IllustrationA moving quote is more than a price. It is the only record of what you and the mover agreed before your belongings leave your hands. When something goes wrong — a higher bill, a missing carton, a late delivery — the written quote is what you point to. If it is vague, so is your protection.
This guide goes through the sections a proper written quotation should have, what each should say, and the warning sign when it's missing. Use it to read a quote before you accept it, and to ask the mover to fix anything that's unclear.
1. Who you are dealing with
The quote should carry the moving company's registered name, its office address, a contact person and phone number, and its GST details where it charges GST. These should be the same company you spoke to and the one that will send the truck.
2. The move itself
Both full addresses, the floor at each end, whether there is a lift, and anything agreed about parking or a long carry. It should also show the planned packing date, loading date and expected delivery date.
3. The inventory
A list of what is being moved: furniture, appliances, cartons and any special items. A quote priced from "2 BHK" alone is a guess. An itemised inventory is what the price is based on and what you will check against at delivery.
4. What is included
Packing and the level of packing, loading, transport, unloading, unpacking if agreed, dismantling and re-assembling named furniture, and placing items room by room. Anything not listed should be assumed not included.
5. The price, broken down
The total, and how it is made up: packing, transport, labour and any extras, plus whether taxes are included or added. A single lump sum with no breakdown makes it hard to see what changed if the bill rises.
6. Extras and how they are charged
What may cost extra and on what condition — for example, more cartons than listed, extra floors of stair carrying, or waiting time if a society delays loading. The rule should be that no extra charge applies without your agreement before it's incurred.
7. Payment schedule
How much is paid and when: any advance, any amount at loading, and the balance on delivery. Keep every receipt.
8. Risk coverage
If you are taking cover: what it covers, how the value of your goods is declared, what it costs, and how a claim is made and by when. "Fully insured" without terms is not cover.
9. Cancellation and changes
What happens if you move the date or cancel, and whether any amount is kept. Read this before paying an advance.
10. Delivery and claims
How delivery is confirmed, how you report missing or damaged items, and within what time. Don't sign a "received in good condition" note before you have checked.
| Section | What it should say | Red flag if missing |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Registered name, office address, contact, GST details | You can't tell who is responsible |
| Addresses and access | Both addresses, floors, lift, parking | Access charges appear on the day |
| Dates | Packing, loading and expected delivery | No date to hold the mover to |
| Inventory | Itemised list of what is moving | The price is a guess |
| Services | Packing level, dismantling, unpacking | Assume anything unlisted costs extra |
| Price | Total with a breakdown and taxes | You can't see what changed |
| Extras | What may cost extra, and only with your agreement | Open-ended charges at loading |
| Payment | Advance, stages and balance | Pressure to pay more up front |
| Insurance | Cover, declared value, cost, claim steps | "Fully insured" with nothing behind it |
| Cancellation | Terms for date changes and cancelling | An advance you can't recover |
Before you sign or pay
How inventory lines should read
An inventory is useful only if you could check against it at delivery. Specific lines make that possible; vague ones don't.
- "Sofa, 3-seater, fabric — wrapped" rather than "furniture"
- "Double-door refrigerator" rather than "appliances"
- "Kitchen cartons — 6, marked fragile" rather than "kitchen items"
- "Wardrobe, 2-door — dismantled and re-assembled" rather than "bedroom set"
- "Glass dining top — crated" rather than "table"
- "Scooter — wrapped, condition noted" rather than "vehicle"
Vague phrases, and what to ask instead
- "All-inclusive" — ask for the list of what is included, and what is not.
- "Approximate amount" — ask what would make it change, and whether you agree before it does.
- "Fully insured" — ask for the cover, the declared value, the cost and the claim steps in writing.
- "Delivery in a few days" — ask for an expected delivery date on the quote.
- "Standard packing" — ask how glassware, electronics and mirrors are packed.
- "Extra as per actuals" — ask which extras, at what rate, and that they need your approval.
What a quote can't promise
A good quote is honest about what is outside the mover's control. Heavy rain, road closures, checkpost delays or a society that stops loading can move a date even when everyone does their job. What matters is that the quote names an expected date, and that the mover tells you promptly if it changes and why.
Likewise, no amount of packing removes all risk on a long road journey. That is what risk coverage is for, and why its terms belong on the quote rather than in a phone conversation.
Use the quote on moving day
Keep the final quote on your phone and, ideally, a printed copy. At loading, walk through the inventory with the crew lead and check it matches the quote; if something extra is going on the truck, agree how it is charged before it's loaded. Note the truck number and the driver's phone number on your copy.
At delivery, use the same inventory to check every item as it comes off the truck. Mark any missing or damaged items on the delivery note with photos before you sign, and tell the mover in writing the same day. A quote you actually use on the day protects you far more than one filed away after booking.
If the quote changes
Sometimes a quote has to change, for example after a survey finds more than you listed. That's fine as long as the change happens in writing, before moving day, and you agree to it. Ask for a revised quote rather than a verbal adjustment, and keep both versions.
At bookmovers.in, your requirement goes to one verified mover, who may do a phone, video or physical survey before giving you a written quotation. Read it with this guide, check what is included, what may cost extra and the payment schedule, and keep a copy of the final version.