What a moving proposal is for
Moving customers often underestimate how long packing takes until the night before. Three levels, from move only to full service, show what each level costs and saves in their own time. The middle option, packing the kitchen and fragile rooms, suits many families. It also stops the night-before panic call asking for packing help.
What to put on a moving proposal
- The same home and distance in each.
- What the crew does in each.
- Estimated hours for each.
- Materials included.
- One acceptance line.
A worked example
The same three-bedroom move. Price each level from your hourly rates.
Option 1: Good: load and move. Customer packs; crew loads, moves and unloads.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three movers and truck | 7 | hour | Your price |
| Travel time | 1 | each | Your price |
Option 2: Better: move plus fragile packing. Crew packs the kitchen and fragile items.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three movers and truck | 7 | hour | Your price |
| Travel time | 1 | each | Your price |
| Packing labor, kitchen and fragile | 4 | hour | Your price |
| Boxes and packing materials | 1 | set | Your price |
Option 3: Best: full service. Crew packs the whole home and unpacks at the new one.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three movers and truck | 7 | hour | Your price |
| Travel time | 1 | each | Your price |
| Packing labor, whole home | 10 | hour | Your price |
| Boxes and packing materials | 1 | set | Your price |
| Unpacking | 5 | hour | Your price |
Show the estimated hours in each option. Full service costs more, but saves the customer days of packing.
Line items moving companies use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Movers and truck | hour | Crew size and truck size; say when the clock starts. |
| Travel time or trip fee | each | Time from your yard to the first stop and back. |
| Packing labor | hour | Full or partial packing. |
| Boxes and packing materials | each | By box size or as a bundle. |
| Furniture disassembly and reassembly | each | Beds, tables, cribs. |
| Piano or safe move | each | Specialty items with their own price. |
| Stairs or long carry | each | Walk-ups and long walks from truck to door. |
| Mattress bags and furniture pads | each | Protection for the move. |
| Storage, per month | month | If you hold items between homes. |
| Junk haul-away | load | Items left behind or not wanted. |
| Valuation coverage | each | The level of liability you accept for damaged items; explain the options. |
| Unpacking | hour | At the new home. |
Terms and deposit language for moving
- Deposit. A booking deposit holds the date and crew, especially on weekends and month ends.
- Payment. Balance due at the end of the move, before the truck leaves the new home.
- Warranty. State the liability coverage you provide for damage, how claims are made and by when. Explain the options plainly before the move.
- Hourly moves bill from the time stated to the time stated; say whether travel and breaks count.
- Valuables, cash, jewelry, medicine and hazardous items are moved by the customer.
- Interstate moves are governed by federal rules and need different paperwork; this template is for local moves.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the job.
- Check each option's name, its one-line difference and its lines.
- Add your prices; each option totals on its own.
- Set tax, the deposit and the good-until date.
- Print it, download it, or send it from Koira so the customer can pick and sign on the phone.
Free tools for moving
The same proposal for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.