WHATS INCLUDED
Any use of our padded furniture blankets, dollies, shrink wrap, packing tape and tools is included in our hourly rate. Moving supplies such as boxes and mattress bags are charged for per piece requested. ; there are no standard charges beyond those listed. We will gladly take care of many additional tasks related to your move, such as disassembly and reassembly of furniture as required - this and any other tasks are simply billed at the hourly rate. This does not normally include full unpacking service, but if you are interested in unpacking please do let as know and we can discuss the details. Additionally our teams can remove installed items such as TV wall mounts or child safety anchors on furniture, but they do not do installation which requires modification of the new home such as drilling holes in walls.

ELEVATORS - If we will be using elevators during the move, it is IMPORTANT that you have your building management lock off the elevator or provide you with a key to do so. This will eliminate time spent waiting for the elevator to return as well as allow us to pack the elevator more efficiently on every load. I recommend that you book in 3 - 4 hour increments if possible. From 9am - 1pm at the load up AND 12pm to 4 PM at the unload. Typically speaking we do not arrive at your new home before 12pm, possibly right at 12pm but rarely before. The loading process for an apartment Move lasts 2 - 3 hours on average.

PARKING - Our two types of truck require parking suitable for the following minimum dimensions:

3-Ton Truck (Lift)

Height: 12 ft (3.66m)

Length: 35 ft (10.67m)

5-Ton Truck (Ramp)

Height: 14 ft (4.28m)

Length: 45 ft (13.72m)

The widths of a standard road lane are fine for either truck type, the primary difference other than size is that the smaller 3-Ton Truck will be equipped with a lift gate which requires less space at the rear of the truck for loading while the larger 5-Ton Truck will be equipped with a ramp which extends an additional 15 ft (4.57m) past the rear of the truck before additional space required for loading. 

If we need to pay for parking or park illegally, any parking infractions/costs incurred will be added to the final cost of your move. If street parking at your current or new home is often busy, RESERVED PARKING can be booked at least 7 business days in advance through City Hall. You can arrange this by calling 311 where you'll find pricing and other details. They may require you to go down in person to both make the reservation and pay for it. We recommend reserving 3 spots which span the length of the truck with the ramp extended. Guaranteed parking in busier parts of the lower mainland will save you both time and money.

PROVIDING LUNCH & GRATUITY: The team members at Abba Moving normally prepare their own lunch, however, we have found that our clients often offer to provide lunch for their team who are typically happy to have a hot lunch. In regards to gratuity, while not mandatory, it is greatly appreciated! If the team has carefully and courteously handled every item in your home in a professional manner there is an option at the end to tip them. Our clients typically tip between 15%-18% on the total cost of their Move, and this helps a great deal to ensure we are able to retain our fantastic team. All tips are split evenly between everyone who worked on site for your Move. If it is a choice between lunch or a tip the team would always rather a tip!

OUR OFFICE IS CLOSED ON WEEKENDS & HOLIDAYS: We cannot guarantee we will be immediately available by phone at these times, however the team will contact you by phone at or near their time of arrival to ensure you are able to contact them throughout the process

IF YOU ARE A MORNING MOVE: Please read this email very carefully. There may be a job booked after you and not being prepared will inhibit the team from reaching their second destination on time.

IF YOU ARE AN AFTERNOON MOVE: Please understand that if we are running late, it may be because the first client was not prepared or the access was not favourable. The team will call you as soon as they know they will be late and to give you an estimated time of arrival. They want to be finished as much as you want to be in your new place. They will work much harder if you show them respect and it will reduce stress in an already tense situation. Arrival time is not guaranteed for afternoon moves. We may arrive later than 5pm.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL INCREASE THE TIME AND COST OF YOUR MOVE:

Boxes: 

The first thing we will be taking is boxes. 

The more that your boxes are accessible, all in one area, filled snugly, and flat on top, the faster we can get them out to the truck and efficiently packed. Please be considerate of your box weight and size. We are movers, but if you can’t lift it, it will be difficult for us. This especially applies to larger boxes and frog boxes. Please, no books in large boxes.

 - Over-packed boxes tend to break at the bottom. 

 - Pack as evenly and lightly as possible. 

 - ALWAYS tape the bottom of your boxes with three runs of tape. 

 - A “four corner fold” on the tope does not work! 

 - The more uniform the box size the faster the truck gets packed. 

***Bags DO NOT stack. 

Packing in bags will end up taking us longer to move. Please keep them to a minimum, try only to use them for items such as pillows, bedding, etc, and remember to TIE OFF the bags.

We do provide a limited number of reusable wardrobe bins for each move that can be filled with bags but this will limit our ability to transport hanging clothes in state and should not be considered an alternative to packing in boxes.

**PRO TIP** Label the SIDE & TOP of your boxes with the room and contents. Then when we stack them back up in your new home you will easily be able to see what is in every box and your move will be more efficient because we don't have to check four sides to know where to take each box. 

We highly recommend using 2 cubic foot boxes for the majority of your home. Larger boxes can be used for bedding, clothing, and pillows. 1 cubic foot boxes are ideal for books, canned goods, or other dense items but to keep things simple we recommend packing half linens/pillows with heavier items in a 2 cube box.

Dressers and Cabinets:

We ask that all dressers, drawers, desks, and any furniture with doors on them be emptied, especially filing cabinets! Loose contents can damage the interior and the overall structure of the furniture during transport. Also, additional weight makes manoeuvrability challenging. Furniture is much easier and faster to lift, shift and move after it has been emptied of its contents. There is no need to remove the drawers after emptying, as they will be shrink-wrapped to protect the piece, and it will go faster this way.

Plants and Bathrooms: 

If you are planning on having us move your plants, please DO NOT water them for at least 3 days before the move. If your plants are outside, please cover the soil/pots to block rain. They not only drip on your movers, but also leak in the back of the truck, possibly onto your furniture. In regards to bathrooms, PLEASE pack all plungers, diaper genies, litter boxes and toilet brushes in a box or place them in a large sealed plastic bag. We have a right to refuse any dirty or unhygienic items.

Pets and Dust:

Please consider dusting prior to our arrival or having paper towels handy so that we can wipe off any dust-covered furniture. If you have pets, we ask that you please vacuum all furniture with pet hair on it prior to our arrival and If you have not cleaned your pets litter box and placed it in a sealed bag we reserve the right to refuse taking it.

Outdoor Storage or Unfinished basements: 

If you have items stored in an outdoor storage or unfinished basement please be sure to organize these items before our arrival. We reserve the right to refuse moving anything that is rotting, covered in mold, or that has been contaminated by pests. Please re-pack all items into functioning cardboard boxes or plastic bins that can be stacked and properly packed for transport.

Long hallways / walkways (150ft+), 10+ items of medium to large art/glass, height restrictions (13.4ft or less) for loading bays, additional pick up/drop offs: 

All these things will add time to your Move. Please inform us of any details that will require us to adjust accordingly as if we do not have advanced notice of these challenges it is likely your move will take longer than the initial estimate suggested. 

Marble: 

Must be crated by a 3rd party prior to our arrival. Due to the nature of marble already containing natural pre-existing cracks WE DO NOT INSURE IT. Your best chance of having your marble retain its form without causing fractures is to pay to have it professionally crated. No matter how careful we are, if items like this are not crated they can still simply crack under their own weight in transport.

WALL MOUNTS, Wall beds, Pianos and Gym Equipment: 

 - We DO NOT remove wall beds (murphy beds) or disassemble/reassemble them; normally this must be done by the company that installed them. We will move all the parts of a fully disassembled wall bed. 

 - We DO NOT move pianos (excluding electric pianos). All large and complex gym equipment should be disassembled and reassembled by the company that installed it for you. 

 - We DO NOT mount anything on the wall or do other work that requires even minor modification of the home. This excludes temporary door removal to fit furniture into your home as required.

Insurance and Contract:

All moving companies in Canada are required by law to provide a bill of lading at the beginning of each move. This is a complicated way saying you will be required to sign an agreement that specifies our rates and insurance policies. Upon our arrival you will be asked to read and sign/choose your optional insurance policy. Due to the increasingly high cost of designer furniture encountered, our insurance policy states that we do not replace scratched or scuffed items, but do have them repaired. ALL FURNITURE GETS PADDED ON THE TRUCK, if you have particularly expensive or irreplaceable furniture, please inform the team so they can take additional precautions. You are welcome to purchase 3rd party insurance should you feel inclined, please do inform us of any details.

Payment:

We accept Visa, MasterCard, Debit, or Cash. Personal cheques will NOT be accepted.  Payment MUST be received upon completion of the move. Time spent waiting for payment will be billed out at the hourly rate, so if you need to use an ATM, please plan ahead.