How to Get a Moving Quote
The difference between a good move and a disaster often comes down to the quoting process. A 2BR move in the same city can range from $800 to $2,500 depending on who you hire. Getting quotes right protects you from overpaying, lowball scams, and moving day surprises.
Get at Least 3 Quotes (Here's Why)
The price spread between movers serving the same city is typically 30 to 50% for the exact same service: licensed, insured, full-service local moving. Trunk has verified this across hundreds of mover rate cards. The cheapest and most expensive mover in your area may differ by $500+ on a 2BR move.
Three quotes gives you a market baseline. If two movers quote $1,200 to $1,400 and one quotes $650, the $650 is almost certainly a lowball that will increase on moving day. If all three are clustered around $1,300, you know the market rate and can negotiate on service, not just price.
Or let Trunk do it for you. Every city page on Trunk shows verified pricing from multiple movers side by side, so you can compare without calling anyone. Search your city below to see current rates.
Binding vs Non-Binding vs Not-to-Exceed
There are three types of moving estimates. The type you get determines whether the final bill can change.
Binding Not-to-Exceed (Best)
You pay the estimate OR the actual cost, whichever is lower. If the move takes less time or weighs less than estimated, you pay less. If it takes more, you pay the estimate. This is the gold standard. Always ask for this.
Binding Estimate
The price is locked. You pay exactly the quoted amount regardless of actual time or weight. Good for budget certainty, but you won't benefit if the move goes faster than expected.
Non-Binding Estimate (Riskiest)
An approximation only. The final cost can be higher (or lower) than the estimate. This is where surprises happen. If a mover only offers non-binding estimates, ask why they can't commit to a price after surveying your home.
In-Person vs Video vs Phone Estimates
| Method | Accuracy | Convenience | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-person survey | Highest | Low (scheduling) | 3+ BR homes, lots of heavy/specialty items, long distance moves |
| Video survey (FaceTime/Zoom) | High | High | Most moves. Walk the estimator through your home on camera. Nearly as accurate as in-person. |
| Phone-only estimate | Low | Highest | Studios, small 1BR, minimal furniture. Risk of inaccuracy increases with home size. |
A mover who refuses to do an in-person or video survey for a 3BR+ home is likely guessing. Guesses become price increases on moving day.
10 Questions to Ask Every Mover
1. What is your USDOT number? Verify at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. No USDOT = unlicensed = no federal protections.
2. Is this a binding or non-binding estimate? Ask for binding not-to-exceed.
3. Are you the carrier or a broker? Brokers sell your job to another company. You lose control of who shows up. Ask if they self-haul with their own trucks and crews.
4. What insurance coverage is included? Basic is $0.60/lb (a 50-lb TV gets you $30). Full Value Protection costs extra but covers actual replacement value.
5. Are there any fees not in this estimate? Stairs, long carry, elevator, packing materials, fuel surcharge, weekend premium. Get them all in writing.
6. How many crew members and trucks? Under-crewing is how movers pad hours. A 2BR should have 2 to 3 movers. A 3BR+ needs 3 to 4.
7. What is your cancellation policy? Most legitimate movers allow free cancellation 48 to 72 hours before the move.
8. Can I see your insurance certificate? Any FMCSA-registered mover can provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) within 24 to 48 hours.
9. What happens if something is damaged? Ask about their claims process, timeline, and resolution rate. Good movers answer this confidently.
10. How long have you been in business? Not disqualifying if new, but movers with 5+ years have a track record you can verify.
Red Flags During the Quoting Process
Quote is 30%+ below everyone else. Classic lowball. The price will increase at pickup. No legitimate mover can profitably operate at half the market rate.
Won't do a video or in-person survey. They're guessing. Guesses become “oh, this is more than we expected” on moving day.
Demands a large deposit. Legitimate movers collect at delivery. A deposit over 10 to 20% (especially cash) is a red flag for a potential scam.
Can't provide a USDOT number. They're operating illegally. No federal insurance, no federal complaint process, no recourse if things go wrong.
Verbal-only quote. Federal law requires a written estimate. If a mover won't put the price in writing, they can charge whatever they want on moving day.
Pressures you to book immediately. “This price is only good today” is a sales tactic, not a supply constraint. Legitimate movers give you time to compare.
Where the Real Signal Is in Reviews
Most people read 5-star and 1-star reviews. Both are the least reliable. 5-star reviews are the most gameable: some movers pressure customers with non-disparagement clauses, offer discounts for reviews, or outright buy them. 1-star reviews are often written in anger and may reflect a single bad day, not a pattern.
The 2, 3, and 4-star reviews contain the most honest signal.These are written by people who had a real experience with real tradeoffs. “Fast and efficient, but terrible at communication when running late.” “Good price, but broke 3 items and claims took months.” These tell you what to actually expect.
When evaluating a mover, read the middle reviews first. Look for patterns, not individual complaints. One mention of a broken lamp is an accident. Five mentions of broken items across different reviews is a crew training problem.
What Trunk Does With Reviews
Trunk curates reviews from Google, BBB, Yelp, and Reddit for every profiled mover. We flag patterns (repeat damage complaints, billing disputes, communication failures) rather than just showing star averages. Each mover profile shows the Google star distribution (how many 5s, 4s, 3s, 2s, 1s) so you can see whether a 4.5 rating is 90% fives with some ones, or an even spread.
Search your city to see mover profiles with curated reviews, or visit any mover profile page for the full breakdown.
How Moving Company Ratings Get Gamed
A 4.8 Google rating does not automatically mean a mover is good. Each review platform has vulnerabilities that some movers exploit. Understanding how ratings are manipulated helps you read them more critically.
Google Reviews
Review farms. Bulk fake reviews purchased for $3 to $10 each. They appear in clusters (10+ reviews in a week from accounts with no other activity), use generic language (“great service, very professional”), and often lack specific move details.
Incentivized reviews. “Leave us 5 stars and get $25 off.” Technically violates Google's terms but rarely enforced. These are real customers but biased by the incentive.
Non-disparagement clauses. Some movers include a clause in the contract prohibiting negative reviews. Customers who had bad experiences stay silent, inflating the average. This is legal in most states.
How to spot it: Check review dates for suspicious clusters. Read the reviewer's other reviews (fake accounts often have only one review). Look for specific details about the move (address, crew names, move size). Generic praise with no details is a red flag.
Yelp
Yelp's filter hides reviews. Yelp's algorithm suppresses reviews it considers suspicious, but this often catches legitimate reviews from new accounts. A mover may have 50 visible reviews and 30 “not recommended” reviews hidden behind a link at the bottom of the page. Always check the hidden reviews.
Advertising influence. Yelp has been accused by multiple businesses of manipulating review visibility based on advertising spend. While Yelp denies this, some movers report that negative reviews became more visible after they stopped advertising.
How to spot it: Click “reviews that are not currently recommended” at the bottom of any Yelp page. If a mover has 4.5 stars visible but dozens of hidden 1-star reviews, the visible rating is misleading.
BBB
BBB ratings are not review scores. The BBB letter grade (A+ through F) is based on complaint response rate, time in business, and transparency, not customer satisfaction. A mover with an A+ rating can have dozens of complaints if they respond to each one, even if the responses are unsatisfactory.
Accreditation is paid. BBB accreditation costs $400 to $1,000+ per year. Accredited businesses get preferential placement in BBB search results. Being “BBB Accredited” means the company paid for membership, not that it was independently vetted for quality.
How to read it: Ignore the letter grade. Read the actual complaint texts and the company's responses. Look at the complaint count, not the rating. A company with A+ and 30 complaints is riskier than a B with 2 complaints.
What Trunk Does Differently
Trunk cross-references Google, Yelp, BBB, FMCSA safety data, and MovingScam.com for every profiled mover. A mover with a 4.9 Google rating but an F at the BBB and 3 FMCSA crashes gets flagged. We show the star distribution (not just the average), document specific red flags with evidence, and maintain a worst movers list for every city. No single platform tells the full story. Trunk combines them all.
When to Get Quotes (Timeline)
4 to 6 weeks before: Start requesting quotes. This gives you time to compare without pressure. Summer moves (June to August) should start earlier since movers book up.
3 to 4 weeks before: Schedule in-person or video surveys with your top 3. Have all quotes in hand.
2 to 3 weeks before: Book your mover. Confirm the binding estimate in writing. Ask about cancellation policy.
1 week before: Confirm the date, crew size, and arrival window. Walk through your home and note anything that changed since the survey (new furniture, items you're not moving).
Under 1 week: You're in last-minute territory. Expect 10 to 25% surcharges and limited availability. You may not get 3 quotes. Focus on verifying USDOT and getting a written estimate.
Compare Movers in Your City
Trunk shows verified pricing, reviews, and safety records for movers in your area. No calls needed.