Moving Estimate Software
What goes into a moving estimate, how software calculates it from inventory to signature, and the pricing terms every mover should be able to configure.
What is moving estimate software?
Moving estimate software builds a priced, signable quote for a move from a room-by-room inventory. It converts the inventory into cubic feet or estimated weight, applies the company's pricing model (hourly, flat rate, or weight or volume based with binding, non-binding or not-to-exceed terms), and adds packing, valuation coverage, additional services, discounts, taxes and the deposit due. The finished estimate is sent by email or SMS for electronic signature, and the signed estimate becomes the booked job. Most moving estimate software is part of a moving CRM rather than a standalone tool.
- New Lead
- AI
- Call / SMS / Email
- Estimate
- Follow-up
- Booked
- Contract
- Deposit
- Dispatch
- Crew
- Move
- Payment
- Review
Why moving estimates are hard to get right
A moving estimate is a prediction about physical work: how much stuff there is, how long it takes to carry, how far it travels and what could go wrong at either end. Get the inventory low and the crew works late for free. Get it high and the customer books a competitor. Leave out the stairs or the piano and the argument happens on move day with the truck half loaded.
Estimating by hand, or in a spreadsheet each rep customizes, makes those mistakes hard to see and impossible to compare. Moving estimate software fixes the inputs: a standard inventory with known cubic feet per item, pricing rules the owner controls, and a document that shows the customer what is included. It also connects the estimate to the rest of the move, which is why we treat it as part of the moving company CRM.
How an estimate is built in the software
The sequence is the same for a local move and a cross-country job. Only the pricing model changes.
Capture the inventory
Room by room, from an item list with standard cubic feet, taken by phone, virtual survey, on site or by the customer through a link.
Calculate volume and weight
The software totals cubic feet and estimates weight using a pounds-per-cubic-foot factor the company sets.
Apply the pricing model
Hourly with crew size and travel time, flat rate from volume, or weight and distance from a tariff, with binding or non-binding terms chosen.
Add services and packing
Packing labor and materials by the box or room, disassembly, crating, storage, long carry, stairs and shuttle fees.
Add valuation
Released value at the legal minimum or full value protection at a declared value and deductible, shown as a line item.
Discounts, tax and deposit
Promotional or off-peak discounts, sales tax where it applies, and the deposit due to hold the date.
Send for e-signature
The estimate goes out by email or SMS. The customer signs on a phone, the deposit is collected and the job is created on the dispatch calendar. See our moving dispatch software guide for what happens next.
Moving pricing models the software should support
Most movers use more than one. The rep picks the model per job; the owner controls the rates.
| Pricing model | How it is calculated | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Crew size times hourly rate, plus travel time and minimums | Local moves within the same metro |
| Flat rate | Fixed price from cubic feet or inventory, plus services | Local and short intrastate moves, customers who want certainty |
| Weight and distance | Estimated weight times a rate per pound by mileage band | Interstate and long distance moves |
| Binding | Price is fixed for the listed inventory and services | Long distance, when the inventory is confirmed |
| Non-binding | Price is an estimate; final charges follow actual weight | Long distance, when inventory is uncertain |
| Binding not-to-exceed | Price is capped; customer pays actual if lower | Long distance, when the mover wants to compete on trust |
Estimate terms to configure once and reuse
Customers ask about these and regulators look at them. The software should make them line items, not fine print.
- Cubic feet and weight factor
- Each inventory item has a standard cubic feet value. Estimated weight is cubic feet times a factor, commonly around seven pounds per cubic foot for household goods, adjusted by the company.
- Released value protection
- The basic liability included at no extra charge, set at a minimum per pound per article for interstate moves. Customers should see it and be offered more coverage.
- Full value protection
- Coverage for repair, replacement or cash settlement up to a declared value, with a deductible option, priced as a line item on the estimate.
- Deposit
- The amount due to hold the move date, as a fixed sum or a percentage of the estimate, collected at signature and applied to the final balance.
Virtual surveys and inventory capture
The accuracy of an estimate depends on how the inventory was taken. Phone inventories are fast but miss the garage. On-site surveys are accurate but cost an estimator's afternoon. Virtual surveys, where the customer walks through the home on a video call or records a guided video, sit in between and are now standard for many movers.
Moving estimate software should support all three and feed the same inventory list. Customer self-service links, where the customer taps rooms and items on a phone, are useful for smaller moves and a first pass before a rep calls. Whatever the method, the confirmed inventory should be attached to the job so the crew sees the list the customer approved.
Before and after the signature
Unsigned estimates are the most valuable follow-up list in the business. When the estimate lives on the lead record, automations remind the customer, a rep can revise the price without rebuilding it, and reports show estimates sent, signed and at what value, by rep and lead source. After the signature, the same record generates the contract and Bill of Lading and sets the final balance the crew collects.
What to require from moving estimate software
Use this list on a demo. Each item is where a generic quoting tool or spreadsheet falls short.
Item library with cubic feet
A standard list of household items with editable volumes, plus custom items, so every rep builds inventory the same way.
Owner-controlled pricing rules
Hourly rates by crew size, flat rate tables, mileage bands, minimums and peak season adjustments, set once and applied everywhere.
E-signature and deposit in one step
The customer signs and pays on a phone, and the job is created without the rep re-entering anything.
Recommended
Our recommended moving estimate software
For movers who want inventory, pricing, valuation, deposits and e-signature inside the same system that handles leads and dispatch, we recommend Easyly / Network Leads Moving Software. Estimates are sent by email or SMS, signed on a phone and turned into booked jobs. MoversCRM.io is operated by the same team, and we say so plainly.
MoversCRM.io is operated by the team behind Network Leads and Easyly. We created this resource to help moving companies understand the technology available for managing sales and operations.
Frequently asked questions
How does moving estimate software calculate cubic feet and weight?
Each inventory item carries a standard cubic feet value, and the software totals them. Estimated weight is total volume times a pounds-per-cubic-foot factor the company sets, commonly around seven for household goods. Both figures feed the pricing model and appear on the estimate.
What is the difference between a binding and non-binding moving estimate?
A binding estimate fixes the price for the listed inventory and services, so the customer pays that amount unless they add items. A non-binding estimate is the mover's best guess and final charges follow actual weight or time. A binding not-to-exceed estimate caps the price but charges less if the actual is lower.
How is valuation shown on a moving estimate?
Released value protection is listed as included at the legal minimum for interstate moves. Full value protection is offered as a line item with the declared value, deductible and cost. Recording the customer's choice on the signed estimate protects both sides in a claim.
Do customers sign moving estimates electronically?
Yes. The estimate is sent by email or SMS, the customer signs on a phone or computer, and the deposit is collected in the same step. The signed document is stored on the job record and used to generate the contract and Bill of Lading.
What is a virtual survey in moving?
A virtual survey is an inventory taken over a video call or a guided video the customer records, instead of an in-home visit. The estimator marks items as the customer walks through each room. It is faster than an on-site visit and more accurate than a phone inventory.