Every estimate starts with the same question: how much is there? A cube sheet is the worksheet that answers it. The estimator walks the house, writes down each piece and each stack of boxes, and adds up the space they will fill in a truck.
How the sheet is built
Each line of a cube sheet names an item and the volume it occupies, measured in cubic feet, the same way a trailer's interior is measured. A dining table, a stack of book boxes and a sofa each get a line. Totals by room add up to a total for the home. A sheet is only as good as the walk-through behind it, so closets, garages, attics and sheds belong on it too.
The sheet does not set a price on its own. It gives the estimator a volume, and the mover's tariff turns the volume into an expected weight and then into charges.
What the federal rule requires
Section 375.401(e) says that when an estimate is based on volume that will later be converted to a weight-based rate, the mover must explain the conversion formula in writing and state that final charges rest on actual weight. Section 375.507(c) repeats the point for the weighing rules. In practice that means the volume on your cube sheet and the weight on your final bill should connect through a formula you can read.
Section 375.401(a) also requires a physical survey, either on site or by video, unless the shipper waives it in writing before loading.
How O'Brien's uses it
An O'Brien's estimator comes to the house for the free, no-obligation in-home estimate and brings 10 free heavy-duty boxes for you to keep. The estimate is itemized and in writing. Long-distance moves are priced by weight, so the room-by-room count is the planning tool and the certified scale at loading is the measuring tool. Both appear in your paperwork; see how our estimates work.
Helping the count be accurate
- Show every room, plus the garage, attic and storage sheds
- Say what is staying behind or going to a donation pickup
- Mention items that will be added before moving day
- Point out pieces that need special handling
Anything left off the sheet tends to show up on the truck. Telling the estimator early keeps the written estimate and the move aligned.