Getting a moving quote sounds simple enough. You call a company, tell them what you have, and they give you a number. The problem is that a lot of moving quotes are not accurate, and the gap between the number you were given and the bill you receive on moving day is one of the most common complaints in the industry. At Leo’s Moving Services, we give upfront quotes based on the real details of your move, with no bait-and-switch and no surprise charges at the end. Here’s how to get an accurate number from any company you talk to, and what to watch out for along the way.
Understand the Difference Between Binding and Non-Binding Estimates
The first thing to know is that not all quotes work the same way. A binding estimate locks in the price based on what you’ve described. If the actual move takes longer or involves more than expected, the company absorbs that difference. You pay what you were quoted. A non-binding estimate is essentially a projection. The final bill is based on actual time, weight, or both, and it can come in higher than the original number.
Neither type is inherently bad, but you need to know which one you’re agreeing to before you sign anything. Ask directly: “Is this a binding or non-binding estimate?” A company that can’t give you a clear answer to that question is a company worth being cautious about. For long-distance moves, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets out your legal rights as a customer, including what moving companies are required to provide in writing before a move.
Give Every Company the Same Information
The most common reason quotes vary wildly between companies isn’t that one company is cheaper. It’s that they’re quoting different jobs. One company asked about stairs and one didn’t. One got an accurate count of large furniture pieces and one got a vague description. One knew about the piano and one didn’t.
Before you start calling around, make a list. Write down every room in your home and the significant items in each one. Note the number of flights of stairs at both locations, the floor you’re on if you’re in an apartment, whether there’s elevator access, and any items that need special handling. Give that same information to every company you contact. That’s the only way to compare quotes that are actually comparable.
Be Specific About Specialty Items
If you have anything that falls outside the standard furniture and boxes category, say so upfront. Pianos, gun safes, large antiques, fitness equipment, oversized artwork: these items affect the quote significantly, and a company that doesn’t know about them going in will either be unprepared on moving day or will add the cost when they arrive.
Piano moving in particular requires dedicated equipment and an experienced crew. A general quote that doesn’t account for a piano is not a real quote for your move. If you’re in the Houston area and need a piano moved, our piano moving page explains what the process involves and what to expect. A company quoting you without asking about specialty items is leaving out information that changes the number.
Watch Out for Unusually Low Quotes
A quote that comes in significantly below every other estimate you’ve received is not good news. It usually means one of a few things: the company is planning to add charges on moving day, they’ve underestimated the job, or they’re not properly licensed and insured and are cutting corners to compete on price.
The Better Business Bureau has documented the pattern extensively: a low estimate gets you to commit, your belongings get loaded onto the truck, and then the price goes up before anything gets delivered. It’s not common with reputable companies, but it happens often enough in the moving industry that it’s worth knowing about. If a quote feels too good to be true, ask the company to explain specifically what’s included and what isn’t.
Verify Licensing and Insurance Before You Commit
A moving company operating in Texas is required to be registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Any company handling interstate moves also needs a USDOT number registered with the FMCSA. Ask for both numbers and look them up. It takes two minutes and tells you whether the company is legitimate.
Insurance matters just as much. Ask specifically what coverage is included in the quote and what your options are for additional protection. The default valuation coverage most companies include works out to around 60 cents per pound per item, which sounds reasonable until a damaged 40-inch TV nets you $24. Full-value protection costs more but covers replacement value. Understanding which one you have before moving day is important.
Leo’s carries TxDMV No. 006763421C and USDOT No. 2434682, and we’re happy to provide documentation to building management or anyone else who needs it.
Ask What’s Included in the Base Rate
Moving companies don’t all include the same things in their base quotes. Some include furniture blankets and basic disassembly as standard. Others charge for them separately. Some have a fuel surcharge. Some charge a travel fee for the drive from their location to yours. Some charge extra for stairs, long carries from the truck to the door, or elevator use.
Ask for an itemized breakdown of what the quote covers. A good company will give you one without hesitation. The goal is to walk into moving day knowing exactly what the bill is going to look like, not to be handed a list of add-ons you didn’t know about when the job is done. For a general sense of what moving costs nationally, Angi’s moving cost guide has useful baseline data, though local Houston-area rates have their own patterns.
Get Everything in Writing
A verbal quote is not a quote. Whatever number you’re given over the phone should be followed by a written estimate that spells out the scope of the job, the price, and the terms. Read it before you sign it. Make sure the pickup and delivery addresses are correct, the inventory matches what you described, and the payment terms are clear.
If anything in the written estimate doesn’t match what you were told verbally, ask about it before moving day. A company that’s surprised you’re asking questions about the contract is a company worth walking away from.
What a Straight Quote Looks Like
When you contact us for a quote, we ask the questions that let us give you an accurate number: what you have, where it’s going, what floor you’re on, whether there are stairs at either location, and whether you have any specialty items. We tell you upfront what’s included, what the rate is, and what would change the number. Our services page covers the full range of what we handle, and our residential moving page walks through what a typical household move looks like from our end.
That’s what an honest quote looks like. It’s not a low number designed to get you to commit. It’s the actual cost of your actual move.
Get a Quote You Can Count On
If you’re planning a move in Houston, Katy, Richmond, or anywhere in the Fort Bend County area, we’re happy to give you a straight estimate based on the real details of your job. Call us at (832) 552-2778 or fill out our free estimate form. Tell us what you have and where it’s going, and we’ll give you a number you can actually plan around.
