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Original poster

is ia REALLY bad idea to move house yourself?

48 replies

nailpolish · 24/04/2007 16:06

we are havinga major major clear out pre-flitting

we getting rid of dd2s bed
the suite (2 enormous couches)
we have no bedroom furniture as it was all fitted in the house we are in now
all the kitchen stuff - wahsing machine/dishwahser/fridge/freezer is getting left

are we mad

OP posts:
KathyMCMLXXII · 24/04/2007 16:11

Well it won't be much fun.... suppose it depends on how much help you are getting and how much the saving of money means to you.

beckybrastraps · 24/04/2007 16:14

Well. It depends I suppose.

My dad moved into a flat quite recently, and the vendor decided to move herself. The van she hired wasn't big enough, requiring more than one trip, the upshot being that she did not vacate in time and had to pay for my dad's stuff to be stored overnight PLUS extra for his removals company to move him in the next morning. FOrtunaltely he had friends he could stay with. I guess she probably paid at least as much to my dad's removal company as she saved by not hiring one herself.

But if you have a big enough truck and lots of sturdy assistants, it could easily be possible.

Just not as easy.

Original poster
nailpolish · 24/04/2007 16:16

hmmm

we have no help

and we can only do one trip as its very far away

thanks

OP posts:
Mercy · 24/04/2007 16:17

Personally I wouldn't.

We moved some years ago when dd was only a few weeks old, and we had very little compared to what we have now, and tbh it was a nightmare. I couldn't help much but even with 3 extra adults it was a pain.

Original poster
nailpolish · 24/04/2007 16:18

its just so expensive

i think its the distance thats pushing the price up (obviously)

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 24/04/2007 16:18

No.

I've done it several times and will be doing it again, at a fairly large distance, too.

We're clearing out, because the house we will be living in is nicely furnished, but having moved as many times as I have I know we'll still have tons of gear.

We're hiring boxes and a transit van.

DH will drive the van and I'll drive the car.

We'll need to make two trips at least, so my parents will stay w/the girls in the house whilst DH and I haul arse back to Edinburgh.

We'll have a fridge freezer and a few bits of furniture and that's it for large stuff.

expatinscotland · 24/04/2007 16:19

When we moved in here, it was unfurnished and we had dd1.

A 2nd floor flat to another 2nd floor flat.

We're actually looking forward to this move b/c it's from a 2nd floor flat to a bungalow with a huge driveway.

beckybrastraps · 24/04/2007 16:19

Honestly, you'd be amazed at the amount of stuff you have, even disregarding large items of furniture. It's the time as much as anything. It takes along time to load up all the boxes and unload them at the other end. It's all done to manpower I reckon.

expatinscotland · 24/04/2007 16:20

You do have to be very organised, and really crack on w/the packing and be merciless with clear outs.

But it's entirely do-able.

beckybrastraps · 24/04/2007 16:21

down to manpower...

Original poster
nailpolish · 24/04/2007 16:21

we wont have any large stuff apart from our bed, dd1s bed and a garden slide and trampoline

lots of boxes i suppose

telly

expat how do you know how biga van to get? there is NO WAY i am making 2 trips
once i leave thats it

OP posts:
Original poster
nailpolish · 24/04/2007 16:22

we wont have any help, i htink thats whats the worst part

just me and dh and 2 small children in the way

OP posts:
Pruni · 24/04/2007 16:23

Message withdrawn

Pruni · 24/04/2007 16:24

Message withdrawn

expatinscotland · 24/04/2007 16:25

A Ford 'Transit' van is what it's called. Or an Econoline. I think it's called an Econoline.

It's a white van.

Definitely too small for just one trip, though, as we used this van to move here and it was 3 trips and that was before DD2.

We did hire removal company for the fridge/freezer, but I think we're just going to huff it this time because of the distance.

My folks are too old to help out except w/babysitting, which is enough as it is!

We'll have fridge/freezer and DD1's single bed and that's it.

DD2's cot folds up

expatinscotland · 24/04/2007 16:25

If your boxes are all the same size, it helps a lot.

Mercy · 24/04/2007 16:26

Nailpolish, I believe you can get a share in a removal lorry; ie, someone else hires it but it won't be completely full so you pay for a small portion of the pace in the lorry. SOrry I can't rememeber which company offered this.

Expat - you're moving?! I've obviously missed this bit of news!!!

ChippyMinton · 24/04/2007 16:26

Agree it is expensive BUT compared to the cost of estate agents & solicitors at least you can see that you are getting value for money. Provide the tea and bacon sarnies and stand back and watch your life get packed up.

(Mind you, we have been lucky and had relocation expenses each time we've moved with the DC, makes a big difference)

expatinscotland · 24/04/2007 16:26

It's not so bad, folks! Especially if it doesn't involve going up flights of stairs.

beckybrastraps · 24/04/2007 16:27

Two adults and two small children is not a good ratio IMHO.

Original poster
nailpolish · 24/04/2007 16:28

you can hire 'a man and a van' cant you? not as dear as a removal firm...

i might just call round a few more firms and get more quotes

i cant be stressed, i want this house move to be fun

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 24/04/2007 16:28

I'd get someone to sit for the kids, I agree in taht respect.

But the rest you can do yourselves.

It's not bad when you're looking forward to the move, too.

expatinscotland · 24/04/2007 16:29

It's about £60 for 'in town' move.

Distance might be a factor for you.

We've moved with Man with a Van once.

He was fab.

It was just a side job for him, as he was a property developer.

Original poster
nailpolish · 24/04/2007 16:29

omg a Transit would never fit all our stuff

even without fridge/freezer/washing machine/suite

OP posts:
portonovo · 24/04/2007 16:29

Hire a man with a van. Perfect solution. We've done that always.