Moving Glossary: Master the Moving Jargon in 5 Minutes

The process of moving house is a serious matter whose level of complexity can sometimes be rather disheartening for anyone who finds themselves in the very middle of this transitional period in life.

And if you happen to be a home mover yourself, then you’re probably baffled by some of the specialized moving terms that your removal company has used when communicating with you. Or maybe you have just finished reading an informative article with plenty of practical advice but failed to understand some of the moving terminology used in it.

Don’t worry! We have prepared for you this comprehensive glossary of moving terms to help you better understand the moving jargon you will be hearing more and more as moving day approaches.

For your convenience, our glossary of moving terminology has an alphabetical index which you can use to jump straight to the first letter of the term whose meaning you want to find out. Also, we have compiled this moving terms dictionary with only one thought in mind – to help you save valuable time for other urgent moving tasks. Therefore, we have kept all the moving glossary terms short and clear.

Enjoy!

A

Acceptance form

Having received a written moving quote which details the conditions and the price of the relocation service, the home mover signs an acceptance form and returns it to the removal firm as confirmation that they agree to the terms of service.

Access

Access defines the level of accessibility of the home where the removal company will load or unload the household items of the home mover. The distance from the house or apartment to the parked moving vehicle and the availability of suitable lifts in the property are two of the various factors that will increase or decrease the accessibility level.

Accessorial (additional) services

Besides the actual transportation of household goods, additional services may be required to complete the job or requested by the customer. Such extra services include but are not limited to packing, unpacking, appliance servicing, handling of bulky items and so on. These accessorial services are charged in addition to the transportation costs.

Actual charges

The actual charges represent the total cost of the relocation from its start to its finish.

Advanced charges

These are the charges for services requested by a customer, which have not been performed by the removal company but by a third party. These advanced services are then paid for by the removal firm and later added to the home mover’s Bill of Lading.

Agent

A removal firm (usually a local one) that is authorized to serve on behalf of a much larger, and usually a national removal company. The agent may handle all the interactions between the customer and the company, and its services should be included in the moving quote.

Appliance dolly

Considered to be a mover’s best friend, a dolly is a wheeled platform for transporting heavy items such as home appliances and oversized furniture pieces. An appliance dolly can be rented from a local removal firm.

Appliance service

If a customer requests a disconnection of one or more of their home appliances (washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, etc.) at their old home and then their re-connection at the new residence, they will be charged extra for this so called appliance service.

B

Bill of Lading

This is the formal binding contract between a customer and a removal firm. It details the specific conditions of a move and also acts as a receipt. Everything on the Bill of Lading should be read carefully and understood completely before it is signed.

Binding estimate (Binding quote)

The binding estimate is an agreement between the removal company and the client regarding the total cost of the move based on the information given in the inventory or supplied by a removal estimator in the course of an in-house inspection. The binding quote should list all the accessorial services and their respective rates.

Bulky item

A large and heavy household item that can be anything from a piece of furniture (a king size bed, a big dresser, etc.) through a kitchen appliance (a refrigerator, a washing machine, etc.) to a motor vehicle (a motorcycle or an automobile). Bulky items require special packing and handling which automatically leads to extra charges, or the so called bulky articles charges.

C

Cancellation charge (Cancellation fee)

Once confirmed, if the removal service is cancelled within a given time period for one reason or another, the home mover may be charged a cancellation fee for the inconvenience they have caused.

Congestion charge

A congestion charge may be required when moving house in London. The charge is enforced within individual charging zones between Monday and Friday, 7am – 6pm and amounts to £11.50/day. This charge is paid either by the removal company or by the home mover.

Carrier

Another name for a licensed removal firm providing the necessary relocation services.

Claim

A written request for monetary compensation according to the removal firm’s insurance policy after some of the belongings have been damaged or lost during transportation and while in the company’s possession.

Cost per hour

This is the cost of the relocation service per removal per hour. Cost per hour is usually used for local moves.

D

Declared Value

The value of a shipment on the basis of the total weight of the household items that constitute it. The declared value serves as the foundation for the removal company’s liability in case of loss or damage of a specific item. If no value is declared, then the entire shipment will be transported under the standard basic liability.

Delivery

The act of transporting and unloading a home mover’s household items from Point A (collection address) to Point B (destination address).

Delivery window

A delivery window is the time period in which a removal company is supposed to deliver the home mover’s household goods to the new address. The delivery window depends on various factors (mainly distance) and can range from 2 to 4 days.

Deposit

The money that a shipper of household goods may have to pay a removal company in order to reserve a specific moving date. The usual deposit is about 10-15% of the total relocation price. In case of unplanned cancellation of the moving job, the company may choose to keep the deposit as compensation.

Dismantling

The act of disassembling a household item, usually a large furniture piece, into its separate parts for easier handling and safer transportation.

Domestic move

A residential move that stays within the borders of only one country.

E

Essentials box

Also known as Open first box or Survival kit, this is, essentially, a box full of absolute necessities that a person can’t go a single day without. The essentials box should be moved with the home mover or loaded last and unloaded first from the moving vehicle.

Estimate

Supplied by the removal firm, this is an initial approximation of the cost of the removal service based on the total weight (or cubic feet) of the shipment, the distance to the final destination and any accessorial services requested or needed to complete the moving job.

Estimated weight

The approximate weight of the household shipper’s belongings that is usually determined through the inventory list or the visual in-home inspection from a moving expert.

Expedited service

A service offered by some removal firms that guarantees the transportation of household goods by a set and much shorter date. Of course, faster often means more expensive too.

Extra pick up (Extra delivery)

Any additional stops for pick up or delivery of household goods along the moving route will be charged extra.

F

Flight charge

If there are no suitable elevators both in the point of origin or destination, a flight charge may apply when your removal team members are forced to ascend or descend numerous flights of stairs.

Floor protectors

Pieces of plastic film or plywood sheets that are placed over a carpet or a hard floor to protect the floor surface from considerable damage when moving out of the house.

Full service move

A full service removal company will take care of every stage of the move – packing, loading, transportation, unloading and unpacking of a customer’s belongings. Although this type of moving is usually the most expensive one, it’s proven to be the most common one for obvious reasons.

Full (Replacement) Value Protection

This is the ultimate insurance plan for any household goods in transit. If an item gets damaged or lost while in the removal company’s possession, the company will either repair the broken item to its original condition, or replace it or pay for the costs of such a replacement.

Furniture blankets

Furniture blankets are essentially large soft covers that offer the utmost protection for household items during the entire removal process. When taped over banisters, doorways and walls, these blankets will also minimize eventual property damage.

Furniture pads

When placed under heavy household items, these convenient pads (also known as furniture slides) will enable the relocation of heavy furniture pieces and kitchen appliances across the rooms extremely easy and effortless.

G

Gross weight

The total weight of the moving vehicle after all the household goods have been loaded.

Guaranteed pickup and delivery

A moving service where the removal company guarantees the pickup and delivery dates and offers reimbursement for any delays. Minimum weight requirements may be enforced with this type of service.

H

Hoisting equipment

Specialized equipment such as a hoisting crane and a moving platform that is used for handling large and heavy items in or out of homes with restricted access.

Hourly Rate

Usually reserved for local moves, an hourly rate is the cost of removal labour by one remover for one hour.

Household Goods

All personal belongings of a move mover during a residential move.

I

In-home survey

A visual inspection of the shipper’s home by a qualified representative of a removal company. This is the best way to receive an accurate and comprehensive moving estimate of the costs and services of a move.

Insurance inventory

A detailed list of all the household goods that will be covered by the appropriate insurance policy while on the road.

International relocation (International move)

Any move that will cross an international boundary regardless of the distance. All the major and minor details such as required documentation, fees, customs and so one must be discussed with the international removal company.

Inventory

A detailed list of all the household items to be transported and later delivered to the new address. The inventory usually comes itemized, lists the condition state of each item and should be verified by the customer before it is signed.

L

Loading ramp

Every moving van, including rented vehicles, should be equipped with a convenient retractable platform at the back for easy and safe loading/unloading operations.

Long carry fee

An extra charge due to a considerable distance between the parked moving vehicle and the entrance of the current or destination residence when it comes to loading or unloading household goods.

Lowball estimate

An uncharacteristically low-priced moving cost estimate with the sole purpose of securing the moving job of a customer. This is a typical scam move of an unprofessional and dishonest removal company and such tempting too-good-to-be-true offers should be generally avoided.

M

Mileage

The distance between the collection residence and the destination residence.

Move Manager

A representative from the removal company who organises and coordinates all stages of a residential move. The move manager is often the home shipper’s contact with the firm.

Moving cost

The final cost of a move depends on many changing factors and is usually estimated without the additional services and the proper insurance for the items to be relocated.

Moving process

The collection of all the moving related actions (planning, packing, loading, unloading, and unpacking) from the three major relocation stages: pre-move, moving day and post relocation.

Moving tips (Moving advice)

Helpful pointers that can contribute to an easier, cheaper and stress-free move to another part of the country.

Moving van

The moving vehicle in which the household items will be transported to the new residence.

N

Non-Allowables

Each removal company has its own list of prohibited items that will not be accepted for shipment due to their hazardous (flammable, corrosive or explosive goods) or perishable nature (pets, plants, food). That list should be requested by the home mover before the start of the packing process.

Non-Binding Estimate

An estimate of the moving cost that is based on the removal company’s previous experience of similar jobs and whose estimated price is not guaranteed. A non-binding estimate is usually issued for free without an in-home survey.

O

Operator’s Licence

A licence that each removal company must have in order to operate a moving vehicle with a total weight of more than 3.5 tonnes.

Order for service

The document that authorizes the removal company to transport a customer’s household goods.

Order number

An identification number that appears on the Bill of Lading and is used to uniquely identify the customer’s shipment.

Overflow

This is the part of a shipment which will not fit into a moving van due to lack of sufficient storage space.

P

Packers

Professional members of a removal firm whose job is to safely pack, wrap and load a home mover’s possessions at the address of origin. They are also the people who will take care of unloading and even unpacking if the service is requested by the client.

Packing

The process of placing household items into suitable packages and boxes before loading them into the moving van in order to keep them safe during the residential move.

Packing supplies

Also known as packing materials, these are cardboard boxes of different sizes, bubble wrap, packing tape and other supplies needed for the safe packing of the household items.

Paperwork

All the important documents, forms and receipts that accompany a residential move, and which should be kept safe during the entire relocation.

Part load

An instance when the household items from more than one residence share the storage space of one moving van for reduced overall relocation cost.

PBO (Packed By Owner)

When a home mover packs their household items by themselves before the arrival of the removal crew. Items that require special packing (fragile, expensive, oddly shaped, etc.) should be left for experienced professional packers.

Peak season rates

Higher relocation rates that are enforced at certain high-peak periods of the year (the summer months, holidays, weekends and first and last days in each month).

R

Reassembly

The process of putting back together a piece of furniture at the new residence after it have been broken down into its separate parts for easier handling and transportation.

Removal company

A business that organizes and carries out the actual transportation of household items from the home mover’s current address to their new one.

Removal crew

Hired labourers from the removal company who pack, carry, load, transport, unload and unpack household goods with the help of moving van. The driver is also an important part of the removal crew.

Route

The exact fixed way a household shipment will follow until it reaches its new destination (the moving distance + the mode of transportation).

S

Shipper of household items

An individual whose household items are being transported from the place of origin to the final destination.

Shuttle

A shuttle is a smaller moving van that is used to transport the home mover’s items when a larger vehicle is restricted due to its size.

Specialist services

Additional relocation services that require special equipment or special skills to be completed. For example, moving a piano qualifies as a specialist service.

Storage

The process of storing household items in a special storage facility.

Storage in Transit (SIT)

The temporary storage of a person’s household items in a storage facility before they are delivered to their new home.

Survey

A visual inspection of the home mover’s home performed by a removal company representative with the purpose of issuing an accurate moving estimate.

T

Tail lift

A mechanical hoisting device on the back of a moving vehicle for lifting and moving heavy items.

Tariff

A document that lists the removal company’s rates, regulations and additional fees for the services they offer in the course of a residential move.

Third party contractor

A removal firm may decide to use the extra services of an external company to complete a part of the moving job.

Transit van

A small moving vehicle with a storage capacity of approximately 250 cubic feet.

U

Unpacking

The process of unloading and taking the packed household items out of their moving boxes after the goods have been successfully delivered.

V

Valuation

Valuation is not moving insurance. Rather, this is the worth of the items for transportation as declared by the removal company. Valuation establishes the company’s maximum liability for damaged or lost items.

Volume

A measurement unit that defines the quantity of occupied 3-dimensional space.

W

Waiting time

The period of time when a removal company interrupts the moving service due to an external factor out of their control.

Warehouse handling

Extra charges for the period when a home mover’s household items are kept in storage in transit.

Weight ticket

The ticket that is issued when a moving van, loaded with a home mover’s belongings, is weighted at a certified weigh station. The home mover receives a copy of the weight ticket together with the Bill of Lading.