GLOSSARY
Moving Terms Explained
Moving quotes are full of trade terms, and a term you do not recognise is a term you cannot compare. Worse, some of them describe charges that appear only after the move.
This is a plain-English glossary. Ask any mover to define the ones on their quote; a company that will not is telling you something.
How the Time Is Counted
- Yard-to-yard — the clock starts when the crew leaves the depot and stops when it returns. Common, and it means travel is inside the billed time.
- Door-to-door — billed from arrival at your address to completion at the destination, usually with travel charged separately.
- Minimum booking — the smallest amount of time or money a job can be booked for. Every mover has one; ask what it is before you book.
- Travel allowance — the travel included in a local move before mileage applies. At Stallion, the first 40 round-trip kilometres are included on local moves.
- Overtime or after-hours rate — a different rate outside standard hours, if the company has one.
Access Charges
- Long carry — a charge for an unusually long distance between the truck and the door. Ask at what distance it starts.
- Stair carry — a charge related to flights of stairs where there is no elevator.
- Elevator carry — sometimes charged where an elevator move involves long internal corridors.
- Shuttle — a smaller vehicle used because the main truck cannot reach the address. Common on rural laneways and tight streets.
- Additional stop — a charge for a second pick-up or delivery address on the same move.
- Permit — where a municipality requires a permit to occupy street space with a truck.
Items and Handling
- Bulky item — an item requiring special handling or extra crew: a piano, a safe, a treadmill.
- Third-party service — work subcontracted to a specialist, such as a piano mover or an appliance technician.
- Disassembly / reassembly — taking furniture apart to get it through a doorway or a stairwell, and putting it back.
- Crating — building a wooden crate for something exceptionally fragile, usually art or glass.
- Inventory — the agreed list of what is being moved. Your quote is only as good as this.
Quotes and Estimates
- Estimate — a considered figure that can change if the reality differs from what was assessed.
- Binding estimate — a price that does not change provided the inventory and services do not. Be very clear which one you have.
- Non-binding estimate — the final bill reflects the actual time and services, with the estimate as guidance.
- Virtual survey — a quote based on photos or a video walkthrough rather than an in-person visit.
- Valuation or protection — the arrangement covering loss or damage. Ask what is included and get the current details in writing.
Buildings and Timing
- Move-in window — a period a building or residence sets during which moves are permitted.
- Elevator booking — a reserved, usually time-capped, allocation of the service elevator.
- Certificate of insurance — a document some buildings require from the mover before granting access.
- Loading dock clearance — the posted maximum vehicle height for an underground loading bay.
- Possession time — when you legally get the keys, which is often later in the day than people plan for.
Ready to Get This Moving?
Tell us what is moving and we will come back with a real plan and a real price — or call and talk it through with someone who does this every day.
Prefer to talk? Call us.
Questions Families Ask Us
What is the difference between a binding and a non-binding estimate?
A binding estimate does not change provided the inventory and the services stay the same; a non-binding one is guidance and the final bill reflects the actual time. Ask explicitly which you have been given, in writing. A quote described as "binding" that changes once the truck is loaded is a serious warning sign.
What is yard-to-yard and does it apply to me?
It means the clock runs from when the crew leaves the depot until it returns, so travel is inside the billed time. It is a normal and legitimate way to bill; what matters is knowing which basis your quote uses so you can compare two quotes properly. Ours is set out on the pricing page.
When does a long carry charge apply?
When the distance from where the truck can legally stand to your door is unusually long — common in townhouse complexes and buildings with visitor-only parking. Ask any mover at what distance it starts and what it costs, before booking.
Got a Quote You Do Not Understand?
Call us and we will explain what the terms mean, even if the quote is somebody else's.
Prefer to talk? Call us.