Client Login
Without sugar-coating the situation, an international relocation is one heck of a venture, but one that is worth all of the blood, sweat and tears in the end.
Moving cross-country or overseas requires you to leave your comfort zone, wave goodbye to family and friends, and organization skills are taken to the next level as you find a job, a home and figure out how to send your clothes, personal items and furniture abroad; but this can also be quite the undertaking even if you are moving around the corner.
However, the rewards you reap when you make it to the other side are like no other. Long distance moves unmask opportunities that you can’t experience in your home town. You are exposed to new cultures daily, you meet some incredible people and let’s face it, and we all thrive from change every now and again.
Regardless if you are moving within the same Canadian city, cross-country, cross-border to the US or overseas, the international moving company that you choose can make a noticeable impact between a positive and ‘relaxing’ Canada moving experience, or a negative and stressful one.
When choosing a mover, it’s important to note that you are putting your life (okay, your materialistic possession) in their hands, but these possessions may cost a lot of money to replace, or hold sentimental value that an insurance payout will even cover, so pick a relocation company that you can trust.
But, how can you possibly tell honest long distance movers versus a company that may let you down? We have some key pointers to look out for and questions to ask to separate the wheat from the chaff when shopping around for reliable international relocation companies.
CHECK THEIR CREDENTIALS
There are some associations and federations for the industry of Canadian moving companies that exist to protect customers and their goods on every leg of their journey when relocation, whether this is a commercial or domestic property.
We’re not saying that to be a reliable overseas shipping company you HAVE to be members of - or associated with - ALL of these standards, but you should try to choose a moving company in Canada with as many associations as possible for your security and peace of mind.
Some of the main Canadian accreditations that you should keep an eye out for on the websites of all long distance moving companies are:
- CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF MOVERS
- BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
REQUEST AT LEAST THREE MOVING ESTIMATES
When comparing moving quotes from moving companies in Canada, you will be able to cross-examine the specific services that are being offered to you by the overseas movers, as well as the different prices on the market.
Everybody has a different budget, so moving costs are an important factor, but the level of moving help and quality of service you receive is more important. Poor service from a team of house movers could cost you significantly more in the long run, so investigate how many years the overseas moving company has been operating for and what services are included in Canada moving costs.
The best professional movers are also usually full-service movers, meaning they include boxes and materials, a packing service, collection and delivery all within their house removals quotes.
The most affordable movers might not include these extra services in their packages, so additional costs incurred covering these services might turn your initially cheap quote into an expensive one. The most costly overseas moving quote might not include these extras either, so it is always important to check and find a happy medium between cost and service provided.
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE INVALUABLE
Do you have family, friends or colleagues who have used moving and storage services in the past? Or if not, can they direct you to somebody who has had a great first-hand positive experience with a cross country movers?
A recommendations list of packers and movers is a nice starting point for you to carry out your research. You will have an endorsed list of moving companies in Canada that you can approach for in-home quotes, find reviews, testimonials and check for those all-important industry-recognized accreditations!
Don’t panic if your friends, family or colleagues are unable to help you out. There are swathes of online blogs, forums and reviews that you can access where people share their personal experiences with relocation companies, both positive and negative, giving you a great indication of some of the best (or worst) Canada moving companies.
COMPARE SERVICE-TO-SERVICE
We previously mentioned keeping an eye out for additional packing and moving services that are included in your Canada moving costs, but if you have never migrated and utilized any furniture removals services before, you might not know what to look for.
So, by way of example, here are all the additional extras that QMM includes in their international house removals and shipping quotes in Canada:
- Tea cartons, moving boxes and packing materials
- A team to arrive at your home to carry out a full-packing service
- Fully-detailed inventory list
- Goods loaded onto our vans and taken for loading onto freight of choice OR a shipping container delivered to your home and goods loaded directly onto the container
- Items shipped to your chosen country and delivery to any specified address upon arrival
- Organization of any necessary customs clearances and documentation
- Assistance with unpacking and disposal of any used packing materials
- Help with organizing insurance coverage and protection for your items
These extra services eradicate unexpected costs creeping up further down the line and they make the world of difference in the ease of your move and help to eliminate stress and panic from the customer’s shoulders.
DOES THE RELOCATION COMPANY PROVIDE INSURANCE?
When you relocate or migrate permanently, you will probably be taking a great deal of personal or household items, some with great financial value and some rich in sentimental value. Therefore, having comprehensive insurance for your items in transit is one of the wisest decisions you will make when moving house.
Before you sign a contract with a team of long distance movers, you should determine if they offer a comprehensive insurance plan that covers all of your items on all parts of their journey, including packing, collection, shipping and delivery. This is to guarantee that in the unfortunate and improbable event they are damaged or lost, your items are insured regardless of which part of the move the instance occurs.
Purchasing insurance for an international relocation might be unexpectedly expensive for some, but in the long run, it could be one of the most cost-effective decisions you will make when moving cross border to the USA or relocating overseas.
INSPECT ALL DOCUMENTATION AND CONTRACTS
First and foremost, do not advance with any house moving companies in Canada that don’t supply a DETAILED contract. If they claim that they give contracts to customers, that should ring alarm bells and I would hasten to add that they can’t be trusted.
Read the small print and terms and conditions with a fine-tooth comb and ensure all of the extra services, collection and delivery addresses, time-frames and any other negotiated terms & conditions are laid out clearly and in great detail. The quote should also be fully-costed and a final moving quote should be agreed and illustrated on any contract that you sign.
If you have never had to read through and negotiate a contract before, don’t be afraid to approach professional services to do so. If a family member or close friend has extensive experience in dealing with contracts, get them involved too. Moving services can sometimes cost too much money not to have somebody give your contract the once (or twice) over.
This insight into identifying a genuine team of Canada relocation companies is to be used as a general guide to set you on your way of your relocation, whether that is a move within Canada, across the border move to the US from Canada, or overseas. If there are any other burning questions that you have, or that you feel that you should ask, a trustworthy overseas moving company - with nothing to hide - will always be more than happy to oblige, answer all of your questions, supply proof of accreditations and do everything they can to make their customers feel at ease.
