How Pricing is Determined

Price is, of course, one of the largest determining factors in choosing an office moving company. At Professional Movers.com we use a proprietary estimating formula that is uncannily accurate because it factors in not only the items that you would like to move, but the unique logistics of both the building you’re moving from and to. Our formula is based upon man-hours instead of unreliable methods typically used by other moving companies such as weight.

Unique for the office moving industry, Professional Movers.com moving quotes reflect the final invoices in 95% of our office moves. Why? Because we send experienced Certified Office Moving Consultants to your office who carefully assess what needs to be done to implement a successful office move. Only then do we submit an office quote that is based on knowledge and experience. We work with you in an intelligent and thoughtful way to provide the services you expect, commensurate with your projected budget.

A visit to your office by one of our Certified Office Moving Consultants is central to the whole process–and the only accurate way to create your moving quote. If an office moving company says they can provide an estimate over the phone, move on to the next company. When conducting the walkthrough of your current location, be prepared to show our Certified Office Moving Consultants the freight elevators and loading docks, if applicable. Take them through your records rooms, spare inventory and supplies, and server closets. If at all possible, provide our Certified Office Moving Consultant with the address to your new location so he can visit the new space, as well.

At Professional Movers.com we recognize that as the walk-through is taking place, your business is still operating, so our Certified Office Moving Consultants will be as discreet as possible and will do their best to minimally disrupt your work environment. Our initial visit can be time consuming but try to remember, we want to be as thorough as possible so we can give you an accurate cost for your move. If another moving company visits and is done with their survey in five minutes, chances are they missed key details to your move. This will only lead to inaccurate pricing and higher move costs. At Professional Movers.com, we pride ourselves on covering every aspect of every job so we can pin-point the most accurate and efficient quote for each individual job.

Three Types of Office Moving Quotes

Professional Movers.com offers three types of office moving estimates.

Non-Binding Office Moving Quote: A non-binding office moving quote means that we will provide you with a fixed hourly fee for the use of our movers, trucks, and moving equipment. The hourly fee is a fixed cost that will not fluctuate. Your total hourly charges will depend on how long it takes our movers to complete your office move. Your moving time will begin when our movers arrive on-site at your current office. The moving time will continue until all designated office items are placed exactly where you would like them at your new office location. Once all adjustments are made and you do not require the movers to perform any more work, the moving time ends. In addition, we add a one hour transportation charge to cover the ½ hour of time it takes our movers to travel to your current office at the beginning of the day and ½ hour of time to cover the time it takes our movers to travel from your new office back to our headquarters. Please note, in instances where transportation time to and from your locations require more than one hour, additional transportation time will apply. A non-binding estimate is typically provided to smaller sized offices where 10 employees or fewer are being relocated. If you choose to receive a non-binding office moving quote, our Certified Office Moving Consultant will provide you with an estimated cost of your office move by calculating how long he thinks your office move will take. Your actual charges, however, will reflect how long your actual move takes to complete. For instance, if our Certified Office Moving Consultant estimates that your move will require 8 hours, but our movers complete your move in 6 hours, then you will only be responsible to pay for 6 hours of work. Conversely, if our Certified Office Moving Consultant estimates that your move will require 8 hours, but our movers complete your move in 10 hours, then you will be responsible to pay for 10 hours of work. Your non-binding moving quote will clearly spell out our responsibilities as your moving company and it will clearly spell out your responsibilities as our client. As with any type of office moving estimate, changing circumstances can affect your costs. If you have a non-binding moving quote but on moving day you decide to add a basement full of old records to the move, you will be invalidating your original move quote and the new services you are requesting will result in additional charges. The same applies for circumstances beyond your control. Such as, if the elevators are out of service on moving day, our movers would need to hand carry items down staircases. This would require extra movers and extra time that was not anticipated in the original quote.
Binding Office Moving Quote: A binding office moving quote means that we will provide you with a total guaranteed or binding cost that will not fluctuate, regardless of the amount of time your move takes to complete. Your total charges will depend on different variables regarding your office and the services that your move will require. Our Certified Office Moving Consultants will not only factor in the amount of items you would like to move but also the unique logistics of both the building you’re moving from and to. We will also take into account the number of movers and the number of moving trucks your move will demand. If you choose to receive a binding office moving quote, our Certified Office Moving Consultant will provide you with a guaranteed price for the services you request. Our Certified Office Moving Consultant will provide you with an itemized binding office moving quote that will address each service with a total cost for that service. Your binding moving quote will clearly spell out our responsibilities as your moving company and it will clearly spell out your responsibilities as our client. As with any type of office moving estimate, changing circumstances can affect your costs. If you have a binding agreement but on moving day you decide to add a basement full of old records to the move, you will be invalidating your original move quote and the new services you are requesting will result in additional charges. The same applies for circumstances beyond your control. Such as, if the elevators are out of service on moving day, our movers would need to hand carry items down staircases. This would require extra movers and extra time that was not anticipated in the original quote.
Binding – Not To Exceed – Office Moving Quote: A binding – not to exceed – office moving quote is often referred to as the most client-friendly type of moving quote. With it, your moving fees are calculated based on the actual move with a ceiling or cap specified in the estimate. Clearly, knowing the upper limit or worst-case scenario of what you’ll have to pay will help you stick to your office moving budget. Not all office moving companies will offer you this option; however, Professional Movers.com specializes in this type of moving quote. We will provide you with a fixed hourly fee for the use of our movers, trucks, and moving equipment. The hourly fee is a fixed cost that will not fluctuate. Your total hourly charges will depend on how long it takes our movers to complete your office move. Your moving time will begin when our movers arrive on-site at your current office. The moving time will continue until all designated office items are placed exactly where you would like them at your new office location. Once all adjustments are made and you do not require the movers to perform any more work, the moving time ends. Our Certified Office Moving Consultants will place a ceiling or not to exceed amount that will cap the total charges for your move. Therefore, you have the benefit of knowing that your move will not cost anymore than the amount quoted, but you will also receive the benefit that if your move is completed in less time than anticipated, your moving costs will be less. Our Certified Office Moving Consultant will provide you with an itemized binding – not to exceed – office moving quote that will address each service with a total cost for that service. Your binding moving quote will clearly spell out our responsibilities as your moving company and it will clearly spell out your responsibilities as our client. As with any type of office moving estimate, changing circumstances can affect your costs. If you have a binding not-to-exceed agreement but on moving day you decide to add a basement full of old records to the move, you will be invalidating your original move quote and the new services you are requesting will result in additional charges. The same applies for circumstances beyond your control. Such as, if the elevators are out of service on moving day, our movers would need to hand carry items down staircases. This would require extra movers and extra time that was not anticipated in the original quote.

Advice on Selecting an Office Moving Company

Use common sense when comparing estimates for office moves. If you talk to five movers, and four of them are fairly similar but one is significantly cheaper than the rest, be wary. The low estimate probably doesn’t include all the services you need or has underestimated the scope of your move. There are several types of extra fees you may encounter. Difficult-to-move items will carry their own charge. Most office movers also charge extra for walking belongings up flights of stairs. And if any of your equipment is too large to fit in an elevator and has to be hoisted, expect to pay extra as well. To prevent sticker shock, make sure you have the specifics of how you’re going to be charged and all potential extra fees in writing.

But before you make a hasty decision you should evaluate the office moving companies according to the points below.

Look beyond the written moving quote. Is the office moving company considered reliable? Are all the bidders accustomed to handling moves similar in size and type to yours? Check on the reputation and background of each company. Former customers and suppliers are good sources. At Professional Movers.com our Certified Office Moving Consultants will provide you with a list of the 5 most recent office moves we have completed that are similar in size to your organization.
Will some of the work be subcontracted? If so, to whom? Why? At Professional Movers.com all of our office movers are permanent employees of our company. Each mover has to pass a rigorous criminal background check and drug screening before they ever set foot on a job site.
Do the proposals show exactly what services are covered in the move? Does the moving quote just lump all of the costs together in one price? Many moving companies just lump pricing together to hide inflated charges. At Professional Movers.com, our moving quotes are itemized, you see costs for each service we will provide, you even see the formula we used to determine your pricing.
Which firm has the most comprehensive insurance coverage? Is there an extra charge? At Professional Movers.com, our office moving quotes clearly list your valuation or coverage. You have the power to decide your valuation amount. Plus, as an added bonus we will guarantee that should a claim arise, it will be resolved within 2 weeks.
Will the moving company commit to a firm – not to exceed quote? At Professional Movers.com we specialize in this type of moving quote. We recognize that clearly knowing the upper limit or worst-case scenario of what you’ll have to pay will help you stick to your office moving budget.
Does each of the moving companies utilize the latest in innovative moving technology? At Professional Movers.com we utilize rental crates, oversized-speed pack boxes, itemized moving quotes, and the floating moving method to reduce your overall downtime and moving costs.
Can you visit the headquarters of each moving company you are considering? This is often a good way to see who you may potentially be doing business with. At Professional Moves.com we invite our prospective clients to visit our headquarters. We will be happy to provide you with a tour of our facility. What you will find is a staff of friendly competent employees, a fleet of clean modern moving equipment, and a 26,000 square foot climate controlled storage facility.

If you are still unsure but would like to begin exploring the possibility of working with Professional Movers.com on your next office relocation, contact us at 248-926-9999. One of our Certified Office Moving Consultants would be happy to discuss your options and answer any of your questions. When you are ready, we will schedule an appointment based on your availability to visit your office. Our Certified Office Moving Consultant will provide a detailed assessment of your needs and provide you with pricing.