Last updated: 7/1/2024
Moving estimates play a crucial role in relocating to a new home. Whether moving locally or long distance, obtaining accurate moving estimates and moving quotes online is essential for proper budgeting and planning.
A moving estimate is a projection of how much moving services will cost. They can be tricky to understand and decipher, but UniMovers easily calculates our moving estimates in an understandable way.
While calculating moving estimates seems daunting, our moving estimator features easy-to-use forms. Here, we’ll dive into how we calculate our moving estimates and what you need to know about our rates!
Table of Contents
Factors of Moving Estimates
When calculating moving estimates, we consider your vehicle’s size, the types of objects you have, and the amount of boxes we will need to move. All three of these factors help us understand how many movers you will need and how long they will take to move your belongings.
Vehicle Size
Calculating estimates for moving companies based on your vehicles (or lack thereof) is crucial. The size of the vehicles determines the volume of items that can be transported in one go, which directly impacts the number of trips required to complete the move.
Since UniMovers is a labor-only moving company, you will need to provide your own moving van or truck for us to load and unload. Understanding the size of your vehicles will enable you to assess whether certain large or bulky items can be accommodated or if special arrangements, such as renting a larger vehicle or using a freight service, are necessary.
By effectively communicating this information, you can ensure that the moving estimates are based on a realistic understanding of the moving process. This will lead to a more accurate budget and a smoother relocation experience.
Your Belongings
Providing an accurate description of your belongings helps UniMovers tailor their services to your specific requirements, leading to a more precise estimate of the moving costs. Describing your belongings accurately to UniMovers is crucial to calculating moving estimates. Providing detailed information enables us to assess the volume and weight of the shipment.
UniMovers also looks at how many moving boxes will need to be transported. This helps us decide how many movers you should hire and approximately how long they will take.
Calculating Moving Estimates
Once we have the information we need, UniMovers will estimate the approximate man-hours it would take to complete the project. We calculate this based on the vehicle’s size, the types of objects you have, and amount of boxes we need to move.
In most cases, loading your items will take the most time. We take extreme care of your belongings as we stack them into the truck and make sure everything is as tight as possible. UniMovers has a two-hour and two-mover minimum for all jobs. While you may not use the full two hours, blocking this time off helps us offer moving services to as many people as possible!
Pricing Moving Estimates
UniMovers charges a flat hourly rate for moving services. To calculate, multiply the total number of man-hours by the hourly rate.
While we will do our best to provide an accurate estimate, our movers are paid hourly. If your move takes longer than quoted, you will still be charged for all working time.
Pricing Example
If you plan to hire two UniMovers movers who take two hours to complete the move, UniMovers will charge you for four man-hours.
Then, the number of man-hours multiplied by the hourly rate will calculate your total cost. For example, $60/hr/mover for four man-hours would total $240.
Looking to move soon?
Check out UniMovers and save 30-50% on your move as compared with traditional moving!
How Many Movers Do I Need?
At UniMovers, we typically provide two or more movers per project. For residential moves, we recommend matching the number of movers to the number of bedrooms in the home for loads or unloads (when we are only assisting at one job site).
However, if we are both loading and unloading, we recommend having two or more movers per bedroom. This will speed up the process and keep your movers from getting tired.
Clients’ Common Mistakes
With every online moving quote, there is always room for error. The most common things that mess up a moving estimate include:
Exhaustion
If you have two movers moving a 5-bedroom home, they will likely tire quickly. Some ways to keep your move as efficient as possible would be to request more movers, encourage breaks, and supply your movers with snacks and ice-cold water.
Poor Packing Jobs
Poorly packing moving boxes or other containers can make your move take much longer. Although moving boxes can be expensive, boxes often decrease overall costs because of their uniform shape and stackability.
Moving boxes also make it easy to organize your belongings, which keeps unpacking stressfree. Consider purchasing varying sizes of moving boxes as well as speciality boxes, such as wardrobe boxes and dish boxes.
Miscalculating Your Belongings
It is crucial to accurately assess and communicate the volume of items that need to be moved. Miscalculating the quantity of belongings can lead to significant problems and added costs during the moving process.
To avoid this, it’s important for you to take inventory of all items and communicate this information clearly to the moving professionals. Providing an accurate overview of your belongings will enable UniMovers to plan and allocate the appropriate resources.
Conclusion
Moving estimates at UniMovers are very straightforward. First, we consider all the factors that make your move unique: your moving vehicle, your belongings, and how many moving boxes you need to be relocated.
Then, UniMovers calculates the amount of man-hours by multiplying the number of movers by how many hours they work. In order to get an accurate estimate, make sure to provide accurate information.
UniMovers has a two hour and two mover minimum. Even if your move doesn’t take a full two hours, you will be charged for that time. This allows us to keep movers safe and healthy while providing moving services to as many people as possible.
FAQs
Moving estimates and quotes are an important part of the moving process and can easily be generated online. Whether moving locally or long distances, obtaining accurate moving estimates is essential for proper budgeting and planning. You can make informed decisions by having a good idea of the costs of your movers. This ensures a smooth and cost-effective move.
To obtain an accurate moving estimate, provide detailed and precise information about moving items. Communicate any special requirements or challenges. The more your moving company knows about your upcoming move, the better. This will help your movers provide more accurate estimates based on a realistic understanding of the moving process.
When planning a move, it’s important to consider potential additional costs beyond the basic moving estimate and budget accordingly. Some of these additional costs may include packing materials, storage, and moving insurance. Discussing all potential additional costs with your movers is important to ensure that your budgeting and planning are comprehensive. This will help you have the most accurate moving estimate possible!
Caroline is an undergraduate at the University of Iowa studying Business Management and English Publishing. When she's not studying, she spends time reading, hanging out with friends, working out, traveling, and calling her family. After college, Caroline will enter the publishing industry, where she will help authors and their stories find their perfect audience.
