Nobody enjoys ringing around for moving quotes. You get one price that sounds too good to be true, one that sounds too high, and no real explanation for either.
So we thought we would just tell you how it works.
We are Ashtons Removals. We started on the Gold Coast in 1951, which makes us the region’s first removal company, and we are a founding member of AFRA. Below is the same breakdown we would give you over the phone. No sales spin, no fine print, no surprises on the day.
How much do removalists cost on the Gold Coast?
There is no single number, and any removalist who gives you one over the phone without asking questions is guessing.
What your move costs comes down to three things. How much you are moving. How hard it is to get in and out of both places. And how far it is going.
That is why we quote instead of publishing a price list. We ask about your home, your access and your date, then give you one fixed price. You know the number before moving day, not after.
If you want to get a feel for the size of your move before you call, run your rooms through the cubic calculator on our site. It gives you a volume estimate, which is the single biggest factor in what you will pay.
Do you charge by the hour or a fixed price?
Fixed price. Always.
Hourly rates sound cheap until moving day runs long. A slow crew on a low hourly rate costs you more than a fast crew on a fair one, and you have no way of knowing which you have hired until the truck is half loaded.
We would rather do the work up front. We assess the job properly, quote you one price, and that is the price you pay. If the job takes us longer than we thought, that is our problem, not yours.
What we quote is what you pay. That is the whole point.
What is included in the price?
Every local move with us includes:
- Two or more experienced movers and a fully equipped truck
- Blankets, straps and trolleys to protect your furniture
- Careful handling through stairs, lifts and tight spaces
- Disassembly and reassembly of beds and basic furniture
- Full insurance cover
We do not add charges for blankets, straps or stair work at the end. Some operators do. It is worth asking any removalist that question directly before you book.
What makes a move more expensive?
Nine times out of ten it is one of these:
Volume. You are paying to move what you own. More stuff means a bigger truck, a bigger crew, or more trips. This is the biggest lever there is.
Stairs and lifts. A third floor walk up takes longer than a ground floor unit. If there is a lift, book it with building management ahead of time so we are not standing around waiting for it.
Parking and access. If the truck cannot get close, every single item has to be carried further. Narrow driveways, tight kerbs and permit zones all add time. This is common in the high rise suburbs and we plan for it, but it does affect the quote.
Heavy and specialty items. Pianos, pool tables, safes and stone dining tables need the right crew and the right gear. We handle these regularly, but tell us up front so we bring what the job needs.
Not being packed. If we arrive and boxes are still open, the day stretches out. Being ready when we knock is the easiest thing you can control.
Timing. End of month and weekends are our busiest windows. Book those late and your options shrink.
Multiple stops. Dropping a load at storage on the way through adds time to the run. Not a problem at all, we just need to know so we can plan it properly.
What makes a move cheaper?
The flip side of all of that:
- Being fully packed and stacked by the door before we arrive
- Moving mid week and mid month instead of a Saturday at month end
- Clear access and a spot for the truck out the front
- Decluttering before the move rather than after
- Someone on site who can tell our crew where things go
Do those and you are giving us an easier job, which shows up in the quote.
How can I keep my moving costs down?
Get rid of what you do not want to pay to move.
It sounds obvious, but it is the biggest saving available to you. Every box you have not opened in three years is a box you are paying to have carried twice.
After that:
- Declutter two weeks out. Sell it, donate it or tip it. Not the night before.
- Pack it yourself. Even doing half the house makes a difference.
- Book mid week and mid month. Easier to get the date you want too.
- Sort parking at both ends. Reserve a spot or a permit if you need one.
- Defrost the fridge 24 hours ahead. Costs nothing, saves a mess.
- Label boxes by room, not contents. Our crew moves faster when they know where a box lands.
Do you charge extra for packing and boxes?
Only if you want us to do it. Most people pack themselves and hire us for the lift and shift.
If you would rather not touch a box, we offer full packing and unpacking. You can hand us the whole house or just the rooms you dread, like the kitchen. Packing and materials are quoted with the job so you see the total before you commit.
We also offer assurance packing for fragile and high value items. When we pack it, it is covered. That is the option for artwork, antiques, glassware, mirrors and electronics, where the difference between packed properly and packed quickly is the difference between arriving intact and arriving in pieces.
Is my stuff insured, and does it cost extra?
There are two different things here and it is worth knowing the difference, because plenty of removalists blur them.
Public liability cover. We carry this on every move as standard. It is included and you do not pay extra for it.
Transit insurance. This covers your goods themselves while they are being moved. As an AFRA member we are licensed to offer it, and you can choose to take it out for your move. On interstate jobs we carry full transit insurance.
Every Ashtons move is done under AFRA’s Contract for Removal and Storage, which sets out exactly what is covered and what your options are. We will walk you through it when we quote rather than leaving you to find out later.
Being AFRA accredited matters here. AFRA is the Australian Furniture Removers Association, the national body for professional removalists, and we are a founding member. Accreditation means being vetted on equipment, training, insurance, premises and vehicles. It is the difference between a proper removalist and a ute and a mate.
If you are moving anything irreplaceable, tell us before the truck is loaded rather than after. We will talk you through the best way to protect it.
How much does it cost to move interstate?
Interstate is priced on volume and distance, and you get a fixed quote for it just like a local move.
We run regular routes from the Gold Coast to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and regional centres in between. If your dates are flexible, backloading can bring the cost down by sharing truck space on a route we are already running. If you need your bed on a specific day, a dedicated run is worth the extra.
We also use the Safe and Clever modular system for interstate work. Your goods are loaded at your house directly into sealed wooden modules, sent by road, and delivered without being handled again along the way. Most interstate damage and loss happens during double handling at depots. This system removes that step. If your new place is not ready, the module goes into secure storage with your goods still inside it.
Why are some removalist quotes so much cheaper than others?
Usually because something has been left out.
The cheap quotes people tell us about are generally missing one of these:
- Travel time that gets added to the invoice later
- A crew of two quoted for a job that clearly needs three, so it takes twice as long
- No insurance, or no ABN and no insurance at all
- Extra charges for stairs, heavy items or fuel that appear at the end
- A “from” rate that is not the rate anyone actually gets charged
Before you book anyone, ask for their ABN, their insurance details, whether they are AFRA accredited, and a written quote with the total on it. If they will not put it in writing, that tells you what you need to know.
AFRA accreditation is the quickest filter there is. Getting in requires meeting minimum standards on premises, staff training, vehicles, equipment and dispute handling, and members have to work to the AFRA Code of Conduct. We helped found it in the first place, so we are fairly attached to it.
How far ahead should I book?
For weekend and end of month moves, a week or two ahead is ideal. Those slots go first.
For quieter dates we can often move sooner, and because we are based right here on the Gold Coast we can sometimes fit in short notice and same day local jobs when others cannot. Give us a call and we will check what is open.
Yes, we do weekend moves.
How do I get an accurate quote?
Call us on 07 5527 9700 or send through your details and we will talk it through properly.
For most local moves, a phone call and a room by room rundown is enough. For larger homes, difficult access or interstate jobs, we will come out and do a free inspection. It takes about twenty minutes and it means the number we give you is the number you pay.
Worth having ready when you call:
- Both addresses
- Your date, and whether you have any flexibility
- How many bedrooms, plus any garage, shed or storage
- Stairs or lifts at either end
- Any heavy or specialty items
- Whether you are packing or want us to
That is it. No obligation and no pressure.
We are a local crew and most of our work comes from people telling their mates about us. That only happens if we are straight with you about the price up front.
Ready to get a number? Get your free quote or call 07 5527 9700.