You’ve bought your house and are ready to move to Nova Scotia – but how are you actually going to get your belongings from where you are now to your new home?
Long-distance moves can be intimidating. There are a lot of horror stories about movers underquoting a move, then holding a homeowner’s possessions hostage until they paid thousands of dollars over the quoted rate.
Hiring a moving service
If you want to hire movers, it’s important to know that scams are rampant in the moving industry. Looking for the lowest cost moving company is a risky move (pun intended). Research your moving company carefully to ensure they have a long history of happy clients and a professional online presence. Ensure they haven’t been featured in negative news stories! You can also join popular Facebook groups like Move to Nova Scotia and search the group for the company’s name, or ask group members for recommendations/reviews. Recently, a month-long investigation in Toronto resulted in the possessions of 22 families being recovered. Certainly, thousands of Canadians have been overcharged by fly-by-night companies that change their names frequently. If you’re going to use a moving service, ensure they have an excellent track record.
PODS, U Box, and Sea-Can moves
Another common way to move is to book a sea-can, U Box or a PODS service. The storage units are typically dropped off at your home, you fill them at your leisure, and then they are delivered to your new home. You can usually take your time unloading the units, and pay a monthly fee until they’re picked up. The company may even offer loading and unloading services, for a fee.
Be sure to get in writing that they’ll pick up from your address, and most importantly, deliver to your new Nova Scotia home. Some of these delivery services will not deliver to very rural areas in NS.
Check to see if the company you’re considering using offer a refund on unused units. They do not hold as much as you’d think, and you’d be surprised how many you’ll likely need for a standard 3 or 4 bedroom home. Consider ordering more and get a refund if you don’t end up using them, if that’s an option.
With the box options, be sure to clarify if the unit is waterproof or water resistant, and what recourse you have if any of your items are damaged during the move of while in the possession of the storage company.
As to what size you’ll need, some companies will send out a sales rep to help you select the right size unit. When in doubt, size up! Even the best Jenga packing master can underestimate how much space they need.
Move to Nova Scotia – DIY
Some homeowners choose a more DIY method. Our primary move choice was to buy a pickup truck and enclosed trailer. When we made our big move, we packed as much as possible into the truck and trailer and sold the trailer when we arrived at our final destination. If you take this route, I highly recommend you invest in high-quality trailer and hitch locks.
A final note
No matter which method you choose, check with your home insurance to ensure your belongings are covered during your move, during transit, and at your destination. Don’t assume you can leave your items stored indefinitely without a new home insurance policy.
