Before hiring movers for a parent, check that the company does senior and retirement-residence moves regularly, get a written quote based on a proper look at the home, make sure the full scope is disclosed, confirm the residence's rules are understood, and agree who is making decisions on the day — your parent, you, or both. A mover that suits a young family's three-bedroom move is not automatically the right fit for your mother's move into a retirement suite.
Our guide on questions to ask a mover before you book covers the general checks. These are the ones that matter specifically when the move is for a parent.
Look for Senior-Move Experience, Not Just Moving Experience
Senior moves involve things an ordinary household move does not: residence move-in windows and elevator bookings, small suites, furniture that has to be measured against narrow doorways, a parent who may be anxious or tired, and a family coordinating from several places.
Ask how often they move people into retirement residences, and what they do differently. A company that does it regularly will talk about move-in coordinators, floor plans and setting up the room, without being prompted.
Get a Written Quote From a Proper Look
A number given over the phone without anyone seeing the house is not a quote. Expect the mover to ask for photos, a video walkthrough, or a virtual or in-home assessment, especially for a senior move or a larger home.
The written quote should set out the crew, truck, included time, rate for additional time, and what is assumed. At Stallion, website prices are starting points; the written quote is what confirms the actual scope. Our pricing page explains how that works.
Disclose the Whole Job
Undisclosed scope is the main reason a moving bill changes. Being thorough up front protects your parent from surprises on the day.
- Everything moving, including the basement, garage, shed and storage
- Stairs, elevators, long carries and parking at both ends
- Items going to family members or other stops
- Donation, disposal and clear-out after the move
- Heirlooms, antiques and high-value items
- Packing, unpacking and suite setup
Understand What Coverage Means
Basic valuation coverage on a move is limited — at Stallion it is $0.60 per pound per article — and it is not the same as insurance on the item's value. If your parent has antiques or heirlooms, disclose them before the move and ask what other options exist. Our guide on moving coverage at 60 cents per pound explains it in plain terms.
Check the Company Is Legitimate
Older adults are sometimes targeted by poor operators. Check the company's reviews, look for a real business with a written contract, and be wary of very low phone quotes or requests for large cash deposits. Our guide on whether an Ontario moving company is legitimate lists the warning signs.
Agree Who Is in Charge
Decide before the day who the crew should take direction from. In most senior moves, the parent decides where things go in their own home, and the adult child handles logistics and paperwork. Tell the mover clearly. If your parent has memory or decision-making difficulties, explain that discreetly so the crew knows who to check with.
Agree too who signs the bill of lading at the end of the move, and how the final invoice will be paid.
Ask What Else They Can Help With
A senior move rarely stops at carrying furniture. Ask whether the mover can help with packing, downsizing, donation runs, disposal, unpacking and setting up the room. One company holding several parts means fewer people for you to coordinate.
Involve Your Parent
Wherever possible, include your parent in choosing the mover: on the call, in the walkthrough, or meeting the crew lead. It is their home and their move. People feel far more at ease on moving day when the crew is not a group of strangers.
Look for senior experience, get a written quote from a proper look, disclose the whole job, understand coverage, check legitimacy, agree who is in charge, and involve your parent. Be their family — let a mover help manage the move.
If your parent is moving in Waterloo Region, Guelph or nearby, tell us about the move. If another option would serve you better, we will tell you honestly.