Moving house can be a stressful time, even without the thought of packing your whole life up in a van. It can seem tempting to save money and do it yourself, but you'll run the risk of damaging your personal belongings as well as wasting valuable time. If you hire a removal company, they will not only do all the hard work for you, but they will also give you complete peace of mind throughout the move as most removal companies will offer removals insurance.
We've put together this guide on the benefits of using a removal company for your move, including how to hire a removalist and what you should look out for when choosing a removal company. At Compare My Move, we aim to make your whole moving house process stress-free, saving you time and money along the way.
Is it Worth Hiring a Moving Company?
Whilst it's tempting to save money by doing it yourself, hiring professional removal companies in London and across the UK to do the hard work for you will actually help you save money in the long run. You don't want to run the risk of damaging sentimental items, scratching antique furniture or damaging your new home. Even for smaller moves it will be worth looking into man and van prices.
There are certain situations where it's a must to hire a moving company to help out. Don't be afraid to talk to the removal company beforehand to know you're both on the same page and understand the removal plan created. There are certain questions to ask your removal company so you know exactly what they can offer you.
You should hire a removal company if:
You're moving from a 1+ bedroom house or flat.
You're moving heavy and bulky furniture.
You have specialist and fragile antique items.
You want your items to be packed.
You have furniture that needs to be dismantled.
You are moving long distances such as moving from England to Northern Ireland.
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What Do Removal Companies Do?
Compare My Move removal companies will pack your items carefully and then load them onto their fully-equipped vehicles. A packing service is the most popular service that the majority of companies will offer. There are other services that removal companies offer to make your move even easier including a moving and storage solution such as lock ups to rent and specialist packing services. If you are looking to get rid of furniture then it is best to look into house clearance costs. A house clearance company will remove and dispose of unwanted items in your home.
Your removal costs will depend on the size of your move (number/size of removal vans), distance travelled, and the extra services you choose. Think about what extra services are necessary if you want to keep your costs down.
Popular removal company services include:
Packing and unpacking
Storage
Furniture dismantling and assembling
Antique art packing
Piano packing and moving
If your house move requires specific in-depth knowledge and understanding, then don't be afraid to ask your removal company if they can help. Most reputable moving companies will do their best to tailor your move to meet your specific requirements. So, make sure you include any specific requirements when requesting a house removal quote.
How to Choose a Removal Company
To ensure you find the best movers and packers you should compare removals using Compare My Move so you have peace of mind about the quality of the company.
Choose your removal company based on:
Insurance
A trustworthy national removal company should have both Goods in Transit and Public Liability insurances to cover your belongings. Find out what insurances they have and how much it covers. We make sure every partner has both insurances before they can join us.
Reviews
Check out the reviews for the removal company of your choice before you go ahead. They should have a majority of good reviews. When comparing removal companies with Compare My Move, you can see the company's reviews without having to trawl the internet for them.
No Hidden Fees
Your removal company should provide you with an accurate quote that includes the final cost including any services you've added. Ask if there are any hidden fees to be expected on the day. It's a good idea to get a breakdown of the quote, that way you can see exactly what they are charging you for.
Experience
To give you peace of mind, your removal company should have a few years of experience behind them. If your move is an awkward or difficult one, find out if they have ever carried out a similar move.
Staff
A reputable removal company will have highly-trained and qualified staff that deliver a first-class service. If the company has reviews that mention their staff's behaviour, this could help to influence your decision. You want to know if they will treat your belongings as if they were their own, so take your time when choosing a removal company.
Additional Services
Although not a necessity, the option of choosing additional services can be very beneficial when moving house. Having your items packed professionally can reduce the risk of damage and make for a more efficient process. This is highly recommended for long distance moves such as moving to Scotland from England.
If you have excess furniture, you may want to hire a moving company that also offers furniture storage to protect your items and ensure you have space in your new home. These services can often be cheaper when added to your original removal quote so can be worth requesting. There are many great movers and packers in London and across the UK.
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When Should You Get Removal Quotes?
It's recommended that you start comparing removal quotes 4-6 weeks before your moving date. However, if you prefer a Friday move or need to book a timeslot during the school holidays, you will need to compare earlier as these are busy periods for many moving companies.
Before providing an accurate quote, the removal company will need to conduct a pre-move survey to assess your personal situation. The removal team will make note of how many rooms are to be packed and the number of items to be moved. Whilst this can be a fairly quick process, you should still compare quotes as early as possible to allow time for this to be completed. If you require any extra services, you should mention them during this viewing so that they can be added to the final quote.
Benefits of Hiring a Removal Company
By the time it comes to booking your removal company, you should have hired a chartered surveyor as well as a licensed conveyancer to help with moving house. Not only will using a removal company give you peace of mind throughout your move, but it will save you more time and money than if you attempted to move alone.
The advantages of using a moving company:
Save Time
By using a removal company, they will do the hard work for you, from packing up your belongings to unpacking at your new house. This will save you a significant amount of time than if you were to move house without the help of a removal company.
Fully Equipped
They will have the essential equipment in place to ensure your personal belongings don't get damaged throughout the move. They know how to secure your items in the van so they stay in place for the duration of the journey.
Fully Insured
You don't have to worry about sorting insurance out for your house move as any trustworthy removal company will be covered with Goods in Transit and Public Liability insurances.
Peace of Mind
By hiring a removal company, you'll have the guaranteed reassurance of a stress-free and organised move. They have the vital knowledge and experience to successfully complete all the hard work moving you into your new home.
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Save up to 70% on Removal Costs
Used by over 1 million movers in the UK
Save on Your Removals With Compare My Move
If you want to save time, money and stress when moving house, don't forget to compare removal quotes with Compare My Move. We will connect you with up to 6 trusted and verified removal companies in your area, helping you save up to 70% on the cost of your house removals.
