How to compare moving quotes in NYC

Two quotes can describe the same apartment and cover different work. One may include packing the kitchen; the other may assume everything is ready to load. Before deciding which is better value, find out what each company has priced.

Put the documents beside the inventory you supplied. Your task is to turn the differences into specific questions, so the final comparison reflects the move you actually need.

Start with the contents and addresses

A bedroom count is a useful introduction, but it is not a complete inventory. Check that each quote reflects the furniture, approximate boxed contents and separate storage areas you discussed. Add the bicycle in the basement, the balcony furniture and the items coming from another address.

Make access visible too. Each company should be working from the same information about floors, stairs, elevators and the route between the building and the truck. If you have only estimated a difficult item’s dimensions, identify that uncertainty rather than letting the number look confirmed.

Use a short comparison sheet:

An empty cell is a question to ask. It is not evidence that the service is included, nor proof that the mover is trying to hide it.

Identify what kind of price you have

An hourly rate is not the same thing as a total. Ask how the bill is calculated, including travel time, any minimum and the events that start and stop chargeable time. An estimated number of hours remains an estimate unless the written agreement says otherwise.

New York’s consumer booklet describes hourly, weight-and-distance and written binding arrangements for moves within the state. Read the section that applies to your agreement; a document being written does not by itself make its total binding. See NYSDOT’s Summary of Information for Shippers.

For interstate moves, FMCSA distinguishes binding and nonbinding estimates. A binding estimate applies to the goods and services described; changed inventory or additional services can require a revised agreement. A nonbinding estimate does not guarantee the final cost. Read FMCSA’s guide to avoiding unexpected moving costs.

Avoid transplanting a rule from an interstate article into a move that stays within New York. If the wording on your document is unclear, ask the company which arrangement you are accepting and what can change the amount.

Separate packing from transport preparation

“Packing included” is too broad to compare without detail. Find out which contents the crew will box and which you must prepare. Ask about cartons, protective materials, unpacking and the handling of packing waste if those services matter to you.

Wrapping furniture for transport is different from packing the contents of a kitchen. Disassembling an agreed bed frame is different from taking apart every piece that might not fit. List the actual work you want rather than relying on a general phrase such as full service.

For a multi-day job, confirm which day covers packing and which covers moving. Keepsake normally packs on moving day, or on the first day of a booked two-day move. The schedule should match what you have agreed, rather than an assumed visit beforehand.

Check how access and changes are handled

Ask the company to explain any listed stair, carry, waiting, shuttle, toll or other charges in the context of your move. Some may be included in a total, some may be separately priced and some may not apply. The useful question is what you will owe under the described conditions.

Tell the mover if the building can only offer a short access window, if the elevator booking is still pending or if the planned loading point is uncertain. See the parking and elevator checklist for the information to collect.

Agree how changes are approved. If you add a second pickup or ask the crew to pack contents that were excluded, who issues the revised price and when do you accept it? Keep the updated document, not just the original that no longer describes the job.

Read the belongings-protection terms separately

A company’s insurance certificate and its liability for damage to your belongings answer different questions. The building’s COI request does not settle which protection you have selected for your shipment.

For interstate household moves, FMCSA describes Full Value Protection as the default and Released Value Protection as an alternative requiring a specific written selection. Released Value generally limits the mover’s liability to 60 cents per pound per article. That is a weight-based liability limit, not the item’s purchase price. Ask about the cost, deductible, exclusions and high-value-item provisions of the option you are considering. Read FMCSA’s liability-protection explanation.

For an in-state move, review the actual NYSDOT documents and ask the mover to explain the protection offered. Do not assume an interstate form or rule describes your local contract.

Finish with payment and the unresolved questions

Record the booking payment, balance due date, accepted methods and cancellation or rescheduling terms. A discretionary crew tip belongs in your personal budget, separate from comparing the contracted charges.

Send each mover the remaining questions in one email. Request a revised quote if an answer changes the scope or price. You should be able to point to the final document and explain what is moving, what work is included and when payment is due.

Keepsake’s local moves use a guaranteed price for the agreed work. Taking longer than expected does not by itself change that price. Tell our team when the plan changes so any change in scope can be reviewed before the additional work begins.