In short
- Two Ottawa firms print packer rates by the hour: $119 to $165 for 2 to 3 packers on one list, $140 for 2 packers on another, materials extra.
- One firm's quote guide puts a kitchen-and-fragiles pack at $325 to $700 and a whole home from $900 (1-bedroom) to $3,000 and more.
- Packing is billed on a clock that includes an hour of travel, and boxes, paper and tape are charged for what is used.
- Ontario advises asking whether the mover's insurance covers items you packed yourself.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 packers, per hour | $119 | One Ottawa firm’s list; 3 packers $165; 3 h minimum (2 h work plus 1 h travel); materials billed on top |
| 2 packers, per hour | $140 | A second Ottawa firm; extra packers $35 an hour; 3 h minimum with 1 h travel, plus materials |
| Partial pack, kitchen and fragiles | $325–$700 | One Ottawa firm’s quote guide |
| Full-home pack, 1-bedroom apartment | from $900 | Same guide; a large family home reaches $3,000 or more |
Sources. Move-Ottawa Movers, Our Prices, seen 29.10.2026. ottawabestmovers.ca, Prices, seen 29.10.2026. Men In Trucks, Packing Services Ottawa, seen 29.10.2026. Ontario.ca, Hiring a mover, seen 29.10.2026. Prices are before HST; the company that calls sets its own.
What a packing crew does
A packing crew arrives with paper, boxes, tape and labels and wraps what you point at. Kitchens and fragile items go first, because they take the longest and break the easiest. Each box gets a room name and a list of contents.
Some companies sell packing on its own. Others send the same crew to pack and to load, so the company that sealed the dishes answers for them. Ask which your company offers.
Full pack, partial pack or labour only
Two arrangements cover most requests, and unpacking at the new address runs on the same hourly clock:
- Full pack. The crew boxes every room, including closets and the garage. One Ottawa firm’s quote guide starts this at $900 for a 1-bedroom apartment and passes $3,000 for a large family home.
- Partial pack. The crew takes the kitchen, glassware, art and electronics. You box clothes, books and bedding. The same guide quotes $325 to $700 for kitchen and fragiles.
For a move where you load a truck or container yourself and only need hands, see moving help.
How packing is billed
Two Ottawa firms publish packer rates. One lists $119 an hour for 2 packers and $165 for 3, and a 3-hour minimum that counts the travel hour. The other lists $140 an hour for 2 packers, extra packers at $35 an hour and the same 1-hour travel logic, with materials added. Both state prices before HST.
Read the minimum before the rate: a studio that takes 2 hours still bills 3. Read the materials line too: both hourly lists leave boxes and paper out, and a third Ottawa firm says it bills materials by what the crew uses.
What moves the time
One Ottawa firm’s guide gives two packers 2 to 4 hours for a studio or 1-bedroom, 4 to 6 for a 2-bedroom and 6 to 10 for a 3-bedroom house, often over two days. Four things stretch that:
- Full kitchens with glass.
- Books and tools in many small boxes.
- Art, mirrors and TVs that need flat boxes.
- Attics and lockers nobody mentioned.
Timing around the move
One Ottawa firm typically packs the day before the move, so loading on moving day goes faster. Pack day suits a long-distance run, where the load rides longer; see long-distance moving.
In winter, ice at the entrance slows both crews, as the notes on winter moving explain. Around July 1, ask how early a crew can be booked: July 1 moving day covers why.
Insurance and what you keep with you
Ontario’s page on hiring a mover tells consumers to ask whether the mover’s insurance covers things they packed themselves, and to check their own home insurance. Get the answer in the contract. The page moving insurance and valuation goes through what to ask.
Keep cash, jewellery, passports, medication and chargers in your own bag. The Ontario page advises moving valuables and personal documents yourself.
What a written quote should include
- The hourly rate or the flat price, and the crew size.
- Where the clock starts and stops, and the minimum.
- Which materials are included and how extra boxes are charged.
- The pack date, the move date and whether it is the same crew.
- The insurance wording for packed and unpacked contents.
Ontario advises collecting at least three written estimates on the same scope. Bring the moving quote checklist to every call; contract rights are in moving contracts in Ontario.
Who packs
One independent mover gets the packing request from us and quotes the packers, the boxes and the travel. For a full move, start from local moving and mention the packing in the message.
Questions to ask the company
- Is packing quoted by the hour or as a flat price for my home size?
- Which boxes, paper and tape are in the price, and how are they counted at the end?
- Does the clock start at your office or at my door?
- Does your insurance cover the contents of boxes your crew packed, and the ones I packed?
- Can the same crew pack the day before and load on moving day?
Have this ready for the call
- A room-by-room list of what you will pack yourself and what you want the crew to pack
- Photos of the kitchen cupboards, the glass-front cabinets and any art on the walls
- Dimensions of mirrors, TVs and large frames that need flat boxes or crates
- A box of items that stay with you: cash, jewellery, passports, medication, chargers
- Food and cleaning products sorted: one Ottawa firm does not pack perishable food or hazardous materials, so ask your company for its list
Questions people ask
How long does it take to pack a one-bedroom apartment?
One Ottawa firm’s guide gives 2 to 4 hours for a studio or 1-bedroom with two packers, 4 to 6 hours for a 2-bedroom and 6 to 10 hours for a 3-bedroom house. Closets and a storage locker add time, so list them. The company that calls will give its own estimate.
Do packers bring their own boxes?
Usually yes, and the boxes are billed apart from labour, by what is used. One Ottawa firm bills materials as used; another prints its packer hourly rate and bills materials on top. Ask which box types are included and how extra boxes are charged at the end.
Is it cheaper to pack part of the home myself?
It can be. One firm’s guide quotes a kitchen-and-fragiles pack at $325 to $700, where a whole home starts at $900 for a 1-bedroom. Crews usually take the kitchen and art; you box clothes and books. Say the split in the request so the crew size matches.
What will packers refuse to pack?
One Ottawa firm lists cash, jewellery, passports and documents, prescription medication, firearms and hazardous materials such as propane, paint and cleaning chemicals as items to keep with you, and it does not pack perishable food. Ask your company for its own list before pack day.
Does the mover's insurance cover boxes I packed myself?
Ontario’s consumer page tells you to ask exactly that. One Ottawa firm says liability for boxes packed by the customer is typically limited to the outer carton. The answer sits in the contract, so get it in writing. Details are on the page about moving insurance and valuation.
