Why the Choice Matters
You will hand a company the keys to your loved one's home and trust it with photographs, papers, valuables and the family's memories. You will also rely on its records if a beneficiary or the court later asks what happened to the contents. Choosing well protects the estate and your role as executor.
Start by understanding what good executor services look like: room-by-room sorting, protected keepsakes, value identified before anything is donated, and documentation at the end. Then ask every provider the questions below.
10 Questions to Ask Every Estate Clearing Company
1. Do you carry WSIB coverage and liability insurance?
If a worker is injured in the home and the company has no WSIB coverage, the estate can be exposed. Ask for a certificate. Liability insurance protects against damage to the home or building. Ours is $2M, and every crew member is background-checked and bonded.
2. Will I receive a written, itemized quote?
A phone estimate is not a quote. Look for a written quote after a walk-through, with clear scope tiers and a schedule. Ours arrives within 48 hours.
3. Will any fees be added later?
Red flag
Some companies charge an extra $400 to $800 in rush fees that should have been in the original quote. Ask for confirmation in writing that the quoted price is the price.
4. How do you handle papers and sentimental items?
The answer should be specific: papers set aside and logged, keepsakes boxed and held for family review, nothing personal discarded without approval.
5. Who identifies valuable items, and when?
Valuables should be identified before anything is donated or removed. Ask whether the company coordinates online auction, and what the fee is. Ours is 15% of hammer price with no upfront cost through MaxSold.
6. What documentation will I receive?
You should receive an itemized inventory, donation receipts, auction results and disposal manifests. Ask to see a sample.
7. Where do donations go?
Named partners are a good sign. We route to Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Salvation Army, Toronto Goodwill and community furniture banks, with receipts in the estate's name.
8. Do you use branded or unmarked vehicles?
Many families prefer discretion. Plain white unmarked vans mean the street sees a moving day, not an estate.
9. Who supervises the job?
Ask who will actually be in the home and who is accountable. At Estate Clearing Toronto, Catherine Delacroix attends the first day of every estate over $8,000.
10. Will you work with my lawyer and realtor?
A good company coordinates with your estate lawyer and realtor when you authorize it, so you are not the go-between for every question.
Comparing Providers Side by Side
| Question | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| Insurance | WSIB covered, liability certificate available |
| Quote | Written, itemized, tiered, with schedule |
| Extra fees | None after signing |
| Keepsakes | Held for family review, photographed for remote approval |
| Valuables | Identified on day one, auction coordinated |
| Records | Inventory, receipts, auction results, manifests |
| Vehicles | Unmarked on request or by default |
| Supervision | Named senior lead on site |
Franchise or Family-Owned?
Franchise brands and local companies can both do good work. What matters is who comes through the door, how they are trained and supervised, and whether the company has local relationships with donation partners and auction platforms. We are family-owned and Toronto-based, built out of a decade-plus in the local cleaning industry, and many of our clients come through estate lawyer and funeral industry referrals.
Red Flags to Watch For
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Price over the phone without seeing the home | The quote is likely to change later |
| No written quote | Nothing to hold the company to |
| Vague answers about papers and keepsakes | Important items may be lost |
| No proof of WSIB or liability insurance | The estate may carry the risk |
| Pressure to book immediately | A good company respects your timeline |
| No mention of receipts or records | The executor is left without documentation |
| Plans to haul everything in one day | Sorting is being skipped |
Questions About the Crew
Beyond the company, ask about the people who will be in the home. Are crew members background-checked and bonded? Are they employees or day labour? Who supervises them on site, and will that person be your contact? Will the same crew work the whole project? The answers tell you how the company treats a family's home when no one is watching.
Before You Sign
Walk the home with each finalist. Notice whether they ask about the family, the timeline and the paperwork, or only about square footage. When you are ready, book a consultation with us. It is free, confidential and comes in an unmarked vehicle, and you will leave with a clear answer to every question above.