You’ve made it this far – let’s get more into the financials with this round of questioning. It’s not just about money (and how much you’re signing up to spend), but it is critical to understand what your money is doing for you.
Here are the remaining questions that we think you should know the answers to before you hire a moving company:
7. What is included in the cost of services?
Does that sound silly? Well, not really – it’s always worth asking what value you’re getting for your money.
We’ve heard of companies that will rent clients a moving truck and a driver, but no team or equipment to assist with the actual physical labour – that would be a very unpleasant surprise on moving day, and one that can be avoided by due diligence!
By contrast, Darling Solutions’ moving services include a vehicle and two of our moving team, as well as the basic supplies, tools, and equipment needed to complete your services.
8. Do you have any hidden fees?
This is one of the more critical questions to ask, even if you have to reconnect with them to ask after your estimate has been presented to you. Some moving companies are creative with the fees they charge, which are hidden in the fine print.
There are companies who charge an additional fee for each stair that their team goes up or down, or an equipment fee (to use dollies, moving blankets, and other essential supplies), or additional fees for any especially heavy or bulky items. These examples aren’t isolated incidents, or even particularly extreme – if you search for something like “moving company hidden fees”, you’ll find plenty of reading material.
It’s worth noting that there are also some fees that cannot be determined ahead of time, such as disposal fees (for items you don’t want to keep, but that cannot be donated). If the company knows that they’ll be expected to dispose of items, it’s good practice to mention the disposal fee on the estimate – even if it’s a simple “To Be Confirmed” in place of a price.
9. How do you invoice my services, and what methods of payment do you accept?
Don’t be shy to ask how the price structure works – is there a minimum charge for services? Do they charge hourly, or is their estimate the final price regardless of how many hours your services actually required?
Are you expected to pay on site when the move is finished, or will they send an invoice later, once the final hours and costs are tallied? There’s no right or wrong answer, just be sure you know how much you’re expected to pay ahead of time (and what kind of payment methods they accept).
10. How long have you been in business?
Experience matters when considering hiring a moving company. A company that has been in operation for several years has more operational experience, and your move will be more efficient and have fewer complications because of that experience.
Being in business for multiple years also lends itself to forging a reputation in the community, which brings us to our next point…
11. Can you provide references?
You can certainly ask for references, but in today’s digital age you’re just as likely to get a great reference from online reviews.
If you do check online reviews for a company, it’s important to look at their overall rating as well as the most recent reviews. Don’t be frightened away by one or two negative reviews – it’s very easy to post reviews, for any reason. If you’re unsure about the validity of a review, you can usually check the reviewer’s history by clicking on their name or picture – if this is their only review, it’s probably not an honest complaint.
12. What is your cancellation policy?
Always ask about their cancellation policy – life events happen at unexpected times, and you need to know about any fees or charges that will apply if you need to reschedule or cancel your move.
We hope this has been helpful! While you may not ask every question on the list, it’s still nice to have them collected somewhere for reference, just in case.
And for easy reference, our answers to these questions are below 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
To use our FAQ, click on a question and it will open to reveal the answer. More questions? Click here to visit our comprehensive FAQ!
Darling Solutions is fully insured, and we are registered in all the proper ways - moving companies are not licensed by the Ontario government.
That said, we strongly recommend that you contact your current insurance provider to confirm what coverage you may have in the event of a move, and whether additional protection is required. Darling Solutions cannot legally offer nor provide insurance coverage.
At Darling Solutions, we pride ourselves on a less than 1% damage rate, which is exceptionally low in the moving industry. Should damages occur while your items are in transit or during the course of your move, your insurance is your best option for replacing the items at their full replacement cost.
Darling Solutions is proud to offer Moving, Downsizing/ Transitioning, Organizing, Declutter & Prepare for Market, and Estate Services. We specialize in moving seniors, and every client service is individually coordinated by our office team with high attention to detail.
In addition to our main services, Darling Solutions is also pleased to provide:
- Delivery of packing materials
- Floor planning
- Packing and unpacking
- Delivery of items to family, friends, shipping, or storage
- Dispersal of items for donation, recycling, electronic and/ or hazardous waste, and disposal
- Shredding removal and delivery to environmentally-friendly shredding services, with a “Proof of Destruction” certificate once shredding is complete
- Referrals to: cleaning services, contractors, appraisers, auctioneers and/or home content sale specialists, and more
Don't see what you need? Please speak with our office team - all our services are customized for the situation, and we would love to help if we can!
Darling Solutions is very proud to say that we have a 100% in-house team of professionals! We own and operate our own fleet of moving trucks, and our office and warehouse are fully stocked with supplies and equipment.
Additionally, each member of our team has provided us with a Police Records Check to offer further peace of mind when inviting us into your home.
We are very conscientious about how our services are performed, because we understand that sensitivity and situational awareness make a big impact on your overall experience (especially if it's an emotional day).
Darling Solutions has a full compliment of supplies, equipment, and tools. Our fleet includes a variety of 16-ft and 5-ton moving trucks; the 5-ton trucks have a lift gate and ramps, and the 16-ft trucks have only ramps.
Our consultants make notes in every client file - these details include all the supplies and equipment that we anticipate will be needed for a successful service. Our office coordinates supply deliveries (or loading of supplies for same-day services).
Our moving trucks are always stocked with basic supplies, including: tools, stretch wrap, moving blankets, moving dollies, bungee cords to secure furniture and boxes, and straps for exceptionally heavy items.
We also come equipped with tape gun and packing tape, mattress bags, picture boxes, wardrobe boxes (for hanging clothes!), and an assortment of boxes and packing paper.
Yes, we absolutely do! Our professional moving team will use their discretion to ensure everything that needs protection is safe and sound.
You'll probably see us using a combination of moving blankets and stretch wrap to protect the majority of pieces before they are loaded. Occasionally, boxes, pillows, and packing paper come into the mix too - we're excellent at getting creative when the need arises.
We always recommend a consultation to estimate your services. This is because an estimate or quote based on the size of your dwelling is never going to be as accurate as one based on the actual realities of your move – people have wildly different amounts of “stuff”!
Darling Solutions offers in-person, phone/ email, and (in special circumstances) video consultations. Which type you have is dependent on your needs and the scope of your services. When you connect with our office team, we will help to determine which consultation is most appropriate for your situation.
All of our services are individually estimated. By that we mean that we don't use formulas or calculators - for every client request, one of our consultants will evaluate the information provided to create a customized estimate for your situation.
This is highly dependent on the individual services, but we're happy to provide a few examples below! Please reach out to our office if you have specific questions.
Darling Solutions' moving services include a fully-stocked moving truck and at least 2 movers. The team will load and unload the moving truck, wrap and protect furniture, dis- and re-assemble furniture, as well as final packing of any large artwork, hanging clothing, lamps, and lampshades on move day.
We can also offer a completely turnkey moving experience - our team will provide a full pack, move, unpack, and set up of your new space so that it feels like home. Bed made, pictures hung, clocks set - ready to be enjoyed.
No, we do not have hidden fees! Everything is clearly laid out in our estimate, line by line.
Darling Solutions will send you an invoice by email, after your service is complete (unless otherwise discussed with your consultant).
Payment is required upon receipt of invoice, and can be paid by cash, cheque to ‘Darling Solutions Inc.’, or INTERAC e-transfer; we can accept credit cards, but there will be processing fees in addition to the invoice total.
We are proud to share that Darling Solutions has been serving the Ottawa area since 2009.
Our experience means that we've seen and assisted with a wide variety of situations, and we truly are specialized in moving seniors.
Absolutely! You are welcome to reach out to our office if you would like to personally connect with some of our references, but in the meantime we can offer testimonials from other happy clients here.
Please reach out to our office to inquire about our cancellation policy. It is not posted here as it is occasionally updated, and we wouldn't want to mislead you.
