The survey is where the price comes from
Every removal quote worth having starts with somebody looking at your house. That visit, in person or by video, is the pre move survey, and it is the difference between a price you can rely on and a number that changes on moving day.
It takes twenty minutes to an hour depending on the size of the property, it costs nothing, and it is the stage where you have the most influence over what the job ends up costing.
In person or by video
Both are legitimate, and the choice mostly depends on the size of the job.
Video surveys work well for flats and smaller houses. You walk around with your phone while the surveyor asks questions and takes notes. They are quick to arrange, easy to fit around work, and perfectly accurate if you show everything.
In person surveys suit larger properties, anything with awkward access, and any home with specialist items. A surveyor standing in the room can see the turn at the top of the stairs, judge whether a lorry will get down the street, and spot the things you have stopped noticing.
Either way, the same rule applies. The estimate is only as good as what the surveyor was shown.
What the surveyor is actually working out
Four things, and every one of them affects the price.
Volume. Measured in cubic feet, and it determines the vehicle size, the crew size and how many days the job takes. This is why the loft matters as much as the living room.
Access at both ends. Floor number, whether there is a lift and its dimensions, stair width and turns, the distance from where a van can legally park to the front door. A long carry is labour, and labour is the largest part of any quote.
Parking. Whether either address is in a controlled parking zone, whether a bay suspension is needed, and who arranges it.
Complexity. What needs dismantling, what is fragile, what is a specialist item, and whether anything is going into storage rather than to the new address.
Show them everything, including the things you forget
The commonest cause of a price changing on the day is a surveyor who was not shown the whole job. Open every door:
- The loft. Almost always underestimated, and often the single biggest surprise.
- The garage, shed and outbuildings, including garden furniture, tools, bikes and the barbecue.
- The cellar or under stairs cupboard.
- Wardrobes and built in storage, since the surveyor needs to know what is inside them.
- The garden, if pots, planters or a shed are coming.
- Anything already in storage elsewhere, if it is joining the move.
There is no advantage in a low estimate that turns into a higher bill. A survey that captures the real job protects you, not the company.
Tell them the things a walk round cannot show
The conversation matters as much as the inspection.
- What is staying. Fitted furniture, appliances included in the sale, anything you are selling before the move.
- What is going to storage rather than to the new address, and roughly for how long.
- Difficult items. Pianos, safes, pool tables, artwork, aquariums, anything unusually heavy or valuable. Our guide to moving pianos, safes and other awkward items covers why these are quoted separately.
- The new property, in as much detail as you have. Floor, lift, parking, and any restriction on access times. If you have not seen it yet, say so.
- Whether the date is firm, and how fragile the chain is.
- Any deadline that cannot move, such as a tenancy ending or keys being handed back at a fixed hour.
Questions worth asking while they are there
The survey is a two way conversation, and this is your opportunity.
- How many people and how many hours are you allocating?
- What is excluded from the price?
- What happens if the job takes longer, or completion is delayed?
- What insurance applies, and what does it exclude?
- Who is my point of contact on the day?
- Would a different date be cheaper?
Good surveyors answer all six without hesitation, and a firm that will not put the answers in writing is telling you something useful.
What you should receive afterwards
A written quotation, not a figure over the phone. It should itemise packing if included, materials, dismantling and reassembly, loading and unloading, transport, storage if applicable, special handling, VAT, and anything charged separately such as parking suspensions or waiting time.
Our guides to what a removal quote actually pays for and what all inclusive removals actually include cover how to read one and compare it against others.
Get three, all based on surveys. Comparing a surveyed quote against a web form estimate is not a comparison at all.
Why quotes without a survey change on the day
An online form asks how many bedrooms you have. That tells a company almost nothing, because two three bedroom houses can differ by half a vehicle in volume and by hours in access.
When the estimate is wrong, one of three things happens. The vehicle is too small and a second trip is needed. The crew is too small and the day runs long. Or the price is revised on the morning, when you are least able to argue and least able to book anyone else.
None of that is dishonest, particularly. It is the arithmetic of guessing. The survey removes the guess.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pre move survey? An assessment of your belongings and the access at both properties, carried out in person or by video before a removal company quotes. It establishes volume, crew size, vehicle size and any complications.
Do I have to pay for a removal survey? No. Reputable firms survey free of charge as part of quoting.
How long does a removal survey take? Twenty minutes to an hour for most homes, longer for large properties or anything with unusual access or specialist items.
Is a video survey as good as an in person one? For flats and smaller houses, generally yes, provided you show everything including the loft and outbuildings. Larger or awkward properties are better assessed in person.
What should I show the surveyor? Every room plus the loft, garage, shed, cellar, under stairs cupboard, built in wardrobes and the garden. Anything not shown is not in the quote.
Why do online removal quotes change on moving day? Because they are based on a bedroom count rather than actual volume and access. When the guess is wrong, the result is a second trip, a longer day or a revised price.
Talk to us
RMV Storage & Removals surveys every job before quoting, in person or by video, and puts the quotation in writing with the exclusions stated. We handle house and office removals, man and van work, packing services and materials and container storage delivered to your door, across every area we cover including Romford and the surrounding areas.
Book a survey and we will tell you what the job actually needs, including when a smaller service would do. Get in touch.
Written by Riki Migliori, Director at RMV Storage & Removals. Originally published July 2017. Fully reviewed and updated summer 2026.