In-home estimates are where you win or lose the job. The customer is watching everything — how you show up, how you walk through their home, how you answer their questions. This guide covers the full walkthrough from arrival to departure.
What this covers
This is your in-home visit playbook — what to do at the customer’s house, in order, from the moment you park to the moment you send the estimate.
Who uses this
On-site estimators — this is your primary guide. Sales agents — if you do your own estimates, this is for you too. Owners — use this to train new estimators.
Before you start
- The estimate is booked in MoveRight: Booking an On-Site Estimate
- You know how to build an estimate: How to Create an Estimate
- You have the customer’s name, address, move date, and access notes
Step 1: Arrive and introduce yourself (2 minutes)
Park, walk to the door, and introduce yourself by name and company. Be on time — not early (they might not be ready) and definitely not late.
Say something warm and direct: “Hi [Name], I’m [Your Name] with [Your Company]. Thanks for having me over. I’ll walk through your home and take inventory of everything that’s moving, then I’ll put together a quote for you. Should take about 30 minutes.”
Step 2: Walk through room by room (20 minutes)
Start at the front door and move systematically through every room. In each room:
- Count the furniture — beds, dressers, tables, couches, desks
- Note specialty items — anything that needs extra care: pianos, art, antiques, pool tables, safes
- Check for disassembly — bed frames, wall-mounted TVs, shelving units
- Note access issues — narrow hallways, tight staircases, elevators, long carry from the truck
- Ask about packed vs. unpacked — “Are you packing these boxes yourself, or do you need us to pack this room?”
Enter every item into the MoveRight estimate builder on your phone or tablet as you walk. It’s faster than writing on paper and transcribing later.
Rooms to check carefully
- Kitchen — small appliances, dishware, pantry items. Customers underestimate kitchen boxes.
- Garage — tools, lawn equipment, sports gear. Ask: “Is everything in the garage going?”
- Closets — walk-ins, reach-ins, hall closets. Count the hanging items.
- Attic / basement — many customers forget these. Ask about them.
See: Room-by-Room Inventory Guide
Step 3: Check the exit path (3 minutes)
After the inventory, walk the path from the front door to where the truck will park. Note:
- Stairs — count the flights. Each flight adds time and may add a surcharge.
- Elevators — is there a service elevator? Does it need a reservation?
- Long carry — if the truck can’t park close, how far is the walk? More than 75 feet is a long carry surcharge.
- Doorway width — can a standard box fit? Any furniture that needs to be disassembled to fit through?
Step 4: Discuss the estimate (5 minutes)
Sit down with the customer and summarize what you saw:
- Total number of rooms and items
- Estimated crew size and hours
- Any specialty items or access surcharges
- Whether they need packing services
Ask: “Does this sound right? Anything I missed?”
This is also the time to ask about:
- Their budget — “Is there a number you’re trying to stay under?”
- Their priority — “Are you more concerned about price, or about having enough crew to finish in one day?”
- The move date — confirm the date and check if they have flexibility
Step 5: Build and send the estimate (5 minutes)
Open MoveRight, finalize the estimate with the items you entered during the walk-through, and click Send Estimate.
Tell the customer: “I’ll send this to your phone right now. You can review it and sign online whenever you’re ready. If you want to adjust anything — add packing, change the date, remove items — just let me know.”
The estimate arrives by SMS and email within seconds. You can see in MoveRight when they open it.
After the visit
- Log the visit in the opportunity — add notes about anything unusual or any verbal agreements
- Follow up within 24 hours if they haven’t signed — a friendly text: “Hi [Name], just checking — did you get the estimate? Happy to answer any questions.”
- Set a follow-up task for 3 days out if still unsigned
Common questions
Should I give a price on the spot? You can give a range. “Based on what I see, you’re looking at somewhere between $X and $Y.” But always send the formal estimate through MoveRight — it protects you and the customer.
What if the customer wants to negotiate on the spot? Be prepared with value-adds instead of price cuts: “I can include wardrobe boxes at no charge” or “I can adjust the crew size to fit your budget.” Don’t race to the bottom.
How do I handle a home that’s packed with items? Take your time. A thorough 30-minute estimate that captures everything beats a fast estimate that misses the garage. Under-estimating creates problems on move day.
What happens next
- Detailed inventory guide: Room-by-Room Inventory Guide
- Specialty items and add-ons: Specialty Items and Add-On Triggers
- Close the deal: How to Sign an Estimate