Why survey the route before quoting?

Because the building decides the job. Doorway widths, floor load ratings, ceiling heights, turn radii, and elevation changes determine the equipment and the hours — and none of them are visible from a machine's spec sheet.

What's a standby rate and why state it?

An hourly rate for crew and equipment waiting on a site that isn't ready — machine still connected, aisle blocked, electrician absent. It's routine in industrial work, and stating it in advance turns a wasted morning into a billable one without an argument.

Should disconnection be included?

Usually excluded — electrical, plumbing, and process disconnection are licensed trades and often the plant's own maintenance crew. Say so explicitly, because arriving to a live machine is the most common cause of a standby charge.

Rigging and Machinery Moving Estimate Template (Free)

What belongs on the estimate

Business name, license, insurance, and DOT if applicable
Customer, site, and PO/work order number
Machine schedule — each unit with weight and dimensions
Route survey — doorways, floor ratings, turns, elevation
Crew — size and hours
Equipment — by the day
Mobilization and demobilization
Standby rate stated
Permits, escorts, and exclusions

The template

[Your Business Name] · License #____ · Insured
[Phone] · [Email]

Estimate #____        Date: __________
Prepared For: [Company]      PO/WO #: ________
Site: _________________________________________
Contact: ______________  Phone: _______________

MACHINE SCHEDULE
# | Description   | Weight  | L x W x H
--|---------------|---------|-------------
1 | [press]       | ___ lbs | __ x __ x __
2 | [lathe]       | ___ lbs | __ x __ x __

ROUTE SURVEY
Narrowest opening: ___ in    Turns: ___
Floor rating: ___ psf        Elevation change: ___
Dock available: [yes / no]   Overhead clear: ___ ft

--------------------------------------------------
Description                              Amount
--------------------------------------------------
Site survey + lift plan                  $______
Mobilization (equipment to site)         $______
Crew — ___ people x ___ hrs @ $___       $______
Gantry / A-frame — ___ days              $______
Machine skates + rollers                 $______
Toe jacks / hydraulic jacks              $______
Forklift — ___ days                      $______
Crane + operator — ___ hrs               $______
Rigging hardware (slings, shackles)      $______
Floor protection + load spreading        $______
Millwright: leveling + anchoring         $______
Transport — ___ mi, [trailer type]       $______
Permits / escorts                        $______
Demobilization                           $______
STANDBY RATE (site not ready): $___ /hr
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                                 $______
Tax (if applicable)                      $______
Estimate Total                           $______

NOT INCLUDED: electrical, plumbing, or process
disconnection and reconnection, machine repair or
calibration, floor repair, structural modification
of the building, removal of obstructions, permits
not listed above.
Valid ___ days. Terms: net ___.

The route survey is the estimate

Everything expensive in rigging is really a building problem, not a machine problem. Narrow doorways, weak floors, a turn that won’t take the length — the survey is where the real price gets determined, so it deserves a spot on the document.

Exclude disconnection explicitly

Electrical, air, hydraulic, and process connections are licensed work, usually handled by the plant. Arriving to a machine that’s still hooked up is the number one cause of standby charges, so excluding it in writing means the standby line gets expected instead of resented.

Skip the copy-paste next time

Software that saves your crew, equipment, and mobilization rates builds this estimate straight from the survey, and produces a PO-referenced invoice on net terms once the job’s done.