Who books the elevator
In a condo or rental tower, the resident books the elevator, not the moving company. Property management or the concierge controls the service elevator and the loading area, and they take reservations from residents. FleetGo plans the crew and arrival time around the slot you confirm, so the booking needs to be in place before the crew schedule is finalized.
If you are moving between two buildings, you need two bookings: one where you are moving out and one where you are moving in. The two slots have to work together, with enough time between them to load, drive and arrive. A morning slot at the pickup and an afternoon slot at the destination is a common pattern, but the right gap depends on how much you own and how far apart the buildings are.
What to ask building management
Every building writes its own move rules, and they are not always posted. Ask management these questions as soon as you have a moving date:
- How far ahead do reservations need to be made, and how are they confirmed (email, online portal, signed form)?
- Which days and hours are moves allowed? Some buildings block weekends, holidays or evenings.
- How long is a booking slot, and can two consecutive slots be reserved for a larger move?
- Is there a dedicated service elevator, and will it be padded and keyed for you?
- Where is the loading dock or loading area, and what is its height clearance for a moving truck?
- Is there a move deposit, fee or damage inspection before and after the move?
- Does the building ask movers for any documents before move day?
Write the answers down and include them when you request your quote. If management asks for documents from the moving company, send that request to FleetGo when you book so it can be reviewed before move day rather than at the dock.
Match the booking window to the size of the move
The most common elevator problem is a slot that is shorter than the job. A studio or one-bedroom move often fits comfortably in a standard window. A two-bedroom with a full kitchen, or any move with large furniture, may not.
Use your moving estimate as a planning figure, not a promise. FleetGo estimates are based on the information you provide, and the estimated hours are not a guaranteed maximum. Book a window that leaves margin beyond the estimate, and ask management what happens if a move runs past the end of the slot. If the elevator is unavailable or the building holds the crew at the door, that waiting time is billable under FleetGo's terms, so a slightly longer reservation is usually the cheaper choice.
Remember the three-hour minimum labour charge when you plan. For a small move, booking a longer window costs you nothing extra in labour, and it removes the pressure of finishing before the elevator is released.
Measure the large pieces before you book
Elevator cabs, doors and hallway corners decide what can move in one piece. Measure the elevator door width and height, the cab depth and the ceiling height inside the cab. Then measure the largest items: sofas, sectionals, mattresses and box springs, bed frames, dressers, desks and tall shelving.
A long sofa that will not fit flat can sometimes travel standing on end, so the cab height matters as much as the depth. Glass tabletops, mirrors and headboards need protection and a clear path.
Basic furniture disassembly and reassembly is included when it is reasonably required and within the booked scope, which solves many fit problems with beds and tables. Some pieces cannot be taken apart safely, and FleetGo does not guarantee that every item will fit through every elevator or doorway. Mentioning oversized items in your quote request lets the crew plan for them instead of discovering them in the hallway.
Truck parking and the loading area
The elevator is only half of access. The truck needs somewhere legal to stop that is close to the loading door. In many downtown towers the loading dock is shared, has a booking of its own, or has a height limit that a larger truck cannot clear. In that case the truck may need to stop on the street, which brings its own municipal rules.
Under FleetGo's terms, the customer arranges parking, permits, loading-dock access and building permissions. Ask management whether the dock booking comes with the elevator booking or must be reserved separately, and tell FleetGo the truck access details when you request your quote. The walking distance from the truck to the elevator affects how long the move takes.
A move-day timeline for condo moves
- One to two days before: confirm both elevator bookings in writing, and confirm that the elevator will be padded and keyed.
- The night before: pick up any fob, key or parking pass the crew will need, and clear a path from your door to the elevator.
- Morning of the move: tell the concierge the crew is coming, and confirm where the truck should stop.
- When the crew arrives: walk the crew leader through the unit, point out fragile and oversized items, and review the agreement before work starts.
- At the destination: meet the crew at the loading area with the access fob, and check that the second booking is ready.
- Before the crew leaves: walk through the new unit and raise any concerns with the crew leader while they are still on site.
Condo moves across the GTA
The same pattern applies across the region, but the details change by building and by city. Downtown Toronto towers tend to have busy streets, shared docks and tight move windows; the Toronto movers page covers how FleetGo plans around them. Mississauga and Vaughan have growing condo clusters with their own building rules; see the Mississauga and Vaughan pages.
For the service itself, including what the crew brings and how condo moves are scheduled, see condo and apartment moving.
Quick checklist
- Elevator booked at both buildings, confirmed in writing
- Loading dock or truck stopping area confirmed
- Slot length checked against the estimated hours, with margin
- Elevator and doorway measurements compared with your largest items
- Building document requests sent to FleetGo at booking
- Fobs, keys and parking passes collected the day before
When your bookings are in place, request a free FleetGo quote and include the building details so the crew and arrival time match your windows.