show up and point out things like “Trucks are bigger than cars” or “The couch won't fit in the elevator” that people realise maybe the access isn't quite as easy as they thought...
If we encounter difficult access that was not mentioned in the job request, the quote may become invalid and/or additional charges may apply.
This should go without saying, but do not schedule construction work like getting your driveway paved anywhere near moving day – we need clear, safe access.
Remember, one of us needs to carry your couch while walking backwards.
The cheapest (free) option is to ask a supermarket for some moving boxes, find someone working in the produce section and they should be able to get you some banana boxes, which are the strongest.
Stationery and hardware stores sell moving boxes, they are generally very easy to handle and the uniform size means they stack well, but can get expensive if you need a lot of them.
Plastic organiser bins are usually slightly stronger than boxes and (assuming the lid fits well) limit crushing. The wheels tend to pop off quite easily though and the plastic can get brittle over time, be careful not to overfill them (especially with books).
Produce crates are the most durable option, but also the most expensive. They are much stronger than plastic organizers and stack in a way that weight is carried down the walls of the one beneath, rather than onto the lid which completely eliminates crushing. They can be bought new or used or even rented.
We often have produce crates and moving boxes available so please inquire if you are interested.
This might seem like an obvious one but we do get a lot of people who don't tape boxes properly, if at all. Avoid the “tape-free fold” where you fold each flap over the previous one and twist the fourth one under the first, it may work in a pinch but is absolutely not recommended for moving.
A cheap roll of tape is less than $5. Don't be that guy, you're moving house; just buy some tape.
Labelling your boxes not only makes it easier to unpack but also helps the moving crew put things in the right place the first time – 5 minutes with a marker can easily save half an hour of moving boxes back and forth later on.
Boxes don't need a complete catalogue of everything they contain, but an indication of where you want them to go is great; “Living room books” or “Adams bdrm” is helpful, while “Misc” or “Bits n' bobs” not so helpful.
Do not use sticky notes unless you tape them down, they just don't stick to boxes very well and rarely survive the journey attached.
Labelling boxes as “Fragile” may seem like a good way to safeguard your precious things, but use this with caution as it can backfire: We can give some fragile boxes special care by putting them on top of the stack etc, but excessive use of fragile labels means we cannot give any of them special care, and everything ends up being treated the same. We just can't put every box on the top.
If you have fragile items, the boxes should be packed in a way that they can be stacked safely.
Plastic organiser bins are often better than cardboard boxes if you have a lot of fragile stuff because they reduce the chance of crushing.
If you run out of bubble wrap and scrunched up newspaper, clothing can work just as well.
If it can go in a box, put it in a box.
If it can go in a bag, put it in a bag.
Most people have a few random items that just don't get packed, but ten loose items means ten trips to the truck, ten items to stack, and ten items to unload.
Put those ten items into one or two boxes and you've just saved us 80-90% of the time – which is great if you're paying by the hour!
Even if it's only one or two items in the box, a box is a lot easier to load than a loose item.
Not everything needs to go in a box, bags can be great too! Just because the commonly black bags are sold as “rubbish bags” doesn't mean you can only put rubbish in them, they are actually perfect for soft things like blankets, clothes or soft toys – just be careful not to overstuff them!
They are also only about a tenth of the cost of cardboard boxes.
Bags are actually preferred by movers (when filled with soft things) because we can squish them slightly to fit into the funny-shaped gaps between furniture and boxes in the truck, making the whole stack more stable and leaving less wasted space!
Packing can be quite a daunting task, especially if it's a large household and you're doing it alone.
So if you are worried about running out of time, get in touch with a local housekeeping company, most are happy to help with packing and organising and can do it much more cheaply and more efficiently than furniture movers.
Avoid packing heavy items into large boxes. Books especially should be packed into smaller boxes.
This will make it easier to move and also avoid the boxes tearing or bottoming out.
We cannot stress this enough, get rid of excess items, especially large stuff!
If you've been thinking about getting rid of that ugly lounge suite or the spare bed that never gets used, now is the perfect time!
If you sell something prior to your move then not only will you have extra money in your pocket to buy something better for the new place, but it's also one less thing you have to pay us to move – it's a win-win!
If you're having trouble getting rid of stuff, let us know, we may be able to help.
Drawers, bedside tables, shelves and cabinets can be moved much more easily and safely if they are empty.
Some light clothing may be left in lighter drawers but please remove heavy, fragile or valuable items and pack them separately.
Certain “economy” furniture may struggle to support much more than their own weight and have been known to dismantle themselves in transit, even while empty.
Chances increase significantly with load, or if not assembled correctly.
It should be noted that just because something has a high price tag, does not necessarily mean that it is of high quality or is particularly durable.
Fridges and freezers should be empty and de-iced by around the time the movers arrive.
Moving a loaded freezer can be dangerous and the crew may refuse unless it is emptied, save the moving day drama by emptying it in advance.
A good idea is to avoid buying frozen food a few weeks before the move and just eat what's already there.
What better excuse to eat that ice-cream!
Pack a kit for moving day with things you may need prior to unpacking.
Include things like cleaning products, light bulbs, toilet paper (very important), a towel, change of clothes, cell phone charger, a few snacks and drinks, tea and coffee etc. (Remember the jug and teaspoon!) Unpacking seems less daunting when you've had a nice cuppa!
Your movers will want to load the biggest items first, so please make sure we can get to them first.
It may seem like a good idea to stack boxes along one side of the hallway, but if we can't safely carry your dresser past those boxes, then we will need to clear the way first, adding unnecessary double handling.
One of the most common trip hazards is footwear left in the doorway, if you remove your shoes inside, then please be sure to put them out of the way.
Kicking shoes off and leaving them in the doorway is just asking for trouble as movers cannot always see the ground when carrying things.
If you are handing over keys on moving day you will need to make sure the house is clean before you do, so allow time for cleaning. If you are hiring cleaners, don't schedule them for the same time as your movers or they will be tripping over each other.
Movers may be able to take a lunch break between loading up and unloading, giving you about an extra 30 minute window to do any last minute cleaning. Check with the movers first though, don't just assume they will take a break, or they might get bored waiting and go home. (Kidding, but we may charge extra if we have to wait.)
Taking photos of the entire house, both inside and out “as you left it” can help with any disputes that may arise, we recommend this especially if the property is a rental.
Arrange to have power, gas, internet connected before you move, they can't always be connected without notice and you don't want to be left without TV or hot water!
Some customers like to just leave us to it while loading up, and usually that's fine, so long as we know where you are if we need to clarify something.
While unloading however, we need to know where you want things placed and we can't really go off looking for you every time we take something off the truck, so we suggest someone stays near the truck or house entrance area to direct us where to put things as we unload.
It just makes it go more smoothly when we know where we are going, and prevents us having to move things back and forth.
Please have a rough idea of where the large furniture is going to go, we don't need a technical drawing planned out down to the centimetre, just a rough idea of where to put the bigger things is fine, we can always tweak the positioning once everything is roughly in place.
There's only one thing worse than someone who makes us move something back and forth multiple times because they can't decide where they want something positioned, and that is someone who cannot decide which room something heavy goes in, and thinks about it while we stand there holding it. Don't be that person.
If you get friends, family or workmates to help you move, always remember to thank them properly.
Make sure to offer hot/cold drinks, reimburse petrol money, and always shout lunch or dinner on moving day (traditionally fish n' chips or pizza).
A lot of people consider food, drink and gas money all part of the standard thankyou for helping someone move and may be upset with you if you neglect to thank them properly.
Professional movers are different, you don't need to feed us, but we do appreciate a cool drink especially on the bigger jobs or on hot days.
Children and pets are amazing at the best of times, but on moving day they are notorious for getting in the way; the last thing you or your movers want while carrying your dresser up the front step is to trip over little Tommy or step on Mrs. Marshmallow... or both, sequentially (true story).
Unfortunately young or 4 legged family members just don't understand that people carrying stuff can't see them so please, please, please keep them completely clear of where the movers are, ideally leave them with a friend for a few hours while we work and help us keep everyone safe.
Put on some music and do the beds first.
After spending all evening unpacking the living room and kitchen, getting everything just perfect, (by which point you will be exhausted from a big day of moving house), you will appreciate your bed being ready when you are.
Owen's Moving Co.