Give every carrier the same brief
Record the facts before requesting prices. A carrier pricing a timed delivery with unloading is not quoting the same service as one assuming flexible arrival and unloading by the receiver. Share revisions with every carrier whose offer you are still considering.
- Collection and delivery locations, site contacts and booking arrangements.
- Dates, usable time windows and any fixed appointment or deadline.
- Goods description, quantity, total weight, dimensions and stackability.
- Vehicle or trailer needs, access restrictions and handling at both ends.
- Who supplies and operates loading equipment, and what delivery record is required.
Ask the carrier to identify assumptions. An unanswered question about access, a forklift or a delivery slot should be resolved before you compare final totals.
Compare the total and the VAT basis
Ask for the total price for your stated service and whether VAT is included, excluded or not charged. Do not compare an inclusive amount against an exclusive amount. Confirm the supplier’s VAT position and the invoice information you will receive; tax treatment can depend on the supply.
Separate included services from conditional charges. Check the waiting allowance, when the clock starts and the rate after that allowance. Agree loading and unloading responsibilities, access-related work, any agreed stops, changes and cancellation terms. Ask when a new quotation or written approval is needed.
A mileage rate alone does not answer these questions. An operator’s running-cost calculation is a different task from deciding what your purchase includes. Keep the agreed quotation and its assumptions with the booking record.
Check suitability before choosing a price
Confirm the proposed vehicle’s usable capacity, dimensions and loading method for your goods and both sites. A vehicle being available does not establish that it can enter the site, carry the load within its limits or meet the agreed handling requirements.
Review the carrier’s identity, operator licence where required, relevant vehicle and insurance information, and the agreed service. Ask about cover limits and exclusions that matter to the goods. Verification records help you assess supplied documents; they do not guarantee a particular movement or replace the carrier’s written commitments. Clarify who will perform the transport and who is responsible for each handover.
Two quotations for the same movement
This worked example uses invented amounts to explain a comparison. It is not a market price, carrier quotation or HOULVEK offer. Both carriers are assumed to provide the same suitable vehicle, dates, access and delivery record. The shipment needs 30 minutes of chargeable waiting and an agreed unloading service. All amounts below exclude any applicable VAT.
Quotation A starts at £600 but adds £60 for that waiting and £40 for unloading: £700 for the stated requirement. Quotation B is £650 with both items included. B is lower on these assumptions, even though its opening price is higher. Confirm the same allowances, responsibilities and tax basis in writing; a different waiting period or unloading arrangement changes the comparison.
| Cost item | Quotation A | Quotation B |
|---|---|---|
| Quoted transport price | £600 | £650 |
| Agreed waiting in this example | £60 | Included |
| Agreed unloading | £40 | Included |
| Comparable total before VAT | £700 | £650 |
Worked comparison · amounts excluding any applicable VAT
Quoted transport price
- Quotation A
- £600
- Quotation B
- £650
Agreed waiting in this example
- Quotation A
- £60
- Quotation B
- Included
Agreed unloading
- Quotation A
- £40
- Quotation B
- Included
Comparable total before VAT
- Quotation A
- £700
- Quotation B
- £650
Confirm the service and delivery record
Before accepting, ask the selected carrier to confirm the complete brief, total, exclusions, payment and cancellation terms, and the process for approving a change. Keep the accepted version rather than relying on the last telephone conversation.
Agree what the proof of delivery should record, who receives it and how damage, shortages or reservations are noted. A document being uploaded does not itself mean that the receiver approved it or that a disputed delivery is resolved. Keep the record and any agreed changes with the job.
Before booking, can you identify the same service in both offers, explain every addition to the price, confirm a suitable vehicle and site arrangements, and retrieve the accepted terms? If any answer is missing, clarify it before choosing.
- Brief
- Compare
- Confirm