Sometimes. That's the honest answer, and it's exactly why comparing two rental quotes is harder than it should be. We include delivery and pickup in the flat rate with no per-kilometre fee, but plenty of companies quote you a tote price and add the driving afterward.
The word "included" does a lot of work in this industry. Someone will tell you delivery is free, and they're telling the truth, right up until your address turns out to be eleven kilometres past the edge of the free zone.
So here's what to actually check, and why each one matters.
Pickup is the half everyone forgets
If you only ask one question, ask this one. Delivery and pickup are two separate trips, and a company can include the first while quietly leaving you the second.
There are three versions of this out there. Some companies include both. Some include the drop-off and bill the collection as a separate line. And some hand you the totes and expect you to bring them back yourself, which is the U-Haul model and the reason that comparison post exists.
That last one is worse than it sounds, because the return trip happens after you've moved. You're unpacking, you're tired, and there's a car full of empty plastic that has to go back across town. It's a small thing until the day it isn't.
What "delivery included" can still hide
Delivery being included doesn't mean delivery to you, on the day you want, for free. Things that commonly sit underneath it:
- A radius. Free inside a zone, then a per-kilometre charge past it. Fine if you're central, expensive if you're not, and the map is rarely on the pricing page.
- A minimum order. Delivery is free over a threshold, so the small package you actually need doesn't qualify.
- A window instead of a time. A four-hour window means someone burns half a day waiting. A scheduled slot doesn't.
- Floors and stairs. Some companies deliver to the ground floor or the lobby, and anything above that is a surcharge or your problem.
- Weekends. Saturday is when most people move and it's sometimes priced accordingly.
- A fuel surcharge. Appears at checkout, never in the headline number.
- A deposit. Usually refundable, but it's still your money sitting somewhere during the most expensive week of your year.
None of these are scams. They're normal ways to run a delivery business. They just make the advertised price useless for comparison, which is the actual problem.
Compare landed cost, not the headline
The only number that matters is what leaves your account. Run both quotes through the same list and the gap usually looks different than it did on the pricing page.
| Ask about | Why it matters | At ToteMove |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery to my address | Free zones have edges | Included |
| Pickup from the new place | The trip people forget | Included |
| Per-kilometre charge | Where quotes quietly grow | None |
| Minimum order | Small packages often miss it | None |
| Dolly | Often a separate daily rental | Included |
| Deposit | Your cash, held | None |
| Weekend or evening premium | Most moves are Saturdays | None |
| Rental period before overage | Short windows cost more than they look | 14 days |
What we include, plainly
Every package covers the totes, a dolly, delivery to your current address and collection from your new one, inside a 14-day window. Flat rate from $119 for a studio to $389 for a five-bedroom. No per-kilometre fee, no minimum, no deposit.
Delivery lands 7 days before your move date and we collect about 7 days after, which gives you a week on each side. We run 7 days a week including holidays, and you don't need to be home for either trip. Most people leave a note about where to put them.
The one real limit is geography. We cover 10 towns in the GTA West corridor, and if your address is outside that, we're the wrong company rather than an expensive one. The full rental process walks through the rest.
Why we do it this way
Flat-rate pricing is a bit less flexible for us. A delivery to Orangeville costs us more than one in Brampton, and we eat that difference.
We do it because the alternative is a quote that changes after someone has already decided. Moving week is expensive and stressful enough without an invoice that doesn't match the number you budgeted for. If you've ever been handed a bill with three lines you didn't expect on it, you know exactly why that matters.
Frequently asked questions
Do plastic moving box rentals include delivery?
It depends on the company. Some include it, some add it at checkout, and some deliver free only within a set radius before charging per kilometre past it. We include delivery and pickup in the flat rate with no per-kilometre fee and no deposit, across all 10 towns we serve.
Is pickup included, or charged separately?
This is the one to ask about. Plenty of companies include the drop-off and then either bill collection separately or expect you to return the totes yourself. Ask specifically whether collection from your new address is included, not just whether delivery is.
What does a delivery fee usually cover?
Normally one drop-off at one address inside a stated service area. It often excludes the return trip, addresses past a radius, stairs or upper floors, weekend slots, and any fuel surcharge. Each of those can be its own line on the final invoice.
Can totes be delivered if I'm not home?
With us, yes. We coordinate by text or call beforehand, and most customers leave instructions for a safe spot: garage, covered porch, side door. Policies differ between companies, so confirm rather than assume.
How do I compare two quotes fairly?
Compare landed cost. Add the tote price, delivery, pickup, dolly, any deposit, any per-kilometre charge for your address, and any weekend premium. A lower headline with four add-ons often finishes higher than a flat rate that already includes them.
If you're still working out which package size you need, the room-by-room count guide is more reliable than guessing from square footage, and the full pricing breakdown lists every package.