Removal quote comparison

Compare the work as well as the price

Two removal quotes can describe different jobs. One may include packing, furniture assembly and a larger crew; another may expect you to finish those tasks and help with loading. This comparison puts entered prices and terms beside each other so you can see what needs clarification before choosing a company.

Add between two and five written offers. Use the same inventory, addresses, access information and preferred date for each supplier. Give each quote a short name, then record the quoted price, VAT treatment, fixed extras, possible hourly extras, booking deposit and expiry. The scope field is important: list packing, stairs, waiting time, storage, cancellation and cover details rather than using it only for general comments.

How the totals are worked out

The scenario total starts with the quoted price and fixed extras. If there is an hourly extra, the calculator uses the greater of your scenario hours and the supplier's minimum hours, then multiplies that by the hourly rate. VAT is applied to this combined subtotal only when you select that the quote excludes VAT, using the percentage you enter.

The booking deposit is treated as part of the total. It is subtracted to show the remaining balance, not added as another charge. A missing quoted price remains unpriced. Where an hourly charge is entered but its duration is unknown, the comparison flags the unresolved duration instead of pretending that it adds nothing.

Keep differently taxed or differently priced services clear. The form applies the selected VAT treatment to the quote and its entered extras together. If your paperwork separates charges with different treatment, ask for a consistent payable total or calculate those components accurately before entering the comparison. The tool does not decide whether a supplier should charge VAT.

Worked example: the cheaper headline can cost more

The following offers are invented to demonstrate the arithmetic. Quote A has a £700 price excluding VAT, £50 fixed extras and a £40 hourly waiting charge. You model one waiting hour, but the supplier's minimum is two. The subtotal is £700 + £50 + £80 = £830. With an entered VAT rate of 20%, the scenario total is £996.

A £200 booking deposit within that £996 leaves a £796 balance. Quote B is £950 including VAT, with no extra charge in the chosen scenario and a £150 deposit. Its remaining balance is £800. Quote B has the lower total, even though its remaining balance is slightly higher. You still need to check that its service includes the same work.

Typical charges worth asking about

Request explicit treatment of packing materials, dismantling, reassembly, parking, long carries, additional stops and delivery from storage. Ask when waiting time starts, whether it has a minimum and who can authorise extra work. A quote that does not mention a charge is not necessarily confirmation that the activity is included.

Use current written supplier prices rather than an assumed UK average. The removal price estimator can organise a rate-based scenario before a firm quote arrives, while how removal quotes work explains the questions to ask. For an uncertain completion date, compare postponement and cancellation terms as carefully as the base cost.

Turn a comparison into a clear booking

The tool does not rank workmanship, verify membership or book a crew. Review the supplier's identity, availability, written terms and suitability independently. Record the selected inventory and service in the booking documents, then use the relevant quote's budget button to add its calculated total to your plan. Recheck a quote if its expiry passes or the job changes.

How to use this tool

Use a consistent brief. Obtain written offers for the same belongings, access, date and packing requirements. Enter two to five supplier names and keep each quote's documents available.

Enter a comparable scenario. Record price and VAT treatment, fixed extras and any hourly scenario including minimum hours. Enter the booking deposit only where it forms part of the price.

Resolve the differences. Compare total, balance and scope together. Ask suppliers to clarify missing charges, expiry or cover before choosing a quote and adding it to your moving budget.

Frequently asked questions

Does the lowest result identify the best removal company?

No. It identifies a lower entered cost for the modelled scenario. Staffing, scope, availability, terms and handling suitability still need separate assessment.

Should I add the booking deposit as an extra?

Not when it forms part of the quoted price. Enter it in the deposit field so the tool shows the balance. Adding it as an extra would count it twice.

Why does an hourly quote show an unknown total?

An hourly charge needs a duration assumption. If that duration is missing, the calculator cannot complete the scenario even if a base price is known.