Every Ottawa move starts with quotes, and most moving disasters start there too — a number given too fast, from too little information, that grows teeth on moving day. Discount Moving & Storage builds moving quotes in Ottawa the slow-looking way that is actually fast: a real inventory, real access questions, and a written document that itemizes the job. This page shows you the anatomy of a trustworthy quote so you can grade ours — and everyone else's.
The principle is simple: a quote is a promise about a specific job. The more precisely the job is defined, the more the promise is worth.
How a proper Ottawa moving quote is built
It starts with inventory — every room, the basement, the garage — gathered by walkthrough in person, by video call, or by a structured phone interview. Then access: stairs at both ends, elevator bookings, parking and carry distance, and anything oversized or fragile. Then services: packing scope, storage needs, specialty items. Only then does the quote exist: crew size, truck, time or flat-price structure, inclusions, and the extras that trigger additional cost.
Our quotes arrive in writing and stay valid as quoted when the job matches the inventory. If your inventory changes — you sell the piano, the basement turns out to hold a workshop — we adjust the quote with you before moving day. Changes agreed in advance are fine; changes announced at the truck are how moves go wrong, and they're avoidable almost every time.
Questions that reveal a quote's quality
Ask any mover these five: Is this price based on my actual inventory? What's included — protection, disassembly, travel? What would make the price go up? What coverage applies if something is damaged? Can I get this in writing? A professional answers all five crisply. A lowball operation deflects at least three of them, because the low number depends on the answers staying vague.
Comparing quotes fairly means comparing the same job: same inventory, same services, same dates. Strip each quote down to crew, inclusions, and structure, and the cheapest legitimate quote usually identifies itself — it's rarely the one that started lowest on the phone. Our guide to comparing Ottawa moving companies has the full checklist, and our scam guide covers the worst patterns.