Comparing commercial move estimates requires looking beyond the bottom-line number. The cheapest bid on the page is frequently the most expensive bid by the end of the move, because commercial movers price in very different ways and the line items that matter are rarely the ones in the headline.
Common Hidden Charges
- Overtime multipliers: time-and-a-half or double-time after midnight or on Sundays.
- Stair-carries: per-flight surcharges when the elevator is unavailable.
- Long carries: per-foot charges when the truck cannot park close.
- Shuttles: a second truck and crew when the elevator cannot reach the loading dock.
- Disposal and dumpster fees: billed separately from the move labor.
Red Flags in a Bid
A bid that is more than 20% below the median of three quotes is usually missing a scope. A mover who will not walk the space before bidding is a mover who will bill for assumptions. A mover who will not provide a sample contract before signing is a mover whose terms you have not seen.
What to Compare Apples-to-Apples
- Crew size and truck count for the same schedule.
- Hourly rate versus flat rate, and what triggers overtime.
- Cargo coverage: replacement value or statutory minimum.
- Building protection: masonite, corner guards, elevator pads — included or extra?
- Disposal, decommissioning, and storage — included or extra?
The Value of a Fixed-Price Bid
For a well-scoped move, a fixed-price bid from a mover who has walked the space is almost always better than an hourly bid. The mover absorbs the schedule risk; you pay the agreed number. Insist on a fixed price for any move where the scope is known, and reserve hourly bids for genuinely unpredictable internal churn.
The bid is not the price — the contract is the price. Read the line items, walk the space, and compare the bids on the same scope before you sign.
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