Scope checklist: define the work before requesting estimates
Use one written outline for every estimate so each provider evaluates the same job. • Locations: List the full origin and destination addresses, plus every storage unit or additional stop. State whether the move stays within North Carolina or crosses a state line. • Inventory: Record furniture, appliances, boxes, outdoor items, and unusually large, fragile, or heavy pieces. Include approximate dimensions where fit or handling may be difficult. • Requested tasks: Specify packing, unpacking, loading, transportation, unloading, furniture disassembly and assembly, appliance handling, or moving supplies as separate line items. • Access: Note floor numbers, stairs, elevator dimensions and reservations, walking distance, loading areas, gates, narrow halls, steep driveways, and limits on truck access. • Responsibilities: Assign who will pack, label, disconnect, reconnect, disassemble, reassemble, remove wall-mounted items, and dispose of unwanted belongings. • Timing: Provide preferred and alternate dates, building time windows, closing or lease constraints, and any deadline for vacating the property. Do not describe the job only by home size. Two similarly sized homes can require different work because their inventories, access conditions, and requested services differ.
Common mistakes that create gaps in the plan
The first mistake is omitting items that are not in the main living area. Check attics, garages, sheds, patios, closets, crawl spaces, and off-site storage. A second mistake is treating optional help as implied; packing a kitchen, assembling beds, or making an extra stop should be stated explicitly. Another common error is failing to identify items that may need special equipment, preparation, or separate handling. Photograph these pieces, record dimensions, and ask whether they are accepted before scheduling. Obtain the mover’s prohibited-items list rather than assuming every household product can travel on the truck. Finally, avoid relying on verbal updates. When the inventory, date, locations, access, or requested tasks change, ask how the revision affects the written estimate, crew plan, vehicle, timing, and charges.
Account for Raleigh access and disposal conditions
Confirm requirements with each property manager before setting the schedule. Ask about elevators, loading docks, gates, approved hours, truck placement, fire access, and any certificate-of-insurance requirement. If a truck, container, or related work would affect a public street or sidewalk, review the City of Raleigh’s temporary right-of-way closure and permit information. Do not assume a vehicle may obstruct a lane, sidewalk, or other public access. Source: City of Raleigh — Temporary Street Closures (https://raleighnc.gov/transportation/services/temporary-street-closures). Separate disposal from moving work unless it is expressly included. Raleigh’s residential curbside program does not collect construction materials, hazardous waste, or items that cannot be safely loaded. Wake County provides household hazardous-waste guidance and facilities for applicable materials. Sources: City of Raleigh — Bulky Load Collection (https://raleighnc.gov/trash-recycling-and-clean/services/bulky-load-collection); Wake County — Household Hazardous Waste Facilities (https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/waste-recycling/facilities/household-hazardous-waste-facilities).
Questions to resolve before scheduling
Ask these questions after sharing the same inventory and access notes with each provider: 1. Which listed tasks are included, excluded, or available only as additional services? 2. Does the proposed crew and vehicle plan account for stairs, elevators, walking distance, and restricted truck access? 3. Are packing materials, disassembly, assembly, extra stops, waiting time, or disposal addressed in writing? 4. Which items require special preparation, equipment, approval, or another provider? 5. What must be completed before arrival, and what happens if it is not ready? 6. How should inventory, date, or access changes be reported, and how will revised charges be authorized? 7. What building reservations or public-access arrangements are the customer’s responsibility? 8. What arrival window and estimated work window should be coordinated with the properties? Keep the final inventory, task list, access notes, and written estimate together. For broader sequencing beyond service definition, use the planning move checklist (/resources/planning-move-checklist/). When you are ready to compare a tailored plan, review relevant options under moving services (/services/) before requesting a quote.