Things To Know When Considering a Removals Company

Things to know when considering a removals company

Moving house is tricky for anyone. Especially when you’ve got a whole house of belongings to move! When preparing to remove your belongings, it can be hard to know what’s best and where to start. It’s okay to feel a little lost. 

Luckily, I’ve compiled a list of tips and things to know when you prepare for removals.

As a student just moving into my new house, I certainly would have found these things handy!

 

Should I Use a Removals Company?

Navigating a move can seem especially daunting if you’re tackling it alone. 

 

Will it all fit in my car?

Will I have to hire a van?

Is it easier just to hire a company to do it for me?

 

The important thing here is not to panic. Take a step back and assess what you really need.

If you have a larger house…

It’s advised to hire a removals team to help. This is because good removals teams are trained to pack and move your items safely. Meaning packing will be quicker and a lot more efficient.

If you have a one or two-bedroom house…

You won’t have a massive amount of stuff and can probably fit it all into a hired van or your car. It might take more than one trip but there’s less to pack and keep track of. Just grab a willing group of friends or family members and you’ve got yourself a DIY moving team.

 

 

 

Research

What to look for when finding a removals company

If you’ve decided to hire help from a removals company, you want good service from a company you can trust. Here are a few good things to consider before enlisting the help of paid professionals.

 

Are they trustworthy?

Check if there are qualifications and professional accreditation listed by the company. You could also check to see if they’re members of any professional organisations or shortlisted for any official awards.

 

How much does the service cost?

What do they charge, and how are prices estimated? There are several factors to take into account when estimating costs. These include the amount of items you need to transport and the distance you are travelling. As well as the amount of time it will take to move all your belongings.

 

What services meets my requirements?

Comparison sites can be useful when making a decision. They allow you to easily compare the services offered by different companies.

 

How do I converse with them?

Ask them for breakdown of their estimate so that you know exactly what you’re paying for. Be honest when discussing with them. Make sure to notify them of any obstacles. Such as steep stairs or narrow corners that could make moving furniture difficult.

 

Protecting against accidental damage

 

Some house insurance policies will cover potential for damage during house moves. So it’s important to check you policy and see what it covers. Here’s a few things to make sure of:

 

Does your policy cover DIY moves? 

Or does it require you to hire professional movers? Some companies may not cover accidental damage if you’re moving everything yourself. Also check that your more valuable items are covered or otherwise ensured. This is because regular insurance may not protect them.

 

Check the insurance policies of any professional movers you hire. 

That way you can ensure that any damage costs will be covered.  So you can avoid surprise from any unexpected damage costs.

 

Remember to take photos.

This will act as evidence for the condition of your home before you left it. Taking photos of electrical wiring can also make it quicker to set up electronics at your new place.

So, you’ve calculated the logistics of your move. All the complicated stuff is over. But… How do you actually prepare for moving day? Well, lets take a look at some handy pointers…

On the Day

 

Making Removals Easier

 

Make an inventory of everything in your home. (yes, everything)

While it seems like a lot of work, making a list of your household items will definitely help you out in the long run. It can help you see how much stuff you actually have to move. It can also help you keep track of your items during the move. Doing an inventory check can make it easy to see if you’ve accidentally lost or forgotten something. If you incorporate a labelling system for your boxes, it can make things easier to find and pack.

 

Which leads me onto…

 

Create a labelling system

This can come in handy for knowing exactly what you have in your boxes. A good tip for labelling your boxes is to do it by room and contents. Also make sure to mark breakable things clearly as FRAGILE. So, you could have a box marked ‘FRAGILE, KITCHEN, DINING-WARE’. This would show that it belongs in the kitchen and has breakable contents. Make sure to label the box on more than one side so it is easy to see what’s inside regardless of its position.

 

Get rid of unwanted items

The weight of your shipment determines how much money it will cost. So take only the things you want and need. If you’ve been meaning to declutter your home, this could be the perfect opportunity. It also gives you less things to worry about moving in one piece!

 

Pack an Essentials box or overnight bag

It’s likely you won’t have time to pack your things all in one day. And it’s also possible that your belongings may not make it to your house the same day. Especially if you’re moving far away. So an essentials box could come in handy. You should include things that you’ll definitely need straight away. Such as toiletries and a spare change of clothes. You could also include utensils, a lunchbox, and things to keep you entertained.

Pre-packing will save you time and money

Even if you’re hiring professional packers, it can be a good idea to pre-pack some items. These could be small unbreakable things like cushions or books. Or anything else you feel you can do yourself. This will save you both time and money. As many companies charge depending on the amount of time spent packing.

BUT

Leave big and fragile stuff for the specialists. 

Things such as furniture and TVs are best left to those trained in handling big and breakable items.

 

Extra things to take care of

Still feel like you’re forgetting something? Here’s a list of things that could be missing from your removals plan. 

 

Have you…

 

Notified places about your change of address? 

This includes banks, insurance companies and electric and gas companies. (Don’t forget to tell your friends and family too!) 

(Make sure to take a meter reading before you move out, so you don’t get charged for what’s used by the new owners.)

 

Arranged to have your post forwarded? 

Sometimes we can forget to notify a company or person, and letters for you can end up at your old address. Make sure you arrange a way for these letters to get to you. 

 

Cleaned the house? 

This lets you use up any half empty cleaning products, which will save you room when you move. Or, if you were planning on throwing them out, will reduce your amount of waste. You could also find a forgotten item that may have been left behind.

 

Remembered your keys? 

Collect all the keys for everything in your house. Then leave them somewhere safe and easy to find for the next residents. This will make their move easier too, and will also mean you won’t be liable for any ‘lost’ keys.

 

Checked your route? 

Heavy and big lorries may not be able to climb steep hills or manoeuvre around tight corners. So make sure to check that your journey is easy for you or your driver.

 

So there you have it! Hopefully this guide will make your packing and moving process much easier. Let us know in the comments if you have any other tips and tricks that you find useful!