You booked your move, agreed to an estimate, and paid your deposit.
Then, a few days before pickup, someone calls to review your inventory.
By the end of the conversation, your $3,800 estimate has increased to $5,600.
What happened?
In the moving industry, this is often called a quality assurance call, or QA call. It's a company process for reviewing your move details, not a federally required step by that name.
These calls aren't automatically a bad thing. But if your price increases substantially, you should understand exactly why before accepting the new estimate.
The federal rules discussed below apply to interstate household-goods moves. Local moves within one state are generally governed by state law.
Why moving companies make quality assurance calls
A QA call is usually a final opportunity to review the furniture, boxes, packing requirements, and other details of your move.
Here's something important about moving estimates:
The original price is only as reliable as the inventory and services used to prepare it.
If the first inventory missed an entire garage, additional furniture, or 30 boxes, the estimated shipment size could be understated.
Finding those differences before pickup is better than discovering them when the truck arrives.
But correcting an incomplete inventory and increasing a price without a clear explanation are two very different things.
Also, a phone-based QA call isn't automatically a substitute for the physical survey federal regulations require. Interstate movers generally must conduct an in-person or qualifying virtual survey unless you sign a written waiver.
Where did the extra cubic feet come from?
Let's use a hypothetical example.
Your original estimate:
- 550 cubic feet
- $3,800 estimated price
After the QA call:
- 850 cubic feet
- $5,600 estimated price
Your estimated shipment increased by 300 cubic feet, and the quoted price increased by $1,800.
That doesn't automatically mean something improper happened.
Maybe the company added furniture, boxes, and packing that weren't included originally.
But what if your inventory barely changed?
That's why you should compare the two inventories before focusing only on the new total.
Ask which items were added, which quantities changed, and what estimated volume the company assigned to those items.
Then compare the transportation rate, discounts, packing charges, minimum charges, and other services.
A larger inventory can justify a different estimate, but it shouldn't prevent you from understanding the calculation.
Does cubic footage determine your final price?
Not necessarily.
Check whether cubic footage is being used to estimate shipment size, whether you have an agreed binding price, or whether the mover will ultimately calculate transportation charges using actual weight.
For a non-binding interstate estimate, final transportation charges are generally based on actual shipment weight and the carrier's applicable tariff.
If the estimate uses volume that will later be converted into a weight-based rate, the mover must explain the conversion formula in writing.
Don't assume that a larger cubic-foot figure automatically establishes your final bill.
Look beyond the inventory
Sometimes the biggest changes between two estimates aren't the furniture or boxes.
They're the terms.
Compare the original and new documents for changes to:
- Transportation rates and discounts
- Packing and additional-service charges
- Minimum shipment charges
- Payment schedules and deposits
- Binding versus non-binding estimate type
- The company identified as the transporting carrier
A substantially higher price with essentially the same inventory and services deserves a written explanation.
So does a change in the estimate type, carrier identity, or payment requirements.
What if the estimate changes from binding to non-binding?
A binding estimate establishes an agreed price for the goods and services specifically listed. Additional goods or services and certain federally defined exceptions can affect the charges.
A non-binding estimate is an approximation. Its final charges generally depend on actual shipment weight, services, and the carrier's tariff.
For a non-binding interstate shipment, the 110% rule generally limits what the mover can collect at delivery for the estimated services, subject to permitted additional charges. It does not necessarily cap the final bill, because a legitimate remaining balance may be billed later.
If your estimate type changes, ask why. Don't treat it as a minor paperwork adjustment.
For more detail, see HGM's guide to binding and non-binding estimates.
Who is actually issuing the new estimate?
This is especially important if you booked through a moving broker.
A moving broker arranges transportation rather than physically transporting the shipment.
Under federal rules, a household-goods broker may issue an estimate on behalf of an authorized motor carrier under a written agreement in which the carrier adopts that estimate as its own. The estimate must be based on the carrier's applicable tariff and meet the federal requirements.
Ask for the transporting carrier's legal name, USDOT number, and MC number.
If the estimate came from a broker, you can also ask to review the written broker-carrier estimate agreement.
If the carrier hasn't been identified or the company cannot explain which carrier has adopted the estimate, don't simply assume the paperwork establishes that relationship.
The company on your paperwork matters just as much as the company you're speaking with.
Can you refuse the increased estimate?
Yes. You don't have to accept a higher estimate simply because it's presented during a QA call.
If additional goods or services weren't included in the original estimate, an interstate carrier generally must reaffirm the existing estimate or prepare a new written estimate before loading. For a binding estimate, the parties may alternatively agree in writing to treat the original estimate as non-binding.
The new estimate must identify the additional goods or services and be signed by the customer.
If you cannot reach an agreement about those additional goods or services, the carrier may decline to perform the move.
If you accept a properly issued new estimate, it generally becomes the operative estimate for the listed goods and services. If more changes arise at pickup, the same pre-loading requirements still matter.
What about the three-day cancellation protection?
Here's something consumers should know before pickup.
For covered interstate household-goods carrier moves, federal regulations require the bill of lading to be provided, signed, and dated at least three days before loading.
They also require an opportunity to rescind that bill of lading without penalty for three days after signing.
However, changes to the bill of lading resulting from a new estimate for additional goods or services on moving day do not automatically restart that three-day period.
This protection also doesn't mean every moving broker deposit or separate booking fee is automatically refundable.
If you booked through a broker, review the broker's disclosed cancellation, deposit, and refund policies alongside the bill-of-lading dates.
If you decide not to proceed, request the cancellation and refund response in writing and preserve your paperwork.
Six questions to ask before accepting the new price
Before signing anything, ask:
- What changed in my inventory? Request the original and updated inventories so you can compare items and quantities.
- How was the new price calculated? Check estimated size, rates, discounts, packing charges, and other services.
- Was my original estimate based on an in-person or video survey? If not, ask whether you signed a written survey waiver.
- Is the new estimate binding or non-binding? Understand how that affects the price and delivery payment.
- Who is the transporting carrier? Confirm the legal company name and federal registration numbers, especially if you booked through a broker.
- Can I review the complete new estimate before agreeing? Keep copies of both versions and never sign a blank document.
Don't rely only on a verbal assurance that everything will be fine.
What if the explanation still doesn't make sense?
Save the original estimate, new estimate, inventories, booking agreement, bill of lading if issued, payment receipts, and written communications.
Ask the company to identify the disputed charges and explain them in writing.
If you believe the mover or broker violated federal requirements, you can submit a complaint through FMCSA's National Consumer Complaint Database. FMCSA uses complaints for oversight and enforcement, but doesn't resolve individual payment disputes for consumers.
You can also ask the carrier about its required dispute-settlement or arbitration information.
Before agreeing, understand what changed
A QA call can be useful. It may uncover inventory differences that are better addressed before pickup.
But it shouldn't leave you with a higher price and no understanding of where that increase came from.
If you'd like independent help understanding one moving estimate, HGM offers a $29 Quote Review focused on the inventory, charges, estimate structure, and terms worth clarifying.
For comparing estimates yourself, HGM also offers a free comparison tool. The free company check serves a different purpose: comparing company identification information with available federal records.
HGM is an independent consumer research resource, not a moving company, broker, government agency, or provider of legal advice. Its reviews are educational and do not guarantee pricing or moving outcomes.
The goal isn't to assume every increase is wrong. It's to understand what changed and what you're agreeing to before moving forward.
That's how you move smarter.