It is safe to assume that if you are reading this article, you’re looking for ways to ensure you experience with a moving company goes as smoothly as possible. We know, moving can add gray hair to any head if handled improperly. Here at ABS Movers & Storage, we want to simplify your life and earn your business. Your sanity and satisfaction are our aim and we bring years and years of experience to the table to make sure your move with us is the best experience you’ve had to-date.

How? Versatility, customer service, and impeccable training. Our company is not comprised of a group of college kids with a high employee turnover rate. This is our profession. Moving you, your family, and you neighbors (the residents of Vaughan, Caledon, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Woodbridge, Markham, Richmond Hill, Toronto, ON and surrounding areas) is our passion! That’s right—passion. It is our mission to provide fairly priced, honest solutions for all types of moves and needs:

1. Rush moves
2. Last minute moves
3. Emergency moves
4. Commercial and residential
5. Storage units
6. Junk removal

So, before you decide on the right moving company for you and your family—we thought we’d provide you the “Golden Rules” to a successful, stress-free move. Keep reading!

RULE #1: Ask a lot of questions
No question is stupid. Ask it. In fact, ask questions throughout the process. The bottom line is that you need to be comfortable with all the answers you receive. Here are some examples to keep your wheels turning:

1. What kind of insurance does your company provide to protect my home, family, and belongings?
2. How long has your company been in business? Note: the longer, the more time they’ve had to prove themselves within your community.
3. Do you hire day labor/temps or do your professionals work for you directly?
4. What kind of dispute settlement program is offered, in the event there is an accident or issue?
5. What are the various costs associated with different services (packing, lifting, special items, distance, etc.)?
6. What type of estimate and agreement will you provide prior to payment in full?

RULE #2: Protect yourself and your home
This is a vastly encompassing rule. Think of this as a filter from which you need to operate during the entire process. Protecting yourself looks like:

1. Receiving an in-home estimate.
2. Confirming the movers will bring mats or plastic to protect your floors from tracked dirt while they load and unload.
3. Confirming insurance for your belongings and agreeing to the terms.
4. Setting appropriate times for you or a family member to be present while the movers are in your home.
5. Taking inventory of your belongings which includes pictures of expensive or invaluable property.
6. Discussing insurance with your own provider to cover items which may not be included in the moving company’s insurance.

Pretty simple, right? Follow these 2 Rules from our professionals here at ABS Movers & Storage and you’ll find you’ve never had a more successful move! Give our team a call when it’s time to start packing—we’d love to be your trusted go-to movers in Caledon, ON.

ABS Movers & Storage | 17 Dora Ave Toronto, ON M6H 1J5 | (416) 588-1499

One of my most painful growing-up experiences happened 18 years ago. I was pretty young and about to move into my second apartment in Caledon, ON. I had moved once a year prior, with a trailer and the help of a few close friends; I knew I didn’t want to suffer through that again. You see, I lived on the fourth floor and neither the elevator nor the stairwell was helpful when my best friend and I struggled with my furniture.

I decided I was grown enough to hire professional movers. I picked the first option at the top of my Google search and submitted a deposit after a short conversation with the guy on the other end of the phone line. He seemed pretty cool and agreed to the rate I said I could pay.

That should’ve been a red flag.

Over the next few weeks, I packed my bags and played phone-tag with the movers. They gave me a big window timeframe for their arrival: sometime between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on a given Saturday.

That should’ve been another red flag.

They arrived on the correct day but showed up close to 7 p.m. The two guys were pretty disinterested in me and took a lot of smoke breaks. They were also rather rough with my boxes and left a few marks on my walls near the doorway. The front door kept slamming shut and they tracked mud everywhere throughout my apartment. I distinctly remember thinking, shouldn’t they protect my flooring? But, I was too timid to say anything about it.

Red flags everywhere.

As it turned out—most of my belongings made it to the new apartment unscathed. Most. I had some broken dishware and picture frames, but the company refused to reimburse me for this. I was upset, but felt helpless and didn’t feel I had much standing to fight—after all, I did pack my apartment myself.

But, that’s not the life-lesson part. The life-lesson came when my old apartment came after me financially for the damages incurred by the movers. My bill included more than I could afford:

–  Damaged flooring—spot repairs, charged to me.
–  Damaged carpet—they were charging me to replace it, entirely.
–  Damaged walls—they were charging me to fix and re-paint every wall.
–  Damaged walls in the stairwell between the floors—charging me for six

My red flags had turned into a very expensive, very serious expense. But, I had zero recourse with the company I’d chosen to move me from one apartment to another. Why? I had failed to sign a good contract, opt for insurance, or do any real vetting process for good movers. I’ve learned the following: insurance is important. I nearly sank under financial ruin in the year following this experience.

Since then, I have moved many more times, following a meticulous vetting process. Now, I recommend only the best to everyone I know: ABS Movers & Storage. Your belongings could not be handled by a more trustworthy moving company in Caledon, ON. Believe me—I have learned!

ABS Movers & Storage | 17 Dora Ave Toronto, ON M6H 1J5 | (416) 588-1499

There are a few “first steps” to take when vetting a moving company to handle your Toronto, ON, move and our team here at ABS Movers & Storage wants you to know exactly what to look for. Most importantly, however, we want you to understand the value of obtaining a moving estimate. For some of you reading this, this may sound like common sense—but there are plenty of new-to-the-moving-thing individuals out there who could use a few pointers.

First and foremost…
Obviously, you want to ask for recommendations from people you know and trust; they’ll steer you in a good direction and have personal stories to share. Further, when you jump online to search moving companies, be sure to check out their website for testimonies as well as sites like Yelp for customer reviews.

Do NOT consider every company…
Know how to weed out the losers from the contenders. For example, a company should be willing and capable of offering you a free on-site moving estimate. If not—do not waste your time! A company which agrees to an on-site estimate is the company that will give you the most accurate assessment—which allows you to plan much more effectively. Here are 4 benefits of an on-site quote:

1. Mitigating unrealistic expectations: Many do not realize just how much stuff they truly have until the move is well underway. Can you relate?
2. Pricing the cost of specialty items: For example, a dining room table can become a “specialty item” if it has a glass top. A piano or a valuable antique fall under this description as well…
3. Additional charges: Extra time, extra distance, extra packing material, extra-large items, extra weight, storage fees, etc.—these can add up. You want to foresee these, together, during your in-home estimate.
4. Building and land layout: Being on-site gives movers relevant info about the building layout and terrain. This includes long walkways, uphill climbs, elevators, narrow hallways, etc.

Now, for the estimate…
Beyond preliminary research, one of the most vital steps you can take is to receive an estimate from a few different moving companies. Why more than one company? Because unless you have a magical gifting which tells you exactly how much a move should cost, obtaining at least three estimates will give you a baseline from which to work. Your multiple estimates should be used to gauge the approximate cost of your pending move and help you to determine which Toronto, ON moving company you are most comfortable with. Remember the following:

• The most expensive option is not necessarily the best one—or the worst. Try to find out why they are more expensive. Did they include services in the quote you don’t need?
• The cheapest option is not necessarily the worst one—or the best. Dig into their services—are they quoting you everything you require? Do they carry very weak insurance? Ask.
• The flashiest company is not always the most trust-worthy. Do your research. Trust your gut.

No one likes negative financial surprises, right? Stick to these tips and you’re in for a pleasant moving experience. We hope you choose ABS Movers & Storage for your next move!

ABS Movers & Storage | 17 Dora Ave Toronto, ON M6H 1J5 | (416) 588-1499

Moving is stressful enough without accidentally choosing shady movers. Most of us would agree: moving is one of life’s most trying and least fun events. Logistically speaking, the process of moving all of your stuff from Point A to Point B can easily become a deflating, up-hill battle. Considering that choosing the right neighborhood, the right schools for your children, and the right rent are all very important—choosing a mover can easily become an afterthought. Don’t fall into this oversight! The movers you choose will either make for a smooth move or for a terrible nightmare.

On that note, I’d like to share a story with you about a woman I met a few years back. She came to our team for help, here at ABS Movers & Storage in Toronto, ON, and shared an experience she had with another company that made her a lifetime friend of ABS.

We’ll call this lady “Ann.”

Ann found out the hard way that not all professional movers are created equal. She moved here from Brampton and the crew she hired (with this other company) was a mess. First, the quote she was given on the phone was drastically different than the original. Second, they were late on moving day by five hours (without communication)—which delayed her schedule. The kicker: they needed help unloading her belongings at her new residence in Toronto; an apartment, on the third floor (no elevator). This was her nightmare come true: soliciting assistance from her brand-new neighbors.

Can you imagine? Hopefully, not. Three years later, she was ready to take planning for her next move seriously; thus, she found ABS. Here are the 3 things she learned from her previous, nightmare experience:

1. Ask to see the company’s licensure
   Believe it or not—the company Ann used was licensed. But, it was expired. Scary, right? Check. Ask. Insist.
2. Local, national, or cross-border?
   What a local company is best at may differ from a company geared toward national moves. Ask what the mover’s specialty is. If a company handles various types of moves, be sure to have your questions ready:
   – Are there additional charges past a certain distance?
   – Do you hire day laborers or temps (important to know in order to determine experience and cost-effectiveness)
   – What fees are involved if the move is cross-border (different province or Canada-United States)?
3. Be a bit of a detective
   There is zero shame in making sure your movers “check-out” with your standards. How do you think Ann found us? She was compelled to do research and discovered the company she should’ve been utilizing all along! Check social media, Google the company’s name and the word “complaint” to see what you can find. Pay attention to how the movers respond to good and bad feedback and review customer testimonies posted on their websites. This way, you’ll have a feel for what to expect and the integrity of the company.

Don’t make a poor decision like Ann did years ago! Be like Ann today! She learned from her mistake and made the smart decision to choose ABS Movers & Storage to assist her in her next move. We’ll see you soon!

ABS Movers & Storage | 17 Dora Ave Toronto, ON M6H 1J5 | (416) 588-1499