A 1-bedroom condo move usually takes 4 to 5 hours with two movers. A 2-bedroom usually takes 6 to 8 hours with two or three movers, and a full 2-bedroom going from North York to downtown Toronto can run 8 to 9 hours door to door. If you want us to pack for you, add 3 to 6 hours on top, depending on the size of the unit.
Those numbers come from our own crews at Fireland Moving, where we have been moving people since 2015 and now handle 40 to 50 condo moves a month across the GTA. But in a condo, the furniture is only half the story. The elevator, the loading dock, the length of the hallway and how ready you are when the truck arrives decide whether you land at the low end of that range or the high end. Here is how it really breaks down.
Condo Moving Time: The Short Answer
- 1-bedroom condo: 4 to 5 hours, 2 movers, a 10 to 12 foot truck
- 2-bedroom condo: 6 to 8 hours, 2 to 3 movers, a 20 foot truck (24 foot if you have big pieces)
- Professional packing: 3 to 4 hours for a 1-bedroom, 4 to 6 hours for a 2-bedroom
- Not being ready when the crew arrives: 3 to 4.5 extra hours
How Long Does It Take to Move a 1 Bedroom Condo or Apartment?
Movers and Truck Size for a 1 Bedroom Apartment
For a 1-bedroom we send two movers. Two experienced people can get through tight condo hallways, manage the elevator and carry the heavy pieces, like a mattress or a sofa, together without waiting on anyone.
The truck is usually 10 to 12 feet, which holds about 400 to 450 cubic feet. That fits a queen bed set, a sofa or loveseat, a coffee table, a small dining set or desk, a TV unit and 20 to 30 medium boxes. If the place is lightly furnished, a cargo van can do it. If the unit is heavily furnished or you have balcony furniture, we size up to a 16-foot truck so we never need a second trip.
What a Typical 1 Bedroom Move Day Looks Like
A smooth 1-bedroom takes 4 to 5 hours from the moment the crew arrives to the last item placed in the new unit. The day usually goes like this:
- The crew arrives, checks in with the concierge, and protects the suite door, hallway, lobby and elevator
- The lead mover checks the elevator key and locks the elevator in service mode
- Furniture is wrapped, beds are taken apart if needed, and loading starts
- The truck drives to the new building and checks in at the loading dock
- Everything goes up, beds and furniture are put back together, and boxes go into the right rooms
Real Example: A Vaughan Condo Move That Took Longer
On a recent move into a building in Vaughan, the elevator was too small for the larger pieces. The new unit was on the third floor, so the crew carried the piano and the other big items up the stairs. That added about an hour and a half to unloading and setup.
None of that was in the customer’s control, and it is a good example of why we ask about the destination building before move day. The crew took the time to do it carefully, and the customer left us a 5-star review and tipped the team. In our view, a move that runs 90 minutes long but arrives without a scratch is a good move. A fast move that damages a piano is not.
How Long Does It Take to Move a 2 Bedroom Condo or Apartment?
How Many Movers for a 2 Bedroom Apartment or Condo?
A 2-bedroom can be done with two movers, but for condos we recommend three. Long hallways, strict elevator time slots or any stairs slow two people down far more than three. The third mover keeps the cart moving between the unit and the elevator while the other two carry, so you finish inside your elevator window and avoid paying for extra hours.
What Size Truck for a 2 Bedroom Apartment?
Most 2-bedroom condos fit in a 20 foot truck, about 750 to 800 cubic feet. That holds two bed sets, dressers, a sofa set, a coffee table, a dining table with chairs, an entertainment console and 30 to 50 or more boxes. An oversized sectional, several large dressers or patio furniture can push it to a 24 foot truck.
Real Example: North York to Downtown Toronto
One of our recent 2-bedroom moves went from North York to a condo in downtown Toronto with a full 24 foot truck. Loading and unloading together took 6 to 8 hours, and the whole day ran 8 to 9 hours door to door.
What pushed it to the long end was not the drive. It was the contents: valuables, glass pieces and fragile items that each needed their own wrapping and careful handling at both ends. If your home has a lot of glass, art or heirloom furniture, plan for the upper end of the range. If you are moving out of North York, our North York movers page explains how we plan these moves.
Why Being Ready Matters More Than the Number of Bedrooms
Customers are often surprised that their own preparation changes the time more than the number of bedrooms. Here is the same 2-bedroom condo, prepared two different ways.
When the Customer Is Fully Ready
- Every item except the heavy furniture is boxed, taped shut and stacked near the front door or along the path to the elevator
- Beds and bed frames are taken apart and TV wall mounts are already off
- The freight elevator key or code is in hand and the elevator pads are up
- A parking spot for the truck is secured before it pulls up
In this case the crew loaded the whole 2-bedroom in 2 to 2.5 hours. They walked in and never stopped carrying.
When the Customer Is Not Ready
- Boxes are half full and left open, and drawers are still full of clothes and small items
- Shoes, lamps, kitchen utensils and loose bedding are lying around unboxed
- Beds are still made up and assembled, and electronics are still plugged in and wired
- Nobody picked up the elevator key from management, so the crew waited 30 minutes for concierge
The crew had to bring extra boxes, wrap loose items one by one, take every piece of furniture apart and wait on the building. Loading alone stretched to 5 to 6.5 hours.
That is 3 to 4.5 extra hours for the same unit. If you are paying by the hour, those hours go straight onto your bill. The cheapest thing you can do for your move is to be fully packed before we arrive.
How Long Does It Take to Pack a 1 or 2 Bedroom Apartment?
If you would rather we pack everything, including the kitchen, closets and decor, here is what to plan for:
- 1-bedroom condo: 3 to 4 hours with 2 packers
- 2-bedroom condo: 4 to 6 hours with 2 to 3 packers
For a 1-bedroom, we pack the same morning. The packers arrive around 7:30 or 8:00 a.m., and loading starts as soon as rooms are cleared, so everything is done in one day.
For a 2-bedroom, we pack the day before. Packing for 4 to 6 hours and moving on the same day turns into a 9 to 11 hour day, and in Toronto that almost always means running past your elevator slot or into the building’s evening noise rules. Day one is packing. Day two is loading, the drive and unloading. You can see what is included on our packing services page.
Toronto Condo Building Rules That Change Your Moving Time
Book the Elevator 3 to 4 Weeks Ahead
Reserve your elevator and loading dock 3 to 4 weeks before your move. If you are moving on the 30th, 31st or 1st, book 4 to 6 weeks out, because the popular downtown buildings fill those slots fast.
Ask for a 3 hour elevator window for a 1-bedroom and a 3 to 4 hour window for a 2-bedroom, at both buildings. That buffer is what keeps one small delay from costing you your slot.
Check the Loading Dock Height
Ask property management for the exact height clearance of the loading dock. Many underground docks in Toronto top out at 9 to 11 feet, and a standard 15 to 20 foot moving truck often will not fit. If yours won’t, the truck has to park on the street or in a lane, which can need a permit and adds carrying distance. Knowing this a week early saves a scramble on move day.
Get the Certificate of Insurance Sorted Early
Most Toronto condo buildings will not release the elevator key until your moving company sends a certificate of insurance naming the condo corporation. Buildings commonly ask for $2 million to $5 million in liability coverage. Ask your building exactly what it needs, pass that to your mover, and make sure management has the certificate before move day.
Know the Days You Cannot Move
Most Toronto condos do not allow moves on Sundays or statutory holidays. Check your building’s rules before you pick a date.
The Best and Worst Times to Move a Condo in Toronto
Best Days and Times to Move
- Tuesday or Wednesday, when traffic is lighter and there is less competition for loading bays and elevator slots
- Mid-month, roughly the 10th to the 20th
- A morning elevator slot, about 9 a.m. to noon, with the crew arriving at 8:00 or 8:30 a.m.
With that timing, the truck is loaded and on the road between about 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., after the morning rush and before the afternoon gridlock.
Worst Days and Times to Move
- The last two days or the first two days of the month, when lease turnover fills every lobby, elevator slots sell out weeks ahead, loading docks are crowded and one resident’s delay pushes back everyone after them
- Fridays and Saturdays
- Late afternoon, roughly 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., when rush hour on the Gardiner or the DVP, or on Front, King or Spadina downtown, can double the drive and make you miss an afternoon elevator booking at the new building
If your date is close and the good slots are already gone, our last-minute movers can help you work with what is left.
What Most People Get Wrong About Condo Moving Times
They Forget the Hallway and Elevator Distance
Most estimates count boxes and furniture. They miss that moving out of a condo is not a straight line to the truck. Every load means rolling down a 100 foot carpeted hallway, waiting for a freight elevator to travel 30 floors, and pushing carts through a long underground garage. In a high-rise, that can double the distance the crew covers compared with a house.
They Assume the Elevator Is All Theirs
A lot of online moving calculators assume you have the elevator to yourself for three straight hours. In real buildings, holds drop out, security holds the doors, and service keys time out. When someone promises a 2-bedroom condo move in under three hours total, they are usually picturing a ground-floor driveway, not a downtown high-rise. We would rather give you an honest 6 to 8 hours and finish early than promise 3 and run late.
What Our Crew Does First on Every Condo Move
Before a single piece of furniture leaves your suite, our lead mover does two things:
- Protects the suite door frame, the lobby entrance and the inside of the elevator with pads
- Checks the elevator service key and test-locks the elevator in service mode
It sounds small, but if the elevator drops out of service halfway through a load, you lose 15 to 30 minutes tracking down concierge or security. A padded, locked, clear path from your door to the truck keeps the load moving without stops and protects the building, which matters for your deposit and your relationship with management. Our crews always aim to finish before the time we gave you, so you can start enjoying your new home sooner.
Condo Moving Checklist for North York and Toronto
- Book the elevator and loading dock at both buildings 3 to 4 weeks ahead, or 4 to 6 weeks for month-end
- Ask both buildings for their loading dock height and certificate of insurance requirements
- Pick a Tuesday or Wednesday in the middle of the month, with a morning slot
- Box everything, take the beds apart and pick up the elevator key before the crew arrives
- If we are packing a 2-bedroom, book the pack day for the day before the move
Fireland Moving has been moving people since October 2015 and works out of North York, handling 40 to 50 condo moves a month across Toronto and the GTA. If you want a time estimate for your own unit and buildings, call us at (647) 684-4344 or see how our condo movers plan each move.