FREE ESTIMATE WORKSHEET
Compare local moving estimates with the same questions
Put the details side by side before you compare the totals. This guide and printable worksheet help you organize estimates you obtain yourself. We do not list, rate, or recommend movers.
Describe the same move to each provider. Record what each written estimate includes. Resolve blank or unclear answers before deciding. Go straight to the worksheet.
Give each provider the same move brief
Prepare your moving date or date range, origin and destination, home size, large-item inventory, and approximate number of boxes. Add both homes’ stairs, elevators, loading locations, and any furniture that needs disassembly.
Explain what will be packed before arrival and what help you want. If you change the inventory or discover an access problem, share that update with everyone whose estimate you are comparing. See the mover-ready checklist for the details to gather.
Ask questions that lead to usable answers
What work and equipment are included?
Confirm the crew, vehicle, furniture protection, loading, transportation, unloading, and placement. Ask separately about packing, materials, appliance preparation, disassembly, and reassembly. Do not treat a service description as confirmation that every task is included.
How is time or price calculated?
Ask about the pricing basis, minimum charges, travel, and the assumptions behind any estimated duration. Identify which extras have a stated amount and which still need assessment. Use the moving-cost guide to organize the full budget.
What happens if something changes?
Describe a realistic scenario: your elevator is delayed, your inventory grows, or your keys are unavailable at the agreed time. Ask how the provider would communicate and price a change. Keep the answer with the estimate.
How will move day work?
Confirm the arrival window, the contact for delays, what you must prepare, and the work expected at the destination. Ask how fragile belongings are handled and where to find the terms for loss or damage.
Local moving estimate comparison worksheet
Rochester Moving Guide • Independent planning resource • rochestermovingguide.com
Use Option A, B, and C for estimates you obtain yourself. Type short notes or print a blank copy. Mark unknowns “confirm,” not “included.” Entries stay on this page and are not sent or saved by this website. Print or save as PDF before leaving.
Choose “Save as PDF” in your browser’s print dialog if available. Without JavaScript, use your browser’s Print command.
| Detail to compare | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate date and reference | |||
| Move date and arrival window | |||
| Inventory and access assumptions | |||
| Services included | |||
| Crew and vehicle | |||
| Pricing basis and minimum | |||
| Travel calculation | |||
| Packing and materials | |||
| Extras and exclusions | |||
| Estimated total and what can change | |||
| Deposit, payment and cancellation terms | |||
| Protection terms and issue contact | |||
| Questions still to resolve |
This worksheet is not a quote, booking, or recommendation. Keep the original written estimates and terms. Do not enter payment details or sensitive personal information here.
Read the completed worksheet before deciding
First, check that each option covers the same inventory, access, and requested work. Next, look for unanswered questions or services described only verbally. Finally, compare the price alongside the timing, exclusions, and written terms.
If one total is much lower, ask what assumptions explain the difference rather than assuming it is automatically better or worse. Request clarification in writing. Keep the worksheet as your summary, not a substitute for the original documents.
For additional background on estimates for a move within New York, see the state’s consumer moving booklet (PDF). For a move across state lines, use FMCSA’s interstate moving resources.
Keep planning the rest of your move
Use the Rochester local-moving guide for access, packing, and moving-day preparation, or follow the timed moving checklist for utilities and address changes.