Been quoted 4K for a house move - too steep?

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

Basically we are moving from our 2 bed cottage in London to N Scotland in two weeks and have to be out by 3 May.

We have received one quote from a decent removals company who will pack, load, unpack, unload and insure but it’s come in at 4K.

Our problem is that we can’t get anyone else to quote us via a Skype consultation until deep into next week and that may leave us with no options as that’ll really be cutting it fine and these guys need to know by Weds.

WWYD? Just fork out? Technically we can afford it but it’s a grand over what we budgeted for.

We moved 7 years ago from a 2 bed flat to a house a quarter of a mile down the road, full packing etc - it was £3k. We got three quotes and they were all about the same. Factoring in the distance they'll have to travel down and back, I don't think that a hefty amount on top is completely unreasonable...

I think I'd bite the bullet and pay just to be sure I had the movers booked.

Sounds entirely reasonable for all that.

The packing/unpacking always adds on a lot. When I got quotes to move it added on another £1000. For that amount of money I'd rather just do it myself.

Try putting it on anyvan

I suspect that the moving lorry having to do a round trip of almost the entire length of the country is a large part of the cost. They'll need to make sure that more than one of the movers can drive the lorry to avoid long rest stops.

Are you able to pack and/or unpack yourself?

Is a one way self drive hire of a tail lift van an option? But then you'll probably need an overnight stop half way up country. Anyone who could help you? Even if they have to come with you and fly back?

Or it might just be that one time that you have to suck it up unfortunately.

We were advised against the unpacking service when we moved my Mum and Dad. The lads who did the move also confirmed that it isn't all that it might seem. They are only unpack to a flat surface (this was a national well known firm) and so you end up with things just scattered about really. Yes, they get rid of the packing material but to be honest we passed all that on anyway.

Packing up was great and I'd do that again but just check what the unpacking is. It might take off a few hundred pounds and not be what you need anyway.

Unpacking really? They usually just unload and leave the boxes for you. Does the cost include fuel for the van and potentially hotel costs? They can't do it in a day.

We have a toddler and a baby and I’m 34 weeks pregnant so we need all the help we can get as hassle free as poss, so that’s why we are seeking a comprehensive service. These guys are known and have some strong online reviews and have just confirmed via email that disassembly and reassembly of furniture is included in the 4K.

So it’s steep, but understandable and as @BarbaraofSeville says we will have to suck it up.

Seems about right, maybe re-think the unpacking, it is the dismantling and assembly of the furniture that bumps the price up. We actually paid relatively little for the packing service, though saved some by doing the loft ourselves.

sounds about right my DP works for a removal company in E Scotland and when he has big jobs from Scotland to England they're almost always over the 3k mark and they pack stuff load everything unload and then unpack everything and tbey are fully insured and have over 50 years between them so i'd say 4k was a decent price for what you've asked for.

Sounds a reasonable price to me too.

It seems a fair price, we paid £2k without packing for a much shorter distance years ago. I'm always the last to spend money but if you need full service then I would grab it

Packing and unpacking makes it expensive. The fuel for a lorry doing that trip along will easily be £1000, then you have 4 days wages for at least 3 guys (day to pack, day to drive, day to unpack and a day to drive back). £10/hour x 12 hours a day x 4 guys = £1440). Couple of hundred quid consumables for packing.

Then the actual overheads of the lorry / business, plus they have to make a profit....

We just paid £800 for a 5 hour move, but we did all the packing and moving ourselves.
I am 6 months pregnant and have a 4 yo and did wish at times we had gone all included, but the quotes were 2.5k and I couldn’t face paying that much.

(They came and loaded Thursday night and took it all up Fri morning)

We paid similar recently for a similar move. It was worth its weight in gold!

I've just spoke to DP and he's said that for what you've described it's actually pretty cheap so sounds like you got a good deal

We had packing and unpacking for a move 100 miles away and it included then storing stuff overnight due to timings. It was only about £800? That was with Pickfords.

In your situation I’d just pay it

We’ve done it! I just couldn’t risk waiting and with all of the services itemised it’s not so bad.

Would rather pay an extra K than planned to maximise ease of move and eliminate hassle 👏

That's a bargain for that service and distance!

Good luck with your move!

I paid about £2000 from London to Liverpool, that included a packing service. That was from a two bed house, and included things like the bed, sofa, wardrobes being dismantled and reassembled.

It was James Removals if that’s any help. I had three quotes and they were the best price wise, and also the only ones to notice my antique cabinet needed export wrapping.

Hello, PaulHollywoodsSexGut would you be able to message me the name of the moving company please? We are moving from Chelmsford to Sutherland in July. Good luck with your move!

Have sent you a DM @Ciancianese

And good luck with your move!

Sounds like a fair price