In short
- Most Glebe houses were built before 1914, many subdivided into rental apartments, so stairs set the crew size.
- A crew of two with a truck starts at $129 an hour on one Ottawa card; a 3-bedroom house runs $1,645–2,120 on another firm's list.
- The drive is short, so the one-hour travel charge and the minimum hours are a big share of the bill.
- TD Place events and the Great Glebe Garage Sale restrict street parking on set dates.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 movers + 20 ft truck, local move | from $129/h | One Ottawa firm’s list; suits up to a two-bedroom apartment |
| 3-bedroom house, local move | $1,645–2,120 | First Rate Movers’ typical total for the house |
| Each flight of stairs (7 steps) | $30 | One Ottawa firm, on top of the hourly rate |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026: ottawabestmovers.ca, Prices (rates); First Rate Movers, Local Moving in Ottawa (totals by home size); Move-Ottawa Movers, Our Prices (stairs, pianos); Wikipedia, The Glebe (boundaries, housing, Lansdowne); Glebe BIA, Garage and Sidewalk Sale guide (2026 street rules); City of Ottawa, Parking (Traffic and Parking By-law 2017-301); Ontario.ca, Hiring a mover. The company that calls you quotes its own price.
A short move with old stairs
The Glebe sits just south of downtown. The Queensway marks the north edge, the Rideau Canal the east and south, and Dows Lake, Carling Avenue and LeBreton Street South the west. Its 2016 population was 13,055. From the core it is a few minutes of driving, so the bill comes from the work at the doors.
That changes how you read a quote. Ottawa companies charge a minimum number of hours and add one hour of travel at the same rate. On a short move those two lines can be half of the total. The moving cost guide shows how the clock runs.
Houses from the streetcar era
The Glebe was opened for development in 1870, and the streetcar reached Bank Street in 1891. Most of the houses date from before 1914, and many are detached. Many houses were later split into apartments or rooming houses.
For a crew this means three things:
- Staircases. Sofas, box springs and wardrobes are measured against the stairwell before they are carried.
- Several households in one house. The front door, the shared hall and the stair may belong to someone else. Ask the landlord which route the crew may use.
- Basements and attics. Every flight adds time. One Ottawa firm charges $30 for each flight of seven steps on top of the hourly rate.
Give the number of flights at both addresses when you write the request. The crew size follows from that, and one firm’s time table gives 9 to 12 hours of loading and unloading for a 3–4 bedroom house, before travel.
What it costs
Rates differ by firm. One Ottawa card starts a pair of movers and a 20 ft truck at $129 an hour and a crew of three on a 26 ft truck at $175. First Rate Movers prints typical totals for houses: $1,645–2,120 with three bedrooms, $2,100–3,120 with four. The day of the week, the crew and the access move those totals, and the company that calls sets its number after it hears about the stairs. A written quote should state the hourly rate, the minimum, the travel charge and any charge per flight. For a flat in a converted house see apartment moving.
Pianos and heavy pieces
One Ottawa firm prices pianos from $250 for an apartment piano to $610 for a baby grand, plus HST. A second firm bills a flat $250 for any item above 275 lb, moved between main levels only. If the piano sits upstairs, say so first; see piano moving.
Parking, Bank Street and event days
The by-law limits that matter on Glebe side streets are three daytime hours on an unsigned block, 9 m of clearance at intersections, 3 m at hydrants, and a full ban on any roadway 6 m wide or less. A truck that cannot stand at your door means a longer carry, and that is billed time.
Events change the picture. Lansdowne Park hosts the Redblacks, the Gee-Gees and the 67’s at TD Place. The Great Glebe Garage and Sidewalk Sale was held on Saturday, May 23, 2026. For it the BIA announced no visitor parking on Glebe Avenue and First to Fourth avenues between Lyon and O’Connor. Check your date against the calendar. In winter a declared parking ban can empty the street overnight; see winter moving.
Your rights as a customer
Three written estimates is Ontario’s advice. Once you sign, the written-contract rule and the 10% cap apply, and a mover may not keep your goods to force a higher payment. See the contracts guide and the quote checklist.
Who picks up the request
A Glebe request leaves Ottawa Moving Desk for one independent mover. Its office asks how the staircases turn and where the truck can stand, then gives a price. Streets just north are on Centretown.
Questions to ask the company
- How many movers do you send for a three-storey house with a narrow staircase?
- How is the one-hour travel charge applied on a move this short?
- Where will the truck stand, and what happens if the street has a no-parking sign that day?
- What is the minimum number of hours, and does it change on a Friday or at month-end?
Have this ready for the call
- Measure the front door, the stair turn and the landing before you count on a sofa or a dresser fitting.
- Check the street for signs on both ends the day before, and photograph any posted dates.
- In a house split into units, ask the other tenants or the landlord which door and stair the crew may use.
- Count the flights of stairs at both addresses, basement and attic included.
Questions people ask
Do Glebe streets need a parking permit for a moving truck?
A truck that follows the posted rules needs no City permit. On an unsigned block the three daytime hours can run out during a full house move, and event days add restrictions, so read the signs the day before and ask the company where it will stand.
Why does a short Glebe move still bill several hours?
Ottawa companies set a minimum of three hours or more and add one hour of travel at the same rate. Stairs and a long carry from the truck add more. A short hop across the neighbourhood therefore still bills several hours. Ask for the minimum and the travel rule in writing.
Can movers handle a heritage home with narrow stairs?
The crew decides after hearing the layout. Give the number of flights, the width of the stairwell and where it turns, and name the largest pieces: sofa, wardrobe, bed, desk. Large pieces may be taken apart first, and on the call the company says whether it wants to see the house first.
Is a football game at Lansdowne a problem on moving day?
It can be. TD Place hosts the Redblacks, the Gee-Gees and the 67’s, and events change parking nearby. The Great Glebe Garage Sale in May closes streets as well. Give the company your street and ask it to check the Lansdowne and BIA calendars before it books the date.
Who pays if the movers scratch a banister in an old house?
The written contract sets responsibility. Ontario.ca advises asking who is responsible for damage or loss and what the coverage includes, and checking your home insurance. Photograph the stairs and floors beforehand and note any damage on the paperwork before the crew leaves.
