Removal companies - help please

cookiesNcrea · 2022-08-03T07:26:35+00:00

Please help me as I’m clueless about this. First time moving with so much furniture etc. I don’t want to sound like I have no idea when I speak to them do just need a bit of information from people who have used them before. in terms of furniture like the kids wardrobes and adult beds and wardrobes how does this work? Will the dismantle everything then rebuild? I’ve looked at mumsnet threads for this a d they’ve advised to get a removal company in and the will pack everything. I rather pack everything myself but use a removal company for the big bulky things. I have a storage for 35sqf but not sure if it will fit all my furniture. We’re going into rented as haven’t found a home yet to move into.

legosunqueen · 03/08/2022 08:28

Get a reputable removal company to assess what's required & to provide quotes for different options, then decide. That will help you understand the logistics. If budget permits, it really is best to let them pack everything, they will know the best way & will be much quicker.

Thewayshetalks · 03/08/2022 08:31

Most companies will do a video quote now where you can show them all large items, anything that needs to be dismantled, then they ask you to estimate how many boxes/bags of stuff you will have.
I recently moved with any van and I would not recommend them, next time I would go with a more reputable company even if the quote is higher.

Darkness22 · 03/08/2022 08:36

We just paid for the packing service. You still pack your own bits yourself. It means you don't have to live out of boxes for ages. They wrapped dome drawers so they don't even get emptied. Wardrobes and beds dismantled, then they build them the other end. It was amazing.

Skethylita · 03/08/2022 08:44

Packing service will be another charge on top of the actual removal.

There are websites that allow you to input your main furniture, as well as an estimated number of boxes (you will always need more than you think!) and an estimate of the number of trips and fuel required. They also check for any particularly breakable items (like a TV or any glass-based furniture) and, depending on who you get on the day, will advise what is best to do.

They will dismantle what needs to be dismantled unless you take the mick (I did not pay for dismantling, but it turned out that for space reasons they did need to take one of the beds apart - they said it almost always happens and it didn't change the price).

Photogemic · 26/09/2022 06:17

@Darkness22 We are looking for something of the same service since our purchase has taken so long I'm now in the busy period for my job so can only take a few days off. Who did you use and do you know if they cover the London/Essex area?
Thanks!

Urrgggghhhhhhh · 26/09/2022 06:32

Personally, I'd never use a removal service at all if I could help it - I've heard of far too many people who have been let down on the day (not turning up, turning up with not enough vans, breaking things through sheer stupidity, losing items or entire vans of items etc). For packing services, the biggest issue I've heard of is that (because they charge per box) they'll put a pillow in a box and seal it up and then bubble wrap a cup and put that in another box and seal it up - you end up with 30,000 boxes.

For our move, we packed everything ourselves, hired a van ourselves and also hired a man with a van whom we'd used before. DH and the van man did the heavy lifting to load the vans, drove in convoy and unloaded together at the other end. It was a lot less stressful than my sister's move (even though our distance was greater and we had a lot more stuff) because she spent the whole two days trying (unsuccessfully) to stop the movers trashing her possessions and property. The benefit of movers is that they'll have rugs and straps for moving heavy items and they'll have expertise on how to efficiently pack a van - a man with a van would have all of this too, for 1/10 of the price and 1/100 of the stress.

Darkness22 · 26/09/2022 06:34

I've sent you a PM.

DappledThings · 26/09/2022 06:38

Getting the packing service is totally worth it. All you have to do is keep anything you want for the first few hours separate and then they do everything else. It's amazing.

And yes they will dismantle and rebuild anything that needs it.

PermanentTemporary · 26/09/2022 06:38

Blimey. I have done removal only and full packing service. Both fine. I get a couple of quotes and go with the team I feel I get on with. I do throw money at this sort of thing these days though, which is OK if you've got it.

The only time I've used a man with a van for an actual removal, his friend smelled of alcohol and they broke the glass top of a table.

brianixon · 26/09/2022 07:09

Some firms packing is a condition of insurance.
I'm here because we will be moving soon. So far have learned that long notice required by some.

ChagSameachDoreen · 26/09/2022 07:25

Urrgggghhhhhhh · 26/09/2022 06:32

Personally, I'd never use a removal service at all if I could help it - I've heard of far too many people who have been let down on the day (not turning up, turning up with not enough vans, breaking things through sheer stupidity, losing items or entire vans of items etc). For packing services, the biggest issue I've heard of is that (because they charge per box) they'll put a pillow in a box and seal it up and then bubble wrap a cup and put that in another box and seal it up - you end up with 30,000 boxes.

For our move, we packed everything ourselves, hired a van ourselves and also hired a man with a van whom we'd used before. DH and the van man did the heavy lifting to load the vans, drove in convoy and unloaded together at the other end. It was a lot less stressful than my sister's move (even though our distance was greater and we had a lot more stuff) because she spent the whole two days trying (unsuccessfully) to stop the movers trashing her possessions and property. The benefit of movers is that they'll have rugs and straps for moving heavy items and they'll have expertise on how to efficiently pack a van - a man with a van would have all of this too, for 1/10 of the price and 1/100 of the stress.

That's all well and good if you're time-rich and able-bodied!

DaphneSprucesPippasClack · 26/09/2022 10:37

Alternative view we've never been let down by a removal service and it makes all the difference as you aren't starting knackered as you had to do all the lifting and carrying yourself!

They do cost though... Even more so now I'd imagine.

cammcamm · 26/09/2022 10:52

Having done this myself and also been involved in mother in law's move recently my feeling is go for one thats local to you, has a proper office base and vehicles with their name on the side - not random white lorries and vans.

Services like Anyvan may be good but you have no guarantee as they only act as a broker. In addition the cost that the removal company has to pay Anyvan to be registered/ get the work can mean that they cut corners and dont care about the quality of service.

And in the scheme of things the cost of removals is q very small percentage of the overall cost

ReadyForPumpkins · 26/09/2022 11:05

We got the packing service and they come in two days earlier to start packing. They didn't dismantle any of the large furniture. They packed really fast and empty our house in the morning of completion. If you are moving to rented, it's probably easier to do it yourself. If it's a chain, then you need to move out quickly in a few hours in the morning.

Lasagneforbreakfast · 08/01/2023 21:57

I would love to be able to get this done for our upcoming move. On my own and with four kids (one with disabilities).. this would be a Godsend.

What amount would I be looking at roughly from a 3 bed to a 4 bed move (with dismantling furniture eg beds and wardrobes and building them back up again in the new house)

Can anyone recommend a company that do this in London? Not too expensive would be a big help. I don't have money to spare but would be willing to spend some of my savings on this.

5foot5 · 09/01/2023 01:22

The first two times we moved house we did it ourselves by hiring a van and then calling on the kindness of friends and family to help. In those days we and our friends were young, we didn't have all that much to move and we didn't have kids. Oh and our budget was tight.

Our last move we got a removal company. One of the big names. Pick ford's. Partly because we were moving in to a new build and wouldn't know until the last minute whether we could move straight in or whether we would have to put our stuff in storage for a week and stay in a Travelodge.

We did go for the option of them packing everything. Honestly it is worth it. They know what they are doing and it makes life so much easier.

I remember on our moving day we got to the new house and found that although the money had left our account it hadn't yet arrived in the developers account so we couldn't get the keys yet. We were in a total panic but our removal men were just so laid back "Oh yes, it's Friday. This always happens on Fridays. Go get a coffee it'll be fine." It was.