When a professional mover enters your home or office to provide you with a moving estimate, we know that every move is unique in its own way and each move will always be different. Generalized guidelines for pricing can be followed based on square footage and how many bedrooms a home has, but at the end of it all, we really need to consider the volume. Someone who has lived in a home for 30 years versus someone who has only lived in a home for 5 years will definitely have different moving experiences even if they have similar size homes, as the volume of items contained within will vary greatly.

Factors such as access to the pick-up location and drop off location will also drastically affect the flow of the move. Although most people may think the access to their home is fairly generous, they don’t realize that when we are moving items all day, each and every step that is added to the equation prolongs the move, translating into a longer day and ultimately a larger final bill. The crew will do everything they can to make sure they park the moving truck so that the walk-ramp (the ramp that extends from the back of the truck to the ground) lands right at your front door step, but there will always be homes that do not allow for this luxury.

Another important thing to understand is that in general, loose items are a time killer. Just picture yourself when you get home from a shopping trip and you have to perform a balancing act trying to safely bring everything with you through your front door inside in one trip. Well, that’s relatively what a mover experiences when they have to handle several loose items. So in order to avoid this situation and the lengthening of the move (and an increase to the final bill), box everything you can.

“Travel time” always needs to be considered and understood properly and to help understand how it works, here is the breakdown: The “travel time” on a move is typically a flat fee that is added on the final bill. It is a necessary charge, and clients need to understand that there is a cost in running a truck and crew even if they have not officially arrived at their home for a move. The “travel time” typically covers the time spent from the moment the crew departs from their warehouse and arrives at the client’s pick-up address, and then from the client’s drop-off address or destination back to the warehouse again. It should not be confused with the time the movers spend travelling between addresses, as this is considered a part of the move and is covered under the hourly rate.

Preparing furniture for a move is another area that may affect your moving estimate. When dealing with furniture, it is very important to assess the weight as well as how delicate the piece may be. Take furniture purchased from IKEA as an example, they tend to be relatively lighter and the surfaces require less attention from the movers compared to an antique item. Obviously when dealing with heavy antique items, prep time will significantly increase or even double since much more attention and care are needed when prepping and transporting items. This increase in time will affect the total price of the move.

When it comes to supplying a moving crew, less does not necessarily mean cheaper as when it comes to man power, efficiency is the key. Many clients mistakenly opt for less crew members when booking their move because on paper, the lower hourly rate may seem like a more logical choice to save money. However much like an assembly line, it is more effective to break down tasks and delegate them to the optimum amount of crew members in order to complete a move more efficiently and quickly. A professional mover can help to make a recommendation on the optimum size of the moving crew, and there are times when a 3 man crew is a better choice than a 4 man crew, and vice versa. In general, it is better to err on the side of over-staffing your move, as the overall time will certainly be reduced, and this will keep the crew fresher throughout the process. A fresh crew is an efficient crew, and by hiring the right amount of movers, you make sure the move is done safely and avoid a scenario where workers are spending 10-16 hrs trying to finish the job.

Returning to the topic of volume, the best thing you can do to ensure a moving quote is accurate is to fully discuss what is coming on the move with a professional mover, especially when receiving a quote over the phone. A professional moving company will ask the right questions in order to make sure they get any necessary information, and the more accurate the information you provide, the more accurate the price quote you receive. If you are looking for a truly accurate quote that you can plan your budget around, as opposed to a guideline or price-range, I always recommend clients get an in-home estimate done, as a professional mover will spot things in your home that will add time to your move(or subtract it) that you likely wouldn’t notice on your own.

About the Author

Growing up in a small town just outside of Toronto, Raymond Ochoa was always curious about the world around him. This led to his travels to different countries, and exploration of various career paths, where he absorbed all of life’s experiences and has gained a wealth of knowledge which he imparts on a daily basis in his current role as a Professional Mover and Customer Service Representative.

In Raymond’s management roles over the years, overseeing staff members and leading sales teams; his passion for teaching has always been a driving force. Passing on knowledge has come to be a “pay it forward” moment for him and believes that any small idea can help in larger ways than one could ever comprehend. Following this mantra in his current role, he strives to help others understand an industry that has been unregulated for years and carries a certain stigma. Considering that moving is one of the most stressful moments in someone’s life, Richard’s goal is to help out by introducing a few small ideas which he hopes will change the way people perceive the moving industry, and to better prepare them by teaching them what to expect on and before the big day.

About the Company

Viktoria Professional Movers is a professional moving company operating out of Toronto and Halifax, providing high-quality local moving services throughout Southern Ontario and Nova Scotia. Thanks to our country-wide network we are also able to service our clients’ long-distance moving needs throughout Canada. By helping to educate our clients on topics that can help them plan and execute a successful move, we are fulfilling our directive of taking the stigma out of hiring professional movers, and helping to make the moving process a stress-free experience overall. To hear first-hand about our high-quality moving services, please visit Homestars page where you can read reviews on our company submitted by hundreds of our satisfied customers.

Call Viktoria Professional Movers (902) 332-3535 or Toll Free: 1 ( 877) 399-1315 for a FREE Consultation in regards to your Residential or Office Moving needs to or from the GTA or Metro Halifax.