What to take away
- • A quote given without seeing your home is a guess.
- • Documentation on moving day protects both sides.
- • Claims have deadlines — know yours before delivery.
Before you book
Insist on a survey — video call is fine. Anyone willing to price a whole household without seeing it is pricing a fantasy.
- • Are you the carrier, or a broker arranging another company?
- • What licensing and insurance do you carry, and under what number?
- • Is this a binding, non-binding, or not-to-exceed estimate?
- • What is the deposit, and what is the cancellation policy?
- • Who physically performs the move — employees or day labour?
On moving day
Walk the home with the crew lead before anything is touched. Photograph furniture and electronics, particularly existing damage. Read the inventory sheet before you sign it — that document decides claims later.
Keep documents, medication, valuables, and irreplaceable items with you.
At delivery
Check items off the inventory as they come in. Note damage on the paperwork at the time of delivery, not afterwards, and photograph it immediately.
Ask at booking how long you have to file a claim and what form it must take. Deadlines are often shorter than people expect.
Moving regulations differ between local, intrastate, and interstate moves. Verify licensing and dispute processes with the relevant authority in your area.