What a Fair Moving Quote Should Include
A lot of moving day stress traces back to a quote that never actually covered what happened on the day. Here is what a complete quote looks like, so you have something to check any quote against.
One clear rate, not a range
Half hourly billing or a fixed price, either works, but it should land on one number. A quote that says $150 to $300 an hour with no explanation of what pushes you toward either end is not really a quote yet.
What counts as extra
Stairs, lift access, and how far the truck has to park from your door are the three charges that catch people out most often. A fair quote tells you upfront whether any of these apply to your move and what they cost. Our own rate adds $10 an hour for each flight of stairs past the first, and nothing for lift access, and that level of detail is something you should be able to get from any mover you ask, not just us.
Insurance and how a claim actually works
What is covered, what the excess is, and what you need to hand over if a claim comes up. If insurance never comes up in the conversation, ask before you book, not after something breaks.
What happens if the date changes
Moving dates move. A fair quote tells you upfront whether rescheduling is free with notice or comes with a fee, rather than finding out the hard way.
How and when you pay
Cash only, in full, before the truck arrives, with no other option offered, is worth pausing on. Most legitimate movers give you more than one way to pay and do not need the whole amount before the job starts.
How much do Sydney removalists charge per hour?
Expect $110 to $180 per hour plus GST for a professional two-person crew in Sydney, with the rate set by truck size, plus a call-out fee. Our own scale runs from $110/hr for two movers and a 4.5-tonne truck ($80 call-out) to $180/hr for a 12-tonne truck ($150 call-out). Anything dramatically cheaper usually recovers the difference in extras on the day.
Do removalists charge extra for stairs or lifts?
This is the charge that catches the most people out, so ask it in exactly those words. Our policy: the first flight of stairs (up to 15 steps) is included in the rate, each additional flight adds $10/hr, lift access is always free, and if the truck has to park more than 50m from your door the rate goes up $10/hr per additional 50m. A fair quote tells you all of that before you book, not after the truck arrives.
What is a call-out fee, and is it normal?
Yes — a call-out fee (typically $80 to $150 in Sydney) covers getting the truck and crew to your door and is standard across the industry. What is not standard is a call-out fee that appears nowhere on the quote. It should be a stated number next to the hourly rate, the same way ours is, so the total cost is arithmetic rather than a surprise.
What does a worked example look like?
Here is a simple example of how to read a quote. It shows the arithmetic only and does not predict how long your move will take. Say a quote is $110 an hour for two movers and a 4.5 tonne truck, with an $80 call out fee, billed in half hour blocks. If the job takes four hours, the hourly part is $440. Add the $80 call out fee and the subtotal is $520, with GST added on top.
Now change one thing. If the job runs 30 minutes longer, that is one more half hour block at $55, so the hourly part becomes $495 and the total moves with it. A fair quote lets you do this sum yourself. If you cannot work out the total from what is written, ask the removalist to put the rate, the call out fee, the billing blocks and any extra charges on paper.
Rate. Extra charges. Insurance. Rescheduling terms. Payment method. A quote missing more than one of these is a quote worth asking about before you sign off on it.
Moving in Sydney? See our full pricing breakdown or find your suburb — or get answers fast on the moving FAQ page.