The Ranking
Our top 10 moving companies in Edmonton
Moving in Edmonton has its own set of hurdles. Condo and apartment towers downtown and in Oliver usually ask you to book the service elevator ahead of time, and many building managers want a certificate of insurance from your mover before the truck arrives. Ask any company on this list for that certificate when you book. Winter is the bigger factor. From November to March a crew may need extra time for icy steps and walkways, and floor protection matters more when boots are wet. Summer and the last days of each month are the busiest times, so book early if your date is fixed.
Snow can also affect where the truck parks. After a heavy snowfall the City of Edmonton can declare a parking ban with eight hours notice, and a Phase 2 ban covers residential roads, so check the City's parking ban notices before moving day. We could not find a City permit made just for moving trucks. If the truck will need to block a traffic lane or a sidewalk, call 311 to ask what applies.
Pricing works two ways. Local moves are almost always billed by the hour for a set crew and truck, often with a two or three hour minimum, so stairs, long carries and unpacked boxes add to the bill. Long distance moves are quoted per job, often by weight or volume. A binding quote, or a binding not to exceed quote, caps what you pay unless you add items or services. A non-binding estimate is a best guess, and the final bill can be higher. Get every quote in writing, with the crew size, hourly rate, minimum hours, travel charges and fees for stairs, pianos or packing materials spelled out. Be wary of a large deposit demanded up front.
Protection for your belongings matters more than most people expect. Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs says that unless you buy replacement value protection, a mover's liability is generally limited to 60 cents per pound per item, so a 50 pound television would be covered for about $30. Ask each company what its basic coverage pays, what full value protection costs and how long you have to file a claim. The federal guidance says claims generally need to be filed within 30 days for local moves and 60 days for long distance moves, and items you pack yourself are usually moved at your own risk.
Watch for the usual signs of a moving scam: no physical address, a quote given over the phone and never put in writing, pressure to pay most of the bill before the truck is loaded, and a company that is really a broker passing your job to an unnamed subcontractor. Every company here has a commercial or industrial address in Edmonton that we checked against City of Edmonton property assessment records, and we left out companies that use mailbox stores, executive suites or home addresses.
Alberta does not have a separate licence for household movers that we could find. Ask for proof of cargo and liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage, and look the company up with the Better Business Bureau and the Canadian Association of Movers. A mover that runs trucks over 4,500 kg outside Alberta needs an Alberta Safety Fitness Certificate, so ask for that number on moves out of province. For a move into the United States, ask for the carrier's USDOT number and check it on the FMCSA SAFER website.
