House Removals

Moving home is one of the most stressful experiences in life, ranking third behind divorce and bereavement! Yet the good news is that if you plan ahead and employ the services of a professional removals firm, the potential for things to go wrong is greatly reduced. Always get at least three written quotes from reputable removal companies, using personal recommendations if at possible. Also, ensure the removals firms are members of either the British Association of Removers or the National Guild of Removers and Storers.

Research the removals company before hiring them, find out how long they have been in business, make sure they can provide references and don't always assume that the cheapest quote is the best! When comparing removals quotes, ensure you are comparing like for like prices, for example, do all the quotes include VAT, do all the prices include insurance cover for possessions in transit etc.

A lot of people see removals as an unskilled job that anybody can do, but there's lots of planning, experience and risk involved too. In any case, hiring a removals company is not that expensive, offers protection in terms of insurance and takes care of all the most time consuming and frustrating parts of any move. Removals companies can take care of the packing too, so all you have to do is make them a nice cup of tea when they arrive!

If going the DIY route, hire a van from a reputable company and enlist the heap of family and friends for the heavy lifting, alternatively, you can try the "man with a van" option, but always check they have insurance to cover all your valuable possessions on the move. If hiring a removals firm to do the move, have a good clear out and de clutter beforehand, it makes no sense to pay someone to move items which you no longer need, so check all your cupboards and empty the loft before moving!

For most people, unless you live in a very small house or flat, it's always worth hiring a professional removals company. It may not sound that difficult to pack up and shift all your stuff, but there is always more stuff than you think and hurting yourself while carrying heavy and possibly fragile items is a real possibility. Experienced removal workers know how exactly much weight they can carry safely plus they have the experience to pack your belongings so that they arrive at your new home undamaged.

There are a number of factors will affect the prices supplied by removals companies. The total amount of goods being moved is obviously a key consideration when it comes to providing a quote, but the distance travelled and any storage required will also play a part.

Reputable removals firms will be upfront about all charges and will show them clearly in a written quotation. You can save money by doing your own packing and supplying all the boxes and other packing materials - but the packing is one of the most tedious and time consuming moving tasks, so if you can afford to get someone else to do it, you should!