How is a corporate move quote calculated?
You receive two quotes for the same office move, and the amounts differ widely — sometimes twofold. It is hard to tell which one is right, and above all what it rests on. Understanding how a professional builds their price means you can read an offer, compare it and spot what is missing.
Here is, item by item, how a corporate move quote is built in Belgium, and what to check before signing.
A reliable quote is not given over the phone: it rests on a site visit and an item-by-item breakdown.
It all starts with the site visit
A reliable quote starts from a visit on site. The mover comes to assess the real volume, access to both buildings (floors, lift, corridor width, room to park a lorry), the IT equipment to disconnect and reconnect, the archives to transport, and the schedule you want.
A price quoted from a simple description over the phone is worth little: it rests on assumptions, not on your reality. It is the visit that turns your situation into a figure — and commits the provider to that figure.
How a volume becomes a price
On the Belgian market, two pricing logics dominate, often combined.
The first is time spent: an hourly rate multiplied by the number of movers. As a rough guide, you often see figures of €100 to €200 per hour for a team of two to four movers with a lorry, more with a furniture hoist. From the visit, the mover estimates the loading and unloading time, then the number of people needed.
The second is volume: a price per cubic metre, based on the volume estimated during the visit.
For offices, a third logic often comes on top: the cost per workstation. Expect around €100 to €300 per workstation depending on the equipment — clearly more if you have servers or specific hardware. It is a handy first approach, provided you do not forget access, IT and out-of-hours work.
The priced items one by one
A corporate quote breaks down. Here is what the mover estimates behind each line:
- labour: the number of movers multiplied by the estimated hours — the main item;
- transport: number of trips, size and number of lorries, distance, fuel;
- packing: the supplies (boxes, protection, IT crates) and the time to pack;
- difficult handling: a furniture hoist, charged separately when access requires it;
- IT: disconnection, secure transport and reconnection, sometimes priced per workstation;
- insurance: based on the declared value of the goods transported;
- out-of-hours surcharges: evening, weekend or public holiday.
What makes two quotes differ
Two offers can both be correct and still be far apart. The reason rarely lies in the "price of the lorry": it lies in the scope.
An "à la carte" quote charges only for transport and leaves packing, dismantling or IT to you. A full package includes them. On top of that come different assumptions (estimated volume, expected duration), a variable level of insurance, and services that are included or not (reinstating the old premises, for example). Comparing two amounts without looking at what they cover therefore makes no sense.
How to read and compare a quote
A few reflexes avoid unpleasant surprises.
Insist on a detailed quote, broken down item by item. A mover who only presents a lump-sum figure, without being able to explain what it covers, is a bad sign.
Then make sure the quotes rest on the same basis: same volume, same date, same services. That is the only way to make them comparable.
Finally, ask the right questions before signing: has the site visit actually been done? What exactly does the insurance cover? Is the furniture hoist included? Is IT handled? Are there out-of-hours surcharges? Request at least three quotes after a visit.
Getting a first estimate
Even before the quotes, you can frame your budget:
- make a clear inventory of what is moving, going into storage or being discarded;
- use our calculator to get an indicative estimate in a few minutes;
- request three quotes on the same basis, after a visit, to decide with full knowledge.
In summary
A corporate move quote is not a figure pulled out of thin air: it is built from a site visit, an hourly rate or a volume-based price, and a set of items you can read one by one. Insist on the detail, compare on the same basis, and use the calculator for a first estimate before requesting three quotes.