Guide
What to ask before quoting a moving job
By Zakaria Aoune, maker of ReplyPronto · Published 11 October 2026 · Auf Deutsch lesen
A useful moving request describes the job well enough to decide the next step. It does not need to answer everything immediately. It should make missing details obvious, so the business can ask a focused follow-up or arrange a survey.
Start with the move itself
Ask for the collection and delivery areas, preferred date, flexibility and the type of property. Use only the address detail needed at this stage and provide a private way to supply a full address. Keep uncertain dates marked as uncertain. “Friday, not Saturday” must not become a vague weekend request.
Check access at both ends
Record the floor, elevator availability, stairs, parking and carrying distance at each property. A second-floor apartment and an easy-access house are different parts of the same job. Ask about known restrictions rather than assuming that the truck can stop outside. Check any permit or building requirement with the relevant person before making a commitment.
Ask about what is moving
Capture an inventory at a level useful to your business. Ask explicitly about heavy, delicate or unusually shaped items, packing, dismantling and reassembly. A room count alone cannot describe a piano, a large book collection or a difficult staircase. If the inventory is approximate, label it that way.
Separate the customer’s budget from your quote
A customer may say “around $450 is our budget.” That is a customer statement, not a supplier price, cost estimate or agreement. Preserve the distinction. Your own quote should describe the scope, exclusions and conditions you have actually assessed.
Leave open questions visible
Example, fictional: “We want to move Friday, not Saturday, from a second-floor apartment with no elevator. There is a piano.” Known: preferred day, floor, no elevator and a special item. Unknown: precise date, destination access, parking, piano type, complete inventory and any packing service. The next step is clarification, not an automatic final price.
Use video carefully
A narrated walkthrough can help the customer explain a job. A transcript records what was said; it does not prove what was visible, measure the rooms or confirm an inventory. If your workflow only uses speech, say so. Arrange an appropriate further assessment when the information is insufficient.
Try this process
Use the included moving-request template with your existing process. ReplyPronto’s fictional text example shows how a request can become details and open questions for review: replypronto.com/try. The owner remains responsible for checking the job and setting the price. This guide is a suggested intake process, not a professional moving survey or a guarantee that a remote quote is suitable.
Written by the maker of ReplyPronto, not by a moving or cleaning company. It mentions our product. The example is fictional. Adapt the questions to your own service.
How ReplyPronto handles these requests Try the fictional text example