You have found the right piece of furniture, but how will you get it home? Before booking a truck, describe the item and where you want it delivered. Collecting a table at ground level is not the same job as taking a sofa through a narrow staircase and carrying it upstairs at another address. This guide helps you prepare a furniture transport request in Montreal and the surrounding area. It separates delivery, moving and installation so you can compare equivalent services and understand what is included before pickup.
Why define the job before asking for a price?
Furniture transport might mean collecting a packed item, carrying an assembled piece between homes or picking up a small order from a store. The vehicle is only part of the job. Handling and the exact delivery point matter too.
Start with a clear sentence: “I need this item collected from this address and placed in this location.” Add its size, the access details and any additional tasks. This helps you avoid comparing a doorstep delivery with a service that includes carrying furniture upstairs.
1. Which service suits one piece of furniture?
For one item or a few identified pieces, look for delivery or a small transport service. For the contents of a home, describe a move. For a packaged item, check the parcel service's acceptance limits: weight alone does not determine whether it qualifies.
Ask where collection starts, who handles loading and unloading, and exactly where the item will be left. If you would have to supply help, that should be clear before booking.
DTHV's delivery service can assess an individual item or a small load. Acceptance depends on the item and access conditions, not just the appearance of a sale listing.
2. How much does furniture transport cost?
The price depends on the route, the item, access conditions and the handling requested. A figure in an old advertisement or online comment may cover customer assistance or curbside delivery only, rather than the service you need.
Ask how the price is calculated and which tasks it covers. Compare the following points:
| Point to clarify | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Route | Which addresses and travel are included? |
| Handling | Who loads and unloads, and where will the item be placed? |
| Access | Have stairs, floors and carrying distances been considered? |
| Preparation | Who packs or disassembles the item if needed? |
| Timing | What does the agreement say if the item is not ready on time? |
| Price | What is the total, with applicable taxes and charges clarified? |
An hourly rate and a flat price cannot be compared by the headline amount alone. Ask how time is counted or what limits apply to the flat-price offer. Clarify the terms beforehand rather than treating a difficulty as automatic approval for an additional charge.
For moves, Quebec's Office de la protection du consommateur advises consumers to describe the property and access, compare offers and obtain a clear agreement.
Already have the measurements and access details? Describe your project in a DTHV quote request so the transport you need can be assessed.
3. How do you choose a furniture transporter?
First find out whether the company accepts your type of job. Then check its identity and the clarity of its offer. A good advertisement or a truck photograph does not explain who is responsible for the service.
Ask for the business name, contact information, a written description of the work and relevant insurance information. Disclose unusual features of the item instead of assuming they are covered. Give each company the same job description when comparing offers.
The guide How to verify a moving company in Quebec explains how to check the company's identity, Québec Enterprise Number (NEQ), quote and insurance information before booking.
For information provided directly by DTHV, see Trust and compliance.
4. How do you arrange a private-sale pickup?
A Marketplace or classified-ad purchase involves three parties: the seller, the transporter and the recipient. Each needs to know the time window and their role.
- 1. Confirm the exact item, measurements and condition with the seller.
- 2. Request useful photographs, including existing damage and difficult access points.
- 3. Confirm the full pickup address, floor and person providing access.
- 4. Arrange payment for the purchase with the seller; do not assume the transporter will advance funds.
- 5. Confirm that the item will be released and ready for collection.
- 6. Arrange for someone to receive it at the destination.
For a store purchase, check whether collection is from the shop or a warehouse and whether a third party needs written authorization. A transporter is not automatically responsible for resolving a buyer-seller dispute.
5. What matters for heavy or bulky furniture?
Measure the item and describe its route through the building: doors, corridors, landings and elevator. Mention tight turns, stairs and parts that cannot be removed. A single doorway measurement does not describe the entire route.
Illustrative example: two sofas may have the same length, but one has removable feet while the other is a single fixed piece. Handling may differ even between the same two addresses.
Do not assume that two available people make a heavy item safe to carry. Ask for the handling and equipment needs to be assessed. Pianos, fragile surfaces and unusually heavy objects need specific descriptions; this guide is not a lifting tutorial.
6. What should you include in a quote request?
Prepare these eight groups of information. If a measurement or weight is unknown, say so.
- Item
- Furniture type, number of pieces and a listing link if useful.
- Measurements
- Length, width, height and weight if known; identify unknown measurements.
- Photos
- A view of the item, its condition and visible features.
- Pickup
- City, address, floor, stairs or elevator, and the person available to provide access.
- Destination
- City, address, floor, stairs or elevator, the person available and the intended placement point.
- Access
- Narrow passages, parking possibilities and building restrictions.
- Date
- Preferred day, available time window and any flexibility.
- Tasks
- Requested packing, disassembly, reassembly or movement of an old item, to be assessed separately.
Send full addresses and personal contact details privately to the company, not in a public comment. These details help resolve questions that would otherwise prevent the service from being confirmed.
7. Are disassembly and reassembly included?
Not automatically. Identify the parts that need to be removed and reassembled, then ask for those tasks to be confirmed in the quote. Damaged or incomplete furniture cannot be assessed in the same way as an intact piece.
Keep available instructions and label hardware already removed. DTHV's furniture assembly service describes needs and limitations to discuss. Transport also does not automatically include connecting an appliance or completing technical installation work.
8. Paid transport or donation pickup?
Moving an item to a chosen destination and finding an organization that accepts a donation are different tasks. Before arranging delivery to an organization, confirm that it accepts the item, its condition and the proposed receiving or collection arrangements.
Do not assume that a donation includes free collection or that delivery includes removing an old item. Discuss those needs separately so the planned recipient is ready to accept the furniture.
If you want to dispose of the item instead, check Montréal's bulky-item collection information for your borough: accepted materials, schedules and placement guidelines. Municipal collection is separate from donating furniture or booking paid delivery.
How can DTHV assess your furniture transport?
Prepare the item's measurements and photographs, both addresses, access details and preferred date. DTHV can confirm whether the project fits the delivery service or whether another service needs to be considered, then clarify the proposed scope before pickup.
