How to write a moving estimate customers sign
Customers sign the estimate they understand. How to build a moving estimate from an accurate inventory, show the price clearly and make saying yes one step.
Customers put moving estimates side by side. The cheapest one does not always win. The one that is easiest to understand often does, because it feels safer. A clear estimate also protects you on moving day, when the final bill should hold no surprises.
Start with an accurate inventory
Every number in an estimate comes from the inventory. The volume decides the truck, the truck and the access decide the crew, and the crew decides the hours.
- Go room by room, including the garage, basement, attic and shed. That is where estimates usually go wrong.
- Note what changes the job: pianos, safes, gym equipment, stairs, elevators, a long walk from the door to the truck, and parking.
- Use video when a visit is not practical. In MoveCRM, a walkthrough video becomes a room-by-room inventory you check and adjust before you price it.
Show how the price is built
A single total invites the question "why so much?". A short breakdown answers it before it is asked.
- Crew size and estimated hours, or the flat price
- Truck and travel time
- Packing materials and packing services
- Storage, if the move needs it
- Extras that may apply, such as stairs, a long carry or waiting time
Say clearly whether the price can change. If the estimate is based on hours, explain what makes a job take longer and how you will tell the customer on the day.
Answer the questions before they ask
Most calls after an estimate are about the same few things. Put the answers in the estimate itself:
- The arrival window on moving day
- How furniture and belongings are protected, and what coverage you offer
- When the deposit and the rest of the payment are due
- What happens if the customer needs to change the date or cancel
Make it look like your company
An estimate with your logo and colors, laid out the same way every time, looks like it comes from a company that will show up on time. MoveCRM builds estimates from your own templates and branding and turns them into a clean PDF.
Make saying yes one step
If accepting means printing, signing and scanning, many customers put it off. Send the estimate as a link instead. In MoveCRM, the customer opens it, signs it online and pays the deposit by card, and you can see when they have viewed it. That is the best moment to call.
Follow up the same way every time
A signed estimate is the goal, but most need a follow-up or two. Plan them: one the same day, one after a couple of days and one a week later. Each should answer a question or offer an option, not just ask "any news?".
Start your 30-day free trial and build your first estimate in MoveCRM.