Removals companies - moving house
Discussion
Hi all,
Looking for a bit of advice really. My O/H and I are going to be moving house next month and I'm weighing up whether to:
a) Hire a van and do it (with help from burly mates) myself
b) Use a removals company
We currently live on the 4th floor in a 2 bed flat, moving about 3 miles away to a 4 bed town house.
When we moved in (1st home) we had sod all, so moving in was easy, however over the last 2 years, we've built up quite a collection of furniture - book cases, 3 piece suite, tables, beds, chairs, TV stand, TV's etc.
I've never used a removals company before so what can I expect in terms of:
a) cost
b) service - do they provide packing boxes / crates, what do they actually do i.e. do they polythene your sofa's for protection, box up things or do we have to do all of that?
It would be great to hear from anyone with any experience.
Thanks in advance!
Looking for a bit of advice really. My O/H and I are going to be moving house next month and I'm weighing up whether to:
a) Hire a van and do it (with help from burly mates) myself
b) Use a removals company
We currently live on the 4th floor in a 2 bed flat, moving about 3 miles away to a 4 bed town house.
When we moved in (1st home) we had sod all, so moving in was easy, however over the last 2 years, we've built up quite a collection of furniture - book cases, 3 piece suite, tables, beds, chairs, TV stand, TV's etc.
I've never used a removals company before so what can I expect in terms of:
a) cost
b) service - do they provide packing boxes / crates, what do they actually do i.e. do they polythene your sofa's for protection, box up things or do we have to do all of that?
It would be great to hear from anyone with any experience.
Thanks in advance!
Oli,
My brother-in-law runs his own removals firm. They provide boxes for you but you box everything up yourself. They also put protective sheeting around sofas and furniture, that sort of thing.
He's based in Southampton but goes all over the country - drop me a mail and I'll get him to give you a quote if you like.
My brother-in-law runs his own removals firm. They provide boxes for you but you box everything up yourself. They also put protective sheeting around sofas and furniture, that sort of thing.
He's based in Southampton but goes all over the country - drop me a mail and I'll get him to give you a quote if you like.
You can have varying services from a removal company.
Some will come in and do everything for you, some ask you to box everything and they'll move it.
Depends on your circumstances. If you have enough burly mates and have the time/inclination to do it yourself, hire a van and go for it.
If you have more money and can't be ar5ed, pay a removal firm
I wouldn't say you can have that much stuff in a 2 bed flat, but then you are 4 floors up so factor that in for moving the big stuff...
IMO, If you have the dosh, pack everything up yourself and get the movers to move it.
Some will come in and do everything for you, some ask you to box everything and they'll move it.
Depends on your circumstances. If you have enough burly mates and have the time/inclination to do it yourself, hire a van and go for it.
If you have more money and can't be ar5ed, pay a removal firm
I wouldn't say you can have that much stuff in a 2 bed flat, but then you are 4 floors up so factor that in for moving the big stuff...
IMO, If you have the dosh, pack everything up yourself and get the movers to move it.
I've done it myself with a transit...
but once having a fairly hefty collection of things, I found it easier to use a firm - I found a very good one (came very highly reccomended) in Swindon - i can pass you the details if you want...
okay, its a £200 (if you pack yourself, they will do it for you for extra), but it made it very quick and easy, especially when you have other things to worry about..
but once having a fairly hefty collection of things, I found it easier to use a firm - I found a very good one (came very highly reccomended) in Swindon - i can pass you the details if you want...
okay, its a £200 (if you pack yourself, they will do it for you for extra), but it made it very quick and easy, especially when you have other things to worry about..
Muzzer said:
You can have varying services from a removal company.
Some will come in and do everything for you, some ask you to box everything and they'll move it.
Depends on your circumstances. If you have enough burly mates and have the time/inclination to do it yourself, hire a van and go for it.
I do but...Some will come in and do everything for you, some ask you to box everything and they'll move it.
Depends on your circumstances. If you have enough burly mates and have the time/inclination to do it yourself, hire a van and go for it.
Muzzer said:
If you have more money and can't be ar5ed, pay a removal firm
Muzzer said:
I wouldn't say you can have that much stuff in a 2 bed flat, but then you are 4 floors up so factor that in for moving the big stuff...
That's it, it's not so much the amount we have, it's getting all of the large, heavy, bulky stuff out. We don't have a service elevator and a lot of it is too big to go in our normal lift, so the stairwell it is. I'm also worried about ruining things - I've seen it happen so many times before - chipped cabinets, tears in leather sofas etc. We've got nice stuff from Heals and House of Fraser so I can't afford for anything to get damaged - removals companies are insured for this sort of thing aren't they?Muzzer said:
IMO, If you have the dosh, pack everything up yourself and get the movers to move it.
Still pondering - awaiting quotes to weigh up my options - but thank you anyway.TankRizzo said:
Oli,
My brother-in-law runs his own removals firm. They provide boxes for you but you box everything up yourself. They also put protective sheeting around sofas and furniture, that sort of thing.
He's based in Southampton but goes all over the country - drop me a mail and I'll get him to give you a quote if you like.
Hi,My brother-in-law runs his own removals firm. They provide boxes for you but you box everything up yourself. They also put protective sheeting around sofas and furniture, that sort of thing.
He's based in Southampton but goes all over the country - drop me a mail and I'll get him to give you a quote if you like.
Thanks, I've just PM'd you my email.
Dave_ST220 said:
DIY, it's a piece of piss and you can get a 7.5 ton for not much ££ really.
Did that once, never again. Last move (4 bed house, ~1 mile, everything pre-boxed & labelled) took a team of 4 movers from 9am-4pm, plus another gang of their mates turned up with a Transit at about 2pm. I'd still be here now if I'd tried to do it myself. £700 (plus another £100 for the guys to blow at the pub) well spent IMO.
What I found when we last moved in almost the same circumstances to the OP was that I had simply no idea how to get the sofa etc out of the door, around the corner and down the stairs without marking the walls which the management company would have stung me for repainting. I've moved DIY in the past and although you save money, you're shattered by the end of the day and the last thing you want to do is assemble the bed, unpack a few boxes etc.
The removals guys knew how to do it and there wasn't a mark anywhere.
For almost no stress on the day, I wouldn't DIY any more.
The removals guys knew how to do it and there wasn't a mark anywhere.
For almost no stress on the day, I wouldn't DIY any more.
TankRizzo said:
For almost no stress on the day, I wouldn't DIY any more.
Last time we moved we even paid (IIRC) 100 quid for them to pack everything. It took two of them most of a day, and bearing in mind how long it would have taken us* was the probably best money I have ever spent.*What with SWMBO having a chat about every photo etc as it went in the box...
If you do use a company (which I'd highly recommend) then ensure that all the removal men will be employees of the removal firm rather than agency staff. Last time I moved using a supposedly reputable remover (with a name not unrelated to a barley drink you might see at Wimbledon) the agency oafs managed to break two pictures and a lampstand as well as gouging a not insubstantial amount of plaster off the walls when moving a wardrobe upstairs.
Oh, and take out insurance in case any of the above happens.
Oh, and take out insurance in case any of the above happens.
Edited by merc_man on Monday 23 February 13:58
deckster said:
Dave_ST220 said:
DIY, it's a piece of piss and you can get a 7.5 ton for not much ££ really.
Did that once, never again. Last move (4 bed house, ~1 mile, everything pre-boxed & labelled) took a team of 4 movers from 9am-4pm, plus another gang of their mates turned up with a Transit at about 2pm. I'd still be here now if I'd tried to do it myself. £700 (plus another £100 for the guys to blow at the pub) well spent IMO.
I did moving as a summer job for 3 months - it's hard work.
So last time I moved, I decided to do it myself. It was from a 2 bed 1st floor to a 2 bed 2nd floor flat and I did it with one mate and a 7.5t Luton.
My advice is to get someone else to do it. We coped fine with the fridge, dishwasher, sofa etc. etc. up the staircase, but it's bloody hard work, you will be shattered and you run the risk that your OH gets annoyed and makes your life miserable.
So last time I moved, I decided to do it myself. It was from a 2 bed 1st floor to a 2 bed 2nd floor flat and I did it with one mate and a 7.5t Luton.
My advice is to get someone else to do it. We coped fine with the fridge, dishwasher, sofa etc. etc. up the staircase, but it's bloody hard work, you will be shattered and you run the risk that your OH gets annoyed and makes your life miserable.
2something said:
I did moving as a summer job for 3 months - it's hard work.
So last time I moved, I decided to do it myself. It was from a 2 bed 1st floor to a 2 bed 2nd floor flat and I did it with one mate and a 7.5t Luton.
My advice is to get someone else to do it. We coped fine with the fridge, dishwasher, sofa etc. etc. up the staircase, but it's bloody hard work, you will be shattered and you run the risk that your OH gets annoyed and makes your life miserable.
Isn't that part of the fun? Letting the neighbours see you have a full blown row on the driveway? So last time I moved, I decided to do it myself. It was from a 2 bed 1st floor to a 2 bed 2nd floor flat and I did it with one mate and a 7.5t Luton.
My advice is to get someone else to do it. We coped fine with the fridge, dishwasher, sofa etc. etc. up the staircase, but it's bloody hard work, you will be shattered and you run the risk that your OH gets annoyed and makes your life miserable.
I use the full packing and removal service every time.
It turns removal day into a relaxing and enjoyable affair. I just waft around with a glass or wine offering encouragement such as "Over there... by the window."
Mind you, last time it took two of their largest lorries to move us. Next time I expect it to be far worse....
It turns removal day into a relaxing and enjoyable affair. I just waft around with a glass or wine offering encouragement such as "Over there... by the window."
Mind you, last time it took two of their largest lorries to move us. Next time I expect it to be far worse....
You can choose what you want, the price will depend on what you have. They come round, you tell them what you want removed and if you want it packed, they quote you a price.
I use the full pack service, they walk in, they pack everything for you, load it up, and unload it for you the other side.... They can do a 3 bed house including removing wardrobes, beds and a multi-gym in under 2 hours............... That also includes packaging up all the cutlery and plates etc.. It's amazing to watch them go.
For a move which was a one hour journey, it cost us I think £700 including full packing..
I use the full pack service, they walk in, they pack everything for you, load it up, and unload it for you the other side.... They can do a 3 bed house including removing wardrobes, beds and a multi-gym in under 2 hours............... That also includes packaging up all the cutlery and plates etc.. It's amazing to watch them go.
For a move which was a one hour journey, it cost us I think £700 including full packing..
Get someone in. I've moved myself twice now and it is s
t.
We are about to move, 3-bed semi to 5-bed detatched 5 miles away, to give you an idea of price the quotes we are getting are around £700 just for the move, no packing or packing materials. I don't intend to pay that, though, I shall haggle hard.
t. We are about to move, 3-bed semi to 5-bed detatched 5 miles away, to give you an idea of price the quotes we are getting are around £700 just for the move, no packing or packing materials. I don't intend to pay that, though, I shall haggle hard.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff