How is moving cost calculated?

The full cost formula

The calculation Loduvo uses is deterministic: the same inputs always produce the same result, and artificial intelligence never produces a price. The formula is:

vehicle = vehicle daily cost × days
fuel    = distance (km) × fuel cost per km
labor   = (driver daily + helper daily × helper count) × days
floors  = if no elevator: fixed surcharge + floor count × per-floor surcharge
packing = volume (m³) × packing cost per m³
condition report = if the customer opted in: fixed service fee

COST  = vehicle + fuel + labor + floors + packing + condition report
PRICE = COST × (1 + profit margin %) → rounded up to the nearest 100

Every unit cost here (daily vehicle, driver, helper, fuel per km, floor surcharge, packing per m³) is the company's own figure. No industry average is imposed; each company enters its own real costs and the calculation runs on those.

What drives each item?

What pushes the cost up is usually not distance but volume. Volume directly inflates the packing item, and by forcing a larger vehicle or a second trip it also steps up the vehicle and labor items.

• Vehicle: the daily cost of the chosen vehicle × the number of days the job takes. If the volume forces a move up to a bigger vehicle, this item rises in steps.
• Fuel: distance travelled × fuel cost per km. Its share is small on in-city jobs and it is the fastest-growing item on intercity moves.
• Labor: driver + helper count × days. The helper count is set by the volume and by whether there is an elevator.
• Floors without an elevator: a fixed surcharge when there is no elevator, plus a separate amount per floor. Pickup and delivery floors are added together.
• Packing: volume × packing cost per m³. The more fragile items and items needing special handling, the more realistically this item grows.
• Item condition report: optional and paid; it is added only if the customer requests it. It does not replace insurance.

Why is pricing by square meters misleading?

Two homes of the same size can hold volumes that differ by a factor of two. Moving a large, sparsely furnished flat and moving a packed two-bedroom apartment do not cost the same; tying the fee to floor area means overcharging one customer and losing money on the other.

The right variable is volume. Without volume you cannot choose a vehicle, and without a vehicle the number of days and the labor never settle. That is why a serious quote always starts from the inventory — not from a 'how many square meters?' question on the phone.

When is the price final?

The volume derived from photos is a preliminary assessment. In Loduvo every inventory line passes operator approval; lines whose measurements or weight look doubtful are flagged separately. The proforma sent to the customer also states clearly that the amount is finalized after operational review.

The reason is simple: a fast but wrong price costs more than giving no price at all.