The 5 Best Long-Distance Moving Companies in Montreal that you can trust.

There are many ways for you to move long distances. Firstly, it depends on the distance you will have to travel: you might have to decide between a plane or a boat if you plan to move between provinces or even countries. Whilst they are more expensive options, they can save you many headaches if the moving logistics get complicated. Additionally, you can move by train which is very safe and you’ll simply have to load your items onto one of its containers to your destination for a fixed price. Other options for shorter distances that can be done on the road are moving trucks or cars where you can hire professionals, rent a truck or move using your own vehicles. 

Moving long distances requires planning for contingencies that may occur in the long transit. Because moving across the country won’t allow multiple trips like moving across town, the most effective way to move your belongings over long distances is to ensure they can all be moved in a single trip with minimal hassle. 

Some tips for long distance moving are: 

• Start planning months in advance
• Hire professional movers:
  • They provide appropriate equipment for your move like quilted blankets to protect furniture and mats to avoid scratching floors.
  • Offer a wide variety of services for your needs : packing, unpacking, storage, etc.
• Plan a budget: it helps to avoid surprise costs 
• Label your boxes
• Confirm with your moving method 1 week before 
• Check if your mover or the truck you rent is insured in case of liability or during the moving of your belongings
• Book upstream: you might need to stop somewhere to eat and sleep if the move stretches over a few days. Plan ahead and avoid the stress of searching for a place to rest during your move.

In short: plan every step! Moving your things may seem straightforward enough but planning with these useful tips saves you time, energy, and money.

Do-It-Yourself methods are always the cheapest way to move long distances. By undertaking your tasks independently, you eliminate the cost of labor and other moving processes. You may consider moving with vehicles belonging to friends and family members, renting a moving truck or renting a moving container. 

However, hiring professional movers can surprisingly be more cost effective for you: they save you time and therefore money by being much more efficient at moving your belongings, they tend to bring their own moving equipment which negates the need for you to buy them and finally, professionals are used to moving heavy and fragile items so there’s very little chance that something of value will be damaged. When doing the moving yourself, a lot can go wrong as we are not as experienced as fully trained movers.

Also called “moving pods”, these containers are storage compartments of varying sizes that allow you to transport valuables from one place to another. These are particularly popular in long distance moves because of their effectiveness and the flexibility they offer.

After requesting a moving container, it will be delivered to the indicated destination. Once you’ve filled the container with all the items you need to be transported, you simply request a pickup, and then it will be delivered to your new address. 

This method is particularly convenient for moving long distances because it allows you to pack at your convenience and relieves you of transport-related responsibilities. A full-service move is expensive and doing it all yourself is stressful. Renting moving containers is a middle ground between hiring expensive professionals and having the stress of doing everything by yourself.

A long-distance move involves moving items from one destination to another across long stretches. The general rule is that any move covering over 100 km is considered a long distance.

Moving companies provide services that cater to relocating from one place to another. A van line refers to the network of moving companies that often function jointly. Van line networks are generally created when a client is moving long distance. Moving companies across different provinces work together under a single brand name to ensure that the client’s belongings are safely delivered. 

A typical mover provides labor for the heavy lifting required in packing and the machinery required for moving i.e. the moving vehicles and other moving equipment. These factors are sourced from multiple inter-provinces moving companies and then combined into a single network for a successful move.

When you hire the services of a van line, the brand gets in touch with its affiliate agents located en route to your destination. All of whom work together to guarantee the successful moving of your belongings. 

The advantage here is that the organized group of local movers breaks the entire move into smaller processes run by separate agents acting as an entity. This is very useful for long distance moves like interprovince relocations.

Before choosing the best long distance movers, it is important to do your homework on them. This involves finding out what they offer and if that fits your moving needs. Although it is good to approach the business itself for necessary information, you also need to get your information from other sources. 

This involves customer reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations or condemnations from other individuals who have experienced the business’s services. Visit rating websites to see what people are saying about the business. This gives you an idea of the company’s reputation, whether it’s good or bad.

Companies that are accredited by known organizations are a smart choice as they have been proven trustworthy. You should check if your company is accredited by the BBB which is short for “Better Business Bureau” and where any company listed by them has been checked for their integrity and performance towards their customers. If the company you’re looking for isn’t part of the BBB, it can also be part of the CAM: “Canadian Association of Movers” where any company listed goes under thorough review before being approved and accredited as a legitimate moving company. Be careful of any company that tends to give little information of how they operate or their prices to avoid scams.

Policies and other procedures differ from place to place. Consequently, some of the things you should do before moving provinces include updating your address on all official documents and other essential ones like your driver’s license and insurance, setting up your home services with local providers and researching your new plans. For official documents, things can seem complicated and there are many steps you need to be careful not to forget: 

• CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) 
• EI (Employment Insurance) 
• CPP (Canadian Pension Plan) 
• OAS (Old Age Security)
• Others: passport, social insurance number (SIN), Election Canada, immigration & citizenship.

The cost of each long distance move depends on the particulars of that move. Some factors that movers consider are distance and size of the move; these contribute to how much a client is charged. Moving service rates are usually between $100-175 per hour for 2-3 men and a truck so for instance, a five-hour round trip would be average $2100 including moving your belongings to the truck and from it. You will need to also consider tips, insurance and gas. 

(*MovingWaldo)

The number of movers you will need for your long-distance move depends on certain factors like your home or apartment size and the number of things that need to be moved. You can check out this table to determine how to best plan your move and decide which options will work best for you. 

Your needs may vary depending on if you have special items like a piano or many bulky items that ask for more effort. It will also vary depending on the moving method you decide to choose as a freight move is different from a standard moving truck move, etc.