A moving company quote usually covers the vehicle, loading and offloading crew, and transport of the belongings listed in your inventory. Basic furniture protection may also be included. Packing, specialised wrapping, shuttle vehicles, storage and additional insurance can be charged separately, depending on the agreement.
The important word is “listed”. Your quote should describe the move you have actually booked, including your belongings, collection and delivery addresses, moving date and access requirements.
At Active Transport, our advice is to look beyond the final price. Before accepting a quotation, understand what that price covers, what could change it and which responsibilities remain yours.
How Is Your Moving Quote Calculated?
A three-bedroom house does not have a standard moving volume. One family may have lightly furnished rooms. Another may have large lounge suites, a packed garage, outdoor furniture and dozens of boxes.
That is why an accurate inventory matters more than the number of bedrooms.
Active Furniture Removals prepares quotations using the completed inventory, whether the move is local or long-distance, the moving date and access at both properties. Our pricing is not based on a simple per-kilometre calculation.
Read our latest blog post: Is It Cheaper to Hire Movers or Rent a Truck Yourself?
Your Inventory and Load Volume
Your inventory helps determine the truck space and crew required. Include furniture, appliances, boxes and items stored outside your main living areas.
- Count boxes as accurately as possible.
- Include patio furniture, garden equipment and garage contents.
- Identify unusually large, heavy or fragile items.
- Explain which items you will transport yourself.
- Update the inventory if your packing reveals more belongings.
Our practical advice is to check every room, cupboard and storage area before submitting your list. Forgotten items still need space in the truck.
Your Route, Moving Date and Property Access
A local move and a long-distance relocation require different planning. Your date also affects availability, particularly around month-end and other busy periods.
Access matters just as much. Stairs, narrow entrances, restricted parking and estate vehicle rules can change how the crew loads and delivers your furniture.
If your dates are flexible, ask whether a quieter date or shared-load option could reduce the cost.
What Should the Standard Moving Price Include?
The Moving Vehicle and Transport
Your quotation should cover transport between the agreed collection and delivery points, using a vehicle with enough space for the approved inventory.
Ask whether you are booking a dedicated move or a shared load. With a shared load, your belongings travel alongside other customers’ goods, so collection and delivery arrangements may differ from a dedicated service.
Confirm whether the quoted transport price includes fuel, tolls and any additional collection or delivery stops.
Loading and Offloading Labour
The quotation should explain whether the crew will load your belongings at the collection address and unload them at your destination.
Do not assume that labour also includes packing cupboards, dismantling furniture, reconnecting appliances or unpacking boxes. Ask which tasks are included and which need to be booked separately.
For a larger move, ask how the crew allocation matches your inventory and access conditions. The right team helps keep the move organised and reduces unnecessary handling.
Basic Furniture Protection
Active Transport carries packer blankets as standard equipment to help protect furniture during transport. Specialist packing and wrapping should be discussed when requesting your quote.
A furniture blanket is different from a mattress cover, protective plastic, bubble wrap or a custom crate. If you want a particular item protected in a particular way, get that requirement written into the quotation.
Which Moving Services May Cost Extra?
Professional Packing and Materials
Loading packed boxes is different from packing your belongings for you.
If you need professional packing, specify whether you want the whole home packed or only fragile items. Ask whether materials and unpacking are included in the price.
- Double-walled moving boxes.
- Packing paper and bubble wrap.
- Mattress and upholstered furniture covers.
- Special protection for televisions, mirrors and artwork.
- Custom crating where required.
For fragile or valuable belongings, discuss the packing requirements alongside the insurance arrangements. Professional packing does not automatically guarantee that every type of damage will be covered.
Shuttle Vehicles and Difficult Access
A shuttle vehicle is a smaller truck or bakkie used to transfer belongings between your property and the main moving truck when the larger vehicle cannot reach the loading point.
This can happen at estates with truck restrictions, properties with narrow entrances or buildings where suitable parking is far from the door.
Tell your moving coordinator about these conditions before the quote is finalised. Confirm the permitted carrying distance and any shuttle or long-carry charges in writing.
- Maximum vehicle height or weight allowed by the estate.
- Low arches, branches or narrow gates.
- Distance between parking and the entrance.
- Stairs and working lift availability.
- Permitted moving hours and booking requirements.
Furniture Dismantling and Reassembly
Beds, desks and large cabinets may need to be dismantled before they can be moved safely.
Ask whether this work is included, which items the crew will handle and whether reassembly at your destination forms part of the service. Identify fitted furniture or items requiring specialist assistance beforehand.
Storage and Additional Handling
If your new property is not ready, you may need storage between collection and delivery.
Request a breakdown of storage charges, handling fees and the later delivery cost. Also confirm how your belongings will be protected and insured while stored.
Extra Items and Changes to the Move
Additional furniture, more boxes, a changed destination or another collection stop can alter the scope of your booking.
Tell the company as soon as your plans change. Ask for an updated quotation or written confirmation of any adjustment before moving day.
Do not assume unused space in the truck makes additional items free. The original price also reflects labour, handling and scheduling.
What Does “Insurance Included” Actually Mean?
“Insurance included” is not enough information to assess your protection. Ask for the policy wording applicable to your booking and written confirmation of the cover arranged.
Goods-in-transit policies vary. Some provide limited protection against specified events, while broader cover can still have exclusions, excesses and conditions.
Questions to Ask About Moving Insurance
- What events and types of damage are covered?
- Does cover apply during loading and unloading?
- Are customer-packed boxes covered?
- What excess would I pay if I claim?
- Must the complete consignment be valued and insured?
- How are antiques and high-value items declared?
- Are there restrictions for appliances and electronics?
- What is the deadline and procedure for reporting damage?
Active Transport’s published all-risk application requires the complete consignment to be declared at replacement value and includes packing conditions and exclusions. Request the current documents for your move before relying on any insurance summary.
Owner-Packed Boxes and Valuable Items
Packing your own boxes can reduce costs, but it may affect insurance eligibility for their contents. Confirm the conditions before deciding how to pack fragile items.
Keep jewellery, cash, important documents, keys and small valuables with you wherever practical. Back up computer files before the move, and ask how appliances should be prepared for transport.
Never assume that an appliance failing to operate after delivery will automatically qualify for an insurance claim.
A Moving Day Example: Extra Boxes and Restricted Access
Consider an illustrative move from an estate in Pretoria to a complex in Johannesburg.
The customer lists 30 boxes but finishes packing with 55. A patio table is also left off the inventory. At the destination, security refuses entry to the main moving truck, leaving it parked more than 60 metres from the apartment.
The move now requires more handling than originally quoted and may need a shuttle vehicle. Depending on the agreed terms, the additional inventory and access arrangements could increase the price and delay delivery.
Two simple steps would have helped: updating the inventory before dispatch and checking the destination’s vehicle restrictions before accepting the quotation.
This is why we encourage customers to treat inventory and access information as essential booking details.
How Do You Compare Moving Quotes Fairly?
Start with the scope of work before comparing the total price. A cheaper quotation may cover fewer items, less protection or different delivery arrangements.
Compare the Same Inventory and Truck Space
Send each company the same inventory, addresses, date and access information.
If the quotations specify cubic metres, compare the allocated volume. Ask questions when one company allows substantially less space than the others.
Truck tonnage alone does not tell you the usable loading volume. Body dimensions vary, so ask whether the allocated vehicle can accommodate your full inventory safely.
Cost per cubic metre can help identify differences, but it should not be your only measure. Labour, route, packing, access and service arrangements also affect the price.
Compare Labour, Protection and Delivery Terms
- Does each quotation include loading and offloading?
- Are the same packing and wrapping services included?
- Is the move dedicated or shared?
- Are collection and delivery dates fixed or flexible?
- Have stairs, restricted access and shuttle requirements been allowed for?
- Is insurance clearly described?
- Are VAT and applicable transport charges included in the total?
Investigate Vague or Incomplete Quotations
A quotation that simply says “house move” gives you little evidence of what has been agreed. Request an attached inventory and a clear description of the service.
Check the company’s contact details, business identity, customer reviews and payment instructions. Ask who will carry out the move and whether another operator will be involved.
A mobile number or Gmail address alone does not prove a company is unreliable. Look at the complete picture, especially whether its identity and commitments can be verified.
Our view is that a useful quotation makes the service easy to understand. You should be able to explain what you are paying for before you pay.
What Should You Confirm Before Accepting the Quote?
Payment and Booking Terms
Confirm the deposit, balance deadline and accepted payment methods. Ask when your booking becomes confirmed and whether funds must clear before dispatch.
There is no single deposit percentage that applies to every move. Follow the written terms for your booking and verify banking details through a trusted contact before paying.
Cancellation and Postponement
Property transfers and moving dates can change. Ask what notice is required, whether a cancellation or postponement fee applies, and how deposits or credits will be handled.
Also confirm that an alternative date is subject to availability. A date change should be acknowledged in writing.
Waiting Time and Delays
If keys are unavailable or a lift cannot be used, the crew may have to wait. Ask whether waiting time is chargeable, when charges start and how the rate is calculated.
Confirm the arrival window and what happens if the mover experiences a breakdown or delay. Do not assume compensation is automatically included.
Approval of Additional Charges
Ask how extra charges are calculated and who must approve them. Some changes need a revised quotation rather than a fixed fee per box.
Where practical, agree on the cost before additional work begins and keep a written record of the approval.
Our Most Useful Advice: Show the Mover What You Are Moving
A video walkthrough can help reveal items that an inventory list misses. Ask your moving coordinator whether they can review a live call, recorded walkthrough or photographs alongside your inventory.
Walk through every room and include your garage, patio and storage areas. Show bulky furniture, fragile items and the route between the entrance and the truck parking point.
A walkthrough supports accurate planning, but it does not replace the written inventory or automatically transfer liability. The important final step is getting confirmation that the quotation reflects what was shown and agreed.
- Submit your completed inventory.
- Provide photographs or a walkthrough where useful.
- Disclose access restrictions at both addresses.
- Confirm optional services and insurance requirements.
- Get the final scope and total price in writing.
- Report changes before moving day.
Get a Moving Quote That Reflects Your Actual Move
A clear moving quote helps you budget, prepare and avoid disagreements. It should connect the price to your inventory, route, access conditions and chosen services.
For a household or office move, contact Active Transport with your moving date, collection and delivery addresses, inventory and access details. Tell us whether you need packing, specialised wrapping, storage or a shared-load option so these requirements can be considered from the start.
Call 082 820 6839 to discuss your move and request a quotation.