Getting a removalist quote that matches your inventory
Build a room-by-room moving inventory, compare hourly and fixed removalist quotes, and check the contract and transit insurance before you book.
A removalist can only price the move you describe. If the quote is built on a vague description, the price can change on the day when the truck is fuller, the stairs are steeper or the packing takes longer than expected. This guide shows how to build a room-by-room inventory, read the pricing basis, check what the contract should list and decide about insurance before you book.
Why the inventory sets the price
NSW Fair Trading advises getting a written quote before hiring a removalist and giving the business all the details of your move so it can quote accurately. It also says the quote should be itemised, with every charge accounted for. South Australia's Consumer and Business Services lists the details that change a quote: the amount of furniture and boxes, the distance, whether stairs are involved and any extra services such as packing or unpacking. In practice, a removalist uses your description to choose the truck size, crew and time. A phone call that says "a three-bedroom house" leaves each business to guess. A written inventory gives every business the same job to price, which is what makes the quotes comparable.
Written, itemised quotes, contract contents, insurance and consumer guarantees for removalist services.
NSW Government: choosing a removalistDetails that affect a quote, photos before the move, insurance and how to raise a problem.
Consumer and Business Services SA: using a furniture removalistBuild a room-by-room inventory
Walk through each room with a notepad or phone and record what is going. Use the same list for every quote request. For each room, note: Large items: bed bases, wardrobes, sofas, tables, appliances, with approximate sizes for anything unusually big. Boxes: your best estimate of the number of cartons, and whether you will pack them or want packing. Fragile or high-value items: mirrors, artwork, instruments, screens, anything you would photograph before the move. Dismantling: items that need to be taken apart and reassembled, such as bed frames or modular shelving. Not going: items you are selling, donating or taking yourself, so nobody prices them. Then add an access note for each address: stairs and number of flights, lift booking requirements, how far the truck can park from the door, narrow hallways or tight turns, and any building rules about moving times. Finish with the services you want priced separately: packing, unpacking, storage and disposal of rubbish.
Read the pricing basis before the price
Removalist quotes are commonly written in one of a few ways: an hourly rate for a crew and truck, a fixed price for a listed inventory, or a price based on the volume of goods. Each basis puts the risk of a slow or larger-than-expected move in a different place. Ask each business to state which basis it uses and what makes the final amount change. Hypothetical comparison, for illustration only (invented figures, not market prices): Quote A: hourly crew of two at $160 an hour, minimum three hours, estimated five to six hours, plus a $120 travel charge. Range: $920 to $1,080 if the estimate holds. Ask what is charged if it takes seven hours and whether the clock includes travel between addresses. Quote B: fixed $1,050 for the attached inventory and access notes, with a stated rate for any item not on the list. Ask how an unlisted item is priced and who decides. Neither is automatically better. Quote A rewards a well-prepared move; Quote B rewards an accurate inventory. If the cheaper quote has a narrower inventory or leaves out stairs, the figures are not describing the same job.
A general worksheet for comparing quotes on the same scope, including quote versus estimate.
How to compare quotes from service businessesCheck the contract lists what you agreed
NSW Fair Trading recommends reading the contract closely and making sure it contains the complete details of the service, a household inventory of the goods being moved, the pick-up and delivery addresses, the dates and times, how payment is to be made, including whether anything is payable upfront, and whether there are extra costs for storage if there are delays. Compare the contract inventory against your own list line by line. If the business has shortened your list to "household contents", ask for the itemised version or a note that your inventory forms part of the agreement. Ask what happens if the truck is delayed or the new property is not ready, because storage charges are a common surprise. Industry accreditation is a separate question. NSW Fair Trading notes that the Australian Furniture Removers Association accredits removalists against standards for equipment, vehicles, premises and staff training, but smaller businesses may not be members. That is a voluntary industry accreditation, not a government licence, so treat it as one piece of information alongside the quote and contract.
The list of details a removalist contract should contain, and how AFRA accreditation works.
NSW Government: choosing a removalistMatch the removalist's ABN and business name to the quote before paying a deposit.
Checking a business before you bookDecide on insurance before moving day
NSW Fair Trading says removalists are not required by law to insure your property during a move, and that most only hold insurance covering their own vehicle. It recommends arranging your own cover. Transit insurance covers goods while they are packed and moved, and can be extended to a storage period for a separate premium. NSW Fair Trading adds that an AFRA-accredited removalist will have public liability insurance and can offer transit insurance. Consumer and Business Services SA suggests checking whether your existing home and contents policy covers a move, and notes that consumer guarantees do not cover events outside the removalist's control, such as a branch falling on the truck. Ask your insurer, in writing, what the policy covers in transit and in storage, and what excess applies.
Insurance, events outside the removalist's control and the steps for raising a complaint.
Consumer and Business Services SA: using a furniture removalistPhotograph, sign off and know your next step
Take photos of furniture and valuable or fragile items before they are wrapped, as Consumer and Business Services SA suggests, so you have evidence if something is damaged. On delivery, check items against your inventory before signing anything that says the move was completed without damage, and note visible damage on the paperwork. Removalist services come with consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law: the service must be provided with due care and skill, be fit for any purpose you specified and, if no time was agreed, be provided within a reasonable time. NSW Fair Trading explains that a minor problem gives the business a chance to fix it, while a major problem can entitle you to cancel and seek a refund or compensation for the difference in value. If something goes wrong, raise it with the removalist first, then put the complaint in writing with what you want done and a reasonable time to respond. South Australia suggests seven days as an example. If it is still unresolved, contact the consumer protection agency in your state or territory.
Consumer guarantees for removalist services, minor and major problems and lodging a complaint in NSW.
NSW Government: choosing a removalistYour quick checklist
Tick these off as you go. This checklist resets when you leave.
Useful starting points
General information to help you ask questions. Check requirements for the particular service and your state or territory.