Moving Quote Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Mover

Last updated: October 2026

A moving estimate is only useful when you understand the assumptions behind it. Two quotes can look very different because one includes packing, travel time, protective materials, or difficult-access charges while another leaves those items open. The lowest headline price is not necessarily the lowest cost for the complete job.

This moving quote questions to ask guide is designed for households and businesses planning a relocation in Ottawa or elsewhere in Ontario. It explains what to provide, what to ask, how to compare written estimates, and which details should be confirmed before moving day.

What a moving quote should show

A quote should describe the work a mover believes is required and the basis for its price. It may be hourly, a flat estimate, or a combination of rates and projected time. The document should make it possible to identify the services included, the charges that may change, and the conditions that could require a revised estimate.

Ontario consumer guidance recommends getting written estimates from at least three movers and being clear about what each estimate must include. That advice is especially important when comparing a local Ottawa move with a longer relocation, because distance, crew planning, delivery arrangements, and access can affect the calculation.

Details to look for in the document

• The mover’s business name and contact information.
• The origin and destination, or enough location information to assess the move.
• The proposed service date or delivery window.
• A description of the inventory, rooms, furniture, appliances, and specialty items.
• The number of movers, trucks, or other resources included where specified.
• The pricing model, rates, estimated hours, minimum charge, or total price.
• Packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, disassembly, reassembly, and storage services.
• Travel, fuel, supplies, stairs, long carries, shuttle arrangements, tolls, and other possible extras.
• Taxes, deposits, accepted payment methods, cancellation terms, and final-payment timing.
• Coverage or valuation information and the process for reporting damage.

If an important service or condition is discussed verbally but does not appear in the estimate, ask for a revised document. Written details reduce the risk that you and the mover remember the agreed scope differently.

What information should you gather before requesting estimates?

Movers can give more useful estimates when they receive the same complete information. A short inventory is better than a room count alone, particularly when the move includes heavy furniture, fragile pieces, packed storage areas, or items that need special handling.

Build a consistent move brief

• List both addresses, postal codes, and the approximate distance if known.
• Identify the property type, such as apartment, townhouse, detached home, office, or warehouse.
• Describe stairs, elevators, service-elevator booking rules, loading docks, parking, and walking distance from the truck.
• List large or heavy items, including appliances, pianos, safes, treadmills, hot tubs, artwork, and oversized furniture.
• Estimate the number of boxes and identify fragile, valuable, or unusually shaped items.
• State whether you want full packing, selected-room packing, self-packing, unpacking, or materials only.
• Give your preferred date and any flexibility around the schedule.
• Share building time limits, parking restrictions, certificate-of-insurance requirements, access codes, and move-in rules.

Take photographs or video of rooms, closets, garages, and storage areas before the estimate. A video quote can be convenient, but the video should show everything to be moved, not only the main living spaces. If an estimator can inspect the property in person or by video, ask whether the estimate will be updated if the inventory or access information changes.

Why the same information matters

Suppose one mover receives a complete inventory while another receives only “three-bedroom house.” The first estimate may include labour for a treadmill, garage contents, stairs, and protective materials; the second may assume none of those conditions exist. Send the same written brief to each company and keep a copy of what you submitted.

Decluttering before estimates can also improve accuracy. If items will be donated, sold, or discarded, remove them from the inventory rather than asking movers to price belongings that will not travel.

Which pricing questions should you ask?

Price is one of the most important parts of any moving quote, but a number without rules is difficult to evaluate. Ask how the mover calculated the estimate and what could make the final amount higher or lower.

Questions about the pricing model

• Is the estimate hourly, flat-rate, weight-based, distance-based, or a combination?
• If it is hourly, when does billable time start and stop?
• Is travel time charged separately from the time spent loading and unloading?
• Is there a minimum number of hours or a minimum charge?
• What crew size and truck configuration were used for the calculation?
• Is the estimate binding, non-binding, or subject to conditions that must be explained?
• What circumstances allow the price to change?
• How are additional hours, extra trips, waiting time, or a larger inventory billed?

Do not assume that “flat rate” means nothing can change. Ask which facts must remain accurate for the price to apply. Conversely, an hourly estimate is not automatically less predictable if the inventory, access, crew, equipment, and expected time are clearly documented.

Questions about included and extra charges

• Does the base price include the truck, movers, fuel, travel, equipment, and protective blankets?
• Are stairs, elevators, long carries, narrow access, or shuttle vehicles priced separately?
• Are packing materials such as boxes, tape, mattress bags, shrink wrap, and wardrobe cartons included?
• Are tolls, parking costs, permits, or building fees included or passed through to the customer?
• How are oversized, unusually heavy, fragile, or specialty items priced?
• Are disassembly and reassembly included for beds, tables, shelving, or other furniture?
• Are appliance services available, and are they included in the quoted amount?
• Are taxes included in the total or added at the end?

Ask the mover to mark each item as included, excluded, not applicable, or subject to a separate price. This is more useful than a general statement that “additional fees may apply.”

Questions about deposits and final payment

Ask how much is due to reserve the date, when the balance is due, and which payment methods are accepted. Confirm the cancellation, postponement, and refund rules in writing. A large or unclear payment request deserves careful review before you commit.

Also ask what happens if the move finishes early or runs longer than expected. You should know whether unused time reduces the charge, whether extra time is billed at the same rate, and who must approve a change in scope.

What service and access questions should you ask?

A quote should distinguish between transportation and the work required before and after transportation. Moving companies may offer packing, unpacking, furniture preparation, protective measures, storage, and specialty handling, but these services should not be assumed unless they are written into the estimate.

Questions about packing and preparation

• Does the quote include full packing, partial packing, or only moving packed boxes?
• Which rooms or items will the crew pack?
• Who supplies boxes and other packing materials?
• Will the crew label boxes, create an inventory, or unpack at the destination?
• Are fragile items, televisions, mirrors, artwork, and glass cabinets crated or protected in another way?
• Can the crew disassemble and reassemble specified furniture?
• Are there items the mover will not pack or transport?

If you self-pack, ask how packed-by-owner boxes are treated under the mover’s protection or claims process. Keep important documents, medication, jewellery, cash, keys, and irreplaceable personal items with you rather than placing them in the shipment.

Questions about property protection

• How will floors, walls, railings, doorways, and elevators be protected?
• What equipment will the crew bring, such as dollies, ramps, straps, pads, or floor coverings?
• How will furniture be wrapped and secured inside the truck?
• What happens if weather makes loading or unloading unsafe?
• Who is responsible for arranging building protection or a certificate of insurance?

Protection is not only about preventing damage to furniture. In an Ottawa apartment or condominium, the move may also depend on elevator reservations, loading-bay rules, protective coverings, and a narrow booking window. Send those rules to the mover before the estimate is finalized.

Questions about difficult access and specialty items

Tell the mover about stairs, tight turns, steep driveways, long hallways, restricted parking, low-clearance areas, and items that cannot be safely handled by a standard crew. Ask whether the mover has the equipment and experience required or whether a specialist must be involved.

For pianos, safes, hot tubs, treadmills, appliances, and very large furniture, ask what preparation is required, how the item is priced, and whether its condition will be documented before handling. A vague “we can probably do it” is not a substitute for a written plan.

Which scheduling and logistics questions matter?

A well-priced move can still become stressful if the arrival window, building access, or delivery plan is unclear. Ask for practical details that help you coordinate your household, office, building manager, and anyone helping at the destination.

• What arrival window should I expect?
• How will the crew communicate delays or changes on moving day?
• How many movers and trucks are planned?
• What happens if traffic, severe weather, a vehicle problem, or a building delay disrupts the schedule?
• Who books the elevator, loading dock, parking space, or permit?
• What happens if the building’s time window is missed?
• Will the same crew load and deliver the shipment?
• If delivery is delayed, where will belongings be stored and who pays the associated cost?
• What information should I provide to the day-of coordinator?

Write down the confirmed arrival window, contact name, phone number, building restrictions, and payment requirements. Keep a small essentials bag accessible so you are not dependent on the shipment for medication, chargers, identification, toiletries, or work necessities.

What should you ask about protection and claims?

Ask what protection or valuation is included and how it works before you sign. The terms can differ depending on the mover, the type of service, the condition of the item, and whether the customer packed the box.

Coverage questions to put in writing

• What level of valuation or protection is included?
• Are higher protection options available, and how are they documented?
• Does protection apply to goods packed by the customer?
• Are there exclusions for pre-existing damage, particleboard furniture, fragile goods, or items the mover did not pack?
• How is an item’s value assessed if it is damaged or lost?
• Is there a deductible, limitation, or item-specific cap?
• What insurance company or policy information is available?

Canadian consumer guidance recommends asking how belongings will be protected and how a claim works. Keep the written protection information with the estimate rather than relying on a general assurance that the shipment is insured.

Questions about the claims process

• How soon must damage or loss be reported?
• Who receives the claim and what form should be used?
• What photographs, receipts, inventories, or delivery records are required?
• How are damaged items inspected, repaired, replaced, or valued?
• What should I do if damage is visible at delivery?

Photograph valuable furniture, appliances, electronics, artwork, and existing marks before loading. At delivery, inspect items as soon as practical and record visible issues according to the mover’s process. Do not discard damaged packaging before asking whether it is needed for assessment.

How should you compare and confirm estimates?

Compare at least three written estimates when practical, using the same inventory, access information, dates, and requested services. The comparison should focus on the expected total scope rather than only the first number shown.

Use a clarification round before choosing

Send each mover the same short list of unresolved questions and request written answers. If the quote changes, ask what changed and why. Keep the original estimate, revised estimate, inventory, emails, and agreed access details together.

A very low quote should not be rejected automatically, but it should be examined closely. Check whether it uses a smaller inventory, excludes packing or supplies, assumes easy parking, omits taxes, or relies on an unrealistically short duration. A detailed estimate that explains its assumptions is usually easier to manage than an attractive but vague total.

Confirm before booking

• Read the estimate and contract from beginning to end.
• Confirm the date, addresses, inventory, and access conditions.
• Confirm every requested service and every excluded service.
• Ask for the written price-change conditions.
• Review protection, cancellation, payment, and claims terms.
• Ask who will contact you before and during the move.
• Do not sign while a material term remains unclear.

What red flags should you watch for?

Some warning signs relate to the estimate itself; others relate to how the company responds when you ask reasonable questions. Treat pressure, vagueness, and reluctance to document important terms as reasons to slow down.

• An unusually low estimate with little explanation of the inventory or services.
• Refusal to provide a written estimate or itemized scope.
• Unclear business identity, contact information, or local presence.
• Pressure to book immediately before you can review the documents.
• A large deposit or cash-only request with unclear cancellation terms.
• Failure to ask about stairs, elevators, parking, specialty items, or building rules.
• Promises about protection that are not supported by written information.
• Different answers from different representatives about the same charge.
• Reluctance to explain how unforeseen circumstances or delays are handled.

Consumer guidance also suggests checking references and researching the mover before signing. Asking questions is not an unnecessary complication; it is part of defining the service you are purchasing.

Moving quote questions to ask: a checklist you can copy

Use the following questions in an email, phone call, or video-quote appointment. Add your addresses, inventory, building rules, and preferred dates so every mover is working from the same brief.

• What pricing model does this estimate use, and how is the final charge calculated?
• What exactly is included in the quoted amount?
• Which circumstances could increase or reduce the price?
• Are travel time, fuel, tolls, taxes, parking, stairs, elevators, and long carries included?
• Is there a minimum charge or minimum number of hours?
• How are extra hours, waiting time, additional trips, or inventory changes billed?
• Does the quote include packing, packing materials, unpacking, disassembly, and reassembly?
• How will floors, walls, doors, railings, furniture, and fragile items be protected?
• Can you handle my specialty items, and what preparation and price apply?
• How many movers and trucks are planned, and what equipment will they bring?
• What arrival window and delivery schedule should I expect?
• Who arranges elevator bookings, loading spaces, parking, permits, and building requirements?
• What happens if traffic, weather, a vehicle problem, or a building delay affects the schedule?
• What protection or valuation is included?
• Does protection apply to boxes I pack myself?
• What exclusions, limits, deductibles, or item-specific conditions apply?
• How do I report damage or loss, and what deadline and documents apply?
• What deposit is required, when is the balance due, and which payment methods are accepted?
• What are the cancellation and rescheduling terms?
• Can you send a revised written estimate showing all agreed details?

What should you do after choosing a mover?

Once you select a mover, update the inventory if anything is added, removed, sold, or packed differently. Notify the company promptly about a new parking restriction, elevator booking, address change, access code, or building rule. Ask whether those changes require a revised estimate.

Organize the move around the written scope

• Keep the signed estimate and contract in one accessible digital and paper folder.
• Reserve elevators, loading docks, parking spaces, and building access windows.
• Finish decluttering so the crew is not asked to move items omitted from the quote.
• Label boxes by room and identify fragile or priority items.
• Measure large furniture and check doorways, stairwells, and tight turns.
• Photograph existing condition and high-value items before loading.
• Set aside documents, medication, valuables, keys, chargers, and essential clothing.
• Confirm the arrival window and day-of contact shortly before the move.

These steps do not guarantee that every move will follow the original schedule, but they make the agreed scope easier to verify. They also give the mover timely information to address a problem before the crew arrives.

Frequently asked questions about moving quote questions

How many moving estimates should I get?

Getting at least three written estimates is a useful comparison point, particularly for an Ontario move. Give each mover the same inventory, addresses, access details, requested services, and timing information so the estimates are meaningfully comparable.

Is a video or in-home walkthrough necessary?

It is not required for every move, but a walkthrough can improve accuracy by showing the estimator the full inventory, access route, stairs, storage areas, and specialty items. If a video walkthrough is used, show every area and item that will travel and ask what happens if the actual inventory differs.

What is the most important moving quote question to ask?

Ask the mover to explain exactly what the quoted total includes and what could change it. That question should lead to specific answers about pricing, labour, travel, packing, access, supplies, protection, taxes, and payment terms rather than a general assurance that the estimate is accurate.

Should I choose the cheapest moving estimate?

Not without comparing scope and assumptions. A cheaper estimate may omit packing, protective materials, difficult-access charges, taxes, or specialty handling, so compare the complete written service and price conditions before choosing.

What should I do if a mover will not answer my questions?

Ask for the missing information in writing and pause the decision until you can understand the estimate and contract. If the mover will not explain important charges, protection, payment terms, or schedule conditions, consider another written estimate rather than accepting avoidable uncertainty.

Get your moving questions ready

Prepare one consistent inventory and use these questions to request clear written estimates. When you are ready to discuss your move, contact Let's Start Moving about the services, access details, and quote format that fit your relocation.