How to Compare Montreal Moving Quotes Without Getting Burned (2026)

Three movers. Three quotes. All for the same move. The spread is $950, $1,450, and $1,800. Which one do you pick?

Most people pick the middle number. That’s usually a coin flip. The actual method is to compare line items, not headline totals. A $1,800 quote that includes stairs, permits, travel, and insurance is often cheaper in total than a $950 quote that adds all of those on move day.

This guide is how a Montreal consumer advocate would read the three quotes on your kitchen table. No sales pitch.

What “$X per hour” actually hides

Montreal movers almost all bill hourly. The hourly rate is the smallest piece of your bill. Here’s the full structure a complete quote should have:

1. Hourly rate (crew + truck)
2. Minimum hours (usually 3 or 4)
3. Travel time (how it’s billed: included, 1-hour flat, or depot-to-depot)
4. Stair fee (per flight, especially exterior Montreal spirals)
5. Heavy-item surcharge (piano, safe, hot tub)
6. Packing labour (if applicable)
7. Packing materials (boxes, tape, wrap)
8. Parking permit (who gets it, who pays)
9. Basic liability insurance (the default $0.60/lb minimum)
10. Upgrade coverage (declared value or 3rd-party)
11. Fuel surcharge (on long-distance moves)
12. Payment method surcharge (2 to 3 percent on credit cards)

A quote that only names items 1 and 2 is not a quote. It’s a marketing number. The remaining items will show up on move day, and by then you’re out of leverage.

The side-by-side worksheet

Ask each mover to fill in every row of this table. If they refuse, cross them off.

The quote that fills every line confidently is the one you want, even if its hourly rate isn’t the lowest.

Verifying CTQ licensing (takes 2 minutes)

Any Montreal mover that operates trucks over 3,000 kg must be licensed by the Commission des transports du Québec (CTQ). An unlicensed mover is operating illegally and will not have the insurance or recourse structure you need if something goes wrong.

How to check:

1. Ask the mover for their CTQ permit number
2. Open the CTQ’s “Finding a Carrier” public register
3. Search the number; confirm the company name matches
4. Confirm the authorization covers “Déménagement” (moving)

Five minutes of verification has prevented thousands of fraud cases in Quebec over the last decade. Do it for every quote you consider.

A mover who can’t produce a CTQ number or who says “we’re exempt” without explaining why is a red flag. The exceptions exist (small operators with light vehicles only) but are narrow. When in doubt, check.

The five red flags

These are the warning signs of a mover you should decline, ranked from worst to least-worst:

1. They won’t put the price in writing before move day

This is how the “hostage load” scam works. The mover quotes verbally, loads your belongings, then doubles the price on arrival. Once your stuff is on the truck, you’re negotiating from zero leverage. A refusal to send a written quote is a refusal to be held to a price.

2. They demand a large cash-only deposit

A reasonable deposit in Montreal is $100 to $300, paid by credit card or Interac, and refundable within a stated window. Cash-only deposits of $500 or more, on an unverified mover, are commonly never seen again.

3. The price is 30+ percent below every other quote

One mover being 10 to 15 percent cheaper than others is normal price variance. One mover being 30 percent cheaper than the rest (for example, quoting $95/hour for a 2-person crew when the established Montreal market is $135 to $140/hour off-peak) is either pulling a bait-and-switch or operating with no insurance, no licensing, and no obligation to finish the job.

4. Unmarked truck, no visible company branding

Legitimate Montreal movers brand their trucks. An unmarked rented box truck doesn’t prove fraud, but it correlates strongly with it. Ask for photos of the truck when booking.

5. No physical business address, only a phone number

Any legitimate mover has a depot, a yard, or at minimum a registered business address. A phone-only operation is often a dispatch broker who subcontracts your move to whoever answers — which means the crew on move day isn’t the company you vetted.

The Quebec 10-percent cap (your hidden protection)

Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act includes a rule that’s not widely known: the final price cannot exceed the written estimate by more than 10 percent without your prior written consent.

What this means in practice: if your mover gave you a written estimate of $1,200 and then hands you a bill for $1,500 at the end, you don’t have to pay more than $1,320 (10 percent over $1,200). The mover must contact you during the move if they realize the total will exceed the cap, and you have the right to refuse additional charges or renegotiate.

Two requirements on your side:

• The estimate has to be in writing (verbal estimates don’t qualify)
• The written estimate has to include the full scope of what you’re moving (if you add a piano on move day, the cap doesn’t cover it)

This rule alone is a reason to insist on a detailed written quote from every mover you consider. Ask each to include it in their terms.

Questions that weed out weak movers

These four questions, asked during the quoting call, reveal 90 percent of what you need to know:

“What’s your CTQ permit number?”

A licensed mover will answer in seconds. An unlicensed or sketchy one will deflect or promise to email it and never do.

“What’s your insurance coverage for accidental property damage?”

Listen for specifics: policy type, coverage amount, deductible. Vague “we’re fully insured” answers aren’t insurance; they’re marketing. Ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) if you want the actual document.

“Can you walk me through how travel time is billed?”

Three honest answers:

• “One hour of the hourly rate, added to the move hours”
• “Included in a flat minimum”
• “Portal to portal: depot to pickup, pickup to delivery, delivery to depot”

Any other answer means they haven’t standardized their quoting, which usually means move-day surprises.

“If you’re 30 minutes late, what’s the policy?”

Quality movers answer: “We’ll call, and the hourly clock doesn’t start until we arrive.” Mediocre ones answer: “We try to be on time.” Avoid the second kind.

How to read the bill of lading on move day

The bill of lading is the final contract you sign on move day. Before you sign, verify:

• Origin and destination addresses are correct
• The pickup and delivery dates match your booking
• The total items or volume matches your inventory
• The agreed-upon rate is listed
• Any damage noted before loading is written down and photographed

Do not sign if any of the above is wrong. Ask for corrections in pen and initial them. A signed bill of lading with wrong rates is a legal bill you’re on the hook for.

After the move: what to do if something goes wrong

Montreal-area movers have a claim window of 7 to 60 days, depending on the contract, for filing damage or loss. File in writing, with photos and the bill of lading.

If the mover won’t honour a legitimate claim, your recourse ladder:

1. The Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC) accepts complaints and mediates disputes.
2. The CTQ can investigate licence-holders for misconduct.
3. Small claims court (Petites créances) handles disputes up to $15,000 in Quebec. Filing fee is under $200. A successful claim typically resolves in 4 to 6 months.
4. Third-party insurance claim, if you bought coverage beyond the mover’s default.

This process is rare. Most Montreal moves go fine. But knowing the ladder exists changes how movers treat claims: companies that know you’re aware of the process resolve complaints more quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Should I always pick the lowest quote?

No. Pick the most complete quote at a fair rate. A complete quote $200 higher than the cheapest usually ends up being the cheapest after move day, because the cheap one adds fees.

Is a binding quote worth more than a non-binding one?

Yes, slightly. A binding quote locks the price (subject to the 10 percent cap on changes). A non-binding quote is an estimate, and final price is based on actual time or volume. For a straightforward move, a non-binding hourly quote is fine. For a complex or long-distance move, a binding flat quote reduces risk.

Are online instant quotes accurate?

They’re a starting point. Instant-quote tools on moving company websites use your zip code, home size, and distance to generate a ballpark. They rarely account for stairs, parking, or access, and the real quote after a video or in-home survey is often 15 to 30 percent higher or lower than the instant estimate.

Does getting multiple quotes make movers angry?

No. Legitimate companies expect it. A mover who pressures you to “decide today to lock in this price” is using a sales tactic, not quoting fairly. Walk away.

What’s the difference between movers and moving brokers?

Movers own trucks and hire crews. Brokers book you with whoever has capacity that day. Brokers aren’t inherently bad, but they reduce your control — the crew that shows up isn’t the company you vetted. Ask directly: “Is this your truck and crew, or are you subcontracting?”

Get matched with vetted Montreal movers. Tell us your move details and we’ll send up to 3 complete quotes from licensed, insured companies. No pressure, no spam, no call centre.

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This guide reflects Quebec consumer protection rules current as of April 2026. Terms, cap percentages, and regulatory bodies may update; check opc.gouv.qc.ca and ctq.gouv.qc.ca for current details before a dispute.