Apartment Movers Ottawa
Highrise, walk-up, condo, or basement apartment — we move 200+ Ottawa apartments per month. Elevator coordination, building COIs, parking permits, and tight stairwells handled by the team that’s done 19,905+ moves since 2010.
Why apartment moves need a specialist crew
House moves and apartment moves look the same on the invoice — same hourly rate, same crew sizes. But on the day of the move, they’re different jobs. An apartment move is a logistics puzzle with three moving pieces: your stuff, the building, and the elevator clock. Get any one wrong and the move stalls.
Here’s what an experienced Ottawa apartment crew handles that a generalist crew often misses:
- Elevator booking windows. Most Ottawa highrises require 1–2 weeks notice and assign 2–4 hour elevator slots. Show up without a booked elevator and you’re sharing it with residents — every load takes twice as long.
- Certificate of Insurance (COI). ByWard, Centretown, and Westboro buildings frequently require movers to file a COI with the property manager 48–72 hours in advance. We provide one free for any building that asks.
- Loading bay vs. street parking. Older Centretown walk-ups have no loading bay — you’re parking on Bank or Bronson with a permit. Newer Westboro and Glebe condos have a 20-minute loading dock window. Knowing the difference saves an hour per move.
- Stair-only walk-ups. Sandy Hill, Hintonburg, and Old Ottawa South have hundreds of 2–4 storey walk-up apartments. Two movers carrying a queen mattress up four flights is a 3-person job done badly.
Ottawa apartment moving rates
Apartment moves are billed by the hour at our standard 2026 rates. There’s no apartment surcharge, no walk-up fee, and no elevator-wait fee. See full pricing → or read the cost-of-movers guide →
Studio / 1-bedroom
$140/hr — 2 movers + truck. Typical move: 3–5 hours. Total: $420–$700
2-bedroom apartment
$180/hr — 3 movers + truck (most-booked). Typical move: 4–5 hours. Total: $720–$900
3-bedroom condo
$220/hr — 4 movers + truck. Typical move: 5–7 hours. Total: $1,100–$1,540
See your live apartment rate
Pick your date, crew size, and slot. The price you see is the price on the invoice — $100 deposit, refundable up to 72 hours before.
Book in 2 minutes →Highrise & condo moves: the building checklist
Before you book, confirm three things with your building’s property manager. Asking these questions in advance is the difference between a 4-hour move and an 8-hour move.
Your 5-step apartment-move prep checklist
- Book the elevator. Most Ottawa highrises have an online booking form or a phone line for the property manager. Reserve a 4-hour window starting 30 minutes before your scheduled mover arrival. Get the booking confirmation in writing.
- Request a COI from your moving company at least 72 hours in advance. Forward it to the property manager and confirm receipt. We email this within 4 business hours of request.
- Reserve loading-bay or street parking. If your building has a loading bay, book it. If you’re parking on the street, get a moving permit from the City of Ottawa (24-hour notice for residential streets, free).
- Pad the walls. Ask the building if they require corner protectors and door-frame pads. Newer condos require them; older walk-ups don’t. We carry them on every truck.
- Time the key handover. If you’re moving out and another tenant is moving in the same day, coordinate. The most common reason apartment moves run long is waiting for the previous tenant’s truck to clear the loading dock.
Walk-up apartment moves (Sandy Hill, Hintonburg, Old Ottawa South)
Ottawa has thousands of converted-house walk-ups, especially in Sandy Hill, Hintonburg, and Old Ottawa South. Common configuration: 2 storeys, narrow staircase with one or two 90° turns, no elevator, street parking only.
What makes walk-ups different:
- Crew size matters more. A 2-mover crew in a 3-storey walk-up will work harder and slower than a 3-mover crew, often costing more in total. We default-recommend 3 movers for any walk-up above the second floor.
- Furniture clearance. Older Sandy Hill staircases are 30–32 inches wide. A standard sectional sofa won’t make the turn — we’ll either disassemble or hoist through a window. We carry hoist straps on every walk-up move.
- No loading dock. Plan on parking on the street. We pull a moving permit for you if needed (free, 24-hour notice).
Ottawa neighborhoods we move daily
Apartment-dense neighborhoods we cover with same-day or next-day availability:
Centretown & ByWard
Highrise condos with strict elevator booking and COI requirements. We file the COI free, 4-hour turnaround.
Sandy Hill
Walk-ups, student housing, and converted Victorian flats. Tight stairwells, street parking only.
The Glebe
Mix of walk-ups and Bank Street condos. Loading-bay coordination required for most newer buildings.
Westboro & Hintonburg
Newer condo towers along Richmond Road. 20-minute loading dock windows are standard.
Kanata & Barrhaven
Suburban apartment complexes and townhomes. Free street parking, easy access. Travel fee from $60.
Orleans & Vanier
Lower-rise apartment buildings, mid-rise condos. Most have surface parking and no COI requirement.
Don’t see your neighborhood? Browse all Ottawa neighborhoods we serve →
Same-day apartment moves
Lease ended sooner than expected? Roommate situation changed? We hold same-day and next-day capacity for apartment moves. Our online order page shows live truck availability for today and the next 7 days. Same-day & last-minute apartment movers →
Storage between move-out and move-in
Apartment leases rarely line up perfectly with move-in dates. If you’re moving out on the 30th and into the new place on the 5th, we can store your belongings in our climate-controlled facility for the gap. See storage options →
Packing services for apartment moves
If you’re working full-time, packing the kitchen and closet usually takes longer than you expect. Our packing crews handle everything from kitchen cabinets to wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes — typically 4–8 hours for a 2-bedroom apartment. See packing service rates → or use our 8-week packing checklist → to do it yourself.
178+ five-star reviews from Ottawa apartment dwellers
Same hourly rate. No walk-up surcharge. Free COI. Book your apartment move in 2 minutes.
Book my move →Frequently asked questions
Do apartment movers in Ottawa charge a walk-up fee?
We don’t. Some Ottawa moving companies charge $25–$50 per flight above the second floor — ours doesn’t. Our hourly rate is the same whether you’re on the ground floor or the 4th-floor walk-up. If a walk-up adds significant time (it usually adds 30–60 min for a 1-bedroom), the hourly clock reflects that, but there’s no separate stair fee.
How much notice do I need to give for an elevator booking?
Most Ottawa highrises require 1–2 weeks notice and assign 2–4 hour windows. Smaller buildings (under 50 units) often allow 48–72 hour notice. Check with your property manager as soon as you have a move date, even before booking the movers. We can adjust our crew arrival to your elevator window.
What is a Certificate of Insurance (COI) and do I need one?
A COI is a one-page document from the moving company’s insurer confirming liability coverage for your specific move date and address. Most newer condos and downtown highrises in Ottawa require it. We email a COI free within 4 business hours of request. You forward it to your property manager.
Can apartment movers handle a basement apartment?
Yes. Basement apartments are usually faster than walk-ups — fewer stairs, often direct walkout access. Watch out for low ceilings on the staircase (under 6’8″), which can interfere with carrying box springs and tall dressers. We disassemble or hoist if needed.
Do you provide moving boxes for apartments?
Yes — small, medium, large, dish-pack, and wardrobe boxes available for purchase. We can deliver boxes 1–2 weeks before your move so you can pack at your own pace. See box pricing →
How long does it take to move a 1-bedroom apartment in Ottawa?
Most 1-bedroom Ottawa apartment moves take 3–5 hours from start to finish, including drive time between origin and destination. Walk-ups add 30–60 minutes. Highrise moves with proper elevator booking are usually on the lower end of that range.
Can you move me from a Centretown highrise to a Kanata condo on the same day?
Yes — cross-Ottawa apartment-to-apartment moves are our most common job. Total time is typically 5–7 hours including the drive. Travel fee from Centretown to Kanata runs $75–$95 one way.
Do you move student apartments in Sandy Hill?
Constantly. Sandy Hill student-housing moves spike in August and April. We hold extra crew capacity those months and offer flexible 4-hour minimum bookings for studios. Sandy Hill movers →
What’s the cancellation policy for an apartment move?
Your $100 deposit is fully refundable up to 72 hours before your scheduled move. Inside 72 hours, the deposit is held against the move. We’ll always work with you on rescheduling — call us as soon as you know your plans have changed.
Can you move just a few large items (couch, bed, desk)?
Yes. Our 3-hour minimum applies, so even a 1-hour single-item move bills as 3 hours plus travel. For very small loads, that often still works out cheaper than renting a U-Haul, fueling it, and recruiting a friend.
