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At Paramount Moving, we often hear this question: Which is the best season to move? We agree on the benefits of each season, but we also explain the drawbacks. 

Winter may be cheaper, but it’s really cold; spring may be warmer, but you may have less time; summer may be easier with longer days, but the rates are higher, and fall may have better housing rates, but timetables are tight.

We’d like to take some time with you and outline the upsides and downsides of a move in each season in a little bit more detail. We believe our thoughts will apply to anyone planning on any kind of move. 

You may be planning on hiring a professional moving company, such as Paramount Moving. You might be thinking seriously about taking on the move yourselves. Either way, we think it’s best for us to help you think through the pros and cons of each season. That way, you can decide on the season that best suits your budget and needs.

Which season is best for you? Let’s look…

Moving During Winter Season

Why choose winter?  

We start with winter because it is a season that seems to last much longer than the other three. This is a slow time for most moving companies. This is an advantage for you. Schedules are more flexible, so you can plan with much less stress. 

In addition, despite the cold, there are more options for staying warm than for keeping cool in the hot sun. Warm drinks, dressing in layers, and the use of space heaters helps to make winter moves more pleasant. 

Another important benefit for a move in the winter is its lower cost. Most moving companies offer much lower rates for winter moves. This is because fewer customers are willing to move during winter despite some of the benefits of a winter move. So, bundle up and enjoy the savings from a winter move with Paramount Moving. 

Why avoid a winter move? 

This is Canada…often called the Home of Winter…and for good reason! Our bitterly cold winter temperatures are well-known around the world!  

However, it is not just the temperatures alone that we point out. Even from mid-September and on into early April, expect all kinds of winter weather. There may be sudden snowfalls, slick ice from frequent melting and freezing, and poor visibility from blowing snow and frosted windows. All these can result in treacherous driving conditions. This is especially true for those considering moving by themselves. 

As a result of these hazardous conditions, a winter move requires much more preparation and planning. Make sure of the following things:

• Waterproof your boxes: Snow can still damage an unprotected box.
• Clear and salt walkways: It’s good to shovel the snow, but make sure the surface is safe to walk on.
• Prepare warm food and drink in advance: This is a helpful service both for your hired movers and for yourselves. 

Winter is a season of celebrations…and often less family help. In various families, winter is a time to prepare for significant winter events, from Chanukah to Kwanzaa, Christmas or Festivus…and on to New Year’s Day! You may find much less support from family and friends during these months of hectic festive planning. 

Although winter officially begins in December and ends in March, in Canada, it is a season full of surprises. We’d like to help you get ready for them. Contact us at Paramount Moving to learn about winter preparations.

Moving in Spring

Why choose spring? 

This is the next season when there is still much less demand for moving. For you, this means that the cost of hiring a moving company, such as Paramount Moving, will be much less expensive. It is also a time when many moving companies are eager for early business. 

Generally, March, April, and May weather is milder than most regions in Canada during the winter.  Spring weather will indeed be different from one area of Canada to another. In fact, many areas of Canada experience something described as “light-jacket” weather.  

Because of this more pleasant weather, loading, transporting, and unloading your belongings is much easier. Compared to the scorching or humid heat of summer and the bone-chilling cold of winter, moving in springtime weather is a major benefit.

Why avoid a spring move? 

This season, as well as fall, is hard on families with school-aged children. What happens?

• final or term exams
• post-secondary school open houses for potential high school graduates
• important seasonal sporting events: ex. basketball, track and field
• end-of-year activities: ex. graduations and graduation parties

Even if you plan to move at the end of springtime, you may have problems hiring an available moving company with few delays. From mid-May, the moving season is well underway to get more business. As a result, you may find that there are fewer and fewer moving companies available on the dates that are ideal for you. Check out Paramount Moving to learn about the times that we can be available for you.

Summer is the Peak Season for Moving

Why choose summer?

The most attractive reason for a summer move is that your home is more likely to sell for much more than in other seasons. This is because housing real estate season reaches its peak in the summer. As a result, this increased demand for a home also means your residence may sell at a higher price. 

As for families with school-aged children, this is probably the most ideal time for them to move. Most schools are on their summer break. This means that  a child can finish one grade in the old neighbour and begin another grade in the new neighbourhood. This is a season when there is the least amount of disruption in the school year. 

When it comes to daylight hours for moving, summer’s longer days is a great season to choose to move with a reputable moving company, such as Paramount Moving.  Because there are more daylight hours this means more time to move in and out of your residence. This season also gives do-it-yourself movers much more flexibility.

Why avoid a summer move? 

The biggest reason to avoid a summer move is the price–it’s expensive.

A considerable number of all moves made in Canada generally take place from Victoria Day to Labour Day. This means that most moving company rates will tend to be at their highest between these two dates. 

Movers need to remember something when they hire the average moving company to handle a long-distance move: It may take longer to get your things. It is a common practice for a number of moving companies to use their trucks to transport the belongings of multiple households at one time.  As a result, with more people moving, more stops and deliveries are needed. This means delays. If you choose summer to move, it may take longer for you to get your belongings to your new home.

Canada’s summer weather has its own unique features. It is a season of storms and rapidly changing weather conditions, particularly in southern Alberta. Although many cities in Canada rarely see the high temperatures in certain American cities, we have our own cities in Canada with uncomfortably hot or humid weather. These special weather conditions need to be considered carefully when planning a summer move.

Fall Season for Moving

Why choose fall? 

Those who plan to move in the fall, tend to have a better home-buying experience. This is because the peak home-selling season generally ends in late summer. Generally, the housing market in Canada begins to slow down from early October on into the winter months. As a result, you may be able to get a better deal on buying your new residence at this time.

Another overall advantage is that fall weather is less hot and humid. Even so, depending on where you are in Canada, the cooler weather from September to November may help. However, be cautious.  Heavy snowfalls and other kinds of severe weather have happened during these months. With that in mind, have an alternate plan in mind as you plan your move.

One last benefit of moving in the fall is a more personal one. With a fall move, you can be ready by December, a time when many celebrations begin. Moving in during fall will help you in getting ready for these special times, so by the time New Year comes, you can start off the new year and make new, happy memories.  

Why avoid a fall move?

For those with school-aged children, this is often the number one reason to put off a fall move. In Canada, with a new school year beginning, a move in the fall, with a school-aged child, can be challenging for the whole family. This is because the move usually involves changing schools, and there are various difficulties associated with that.

To close this section about avoiding a fall move, it is important to note that many businesses and people are also preparing for winter celebrations in the fall. This means that even do-it-yourself movers may have fewer evenings and even weekends available during this season.

So, then, which season is best for you to move? 

It’s all up…to you.

You may know all the benefits and challenges of moving in any season, but the final decision is up to you, based on these factors:

• your budget;
• your family;
• your time or schedule;
• your preferences, based on weather and other personal reasons.

For your budget: consider a winter, early spring, or late fall move.

For your family: consider a move in the summer.

For your time or schedule: consider a winter or summertime move.

For your weather preferences or other personal reasons: consider moving in the fall or spring.

Are you ready to move?

Here are some important things to remember that apply to any season:

• save money by choosing mid-week and mid-month dates. Most leases usually begin and end on the first and last weekends of the month. 
• save on time by choosing a mid-week, a weekday or a weekend move in the middle of the month. The average mover chooses weekends at the beginning or the end of the month, and these are high-demand times.
• do research and get quotes from several moving companies. 
• contact Paramount Moving and get a quote free of charge and also get some other advice about your move. 

We look forward to hearing from you!

Whether it’s end-of-year preparations or close to tax-time, we may find ourselves asking the hard questions about our way of life, and taxes is one of them. More specifically, the question: “Are moving expenses deductible?”

So…what is the answer?

As with many things, there is no definitive “yes” or “no,” but an answer that is more like, “It depends…”. According to current information, it is possible to claim your moving expenses…if…you have moved closer to your place of employment…with this extra bit of “fine print”: your new home must be at least 40 kilometres closer to your place of work than your prior location. Moving from High River to the Belt Line to be closer to your downtown Stephen Avenue Mall office? That’s great. You’ve got a tax-deductible move you can claim. Moving from High River to Okotoks to be closer to that Stephen Avenue Mall office? No deduction…it’s less than 40 kilometres.

Knowing this, however, we suggest you base any decisions on whether this move helps you enjoy a better quality of life. If the move leaves you dissatisfied, a sizable tax deduction will have little effect on improving your new, but worse, way of life.

Types of the tax-return moving expenses

When you look at the distance you need to travel and see that you qualify to claim moving expenses, there are many more things you can claim against your income.

Tax-return moving expenses include the following:

• transportation costs: the mileage you put on your car
• the cost of hiring movers to transport your belongings to your new address,
• packing expenses
• insurance
• storage costs.
• personal expenses connected to the move:
  • rental  accommodations (hotel or motel), usually up to a maximum of 25 days
  • any additional vehicle expenses incurred (always check to see what is considered “deductible”).

What about other things related to the move?

At present,  there are a number of expenses you can claim that are “incidental” to your move:

• changing addresses on any legal documents
• replacing your driver’s licences and vehicle permits
• any utility hookups or disconnection fees incurred.
• any expenses incurred when:
  • cancelling the lease of your old residence
  • you needed to maintain your former residence while it was unoccupied after your move (up to a maximum of $5,000)
• any expenses incurred:
  • if you had to buy or sell the property as part of the move
  • deduct the selling costs such as legal fees, real estate commissions, mortgage penalties, and any advertising costs

Methods of calculating CRA moving expenses

If you were put in a position in 2022  where it was necessary to move 40 kilometres or closer to work, there are several deductions you can claim to lighten the financial burden. There is no limit on how much you can deduct for the expenses we listed above. However, you need to be clear about the actual costs incurred. Be careful to keep and organize all your receipts.

There are two methods the CRA outlines that you can use to calculate your meal and vehicle expenses: the detailed method or the simplified method. With the detailed method, make sure to keep all your receipts, total the various amounts, and claim the exact amounts that you spent on meals and mileage. For mileage record-keeping, we suggest you keep a driver’s log listing out dates. times, the number of kilometres travelled, and subsequent fuel costs.

With the simplified method, the CRA recommends the following procedures.  For meal expenses, simply claim a flat rate per person. Although you do not need to keep itemized and detailed receipts, the CRA may still ask you to provide some proof of expenses. When claiming vehicle expenses, simply multiply the number of kilometres by the cents/km rate relative to the province or territory where your move began.

When and how can you claim moving expenses in Canada?

Our answer to that question is…now.

In 2023, the personal income tax filing deadline is May 1, 2023 and June 15, 2023, for self-employed individuals. The deadlines are strict, so if you fail to file your tax return in time, you may be faced with a  variety of expensive interest payments, fees, and penalties.

Even when it comes to your move to act promptly, we suggest the same thing for your claims for moving expenses. If you are prompt, well-prepared, and methodical, we believe you will be rewarded with a much smoother and less stress-free tax season.

To give you even greater confidence about your choice to claim moving expenses, consider hiring a professional accountant. Accountants know better than anyone how to claim moving expenses in Canada. If you’re confident to prepare your tax returns yourself, you can do it on line 21900, according to the CRA, on your income tax form.

Whatever approach you choose, remember that the best and most stress-free way to manage your next move is to hire the experienced professionals at Paramount Moving and get the help you deserve.

Moving to a new location is a very exciting time, as you consider the new possibilities that your new home can offer. But this can also be a stressful time, as you need to transport all your possessions to your new place. 

Usually, there are two options you have when moving. You can either be going to a new house or a new apartment. Each requires a slightly different approach. Keep reading to learn the simple tips you can use to take the strain out of moving. 

Tips on how to move from one apartment to another

There are a few things to keep in mind when moving into an apartment. Most importantly, the size of the space and how to manage the belongings you want to bring with you. Here are some tips on how to move from one apartment to another. 

Contact The Landlord

If you are moving into an apartment, it’s best to get in touch with the building manager. They will be able to help you make the move a lot easier. For example, they can reserve a space for the moving company van, making loading and unloading items a lot easier. 

If you are moving to a new unit in the same complex, you might be able to convince the landlord to let you start transferring your items into the apartment before the official move-in date. This will let you get a start on moving the smaller items into the unit. If not, you should be able to get a few days of overlap between the end of the current lease and the start of the new one. 

Consider What You Are Taking with You

Apartments can be contained spaces. Because of this, you will need to think carefully about what you are taking with you. If you discover something that you don’t want to take with you, consider holding a yard sale or donating it to charity. 

Hire Professional Help

Even if you are moving within the same apartment complex, it can be a good idea to hire some professional help. Professionals from our moving company can help you move some of the bulkier items, like furniture. They can even help you disassemble bulkier items, making it easy to transfer down narrow corridors and move through lifts. 

Other Tips When Moving Within the Same Apartment Complex

Here are some other things to keep in mind when moving from one apartment to another within the same complex: 

• Reuse the same boxes. Since you are only moving a short distance, you might be able to reuse the same boxes, unpacking your items in the new unit. You might also be able to use things like laundry hampers or drawers to transport light items, like clothes.
• Get your family involved. Manpower is a key part of any move. The more family and friends you can get to help you out, the faster you’ll be able to bring everything to the new unit. 
• Talk about the legal requirements. Even though you are in the same apartment building, you might be required to sign a new lease agreement. You should double-check these requirements with the building owner. 

Tips on how to move from one house to another

Moving house can be a big undertaking, with a lot of things to keep in mind. To make things easier, here is a checklist that details how to move from one house to another: 

• Packing your items. How long it will take to pack will often depend on the number of rooms you currently have. Usually, it will take you one day per room. If you are on a tight deadline, you might want to consider enlisting some friends to help. It’s a good idea to number each box, then make a list of what is in each one. This makes it easy to find what you are looking for when you arrive at your new house and will unpacking easier. 
• A good tip is to create a box of essentials. This will include basics, like sugar, coffee, towels, plates, and cutlery. This will have everything that you need to get started in your new home, while you unpack the rest of your belongings. 
• Protect valuables. Wrap breakable items in blankets or bubble wrap. You should also write “Fragile” or “Delicate” on the box, so the moving team knows to handle those boxes with care. 
• Consider what you are taking. This is the ideal time to consider what you are taking to your house with you. If there are things you don’t want anymore, consider donating to charity or selling it. 
• Label everything. Once you’ve packed the boxes, it’s time to label them. This tells the moving team which room they should be delivering it to. 
• Contact utility suppliers. Before you move out, get in touch with your utility suppliers and let them know about your decision. You should do this as early as possible, as it can take a few weeks to get these services set up at the new property. 
• Let people know that you are moving out. You might notify your family that you are moving out. But there are a few other people who will be affected by this decision. This includes the government, bank, work, and bank. You might want to set up a post-redirection service. 
• Make the move. Once moving day arrives, you will want to use your friends and family to help. It’s a good idea to use a professional moving company, they can help you with the bulkier items. 
• Unpack everything and settle into your new home. By this stage, all your items should be in your new home. The only thing left to do will be to unpack everything. As you are doing this, it’s easier to move room by room. Often, it’s best to get the kitchen and the bedroom set up first, so you can comfortably live in your new house. 

Conclusion

Moving house can be a lot of work. But as long as you break it down, and take it methodically, you shouldn’t have any issues. It’s also a good idea to consider using a professional relocation service, like Paramount Moving. Our team can help you handle bulkier items, like furniture. We can also help you transport your items safely. Hopefully, these tips will help take the stress out of moving day.

Can you take it apart…and put it back together?

Concerns about disassembling and reassembling furniture

Your bed is…big! Your china cabinet is delicate! Your treadmill is complicated. …and they all have to be moved! You wonder: I can’t take them apart, but can the moving company I hire do that for me? Do I need a specialist?  Do movers disassemble furniture…and put it back together?

You are far from being alone in asking this question. It’s a question that often arises as we talk about an upcoming move with our customers. So, the short and sweet: Yes, Paramount Moving will provide furniture disassembly services in Calgary, and yes, put them back together again in your new residence or business space.

We are movers that disassembly and reassembly furniture in Calgary

When purchasing our full-service moving package, disassembly and reassembly of your home or office furniture by our Calgary company are included in the price, so you don’t have to pay extra, Our Paramount Moving team can perform this kind of work professionally, so you have less to worry about. Once a piece of furniture has been disassembled, we will pack it away and securely store it in our truck. We even stand by our guarantee that nothing will be broken or lost. 

There will be tough jobs…but we can handle them!

We have extensive experience with house moving and all other kinds of moves, so we are confident that we can disassemble and reassemble furniture of any complexity. We even had done a bit of math to calculate how long it takes us! On average, we take about 15 minutes for each piece of furniture. Although this kind of service affects your move time, we also know how much longer it would take if you attempted this by yourself.  Let Paramount Moving take some of the stress for you. Relying on movers that disassemble and reassemble furniture, such as Paramount Moving, will actually cut down on costs and time in the long run.

A great move with a Calgary company that disassembles and assembles furniture

Paramount Moving is one of the companies that disassembles and assembles furniture in Calgary, we can assure you that your furniture move will be a great one. Count on us to take apart and put back together your home, office, or even warehouse furniture for any type of move. 

We know each item in your home and office is important to you, and we treat each one of them that way, with great care. You can be sure that the condition of your home, office, or warehouse, as well as your belongings, will be safe with us. In addition, we are sensitive to all health requirements, including COVID  protocols.

Check out the website of our Calgary moving company, and contact us to take the first and best step for your future move.

The task of moving can feel like … moving a mountain!

WE’RE PARAMOUNT MOVING: WE MOVE MOUNTAINS – ONE ROCK AT A TIME!

For whatever reason, you have come to that place in your life when you are entering into a new kind of lifestyle: a “shared household” or “blended living.” You have lived well enough on your own, perhaps, but now that chapter of your life is ending and you are starting a new chapter, and you are looking for both practical advice and some shared wisdom. Both of you may realize there are some unique challenges facing you as you begin moving in to live together.

At Paramount Moving, we have some wisdom to share and some advice to give, so here are our suggestions and thoughts about this new stage of your lives.

Plan for a Wonderful Life when moving in together, not a Wandered-in Life

There is a phrase that has been coined: “Decide rather than slide,” Make plans, carefully thought-out decisions to create this new living arrangement. Experts on human relations often caution people to avoid finding one another in the other’s living space. Later on, they may each decide to make arrangements to work on a more settled or a bit more permanent living situation. This kind of life, where one person wanders into the life of the other, often fails to create a sense of stability, essential to developing a healthy living relationship. The expense of moving in may be wasted if there is no plan in place to help create mutually agreed-upon reasons to be together.

Same space, New perspectives when moving in together

It’s great to be able to find a new place that is ready for building fresh and beautiful memories. Usually, though, what happens is more of a matter of moving into someone else’s world. Our advice is that you both see this experience as creating a new environment rather than working with an old environment with some new stuff added on. 

The person moving in should have an equal say about what stays and what goes, how to decorate, etc. They should feel the space is theirs as much as it is their partner’s.”

Concepcion also recommends signing a lease together on a new place and doing so intentionally. “Look at when your leases expire and plan a date when you’ll move in together. If one of your leases ends sooner, ask your landlord for a few extra months where you can pay rent month to month. Then, if the time rolls around and one of you gets cold feet, you still have a place to live,” she advises.

Have a conversation about which furniture you’ll bring, what you’ll store, and what you’ll buy together. Moving in together is a great time to downsize, get rid of stuff, or get a storage unit to keep larger items you won’t need in your new place together. You’ll also want to plan your moving process, whether you’re moving locally or long-distance. Will you need to rent a truck, hire full-service movers, or use a portable moving container to make downsizing and storage easier?

One Can be Better than Two: Dealing with Unnecessary or Duplicate Items when moving in together

Perhaps your bachelor apartment was already full of things before the big move. Perhaps you had a great gym set-up…and so did the person you are now living with. You may have much more space now than either of you had before, but keep some things in mind and decide on these things:

• What is shared and what is personal?

  • Depending on the kind of blended household you have, you may need to make some boundaries: This is for me…this is for us. Having your own personal computer is fine,  but If you have two TVs or sound systems, that’s something to talk about.

• What needs to be stored and what will fill up the new space?

  • For some blended living arrangements, there may not be room for some things to be displayed or used in your new residence. This is especially true for exercise equipment or different kinds of collections from figurines to DVDs and CDs.

• What needs to be kept, donated, recycled or even thrown away? 

  • You need to reduce the number of things you bring into this new household before you move in together.  On your own, before the move, take the time to look through all your personal belongings and decide what you want to keep, give away, or throw away. You may wish to get together with your new partner and think about what will be good to have in this new place. 

Money Matters

It may be obvious and difficult, but the financial aspects of your new living arrangement need to be discussed carefully. Frequently, some couples combine their financial accounts when moving in together, other partners may create joint accounts. Others need to keep them entirely separate, but have some kind of transparency, for example, proof of payment for certain items or services. 

Remember, stay open about money and your household finances. Here are some areas to consider, particularly how and when:

• Rent or mortgage or home payments
• Different kinds of residence insurance
• Utility payments
• Electronic services: WiFi and home entertainment
• Groceries
• Transportation: shared or shared vehicles, public transit
• Hospitality: special get-togethers and parties
• Special areas: pet care 

Shared responsibilities: From Vacuuming to Washing Dishes

Who changes the roll of toilet paper? Who checks the doors at night? These questions need to be part of an open and clear conversation about how you both work together. Take the time to outline the different daily tasks that need to be taken care of during the time ahead. Taking care of this early on, and learning how to live together in this new living arrangement, will help reduce future conflicts.

Paramount Moving Cares

We are in the business of helping you transition from one lifestyle to another, from one location to another. We are very familiar with the stress of change. If you need further help with how to plan your blended lives, give us a call, and we as professional Calgary movers will be happy to help you.

We’re Paramount Moving: We Help Move You to Build Your Dreams.

You have taken a big step… now it’s time to book an elevator in advance for your move.

You are going to move out of your residence into either an apartment or condominium and you’re starting to make that important list of things to do. You’ve hired a professional moving company–check;  made your moving budget–check; got your packing materials–check, and you believe you’re ready. Here’s one more item to consider: taking steps to book an elevator for the move. Didn’t think of that? Very few first-time movers do that. Let’s look at some key information you will need to learn:

FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR ELEVATOR SERVICES AND HOW TO BOOK IT:

Before you begin to plan your move, take the time to find out what kind of elevator service is available in your apartment or condominium complex and, if necessary, the service available in the new complex into which you are moving.

A Dedicated Elevator Service

 It is becoming increasingly common for some multi-storey condominium complexes and apartments to have specially-designed elevator service, particularly for deliveries of large freight items.

It’s good to check out if you have a specially-designed elevator service for your apartment or condominium, then learn how this elevator service can be used to move your own belongings out of your own residence. 

If you have an apartment manager, or someone called a “concierge,” then contact that person to get as much information as you can about using the dedicated elevator service. 

You may need to fill in a special application form, which may take some time to process, so make allowances in your moving schedule in order to do that.

Check if you need special insurance for this service and what fees may be involved. Additional fees may include a damage deposit, whether it is booked by the day, half-day, or by the hour. This may involve a pre- and post-inspection by the manager.

The apartment manager or concierge may also require you to hire special personnel to install special padding on the elevator walls. If this is required, you may wish to negotiate the installation and the price with the manager. Rely on the professional moving company you have hired to install the padding for you.

The “Service Mode” Elevator Service 

In some apartment and condominium complexes, there is a special button or switch that can be turned on during the day of your move. 

With this service, you and your movers have a designated use of that elevator. When in service you can expect that the doors will remain open when needed. Also, the elevator will remain on your floor, and the elevator cannot be called into service elsewhere. 

As with the Dedicated Elevator Service, take the time to contact the apartment or condominium manager or concierge to discuss what is necessary to use the service mode of the elevator.  

Prepare to fill out an application form. Discuss the fees or deposits involved,  Ask about any special kinds of padding you may need to install. As with the Dedicated Elevator Service, the manager may want a pre-and post-inspection.

BE AWARE OF TIME WHEN YOU BOOK AN ELEVATOR:

Timing is a key factor here. Be sure to set aside ample time for the move. Be sure to talk about your moving plans with the professional moving company you have hired as you take the steps needed to book an elevator for the move. We suggest that you always reserve the elevator for the time estimated by your moving company. At Paramount Moving, we know this is especially important when you are moving into a new building. 

We have heard about bookings that were planned poorly, that did not leave sufficient time to complete the transport of all the belongings. If this happens to you, it will mean:

• you’ll may be unable to use the elevator at your new building when you need it
• may have added fees to request access to use the elevator,
• you will face costly delays, particularly if another resident is using the elevator ahead of you and will add to your moving expenses because you’ll need to pay your movers for the time they have waited to move you.
• you may need to hire additional movers to help you move in more quickly and this, too, will add to your moving costs.

BE MINDFUL OF THE LITTLE THINGS

Some apartment and condominium complexes…

• have service elevators that open out into the parking areas of the main building.
  • This adds distance from the elevator to the awaiting moving trucks.  Be aware of the extra time it will take for the movers to transport your boxes and crates.

• may have special time restrictions on elevator bookings.
  • When talking to your building manager or concierge, find out if this is the case. If it is, make sure your moving company knows about this ahead of time.

• may have special regulations around freight or moving van parking to prevent inconvenience for residents by your move.
  • Because your moving company will be bringing a truck or large van, double-check to be sure that you reserve the designated loading areas. This is especially true even if you’re only using the moving company’s packing services. It is generally a standard policy that you reserve a parking area for the moving truck

• may have special policies or restrictions that your professional moving company should prepare for, such as:
  • maximum heights for loading docks
  • policies preventing noise from early morning or late-at-night moves
  • a post-move clean-up policy, to keep the elevator looking clean
• have a special room next to their dedicated service elevators

IT’S ALL IN THE PLANNING

Take the time to plan ahead. Work with your professional moving company. Prepare to book the elevator reservation well ahead of time for your move. The manager or concierge may even give you extra help in your planning and suggest the best times to move, usually when most of the residents will be away. We at Paramount Moving hope that these tips will help you to be prepared for your upcoming move and for that time when you need to book an elevator for the move.

At Paramount Moving, we like to reframe our thinking: we are “budget-friendly.” We find ways to give you a quality experience of moving, that matches the realistic budget we have worked on together. We know ways to help you work through the stress of a move, from hiring the right movers to obtaining quality moving supplies. Based on our years of experience as one of the premier, but budget-friendly movers, familiar with all sorts of situations, we have put together this checklist we believe will help you:

I have hired professional, highly-recommended movers, and affordable movers

• Professional movers will save you time and money.
• They know how to pack efficiently, safely, and skillfully.
• Professional affordable movers have the equipment, supplies, and experience to help you.
• By purchasing Paramount Moving’s full-service packing plan, you can continue your usual schedule, avoiding the cost of needing to take time off from work or looking for pet and child care while packing.
• Paramount Moving comes highly recommended, fully insured, and with clear billing policies.

I created a schedule that works for us and our cheap moving company

• Conditions change if moving in different seasons, months, days, and hours.
• Winter moves have different challenges than spring or summer moves.
• Avoid the first and last few days of the month.
• Weekday moves are less stressful than weekend moves, as are moves that may require driving in rush-hour traffic.
• Paramount Moving will help you choose a workable schedule for comfortable and cheap moving.

To cut costs, people may insist on packing their own belongings. Paramount Moving can even help you there. There are many ways people try to pack up their belongings. We strongly suggest the following:

• Rely on your affordable moving company’s knowledge about the best boxes to use.
• Make sure they are heavy-duty moving boxes.
• Only pack items in used boxes if they have not been bent or patched in any way.
• Check with friends or family members who may have moved. They may have extra unused or previously used, but still adequately strong boxes.
• Check on your moving company’s access to moving bins.
• Using bins is often a less expensive and often less time-consuming way to pack belongings in containers that are rented and re-used.

I have taken care of our unnecessary things to reduce work for Calgary low-cost movers

• Decide on the things you should leave behind and how you will take care of them.
• Having less, you will be charged less and save time and money.
• Our Paramount Moving staff suggests you take the time you need, rather than making, stressed, last-minute decisions to decide on what you need to pack or leave behind.
• Consider selling, donating, or recycling the things you can leave behind.

• Think about what items are fragile before you pack them. Fragile is: “Can the object survive a waist-high drop?
• Collect good amounts of packing materials, such as bubble wrap and packing paper 
• Low-cost packing materials may be newspapers, older T-shirts, bags of cotton pads and old towels. 
• Check to be sure the box is well-filled. Extra space may leave room for objects to move and break. Fill those empty spaces with extra packing materials to prevent any kind of movement. Be innovative,  time- and cost-effective: look for what you have in your own home to help you.

Paramount Moving is ready to help you whether you are planning a commercial move or an apartment move at an affordable price.

“This was the best moving experience–ever!” Moving Company Reviews…and you!

When YOU have the power!

We live in an era promoting positivity. Great reviews of products and services, from banks to dentists, from tiny ice cream stores to multi-store franchises, are eagerly requested and encouraged by customers and clients. Moving companies in Calgary rely on great reviews, too.  Customers and clients have great power either to make…or break…a product’s popularity and a service’s reputation, particularly when it comes to moving company reviews. That is one of the ways how to choose the best moving company in your city.

What is the value of a moving company review?

As with anything that seems small: a dime, a 100 calories, a push-up…all by themselves, they do not seem much, but when added to others, the dime becomes a dollar and the dollar becomes several hundred; the calories become 1000 and effects up or down are seen, and the push-up? Ten or twenty a day, and great things start to happen. The same is true for a review.

All by itself, it may not seem like much, but when added to others that support or warn against hiring a certain moving company, that moving company review takes on significant power. The moving company reviews are useful and powerful in the following ways:

• These reviews help you to avoid generally poor companies and direct you to better ones.
• Moving company reviews give you a trend to observe:
  • Some reputable moving companies, with trustworthy movers, fair pricing, and well-maintained equipment with excellent protection of the residence and belongings,  generally receive positive reviews.
  • Poor moving companies with lazy movers, shocking cost surprises, and substandard equipment and protection of homes and belongings are given reviews to warn people away.
• You avoid feeling alone in making your decision for…or against…hiring a certain moving company; you join with others who support your experience.
• The reviews may help you to form questions that you might ask other companies when making your decision: What do you charge? How long have you been in business?

Things to watch out for when using reviews.

1. Select a few companies at a time to research

   • Take the time to shorten your list of companies you want to research to three or four. There are many moving companies in Calgary, and there are thousands of moving company reviews you may end up reading. You may find this approach may waste your time, and valuable time you could have used to prepare for your move. Choose companies you believe to have a solid reputation. Reading those reviews may help you with your final decision

2. Reviews are opinions rather than facts: see them in perspective.

   • Look carefully at how many people have reviewed any moving company. Only one review, whether it is good or bad, is not enough of a trend to decide for or against a company. People who use a service may forget or be uninterested to write a positive or even a negative review about it. However, many reviews that are positive or negative will give you an idea of the general experience people have had with a moving company.

The information a moving company review reveals.

The power of another person’s experience

• Yes, the moving company ruined some priceless objects. The moving company may be silent on that: the customers will tell all.
• “It happened to me”: Rude comments from the moving team, the movers have dirty uniforms, the moving company uses poor-quality packing materials– all these comments and more will all come out on the comments or feedback page, even when the moving team kept quiet about them.
• You see the company’s integrity to let a few negative comments appear despite the many, many other positive ones. Moving companies are made of people, like you and me, and mistakes happen, but this moving company is willing to let those comments appear, but they do better the next time.
• You learn about the company’s punctuality, attitudes, and professionalism. They may advertise that they are punctual, have a great attitude, and treat clients professionally, but the reviews will either agree with or disagree with those statements.
• Stories about hidden fees that affected the moving costs may help you to decide. There are stories about companies that fail to reveal what the customer will actually have to pay. For example, a company does not tell customers that they will be paying both hourly rates with mileage for local moves. Then, when the final bill needs to be paid, that fact is revealed. The bill may be paid, and the company may forget about what was done; however, the customer will always remember…and post that story on a comments page.

Ways to help you research

Even with all the reviews, you may read through, a moving company review gives only part of the story. For the rest of the information, take the time to contact and talk with a representative of the moving company. 

From your talk with someone from the moving company, you can ask about things you have read.

Here’s what you will gain from this research:

• Based on your conversation, you can get a firsthand impression of the company’s professionalism. For example, how the patient was the representative in answering your questions.? How carefully and clearly did the representative answer your questions?
• Learn about the rates. Will you be charged hourly, by distance travelled, a combination of these? You need to know what you’re going to pay for and how.
• How long has this company been in business? In a moving company check, you may not learn how long this moving company has been operating. The length of time that this moving company has been doing business definitely says something about that company and also their reputation. Newer companies may have more enthusiasm and better equipment than older companies. Older companies may have much more experience with moving challenges. These are some things you may need to consider.
• Are you licensed and insured? This is a question a lot of customers fail to ask. To cut costs, some moving companies may choose to do without proper insurance and licensing. In turn, they can then advertise cheaper rates to attract customers. Usually, clients find out that insurance and licence missing by the end of the move. It is important to check what moving companies tell you about their professional licensing, insurance, and other operational certification on their website and displayed in their physical office. If there is nothing mentioned or displayed,  ask. If the company is unwilling or even uncooperative to discuss the topic, move on. This company will be a waste of your time and money.
• Are your trucks and equipment well-maintained and certified? Moving Company should protect end secure your belongings during transportation. It is a good idea to ask about the condition of the trucks and the kind of equipment that the moving company uses.

Get the confidence you need by doing a moving company check

With these questions, you can learn a little bit more about the moving company you want to hire. With these facts in hand, then spend some time reading the reviews.  This two-step process, research and reading reviews, will give you the confidence that you are choosing a good moving company.

From your research, you may get facts that the reviews overlook. From the reviews, you can find out other information about the company. You can learn if it has a good response time when returning customer calls, if the moving company carries out a thorough estimate of your home and belongings before making a quote, and how well the moving company communicates with you. Simply put: a moving company should be attentive to your needs, be prompt when responding to calls, and show you that they want your business.

Get ready for a great day!

Celebrate! You look around and you see how big your company has grown! Well done! Along with that growth, you realize you have a new opportunity for growth: finding an even better space to expand. Now, its time to find out how to move an office? It will mean relocating your entire office but you have faced other challenges, and Paramount Moving, one of Calgary’s premier office moving companies, is ready to take you to that next level.

We understand how you want to keep your business going, even while we are moving you. Our team is ready to help you with that challenge, too. We are ready to help you move all those office supplies, every chair, and desk, every piece of equipment big and small.  At this time of both an at-home or in-office business, we realize that your office might need to be closed. We understand your concerns that this move will disrupt your business for a few days while every piece of equipment is being installed at your new location. We care about your office and business as if it were our own.

So, what will Paramount Moving, your Calgary office moving company, do for you?

With Paramount Moving, you can count on us helping you in these ways:

• Mapping out your move with you, long before our trucks and crew arrive
• Using our expertise to guide you, looking over your old and new office spaces,
• Surveying your inventory, logging it down, analyzing your moving needs.
• Creating a guaranteed quote from all our research,
• Offering our expertise to answer your questions about logistics, time, and costs.
• Provide our full-service moving package, if you choose that option, or explain our various packing alternatives.

When “Moving Day” arrives

When the day of your move arrives, our professional and skilled movers will efficiently take care of your office move. Guided by our five key values, TRUST, INTEGRITY, RELIABILITY, TEAMWORK, and CARE we are dedicated to keeping your schedule, budget, moving goals and plans in mind. Because we are one of Calgary’s top-of-the-line moving companies, at Paramount Moving we fully understand that each minute counts, each dollar spent needs to be used well, and each client and each element of your business needs to transition smoothly from one location to another.

The Paramount Promises              

1. Efficient and innovative moving strategies    

At Paramount Moving, we strive to get you to your new location, using efficient and innovative approaches. There will be challenges, but you can count on our moving team to find the best way to work around each of those challenges. We often turn to often-overlooked approaches long before the move begins and even during the move itself.

2. Skilled office set-up

Your main goal is to have your new office set up according to your own plans. We want that for you, too. We keep your goals in mind. What is our #1 priority as one of Calgary’s exceptional office moving companies? It is to give you a smoother and stress-reduced transfer from your older location to your newer one. With years of experience, we use various strategies to pack away any piece of office equipment or furniture, all well-labeled. You can rely on us to transport, unload and set up your office equipment exactly as you tell us, in your new office setting.

3. Protection of your equipment

From filing cabinets to filing boxes, from trophies in display cases to special mementos in your office…to us they are the same: your treasures, and we treat them that way. In fact, we will move your office as if it were our own. We use the best materials to pack and protect everything you own that we need to move. Paramount Moving will put down special protection for floors, walls, and doors. We will confidently pack away each item and expertly carry each heavy box from your office location, to our truck, and then into your new office space. We stand by our pledge that your possessions will arrive in the same condition as they were in your previous location. As your Calgary office movers, the time we take to move you can be the time you use getting more comfortable with your new office space and all the amenities around it. 

We are Paramount Moving: We can move mountains…one rock at a time!

When you move from home to home, you make new and perhaps even better memories. Moving an office though is even more than that. It may mean better business opportunities, increased profits, and greater growth. There are a number of things to think about when you want to move your office, and so you need office movers who will make the move work best for you. Paramount Moving is one of the premier Calgary movers for relocating your office. Let’s show you some things that are good to take time to work through when it comes to moving your office.

7 steps to relocate your office

Fix a date at least six months in advance to begin planning your office move

As experienced office movers, we have seen the difference in stress levels between those who plan far in advance, and for those who put off planning for the move until it is a crisis. There will be challenges to the move, but if they are taken care of earlier, they will make office relocation move ahead much more easily. Our professional movers at Paramount Moving suggest beginning to plan your move at least six months from the date when you must move. In fact, we would advise office managers to think at least a year, or if possible, two years, in advance. We will work with you and then, together, we will create a plan that will work for you. The best piece of advice we can give is this: make your moving plans as soon and as much in advance as possible.

Involve your staff early in the planning of an office move project and then the actual move

You have built a good business on good business models. Communication has been a key to this. Now is the time to use that skill with your staff on all levels. Depending on your office size, we would suggest a general meeting with your staff to inform them about your plans to move.  

If your office is much larger, then send an email out to all staff members to make them aware of the coming move. Following that, hold smaller group meetings of different sections and make sure those sections coordinate with each other. The key is to communicate. Make sure questions are answered with clear and definite answers. Respond to concerns in the same manner: clearly and authoritatively.

Our extensive experience has shown us that these steps help to settle the fears of staff members about how to move an office, with questions such as these:

• What can we do now to prepare in advance for the move?
• Can we expect our office to be like on the other side?
• What duties can be assigned to help us with this entire procedure?

Plan to visit your new office space

Take the time to look over your new office space. As the office manager, you may wish to go ahead first and then take your office team. This way, you can all get a feel for your new location before settling in. We have learned that this is a very important part of the office move because it helps everyone feel more at ease about the upcoming changes.

Hire skilled movers for packing and unpacking equipment

Every office is unique! Moving delicate equipment has one basic principle: rely on office movers who know what they are doing to disassemble and reassemble your equipment. Yes, moving computer systems will be challenging, but there are other kinds of equipment that need to be packed and unpacked with similar professional care. 

We consistently inform our clients that moving office equipment is more than just unplugging a monitor and putting it in a box. We know that making certain mistakes during the moving preparation and then future set-up could result in expensive losses. 

These losses and disappointments are what we at Paramount Moving want to avoid. We are dedicated to making sure each aspect of your move is handled with professional expertise.

Make sure your data files are backed up and protected

All vital computer data should be copied onto hard drives or stored in a safe and transferable manner. We advise that you use the best possible protection to secure this data. This data will later be accessed at your new office. Discuss how this data will be transferred to your new location with our staff at Paramount Moving.

Get rid of unnecessary paperwork

Going through filing cabinets, shelves, and storage areas and discarding unneeded documents and binders is helpful. Take the time to decide which documents need to come with you and which ones can be shredded. Recycle binders and documents boxes to reduce the costs of transporting materials.  You will probably get rid of anyway at your new location.

Stay in contact with your Calgary movers and ask for a suggestion on how to move an office in the best way

At each step along the way, let us know at Paramount Moving – Office Moving Division,  how we can help you with this crucial move. We have both the expertise and the experience to guide you well. It is always our goal to help create the best possible moving experience for you! From the first paper put into a document box to the final handshake at the end of your move.

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