Moving Estimate Template for Moving Companies
Crew hours, truck and travel time, weight or cubic feet, packing materials by the box, specialty items and valuation coverage on one PDF.
- Free, no signup
- PDF in about two minutes
- Works on a phone
A moving estimate is a forecast of time or weight
Most trades estimate a thing they will build. A mover estimates how long a crew will take, or how much a household weighs, before seeing half of it. That makes two parts of the estimate more important than the price: the inventory the number is based on, and the type of estimate it is. If the client adds a garage full of tools on move day, the inventory is how you show the job changed.
Line items for a moving estimate
Local moves run on crew hours. Long-distance moves run on weight or volume. Either way, packing, materials and special handling go on their own rows.
| Description | Quantity | Unit | Unit price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 movers and 20 ft truck | 4 | hour | $150 |
| Additional mover | 4 | hour | $50 |
| Packing labor | 6 | packer hour | $55 |
| Dish pack box with cell kit | 4 | each | $16 |
| Gun safe, under 500 lb, ground floor | 1 | each | $300 |
| Long carry, over 75 ft from truck | 1 | each | $100 |
Write the inventory under the line items or in the notes: rooms, large pieces, estimated box count, and the access at each end, such as "2nd floor walk-up, no elevator, truck parks within 50 ft."
Worked example: local 2-bedroom move, 12 miles
Second-floor walk-up apartment to a single-story house. Three movers, one 26 ft truck. Packing for the kitchen and books only. One upright piano.
| Description | Qty | Unit | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 movers and 26 ft truck, estimated | 6 | hour | $190 | $1,140.00 |
| Travel time, round trip from yard | 1 | hour | $190 | $190.00 |
| Packing labor, kitchen and books | 6 | packer hour | $55 | $330.00 |
| Medium boxes, 3.0 cu ft | 25 | each | $3.50 | $87.50 |
| Small boxes, 1.5 cu ft | 30 | each | $2.50 | $75.00 |
| Wardrobe boxes | 4 | each | $18 | $72.00 |
| Mattress bags | 3 | each | $12 | $36.00 |
| Upright piano, 1 flight of stairs | 1 | each | $350 | $350.00 |
Subtotal: $2,280.50.
Six hours is the estimate, not the bill. The terms say the crew is billed for actual time at $190 per hour after a 3-hour minimum, in 15-minute increments. Boxes not used are not charged.
Free download
Moving estimate template, ready to edit
The worked example above as a file, with its line items and terms already filled in. Change the prices, add your details and send it.
Or skip the file: fill it in above and download a PDFAll trade templates
Terms that belong on a moving estimate
- Estimate type: state it in the first line of the terms. "Non-binding estimate based on the inventory above" or "Binding estimate for the goods and services listed."
- Validity: 30 days, or until the move date if the client books.
- Deposit: a booking deposit to hold the date, applied to the final bill. Say whether it is refundable and by when.
- Payment at delivery: the forms you accept, and that payment is due before unloading is finished.
- Valuation: the coverage level chosen, written out. On interstate moves, Released Value at 60 cents per pound per article requires the customer's written waiver of Full Value Protection.
- Not moved: hazardous materials, propane tanks, open liquids, plants on long-distance moves, cash, jewelry and documents.
- Disassembly: which beds and tables the crew takes apart and puts back together, and that wall-mounted TVs are excluded unless listed.
The common dispute: the final bill is higher than the estimate
This is the complaint movers hear most, and it usually comes from a short inventory or an hourly job that ran long. On interstate moves, federal rules already limit what you can collect at delivery on a non-binding estimate to 110% of the estimate. On any move, the line that prevents the argument is the one tying the price to the list:
"This estimate is based on the inventory and access conditions listed above. Items, services or access conditions not listed, such as additional rooms, storage units, extra stops or stairs not shown, will be added at the rates on this estimate, and we will tell you before loading."
Then walk the home with the client at the start of move day and compare it to the inventory. If it has grown, revise the estimate in writing before the first box goes on the truck.
Prices on this page are ballpark US figures in US dollars for early 2026. They show how a quote is put together, not a rate survey: price from your own costs and your local market.
How to use
Three things, then download
Your business name, the client and the line items are all a PDF needs. Tax, dates and terms are there when you want them.
- 01
Header with your numbers
Business name, phone, and your state license or permit number, plus your USDOT and MC numbers on any interstate move; put the permit numbers in the notes.
- 02
Build the inventory
List rooms and large items with estimated cubic feet or weight, box counts, both addresses, and the stairs, elevators and walk distance at each end.
- 03
Price time or weight
Local moves by crew hour with a minimum and travel time; long distance by weight or cubic feet. Packing labor, materials and specialty items on their own rows.
- 04
Lock the estimate type
State binding, non-binding or not-to-exceed, the valuation option, the deposit and how payment is taken at delivery. Download the PDF.
Use cases
Frequently asked questions
A binding estimate fixes the price for the goods and services listed on it. A non-binding estimate is a good-faith projection, and the final bill is based on the actual weight and services. On interstate moves, a mover on a non-binding estimate cannot require more than 110% of the estimate at delivery; the rest is billed later.
For interstate household moves, yes. Federal FMCSA rules require movers to give a written estimate, and to give the customer the "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" booklet. Local moves within one state are regulated by that state, and many have their own written estimate rules.
Two movers with a truck commonly run $120 to $200 per hour in US metro areas, and each additional mover adds about $40 to $60 per hour. Most companies set a 2 to 3 hour minimum and charge travel time or a truck fee on top.
Mainly by shipment weight and distance. A common rule of thumb is about 1,000 lb per furnished room, and movers convert volume to weight at about 7 lb per cubic foot. A survey of the home, in person or by video, gives a far better number than a phone guess.
On interstate moves, Full Value Protection is the default, and the mover is liable for repair, replacement or the current value of lost or damaged items. The customer can waive it in writing for Released Value, which is free but limited to 60 cents per pound per article.
On hourly local moves the extra time usually covers it. On weight-based moves, stairs, elevators and long carries are separate charges, often priced per flight or per extra distance from the truck, so list them on the estimate before move day.
Related tools
Estimate templates by trade
Each page loads the line items that trade actually bills, in the units it bills them. Ballpark US figures, there to show the structure.