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Our 10 top tips for a smooth removal…
Use a BAR (British Association of Removers) removal company
Moving to a new house is a costly process, and it can be tempting to try and save money by hiring a van and moving yourself. This can cause many issues and rarely saves you money. You will have to source all the packing and wrapping materials yourself, hire vans, rope in friends or family and pay any fuel, toll or even ferry charges yourself. When using a removal company all these problems are solved by them, so you can feel confident that the vehicle will be big enough, all your furniture will be wrapped and expertly loaded to the lorry for you, and there will be no hidden charges. We are experts in moving people, so let us advise you and help you move.
Get at least three quotes and don’t be guided solely on price
We would always strongly advise you to get three quotes, from local BAR removal companies. When choosing which of the three you’ll be using, of course you will compare price, but remember if one of the prices is a lot lower than the others, why is this? Is their quote for the same level of service as the other two quotes? Are there any hidden charges? Speak to all three and ask lots of questions, but also speak to friends and family, check online review platforms, and find out if they are all long-established companies with a good reputation.
Don’t be tempted by online quotations, always have an estimator visit
We can be as bold as to say ‘online quotations are a waste of time’, we can be as bold as to say this as we have almost 30 years’ experience doing removals and we know every single house is different. When an estimator visits he looks at many things, including access for different vehicles, packing materials needed, volume of furniture, specialist items needing attention, hazards at the property and many more. These cannot all be filled in on an online form. An online form may seem helpful to give you a guide but what if on the day it does not fit on the vehicle – it will be you fault for not filling in the form correctly. What if the lorry does not fit down the road – it will be your fault for not filling in the form correctly. The list of pitfalls goes on. Always have an estimator visit, it means the quote will be accurate, there will be no hiccups on the day, and best of all, it means you will have a chance to meet someone from each company.
If you’re using storage, visit the premises
If a removal company is looking after your whole home for any period of time, you’d like it to be safe. The simplest way is to visit their premises, have a look at their offices, yards and warehouse, check on the tidiness and organisation of the storage and meet some staff to see if they are all friendly and helpful.
If you can, use the packing service and dismantling service offered
Packing can be a huge task, houses almost always have more than 30 boxes and often have more than 100. Your time is better spent sorting through and throwing bits away, arranging stuff for the new house, doing the final deep clean or looking after children and pets. If your removal company pack and dismantle for you, it is possible to live normally right up to the removal day. Not to mention, your goods will all be fully insured in the boxes as they have been professionally packed and you will be able to sleep on your own bed the day before the removal and the night after the removal.
If you’d rather pack yourself, take the advice of the remover
If you’d rather pack yourself then take all the advice that will be given by the removal company. When the boxes are delivered we will give you a handy letter explaining everything you need, and in addition, the person delivering them will be a trained packer, so they will give you advice on everything. For example, which boxes are for what, how to pack china and glass, what needs to be packed and what doesn’t, which materials to use, etc. Take this advice; we are doing it every day so all we want is to make it easy for everybody.
Let children be involved in the moving process
For children, moving day can be a huge adventure, so keep them updated with what is happening and encourage them to see it as a great, exciting thing. This will keep them positive through the whole process, and if the kids are happy, it will be easier for everyone else! Plus, if they want to they may get to sit in the cab of the removal lorry!
Plan where pets will be happiest
The last thing you’d want on moving day is for a cat or dog to be trodden on or go missing. The simplest way to prevent this is to book them in for a stay at a cattery or kennels. These can be very reasonable and most animals will not be phased by the stay at all. The second option is to keep them at home, this is not ideal but it can work with careful planning. Firstly, choose a room that is completely empty and nobody will need to go in (think spare bathroom), and make sure they are going to be comfortable in there for the duration of loading. Then plan what you will do with the animal between sale and purchase. Remember you will be ‘homeless’ for a while, and in the worst case scenario, this could be quite a few hours, so plan accordingly. Lastly, think of somewhere the animal will be happy and undisturbed in your new home, throughout unloading.
Don’t hang around at your old home when it’s empty
It’s sometimes tempting for people to stay at their old home for as long as possible. With emotions running high we can understand why, but it won’t help the removal process at all. As soon as the lorry is loaded it is recommended that you lock the doors and take the keys to the sale estate agent, then go to your purchase estate agent and wait for the keys to your new home to be released. This process can already be riddled with delays, so best to avoid any more by not being ready to collect your keys.
Don’t start unpacking too soon
When the removal team are unloading it may be tempting to start unpacking boxes and trying to turn your house into a home. However, please remember that you will be needed to tell the guys where you’d like furniture placed, read meters, and perhaps have a clean round. It will be busy enough without having to try and start finding a place for each ornament. Unpack your essentials and then relax! There is plenty of time to unpack in the coming days.
For more information about our removals service, just give us a call on 0800 907 8484, email us at [email protected], or contact us via our website.
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