Building accurate, professional estimates is a key part of running your moving business—and Chariot makes it simple. In this article, we’ll walk you through the full estimating process from start to finish. You’ll learn how to set work dates, load estimate templates, add line-item charges, and send the estimate to your customer for approval. Whether you're new to Chariot or just need a refresher, this guide will help you create clean, complete estimates with confidence.
Getting Started with Estimates
After taking the customer's inventory, you can begin building the quote in the Estimate tab of the lead. Start in the Work Date section to set job Activities, start time, crew size, set an optional arrival window, and set the total hours for each day of the move.
If you are using the 'Sync Crews and Hourly Rate' toggle, the crew size will determine your hourly pricing on the estimate. For flat-rate, or non-hourly estimates, you can add charges to the estimate without the Sync Crews and Hourly Rate toggled on.
Building the Estimate
In the Charges section of your estimate, you can view or swap out the current estimate format. The Estimate Format is the specific estimate configuration you are using for the quote that you're working on. For example, you may have a "Long Distance" estimate format, that is configured to display customer inventory or have terms and conditions specific to long-distance or interstate moves; alternatively, you may also have a "Default" estimate format with a standard configuration that you might use on an hourly or local quote.
Your estimate format can also be tied to an estimate "type" - Non binding, Binding, or Not to exceed.
Additionally, you can choose to segment your estimate By Date or Combined if you are building a quote for a multi-day move. If you are including packing charges, you can choose to toggle on the dedicated Packing section to separate charges for packing materials from labor or other charges on your estimate.
Adding Estimate Charges
If you have "Sync crews and hourly Rate" toggled on, your "Hourly Rate" charge will be listed as the first charge on the estimate with the corresponding job hours from the Work Dates section synced to the "quantity" field. The pricing for your hourly rate is based on the matrix in the "Hourly Pricing" tab of your settings.
Use the "Load Template" button to pull a saved estimate template into your quote and save time building the estimate with preset estimate format, line items, or sync settings.
Navigate to the Charges section and click Add Item.
Select the desired charge from your Charges List (set up in your Settings).
If needed, edit the Charge Description to give the customer more detail.
Update the Line Item Price to reflect the correct amount for this job, if needed.
Repeat for any additional charges you want to include in the estimate.
If any of your charges are set to sync to Inventory items, mileage, or other sync items, the quantity and price for these items will populate when the charges are added to the estimate and based on the information entered in the Intake or Inventory tabs.
Depending on your estimate format, you may have a required deposit that your customer will be responsible to pay upon signing their estimate. If your estimate format does not include a required deposit, you will see the option to Add Discount/Surcharge above the calculated total on the estimate. Optionally, you can enter the Estimate range to inform the customer of the minimum and maximum cost of their move.
Preview your Estimate
Before sending your estimate to the customer, use the "Preview" button at the top right of the Estimate screen to view the customer's digital estimate. This is how the customer will see the estimate once it is shared, and have the option to either Sign for estimate approval, or Decline and state the reason they do not want to accept the quote.
In addition to previewing the customer's estimate, you can also opt to add internal notes, customer-facing notes, or attach documents to the estimate before sending it to the customer via email and/or SMS. You will find these fields at the bottom of the estimate tab.
Sending Estimates
Upon clicking the "Send Estimate" button (top right of the lead or at the bottom of the Estimate tab), the Send Estimate to Customer dialog box appears.
Here, you can:
Select one or both forms of contact for the customer (text or email)
Copy additional email addresses to receive the estimate
Select an alternative message template
Confirm the sender with the "From" drop-down menu
Add a Custom Message to include in the body of the customer's email or text message
Preview the outbound email or text being sent to the customer
View the estimate again before sending to the customer
Once the estimate has been sent you can confirm the Last viewed status at the top of the estimate tab, which will display the last date and time the estimate was viewed by your customer. You will also see the PDF version of the unsigned estimate in the Documents tab of the lead, where the signed version of the estimate will also appear upon approval by the customer.