Moving Quotes Explained: Time, Distance, Weight and Cubic Feet

A moving quote can contain an hourly rate, a mileage calculation, estimated pounds, cubic feet, or a single total. Those numbers answer different questions. To understand the offer, identify the move's jurisdiction, the pricing basis, the estimate's commitment, and the goods and services included.

A price per hour or per cubic foot does not, by itself, establish a guaranteed total. Likewise, a weight figure does not tell you whether the estimate is binding. For covered interstate moves, federal rules distinguish binding and non-binding estimates, while also addressing estimated weight, volume and conversion between them. 49 CFR 375.401 — Estimate requirements

This guide focuses on U.S. household-goods moves. Federal Part 375 applies to household-goods motor carriers serving individual shippers in interstate commerce. The state examples below concern moves within those states. Overseas shipments, rental trucks, labor-only services and employer-arranged transportation may involve different contracts or rules; do not automatically apply this guide's interstate protections to them. 49 CFR 375.101 — Applicability

First, separate four questions

TRE's practical recommendation: Write one sentence summarizing the offer before comparing its price: “This is a [jurisdiction/service] move, calculated using [basis], under a [documented estimate type], for [listed inventory and services].”

If you cannot fill in those blanks from the paperwork, ask the company to explain them in writing.

How to recognize the pricing method

The table describes clues to investigate, not a statement that every method is lawful for every move.

A tariff is the document containing a carrier's rates, calculation rules and service terms. It may explain more than a price sheet does. Ask for the specific provisions used to calculate your shipment's charges. 49 CFR 375.103 — Tariff definition

Time-based quotes: what counts as a billable hour?

An hourly quote prices a defined service over time. The definition of the service matters as much as the hourly number: a crew-and-truck rate is not the same thing as a per-worker rate.

Washington's regulator, for example, describes shorter intrastate moves using the number of workers, the time needed and the mover's hourly service rate. That is a state example, not a national rule. Washington UTC — Consumer Guide

Before booking, ask:

• Does the quoted rate cover the whole crew and truck, or each worker separately?
• Which crew size and equipment are included?
• Is there a minimum charge?
• Does time begin at my home or somewhere else?
• How are travel, breaks, waiting and overtime handled?
• What happens if crew size changes?
• Is there a written maximum, and what could lawfully change it?

These are comparison questions; the applicable contract and rules determine the answers.

Illustration only — not a market rate or a complete quote: A stated crew-and-truck rate of $180 per billable hour produces $900 for five hours and $1,260 for seven. An explicitly separate $120 travel charge would make those totals $1,020 and $1,380. Do not add travel again if it is already included.

A lower hourly rate does not establish a lower total when crew size, billable-time definitions or minimums differ. Compare the same tasks and assumptions.

Distance-based quotes: mileage may be only one input

Distance can select a transportation rate or rate band rather than operate as a simple “dollars per mile” calculation. Washington's longer intrastate moves, for example, use weight and distance together. Washington UTC — Moving costs

For a distance-related quote, identify the route, the mileage method, whether the rate varies by shipment weight, and which services sit outside transportation.

Illustration only: If a hypothetical rate table selects $75 per hundredweight for a route, and the billable weight is 4,000 pounds, the calculation is 40 × $75 = $3,000. This demonstrates a calculation structure, not an actual tariff. An applicable minimum, packing charge or other service would need separate treatment.

A journey being described as “long-distance” does not itself tell you which legal framework or price calculation applies. Establish jurisdiction and read the actual estimate.

Weight-based quotes: estimated pounds versus measured pounds

A survey may forecast shipment weight. That forecast is different from weighing the shipment.

For covered non-binding interstate shipments whose charges depend on weight, the mover must determine shipment weight before assessing charges and use a certified scale. 49 CFR 375.507 — Determining shipment weight

The usual vehicle-based calculation is gross weight minus tare weight = net shipment weight. Federal rules allow origin weighing or back weighing after unloading and specify controls for equipment, people and fuel. Container calculations remove the container's tare. 49 CFR 375.509 — Weighing methods

Illustration: 24,600 pounds gross − 18,200 pounds tare = 6,400 pounds net. Charging for the 24,600-pound gross figure as if it were the customer's goods would confuse vehicle weight with shipment weight.

Not every permitted weighing requires weighing a whole truck twice: shipments of 3,000 pounds or less may use a certified platform or warehouse scale. 49 CFR 375.511 — Small-shipment alternative

Weight tickets identify the scale, dates, weight entries, vehicle, shipper and shipment. True copies must accompany freight bills used to collect weight-dependent charges. 49 CFR 375.519 — Weight tickets

For an origin-weighed shipment, the federal reweigh provision allows a demand after notification of billing weight and total charges but before unloading begins; the reweigh weight governs the bill. It does not promise the lower of two weights. 49 CFR 375.517 — Reweighing

Ask how actual weight affects your particular estimate. Do not assume every binding price decreases merely because the shipment weighs less.

Cubic feet: four different uses that should not be confused

Cubic feet measure three-dimensional space. A rectangular space measuring 6 feet × 3 feet × 4 feet has a volume of 72 cubic feet. Its weight cannot be calculated without information about its contents or an explicit density assumption.

“800 cubic feet” on moving paperwork might describe:

1. The surveyor's planning estimate.
2. An input converted into estimated pounds.
3. Space reserved under a particular service agreement.
4. A proposed quantity used to calculate the bill.

Those uses have different implications. Ask which one applies.

When volume is converted into estimated weight

Federal rules explicitly discuss volume-based estimates converted to weight-based rates and require the conversion formula to be explained in writing. They state that final charges in that conversion situation are based on actual weight and services, with applicable delivery-collection protections. 49 CFR 375.401(e)

California's 2026 Maximum Rate Tariff 4 supplies a concrete example: its estimating provisions use total cubic footage multiplied by seven to calculate approximate pounds for relevant weight-based estimates. This is a specified estimating method, not a physical law saying every shipment weighs seven pounds per cubic foot. California MAX4, Items 108 and 116

Illustration: 800 cubic feet × an assumed 7 pounds per cubic foot = 5,600 estimated pounds. The arithmetic is exact; the shipment-weight forecast is still an estimate.

When space is reserved

FMCSA describes a space-reservation option under which a customer pays for a minimum amount of van space, even if the shipment occupies less. This is different from an open-ended bill based on a later assertion about occupied space. FMCSA — Service Options

When someone proposes billing by actual cubic feet

Ask for the specific applicable tariff and legal basis, the estimate's status, the measurement method, the minimum and the procedure for disputed quantities.

The current interstate estimate rules discuss estimated weight or volume, but that wording should not be treated as blanket authorization for variable-volume final billing. Section 375.401(b)(2) specifies actual weight and tariff provisions for non-binding final charges. This research did not establish a general exception permitting unrestricted final cubic-foot billing for such moves. 49 CFR 375.401(b)(2)

Conversely, a cubic-foot figure alone is not proof of fraud: the conversion and space-reservation examples above show legitimate uses.

TRE's comparison questions: Are quoted dimensions internal usable space or exterior dimensions? Are you paying for reserved capacity or measured occupied space? How are irregular objects, packing and unused gaps treated? Who records the measurement, when, and how can you check it? A truck photograph or room count should not substitute for a defined calculation.

Binding, non-binding and not-to-exceed describe the price commitment

Binding estimate

For covered interstate moves, a binding estimate fixes the total for the described quantities and services under the carrier's tariff. It must identify its binding status and scope. When additional goods or services are identified before loading, the rule provides options including reaffirming the estimate, issuing a signed new binding estimate or agreeing in writing to convert to non-binding. Loading without the required new agreement reaffirms the original, subject to the rule's specified additional-service exceptions. 49 CFR 375.403(a)

A fixed unit rate and a fixed total are different promises. “$8 per cubic foot” leaves quantity unresolved unless the written agreement also addresses the total and scope.

Non-binding estimate

A non-binding estimate is a reasonably accurate projection, not a guaranteed final price. Current federal requirements address estimated weight or volume and required services; final charges follow the applicable tariff and can exceed the estimate. The document must identify its non-binding status and describe the shipment and services. 49 CFR 375.405(b)

Not-to-exceed or guaranteed-not-to-exceed

For an interstate commercial offer, find the actual promise rather than relying on the label. Ask for the ceiling, how a lower bill is calculated, the covered scope and which changes affect the protection.

As a specific carrier example, Bekins describes its option-binding offer as a maximum with a reduction when shipment weight is lower, subject to inventory/service changes. That is evidence about its product, not a universal definition or endorsement. Bekins — Estimate options

Hypothetical contract comparison — unchanged scope:

These examples assume the quoted terms mean exactly what the table says. Actual documents can differ. A federal estimate's binding/non-binding classification must still be clear; state “not-to-exceed” requirements are considered separately below.

The 110% rule is about delivery collection, not a universal final-price cap

For covered non-binding interstate collect-on-delivery shipments, the release rule uses up to 110% of the estimate, with specified additions for customer-requested services after the bill of lading and impracticable operations. The latter amount collectible at delivery is limited to 15% of all other charges due at delivery. Partial deliveries have a separate prorating provision. 49 CFR 375.407 — Release of shipment

Illustration — full delivery, no deposits and no additional-service exceptions: A $5,000 non-binding estimate gives a $5,500 base collection limit at delivery. If supported lawful final charges are $6,500, the remaining $1,000 is not automatically forgiven; it is handled under applicable billing and collection rules. Do not read “110%” as permission for any unsupported charge.

For binding estimates, additional services requested after the bill of lading and tariff-defined impracticable operations have their own provisions. A statement that “nothing can ever be added” is therefore too broad. 49 CFR 375.403(a)(8)–(10)

What if the mover changes the estimate on moving day?

Ask what changed: the inventory, requested service, access information, or only the mover's expectation of cost.

For pre-loading additional goods/services on a covered non-binding interstate shipment, the mover must reaffirm the estimate or prepare a signed new one before loading. Loading without a new estimate reaffirms the original for the applicable delivery-collection rules. Later additional-service provisions are distinct; a final lawful bill changing under non-binding terms is not the same as rewriting the initial estimate. 49 CFR 375.405(b)(7)–(10)

TRE's practical recommendation: Before loading, obtain a dated copy identifying the changed items/services, the new total or calculation, the estimate type and the parties' agreement. Keep the earlier version. Do not accept “the truck looks fuller” as a complete explanation of a revised price.

State rules differ: Texas, California and Washington

These are selected examples, not a fifty-state legal survey.

Texas's agency brochure says TxDMV does not regulate movers' fees. That does not remove the written-proposal protections. TxDMV — Rights and Responsibilities, January 2025

The adopted Texas §218.56 text also specifically requires an hourly proposal to state a maximum total. It permits omission of estimated hours with written acknowledgment and requires agreed written treatment of additional items/services before they are transported or performed. This detail is sourced to the agency's December 2024 adopted text, corroborated by current consumer guidance; a complete later-amendment audit is outside this guide. TxDMV adopted §218.56, pp. 74–76

California's consumer agency says a change order cannot be used simply because the mover underestimated costs; it requires a not-to-exceed price and documented requested changes. BHGS — Household Movers Information

Do not transplant California's or Washington's mileage thresholds, or Texas's proposal terminology, into every move.

A practical way to compare two offers

Treat this as a worksheet. Ask each company to answer the same questions in writing.

A broker should not be an unidentified extra layer in that comparison. Federal broker estimates must be written, based on the authorized carrier's tariff and prepared under the required carrier agreement and survey rules. Identify which carrier adopts the estimate and separate any brokerage payment from the carrier's transportation balance. 49 CFR 371.113 — Broker estimates

Show both estimators the same shipment and destination conditions. Current federal terminology allows a physical survey to be on-site or through qualifying live/prerecorded video; “physical” does not always mean an in-home visit. 49 CFR 375.103 — Physical survey definition

A low total that excludes important services cannot be compared fairly with a higher total that includes them. The worksheet helps expose the difference without assuming which mover is better.

Quick answers to common questions

Is an hourly quote automatically non-binding? No. Time describes a calculation method. The document and applicable rules establish the commitment; Texas's hourly-maximum requirement illustrates the distinction.

Does a cubic-foot figure prove the mover is dishonest? No. It may be a planning measurement, a conversion input or reserved capacity. Clarify its role. A disputed or unexplained final-volume bill requires closer examination.

Is seven pounds per cubic foot my shipment's actual weight? No. A specified conversion estimates weight; it does not replace measurement where actual weighing is required.

Does a binding estimate always get cheaper if I move less? Do not assume so. Find an express downward-adjustment provision rather than treating every binding estimate as a lower-of-actual guarantee.

Are distance and weight competing methods? They can be inputs to the same calculation. Read the rate table and the estimate.

What is the best pricing method? There is no universally best label. Look for an applicable method, accurate scope, understandable price commitment, verifiable quantities and a documented change process.

Use the connected TRE guides

Start with Moving Estimates for the broader estimate process and Shipment Weight for weighing terminology.

For definitions, see Cubic Feet, Volume, Binding Estimate and Non-Binding Estimate. Review Sources & Evidence for TRE's editorial approach.

Educational information, not advice on an individual dispute. Verify the rules and documents for the specific move. The examples are invented solely to explain calculations; they are not price benchmarks. Sources were reviewed September 4, 2026. Rules, tariffs and commercial terms can change.

Track the total relocation cost, not just the moving quote

TRE’s proposed cost-transparency worksheet separates the mover’s price from the wider costs of completing the relocation. This is a planning method, not a validated savings model.

• Quoted and final mover charges: record transportation, packing, access, protection selections and any other included services once.
• Additional costs: separately record storage, third-party work, travel, temporary housing and other expenses that are not already included.
• Disruption and recovery: record delay expenses, damage costs, replacement spending and administrative time. Keep time separate from money unless you explicitly state how you value it.
• Payments back to you: track reimbursements, refunds and claim recoveries separately, then calculate your remaining out-of-pocket cost. Mark expected recoveries as pending until received.

For each difference between planned and actual cost, record the amount, the event, the supporting document and the known reason. Distinguish a documented cause from an assumption about fault. A policy choice, added service, scheduling change or supplier issue may need separate analysis.

Avoid double counting: if packing is already in the mover’s total, do not add it again. Track gross costs and reimbursements separately so employer-paid and personally paid amounts remain clear. Tax effects require applicable advice; they are not calculated by this worksheet.

Before accepting a cheaper date, use the timing guide’s alternative-date checklist and check whether the saving is offset elsewhere.

Moving quotes by weight vs. cubic feet: a side-by-side example

Weight measures how heavy the goods are; cubic feet measures space. Neither number tells you whether the quoted total is fixed. Compare the same inventory, services and written price commitment before comparing totals.

Hypothetical offers, not market prices: Mover A estimates 7,000 pounds and $6,800 under a non-binding estimate. Mover B estimates 1,000 cubic feet and $6,750 but has not explained the estimate type. B’s lower number is not enough to select it: its final-charge method and price commitment remain unresolved.

Make both offers answer the same questions

• Does the quantity describe survey planning, reserved capacity or the basis of the final charge?
• Is the agreement binding, non-binding or a documented state-specific ceiling?
• If volume is converted into estimated weight, what written conversion formula applies?
• What records establish actual weight or occupied space?
• Are packing, access, storage and delivery services identical?
• What changes the price, and when must a revision be agreed?

For the covered interstate non-binding framework, 49 CFR 375.401 distinguishes estimated weight or volume from actual-weight final charges and requires written disclosure of a volume-to-weight conversion formula. Check the guide’s service and jurisdiction limits before applying that rule to another arrangement.

If the shipment suddenly becomes “larger” at pickup

Compare the new inventory with the earlier version. Ask which goods, packing or services changed, how the quantity was calculated, and what the written agreement permits. Keep both records. A fuller-looking truck is not a substitute for an explanation of the revised quantity or bill.

For a stated maximum, read Not to Exceed Estimate (NTE). Before choosing a company, use the mover-research guide and the comparison worksheet. This section is the focused weight-versus-volume comparison within TRE’s existing pricing-method guide.

Follow the tariff calculation

Read the Tariff explanation for a worked example separating measured weight, a billable minimum, a transportation discount and packing charges. Ask for the tariff name, effective date and item numbers that support your quoted or billed charges. 49 CFR Part 1310 addresses tariff contents and access for covered household-goods transportation.

A quoted discount applies only as the actual pricing terms specify; it should not be assumed to reduce every service or minimum. Connect the tariff provisions to the shipment quantity, services and estimate commitment. The Shipment Weight guide explains how the scale evidence and reweigh rights feed into that review.