Intake Forms for Moving Companies: Inventory Assessment, Access Logistics, and Valuation Coverage

By Daniel Akselrod · July 2026

Moving companies live and die by the accuracy of their estimates. Underestimate and you eat the cost difference or have a furious customer at the destination. Overestimate and you lose the job to a competitor. Either way, the estimate is only as good as the information you collected at intake — and most moving companies collect almost nothing. A phone call, a rough room count, maybe a question about stairs. Then the crew shows up and discovers a 600-pound gun safe in the basement, no elevator in the destination building, and a piano nobody mentioned.

A structured intake form eliminates the guesswork. Here is what it needs to cover.

Move Type Classification: Local, Long-Distance, or Interstate

The first question on your intake form should classify the move, because the answer changes everything downstream — pricing model, regulatory requirements, insurance options, and timeline.

A local move (typically within the same state, under 50–100 miles depending on your definition) is usually priced by the hour with a truck fee. A long-distance move within the same state may be priced by weight and distance, or a flat rate based on inventory. An interstate move crosses state lines and triggers federal regulations: your company needs a USDOT number, FMCSA registration, and the estimate must comply with federal requirements for binding versus non-binding estimates.

Interstate moves also require different documentation. The customer must receive a copy of “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move,” published by FMCSA. Binding estimates lock the price; non-binding estimates can increase by up to 10% at delivery. If your intake form does not classify the move type, you cannot determine which regulatory framework applies, and that is a compliance risk that can cost you your operating authority.

Inventory Assessment: Room by Room, Item by Item

Clients always underestimate what they own. Always. They will tell you “it is a two-bedroom apartment, not much stuff” and then your crew finds a packed garage, an attic full of holiday decorations, and a storage unit the client forgot to mention. The only way to produce an accurate estimate is a structured room-by-room inventory.

Your intake form should walk through each room with checkboxes or quantity fields for standard items: sofas, loveseats, chairs, dining table and chairs, dressers, bed frames and mattresses (capture size — a king bed requires different truck space and handling than a twin), desks, bookshelves, entertainment centers, TVs with screen size, appliances being moved versus staying. Then a section for the garage, basement, attic, outdoor furniture, and any storage units.

The critical section is specialty items. These require specialized equipment, additional labor, and separate pricing: pianos (upright versus grand — a grand piano can weigh 1,200 pounds and requires a piano board, straps, and sometimes disassembly), pool tables (must be disassembled by a specialist and reassembled at destination), gun safes (weight ranges from 300 to 2,500 pounds — may require a safe dolly and extra crew), hot tubs, marble or glass tabletops, large artwork or mirrors, chandeliers, wine collections (temperature-sensitive), and antiques or items of extraordinary value.

Every specialty item that is not captured at intake becomes a surprise on moving day. Surprises on moving day become disputes, chargebacks, and bad reviews.

Origin and Destination Access Logistics

Access logistics are the silent killers of moving estimates. The inventory can be perfectly documented, but if the crew cannot get the truck within 50 feet of the door, your labor hours double. Your intake form needs to capture access details for both the origin and the destination.

At the origin: Is this a house, apartment, condo, or townhouse? What floor? Is there an elevator, and if so, what is its weight capacity and interior dimensions? How far is the walk from the truck parking spot to the front door? Is there a loading dock? Are there stairs — how many flights? Are there narrow doorways, tight hallways, or turns that will not accommodate large furniture? Does the building require a certificate of insurance from the mover? Is there a required move-out window (many buildings restrict moves to certain hours or days)?

At the destination: Same questions, plus a few more. Is the property ready for move-in, or is there a possibility of delays? Gated community? Access code or guard check-in needed? Low-clearance overhangs that restrict truck height? Parking permits required for the truck? Steep driveway? Unpaved or gravel driveway that a 26-foot box truck cannot navigate?

Each of these details affects labor time, equipment needs, and sometimes whether the job is even feasible with your standard trucks. A client in a fourth-floor walkup with a spiral staircase is a fundamentally different job than a single-story ranch house with a wide front door and a flat driveway.

Valuation and Insurance Coverage

This is the section clients do not understand until something breaks — and something always breaks eventually. Federal law requires interstate movers to offer two levels of liability coverage, and your intake form should explain both clearly enough that the customer makes an informed choice.

Released value protection is included at no additional charge and covers items at $0.60 per pound per article. That means a 50-pound flat-screen TV that cost $1,500 is covered for $30. Clients do not realize this until they file a claim. Your intake form should state this dollar-per-pound figure plainly, not buried in fine print.

Full value protection means the mover is liable for the replacement value of lost or damaged items, subject to a deductible. This costs more — typically a percentage of the declared value — and the intake form should capture the total declared value so you can quote the coverage cost. If the client has high-value items (artwork, antiques, jewelry, electronics), they should be listed separately with declared individual values.

Third-party moving insurance is another option, and your form should ask whether the client plans to purchase it independently. Some homeowners insurance policies cover items in transit; the client should check with their carrier. Documenting pre-existing damage at intake — with photographs or written descriptions — protects both the mover and the customer from post-move disputes about what was already damaged before the move began.

Packing Services Scope

Packing is a significant revenue line and a significant source of misunderstandings if not scoped at intake. Your form should offer clear options: full packing service (your crew packs everything), partial packing (your crew packs fragile and specialty items, client packs the rest), or self-pack (client handles all packing, your crew loads and transports).

For partial and full packing, capture a fragile item inventory: framed artwork and mirrors, stemware and china, electronics, lamps, chandeliers, collectibles, musical instruments, and wine collections. Each of these requires specific packing materials and techniques. A crew that shows up expecting to pack a standard kitchen and discovers a 200-bottle wine collection and a set of Waterford crystal is going to blow the estimate.

Your intake form should also clarify packing material costs — are boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and packing paper included in the packing service fee, or billed separately? This is a common source of billing disputes. Document it at intake, and the dispute never happens.

Timeline, Storage, and Special Requirements

Capture the client’s must-be-out date, preferred moving date (and whether there is flexibility), and delivery window for long-distance moves. Long-distance deliveries often have a window of several days to two weeks depending on distance — the client needs to understand this at intake, not when they are sleeping on the floor of an empty apartment wondering where their furniture is.

If the client needs temporary storage, your intake form should capture: estimated storage duration, whether climate-controlled storage is needed (critical for wood furniture, electronics, wine, and anything temperature-sensitive), access needs (does the client need to retrieve items during storage?), and whether the storage is at your facility or a third-party location. Storage pricing should be disclosed upfront — monthly minimums, access fees, insurance during storage.

Finally, capture any special requirements: Are there items that require crating (custom-built wooden crates for artwork, marble, or fragile antiques)? Does the client need appliance disconnection and reconnection (washer, dryer, gas ranges require licensed disconnect)? Are there items that movers cannot transport by law — hazardous materials, propane tanks, ammunition, perishable food? Identifying these at intake prevents day-of surprises and potential liability.

A comprehensive intake form does not slow down the sales process for a moving company — it is the sales process. Every detail captured at intake is a detail that does not become a dispute, a cost overrun, or a one-star review. Your estimate accuracy is your reputation, and your intake form is where accuracy begins.