Ask three removalists for a price and you may get three very different numbers. Often the gap is not about the company. It is about the details each one was given, or guessed at, when they wrote the quote. A quote is only as accurate as the information behind it.
To quote accurately, Local Brisbane Removalists need your pickup and delivery addresses, the size of your move, any access issues such as stairs, lifts and parking, details of heavy, fragile or oversized items, and your moving date and deadlines. With those answers, they can estimate the crew, truck and time your job needs.
đź“Ś Key Takeaways
- Addresses, home size and date set the starting price. Access details decide how long the job really takes.
- Stairs, lifts, parking and long carries add time, and time drives most quotes.
- Heavy, fragile and oversized items can need extra crew, equipment or disassembly.
- Settlement dates and lift bookings create hard deadlines the removalist must plan around.
- Quotes change when the real job differs from the described job.
What removalists need to quote
Removalists need to know the route, the volume, the access, any special items and the timing. Those five groups cover all sixteen details, and each one feeds one of three decisions: how many movers, what size truck, and how many hours.
- Route: pickup address, delivery address
- Volume: bedrooms, approximate boxes, storage requirements
- Access: stairs, lifts, parking, driveway access, distance from truck to door
- Special items: heavy items, fragile items, oversized furniture, disassembly
- Timing: preferred moving date, settlement deadlines
The quote type matters too. An hourly quote charges for the time the job takes, so anything that slows the crew raises the total. A fixed price quote gives one number, but it is only as reliable as the description it was based on. If the description is thin, the removalist either pads the price to protect themselves or revises it later. Neither helps you.
Where you are moving from and to
Why do removalists need both full addresses?
A suburb name tells a removalist roughly how far the truck will drive. A full address tells them what the property is like: a highset Queenslander with front steps, a townhouse on a steep street, or a unit in a tower with a loading dock. That changes the crew and truck they send.
The two addresses also define the journey. The Queensland Government advises customers to ask where the removalist counts the journey as starting and ending, because that affects the total cost. With both addresses in hand, the removalist can give a clear answer and check that their truck can actually reach each property. (source)
Mention the property type at each end (house, unit, townhouse, storage unit) as well as the address.
How much you are moving
How does the number of bedrooms affect a quote?
Bedrooms are a shortcut for volume. A two bedroom unit usually means less furniture than a four bedroom house, so bedrooms suggest a crew size and truck capacity. They are a starting point, not the full answer.
Two homes with the same bedroom count can differ enormously. One has a packed garage and a home office. The other is a lightly furnished rental. Mention anything that adds bulk beyond the bedrooms, such as a garage or shed, outdoor furniture, a study, gym gear or a second fridge.
Why do removalists ask how many boxes you have?
Boxes take up truck space and carrying time. A rough count also tells the removalist whether you are packed, or whether their crew will be packing on the day, which is billable time.
You do not need an exact number. Give a range, say whether everything will be sealed before the crew arrives, and flag very heavy boxes such as books and tools. Boxes that are unpacked, overfull or half taped are a common reason jobs run long.
Do storage requirements change the quote?
Yes. If belongings must be held between the old place and the new one, the job gains extra handling: loading into storage, then loading out again later. It can also mean a second truck trip or a longer booking.
Tell the removalist early if you might need storage, even as a backup. The Queensland Government suggests asking whether there is an extra cost for storage if delays happen on moving day, and recommends considering storage insurance if your items will be stored for any length of time.
Access: How easy it is to get in and out
Access is the category customers underestimate most, because it does not show up on an inventory list. Furniture is easy to count. A steep driveway, a narrow stairwell or a lift that must be booked is easy to forget until it slows the crew down.
Why does a removalist ask about stairs?
Stairs slow the work and make it harder. Carrying furniture up or down steps means smaller loads, more care and more breaks, so the job takes longer or needs more hands. Some removalists add that time to the hourly total, and some charge a separate stair fee.
Stairs also raise handling risk. A wardrobe that slides easily across a flat floor becomes awkward on a tight landing. This matters in Brisbane's older walk up blocks and in highset homes with steep front steps.
Tell the removalist:
- Whether the stairs are at pickup, delivery or both
- The rough number of flights or steps
- Whether they are straight, curved or have tight landings
- Whether they are inside the building or outside (front steps count)
Ask whether they charge per flight or price the extra time. Practices vary, so get the answer in writing.
A simple illustration (hypothetical, not real pricing): Imagine two identical two bedroom moves. In the first, the unit is on the ground floor and the truck parks at the door. In the second, the unit is on the second floor of a walk up block and the truck stops a minute's walk away. The furniture is the same, but the second crew makes far more effort on every trip. That gap is what the quote should reflect.
Should I tell removalists about a lift?
Yes, always, including when there is no lift. A lift can speed up a move, but it can also slow it down if it is small, shared, out of service or bookable only at set times. The removalist needs to know which applies to you.
Useful details:
- Whether it is a passenger lift or a dedicated service lift
- Whether it is large enough for a mattress, sofa or fridge
- Whether you must book it, and for which hours
- Any body corporate rules on moving times, floor protection or deposits
If your lift window is short, the crew may need to be larger so everything moves in the time available. Check with your building manager before requesting quotes so you can pass on the real limits.
Does parking affect a removalist quote?
Yes. Where the truck can stop decides how far the crew must carry your belongings, and long carries add time. A truck that has to park down the street, or cannot reach the property at all, can turn a routine job into a slower and more expensive one.
Describe the parking situation: driveway, kerbside space, loading bay or shared visitor area. Mention any restrictions you know about, such as time limited zones or narrow one way streets. If you can legally reserve space for the truck, arrange it in advance.
Driveway access and the distance from truck to door
These two details sit alongside parking, and both affect the quote.
Driveway access. Steep, narrow, gravel, shared or gated driveways change which truck can be used safely. Low branches, overhead wires and tight bends matter too. If a full size truck cannot enter, the crew may need a smaller vehicle or extra trips.
Distance from truck to door. This is the walk from where the truck stops to where the furniture goes in or comes out. The longer the walk, the more time each item takes. Give a rough estimate ("about 40 metres, mostly flat" or "along a lane and up a ramp") and include a photo.
Items that need special handling
Special items change the crew, the equipment and the time needed. Telling the removalist before the quote lets them plan properly instead of improvising on the day.
Heavy items. Pianos, safes, pool tables, gym equipment, large fridges and stone topped tables may need extra people, trolleys or ramps. Some, such as pianos, may need a specialist team. Give the item type and size, and the weight or model if you know it.
Fragile items. Glass, mirrors, artwork, antiques and large TVs need extra protection and slower handling. The Queensland Government suggests preparing an inventory of what is being moved, noting any scratches or dents, photographing items and boxes, and marking fragile goods clearly. That same inventory helps a removalist quote accurately.Â
Oversized furniture. Big sofas, wardrobes, entertainment units and dining tables may not fit through doors, stairwells or lifts. If you are unsure, measure the item and the narrowest point on the route. Mention anything that was hard to get into the property in the first place.
Disassembly and reassembly. Beds, desks, wardrobes, trampolines and shelving often need to come apart before they can leave. Say which items need disassembling, and whether you want the crew to reassemble them or plan to do it yourself. Disassembly adds time, so it belongs in the quote rather than being a surprise on the day.
When you are moving
How do your preferred date and time affect the quote?
Your date affects availability and often price. Weekends, month ends and school holidays tend to be busy, so a flexible date widens your options. Give a preferred date, a backup date and any time limits.
Why do settlement deadlines matter?
Settlement deadlines set hard limits on when the crew can access each property. Common limits include the end of a lease, key handover times, lift bookings and settlement day itself. Tell the removalist about each one so they can schedule the job around it.
Double settlement needs its own mention. If you are selling one home and buying another on the same day, your move depends on the timing of both settlements, and a delay in one can flow into the other. Tell the removalist that it is a double settlement, when you expect access to each property, and whether you have a backup plan such as storage.
The Queensland Government also advises reading your contract closely, including any fine print saying delivery on your preferred dates is not guaranteed. On a settlement day, that clause matters.
What can make a removalist quote change?
A quote changes when the real move differs from the move that was described. More items, slower access, a different date or address, or extra services all add time or resources, and the price follows.
The most common triggers:
- More belongings than declared: extra boxes, a full garage, added furniture
- Access that turns out worse: more stairs, no parking, a long carry, an unavailable lift
- Unmentioned items: a piano, safe, large aquarium or an oversized sofa
- Delays outside the crew's control: waiting for keys, a settlement running late, a lift that is not ready
- Changes to the plan: a new date, an extra stop, a different delivery address
- Extra services: packing, disassembly, storage or rubbish removal
Ask every removalist the same question: "What would make this price change?" Then get the answer in writing. The Queensland Government also suggests asking what is and is not included, whether the price is based on time or quantity of goods, and whether an upfront payment is required, and notes that upfront payments can be risky. It adds that most removalists only insure their own vehicles, so you will probably need separate cover for your goods.
When comparing prices, make sure you are comparing the same type of quote. See how to compare Brisbane removalist quotes properly and how much a removalist costs in Brisbane.
A checklist to copy and send
Paste this into an email or quote form. It answers nearly every question a removalist will ask:
- Pickup address and property type:
- Delivery address and property type:
- Bedrooms and extras: garage, shed, study, outdoor items
- Approximate boxes: a range, and whether you are packed or need packing
- Stairs: flights or steps, at each address
- Lift: yes or no, size, booking window, body corporate rules
- Parking and driveway: where the truck can stop, steepness, gates, narrow streets
- Truck to door distance: approximate, with photos
- Heavy items: piano, safe, pool table, gym gear, large appliances
- Fragile items: glass, artwork, antiques, TVs
- Oversized furniture: sofas, wardrobes, dining tables
- Disassembly: which items, and whether you need reassembly
- Storage: yes, no or maybe, and for how long
- Preferred date and backup date:
- Deadlines: lease end, key handover, lift booking, settlement time
- Double settlement: yes or no, and any flexibility
Add photos of the stairs, the parking area, the entry path and your largest items. They take a minute to capture and often save several rounds of questions.
Give Your Removalist the Whole Picture
A good quote starts with an honest description of your move. Tell the removalist about the stairs, the lift, the parking, the heavy pieces and the deadlines, even the details that feel awkward to admit. Accurate information protects both sides: you get a realistic price, and the crew arrives with the right people, truck and plan.
If you would like a quote from Shift Buddies, send the checklist above with a few photos and we can work from the real details of your move. You can also read about our house removals and furniture removals.
