A white glove move in Toronto costs more than a standard move, because more of the work is done for you and more care goes into each piece. The price depends on six things: how much is moving, how much packing you want, any special pieces, access at each address, when you move and how far. At Yugo, that becomes a fixed price, set in a written quote.
This guide explains what you are paying for, sets out what each Yugo service level includes, and shows how to read a quote so you can compare two companies fairly. If you are new to the term, start with what white glove moving is.
What the price covers
A standard quote pays for a truck, a crew and their time. A white glove quote pays for a plan, and for the people who carry it out.
Before the day, a full white glove service means a visit or video walkthrough, a list of everything that is moving, and help with the elevator bookings and insurance certificates your buildings ask for. On the day, it means floors and walls protected at both homes, each piece packed to suit what it is, and one crew lead who stays with your move from start to finish. At the new home, it means furniture reassembled and placed, beds set up, packing material taken away, and unpacking if you have asked for it.
Much of the cost sits in people and hours. A team that wraps every piece properly, protects two homes and places everything where it belongs needs more time per room than a team that only loads and unloads.
Yugo's service levels
Yugo offers three levels of white glove moving. Each Yugo move is quoted as a fixed price for the agreed scope after an assessment. Yugo carries $5 million in commercial general liability insurance. Separately, each service level includes its own declared valuation, set out below. Declared valuation is not insurance; our Terms explain how it works.
- Essential. A trained, vetted crew, protection for up to four furniture pieces, real-time tracking, entry-point placement, and declared valuation of $0.60 per pound, per item, up to $15,000 per shipment.
- Signature. Everything in Essential, plus full furniture protection, disassembly and reassembly, room-of-choice placement, a dedicated move coordinator, priority scheduling, wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes, and declared valuation of $5.00 per pound, per item, up to $50,000 per shipment.
- Reserve. Everything in Signature, plus complete packing, unpacking and setup, pre-move inventory planning, a dedicated move manager, 30-day post-move support, and repair or replacement at current replacement cost, up to $10,000 per item and $100,000 per shipment.
Your own price will depend on the things below.
What moves the price
- How much is moving. The number of rooms matters less than how full they are. A sparsely furnished three-bedroom can cost less than a full two-bedroom.
- Packing. Packing yourself lowers the price. Having everything packed and unpacked for you adds time, materials and people.
- Special pieces. A grand piano, a safe, stone tabletops, large artworks and chandeliers each need extra hands, equipment or a custom crate. Our specialty moves service covers pieces like these.
- Access. Condo elevators are booked in fixed windows. At one Toronto condominium, for example, moves must be reserved in advance in one of three windows between 9am and 7pm, Monday to Saturday, and no moves are allowed on Sundays or holidays (TSCC 1698 rules). Stairs, long walks from the truck and tight street parking all add time.
- Timing. The last days of one month and the first days of the next are the busiest for elevators and crews. A date in the middle of the month is easier to book.
- Distance. A move across the city is priced differently from a move to the cottage or a long distance move to Montreal.
How to read a quote
A fixed price is only useful if you know exactly what it includes. Before you compare two quotes, check five things:
- The list of items the price was based on, and what happens if that list changes.
- The coverage included, and the cost of more.
- What happens at the new home: assembly, placement, unpacking and removal of packing material.
- Who leads the crew, and whether that person is there all day.
- The deposit and when the balance is due.
Ontario law gives you one more protection. Under the Consumer Protection Act, a mover cannot charge more than 10% above the estimate in your contract unless you need extra services or supplies and agree to the increase (Ontario.ca).
Why a lower quote is not always cheaper
An hourly quote can look lower on paper. But hours are the one thing you cannot control on the day. A slow elevator, a missed parking spot or a sofa that will not turn on a staircase all add time, and with an hourly rate that time is yours to pay for. A fixed price moves most of that risk to the mover, who plans for it in advance.
Read what your quote says about waiting time, access and parking, because fixed-price contracts, ours included, can set out when extra charges apply. At Yugo, if the scope changes, we send you an amended written quote, and no extra work is done or charged until you accept it. If there is waiting on the day, we tell you when waiting time begins, and it is billed from then.
Damage can cost far more than the difference between two quotes. Refinishing a dining table, restoring a scratched floor or repairing a frame can quickly cost more than you saved.
Is it worth it?
For a small apartment with little furniture, a standard move is often enough, and we will tell you so. White glove earns its cost when the things you own are hard to replace, when your building is strict about how moves are run, or when your time is worth more than a weekend spent unpacking.
What is usually priced separately
Some work sits outside a standard quote because it varies so much from home to home. Ask about each of these before you compare prices:
- Crating. A custom crate is built to fit a single piece, such as a large painting, a marble top or a mirror. It is priced by the piece.
- Specialist items. A grand piano, a safe or a heavy stone sculpture may need extra crew, equipment or a specialist partner.
- Storage between homes. If your closing dates do not line up, your belongings may need somewhere safe to wait. Ask how storage is kept, and how your items are covered while they are there.
- Disposal and donation. Taking away furniture you no longer want, or delivering it to a donation centre, is usually an extra.
- Long carries and difficult access. A long walk from the truck, several flights of stairs or a second, smaller vehicle for a tight street all add time.
None of these should be a surprise on the day. A careful assessment identifies them in advance, so they can be included in a fixed price.
Deposits and payment
A deposit usually reserves your date. When the balance is due varies: at Yugo, the balance is due 48 hours before moving day. Ask how much the deposit is, when the balance is due, and what happens to the deposit if your date changes. Get the answers in writing, alongside the price.
Planning a budget
If you are setting a budget before you have a quote, start with the level of service you want rather than the number of rooms. Decide what you would like done for you: packing, unpacking, placement, crating. Then list the pieces that need special care. With those two lists, any good company can give you a realistic figure after one visit.
If you would like a fixed price for your own move, begin an enquiry. We will assess your home and send you a proposal.
Sources
Hiring a mover, Government of Ontario
Rules for the corporation (Rule 14, moving and deliveries), Toronto Standard Condominium Corporation No. 1698 (radioCITY), via DASH Property Management, 2016
