Saturday move-out debacle: charge by the hour or flat rate?

My crew spent 3 extra hours at a downtown Portland apartment because the elevator was down, and we had to carry 14 boxes down 6 floors... the customer still got our flat rate quote, which made me wonder if we should've charged more on the spot. Does the small win here mean being honest over squeezing a client, or should I have stuck to the contract and added overtime? What do you all do when the job changes halfway through?

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benclark2mo ago

Did you catch that article in the moving industry newsletter about how like 60% of hourly quotes end up going over because of stuff like this? Honestly, I think flat rate is the only way to go unless you're doing a tiny job, but you gotta build in a buffer for surprises. That said, I've eaten extra time before too, and it stings, but word of mouth from that happy customer is worth more than the 60 bucks you might've squeezed out of them. The real trick is having a clear clause in your quote that says "elevator issues or stairs add $X per flight" so it's not a surprise to anyone. You did the right thing this time, but next time, protect yourself from the start.

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