Can You Negotiate With Moving Companies?

Negotiating with moving companies: Is it possible?

Yes, you can negotiate with moving companies on some things. Keep in mind though that certain aspects of pricing are heavily regulated by state and federal laws, while others are driven by fixed operating costs. Negotiating successfully means understanding where there’s room to move.

Why movers negotiate

The short answer to why movers are willing to negotiate is competition. In any given location, there are multiple moving companies competing for a finite number of jobs, and additional pressure from moving container companies further tightens margins as people look for ways to lower their moving costs.

Common services movers negotiate on include optional add-ons, such as packing services and materials, expedited services, and TV dismounting, as well as timelines. Insurance is another area of potential savings, but this is highly regulated. Savings come from choices in deductibles, coverage amounts and full-value vs. released-value coverage.

Full value coverage covers your belongings at the cost to replace them, with some exceptions for items such as jewelry. Released value covers up to 60 cents per pound.

Why movers won’t negotiate

There are reasons why certain moving costs are rarely negotiable. For example, in the U.S., state and federal regulations limit how professional moving companies charge for a move. Insurance types offered, regulatory fees and hourly vs. mileage rates are rarely negotiable.

Carefully calculated core fixed costs, such as labor per hour, vehicle costs and fuel surcharges, are also rarely up for negotiation. Those rates are the base operating costs for moving companies and the basis of their business, so these are typically nonnegotiable.

Moving quotes you can negotiate

Even though several aspects of a moving quote are nonnegotiable, some of the biggest-ticket items have plenty of wiggle room.

What moving costs are negotiable

You generally can negotiate nonregulated and optional services. While dropping packing services in favor of DIY work is one way to save money, your movers may be flexible in pricing, so it’s worth asking about.

When your move affects pricing

Part of hiring a mover is aligning your schedule with the moving company’s availability. Peak moving times, such as summer and weekends, often come with higher prices because the mover already has plenty of jobs on their schedule.

Moving companies need to keep trucks on the road and their crews working, so slower times often cost less or come with discounts. Mid-week and mid-month moves usually cost the least. Flexibility is a big factor as well. If you have room to adjust to the mover’s schedule rather than working on a strict, short timeline, you can often get a substantial discount.

What to do when movers won’t negotiate

When a mover won’t negotiate, it’s time to reevaluate whether you want to use that specific mover, what services you need and your negotiation tactics. For example, do you really need TV dismounting service, or can you handle it yourself? Do you need a full-service mover, or might comparing pods to movers be worth it for your situation?

Negotiation tactics to lower moving costs

You can negotiate with professional moving companies, but it isn’t the same as haggling over a used car. Moving rates have limited flexibility and mostly rely on accurate information for the most accurate quote. Be polite and don’t expect to talk your way to a half-off discount. Focus on these strategies to get real discounts and savings:

• Get competitive quotes: Get quotes from at least three professional movers.
• Do a video tour: Many companies offer discounts for detailed inventory lists, but video tours or an in-person walk-through with a representative are often far more accurate and reduce extra fees later.
• Ask about discounts: Professional moving companies often offer discounts for military members, first responders, students and sometimes even new customers. Discounts vary but tend to average around 10%.
• Ask about price matching: While this is not guaranteed, some movers may price-match their competitors, especially during off-peak times, if you have a quote to show them.
• Choose off-peak dates: Mid-week, mid-month, nonholiday and slow seasons such as winter usually have the lowest moving costs. Being willing to adjust your dates and schedule also opens up savings opportunities.
• Reduce extra services: Removing expedited timelines, packing and unpacking services, TV mounting/unmounting, trash removal, and specialty item handling usually means more work for you, but offers significant savings on your bill.
• Ask about bundles: Some moving companies may offer preset service bundles at a discount over individual rates.
• Pay in cash: Credit card fees add up, and while companies tend to pass fees to customers, paying in cash means they don’t have to worry about chargebacks. Because of that, and the complexity of financing plans, some movers may offer discounts for cash payment.
• Choose a higher deductible: Compare deductible costs when choosing valuation insurance. It may be worth the discount to take a higher deductible.
• Go hybrid: Consider using a moving container for nonessential, easy-to-pack-and-move items, such as general household items in boxes, and only use professional movers for larger items to reduce weight and truck size.

» RELATED: Best cheap moving companies

Questions to ask to avoid hidden moving fees

Moving quotes and contracts can be complicated. There are many important facts to cover, as well as regulated aspects of the services. We recommend asking questions of your moving company, which can help uncover scams, avoid hidden fees and ensure you get the services you need.

For interstate moves, strengthen your negotiating position by understanding the regulations. Check with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for consumer rights and responsibilities information.

Types of moving quotes: Binding, nonbinding and not-to-exceed estimates

Moving quotes usually come in three types: binding, nonbinding and not-to-exceed estimates. The quote type you have relates to the extra charges you could face later on.

• Nonbinding moving quotes: Think of nonbinding quotes as loose estimates. These quotes are usually based on limited information from you about home contents and scheduling. They usually change, and often become significantly higher, once details are finalized or if the home's condition and furnishings aren’t as expected upon the mover’s arrival.
• Binding moving quotes: Firm pricing, where you know exactly what you will pay, comes from binding quotes. These quotes are fairly involved to get because movers can’t change things later due to unexpected events. Expect to speak directly with a representative and probably do a walk-through tour of your home, either via video or in person, before receiving this kind of quote.
• Not-to-exceed estimates: Somewhere between nonbinding and binding quotes, not-to-exceed estimates provide the worst-case scenario cost for your move. The company agrees not to charge more than this amount, but it could lower the bill if the weight decreases or other factors change favorably by moving day.

Common surprise charges

Without a binding quote or a not-to-exceed estimate, unexpected charges often cause hardship on moving day or when the bill comes due upon delivery. Even with a binding quote, you may be caught off guard by charges included. Common surprising charges include:

• Long carry fees: Most movers have a limit on the number of feet from the home to the truck that’s included in quotes. Anything over that distance costs extra.
• Stair charges/access fees: Multiple-story moves, indoor stairs, outdoor stairs, uneven paths and other obstacles to home access and moving your stuff often bring additional charges.
• Shuttle fees: If a large moving truck can’t access your home and the company has to use a smaller truck to shuttle items from your home to the larger truck, extra charges may apply.
• Overweight items: Large items, such as home gym equipment or pianos, often carry specialty handling or overweight fees.
• Weight: Long moves are generally charged by weight due to regulations. Quotes estimate that expected weight. The moving truck is weighed empty and again loaded with your possessions to get an accurate weight total. If the quote was nonbinding and the quoted weight was too low, extra weight charges can be significant.

Fuel and travel charge rules

Gas prices continue to rise, and many movers find it easier to compete if fuel surcharges are broken out as a separate line item rather than lumped together. It helps explain to customers why prices are high, but you may still be surprised by the charges.

Fuel surcharges are calculated over a base gas rate and adjusted weekly using the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s current average price charts.

Cancellation and rescheduling terms

Most movers charge deposits to secure a service date. Every company has slightly different cancellation and rescheduling policies, so be sure to check your moving quote for details on how rescheduling and cancellation are handled before paying a deposit. Look for when and whether deposits are returned, prorated or refunded in full, and whether there are additional charges for rescheduling.

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