What's the process for getting a house removal van quote?

[MerryMarigold]

I don't even know the expression! House removal sounds like you're moving the house, but we do want more than just a man ie. people to move the stuff as well. I'm doing my own packing.

Do I just phone places? Do they need to come and look round? Anything I should be on the look out for? This is my first time (last time we did a gazillion trips with a car as we were moving from a 1 bed flat! This time it's a 3 bed house).

They need to come and look at how much stuff you have: appliances, furniture that might need dismantling, etc. That's all really.

You phone a couple of removal companies and ask them to come round and see how much you've got - in cupboards and in the loft as well. Explain that you will pack and they are just moving it for you. Ask about stuff like overnight charges of for some reason monies aren't exchanged on the day.

Obviously you'll want to know if they are any good. Is there any sort of bond scheme for removal firms (like ABTA for holiday firms)? I don't know. Failing that, ask your neighbours who they used and if they would recommend them.

In my experience of employing anyone to do anything, you want someone who will actually listen to what you have to say, rather than a know-it-all yeah-yeah merchant who will proceed to put an elbow through the glazed door of your favourite cupboard.

Thanks! How far in advance? Prob moving first week of July

no reason you can't get the quotes now so you have an idea. As you get closer to exchange you should have some idea of when completion might take place and will need to make a tentative booking. All removal companies know that you cannot confirm the date until exchange of contracts actually happens. Hope all goes smoothly!

I wouldn't rule out having them pack for you. We were pleasantly surprised by the quote for packing (it was just a couple of hundred pounds for a 2 bed house). Them doing the packing meant that our contents were insured at a higher level too.

They sent 3 guys round the day before and they did the lot, everything. It would have taken us weeks (both working, 2 small children, living surrounded by boxes while we did it).

Honestly it was money well spent.

You'll find they move some things complete with contents, bedside cabinets, chests of drawers etc so if you are packing yourself ask them about that to save yourself the effort!

Are you buying? Get a few quotes because you might only be able to pencil a date in at this stage. Once you have a completion date you can firm up the booking but there's always a chance your preferred mover will have had a confirmation already from another client and you'll need to look elsewhere in a hurry!

there are a couple of ABTA-type schemes; BAR is one but there are others.

they will be able to book a provisional date (if they can't, choose another firm) as they all know how the process works. You'll get wildly varying quotes.

if you pack it yourself you won't be insured for breakage. However I did all our packing (took 2 solid weeks) and everything survived.

Part of the packing process is also the chucking the process!

Thanks, what makes the quotes vary so wildly if the service is the same? I don't have a grand piano or anything.

Ah yes, we did go through our belongings like a dose of salts before the packers came - especially the attic. Turns out we were mainly storing air, in boxes which we'd kept 'just in case', for things we no longer even owned. It was an embarrassing number of boxes :)

Well, I got a quote for £2500 from one lot (not Pickfords but of similar ilk) and £540 from the ones I used. The latter asked me to tot up what I had rather than sending a smart salesman. Their van was branded if tatty, their staff were in company sweatshirts, they were very polite and hardworking and the job was very well done.

3 years ago so prices will have gone up. We had a 5 bed house but only 3 beds worth of belongings, and we also left some of our white goods. And no grand piano. :-)

Thanks. All this info very helpful, thanks.

Concrete, I wish we were mainly storing air. I actually found, amongst many other 'interesting' things, a huge pile of (unused) breastpads. My twins are now 6! (I stopped feeding at 18 months!).

I would recommend using one that comes to look at how much stuff you actually have.

They quote based on van size and how many people needed to do your move. A few will quote on a three bed house = x for example, but if you don't tell them you have a shed and garage full of stuff, you may not get a big enough lorry, and they'll charge you more on the day!

I arranged mine yesterday with a local company who came round, explained the basis of the quote and sent it to me with a few hours. I'm paying £1000 for my three bed house - it's on three floors. And this includes packing, dismantling and rebuilding of furniture. I've got a fair amount of stuff. They don't charge more for waiting and they are fully insured.

Reallymoving.com has reviews of firms - it's worth a read. And there are some real horror stories on there too!

OOh thanks Bovril (prefer Marmite meself, but hey!)...that's really helpful. I live in ermmmm...a 'colourful' area so the reviews may be worth reading.

(Oops, didn't mean that to sound racist! I mean dodgy. East end of London).

Ha ha Merry, I know what you meant!

Definitely have a read of the reviews - stories of not turning up and leaving sofas out in the pouring rain for ages. It's bloody stressful enough without worrying about your removals!

The cheapest quote actually had the best reviews. There were only 2 bad reviews and tbh, it sounded more like the people's fault than the removal company's.