Money
How to read a moving estimate
As of September 2026, the line that matters is not the big number. It is binding vs not, the accessorial list, and who is paid at delivery.
Haulest data team · 17 September 2026 · Research fallback. Not a first-party median.
Why this matters
Rage at the door is usually a line you skipped: shuttle, long carry, stairs, waiting time, packing.
Why Haulest
We teach the lines, link the US 110% rule, and take the call if the paper looks like a flyer. Planning ranges on this site are not bids.
Call for a free quote
A person on the phone is faster than a form if you already know the dates. If you cannot talk now, leave From, To, and a number.
Call for a free quoteWe do not invent a star total.
| Type | Market | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Binding | US | Price locked if the inventory matches. |
| Non-binding | US interstate | Can rise. 110% rule may cap what you must pay at delivery to get the goods. |
| Not-to-exceed | US | A ceiling if the inventory matches. |
| Fixed / quoted job | UK common | Still ask about waiting time and access. |
Inventory first
If the sofa is not on the paper, it is not in the price. Video and in-home surveys exist so that list is real.
Accessorials by name
Long carry, shuttle, flight charge, stairs, elevator wait, packing, bulky, storage-in-transit, fuel. If those words are missing, ask where they live.
What Haulest numbers are
City and route tables on this site are September 2026 research fallback. They are not your estimate. Methodology is public.
Before you hire
1. Written estimate after a look
Interstate movers must give the booklet and a written estimate after a survey or a full description. A $499 ad is not an estimate.
FMCSA Protect Your Move2. Legal name matches SAFER
USDOT on the paper, the truck doors, and the census. A different name is the walk.
USDOT / Companies House lookup3. Walk from cash and blank paper
FTC: unregistered interstate, huge deposit, cash only, or a blank contract. Photograph and leave.
FTC: hiring a mover4. 110% on a COD non-binding job
Pay up to 110% plus agreed extras and they must hand over the load. Not a cap on extras you signed.
US interstate rules
Official sources
Links go to the publisher. Haulest does not add findings. We checked these URLs in September 2026. If the live page moved, believe the agency.
- FMCSA Protect Your Move
Opens a government site. Checked September 2026.
- 49 CFR 375.407 (110% COD rule)
Opens a government site. Checked September 2026.
Ask out loud
- What is the 110% rule?
- US interstate non-binding: the carrier generally cannot demand more than 110% of the estimate at delivery to release the shipment. Read FMCSA. Not a UK or Canada rule.
- Is a cheap quote better?
- A cheap quote with no survey is a warning. Compare line items, not headlines.
- UK fixed quote?
- Ask what happens if keys are late and if the sofa will not turn. Fixed is not magic.
- Should I sign on the driveway?
- Read first. Photograph the inventory. Do not sign a blank add-on sheet.