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Original poster

Long distance move - logistics?

29 replies

veuveo · 19/02/2018 18:38

Anyone any tips?
I have no idea how this is going to work.
I'm not going to drive with the removals men, it could take 6/7 hours during the day.
4 hours nighttime.
Can I get the estate agents to give keys to my sister and she could be there to supervise.
I have the dog too.
I kinda want to be in both places to supervise.
How did yours work?

OP posts:

BritInUS1 · 19/02/2018 18:47

Why don't you be there to watch them pack on day 1. Then drive up to the new house either later that day / early the next morning - then meet them at the new house?

It won't take them a whole day to pack your house up, normally they are out by 12 at the latest

BrandNewHouse · 19/02/2018 18:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

veuveo · 19/02/2018 18:57

Mainly because I can't do the 7 hour daytime drive
And wouldn't I have to be at the old house to lock up and then hand keys over and make sure it's clean. I don't have anyone to delegate that to.

OP posts:

Original poster

veuveo · 19/02/2018 19:00

They do it over 2 days anyway. Start one day, finish the next morning.
Maybe I could ask them to keep it until the next day?

OP posts:

NurseryFightClub · 20/02/2018 07:45

They generally do it over two days, eg they packed ours up and left it in depot over night. Then drive up the next day. I caught the train back and met up with them next day. We were lucky as moving to rental and had overlap

WaterBuffaloDancing · 20/02/2018 09:19

The packed ours on the Wednesday and stored our stuff overnight at the depot near to the new house.

Delivered to the new house Thursday morning at 9am.

Both Dh and I drove up in two cars. My Mum had collected my son on the Wednesday and kept him at her house which was much closer to the new house.

We slept on a blow up mattress, had a take away for dinner and we started decorating at 5am the bedroom that Ds would be in.

Get them to store your stuff overnight. We went with Pickfords because they could do this due to the distance we moved. Around 3 1/2 hours drive wise.

Nyetimber · 20/02/2018 09:26

The last long distance move (300 miles or so) we had the removal firm pack and take all except a few essentials to the new house a week ahead. My husband and a friend met them there and sorted out the house ready for our arrival. It meant everything was ready for the children and they could walk in to their new rooms with beds already ade etc.
I meanwhile camped in our old house with a couple of mattresses on the floor, a cheap kettle and toaster and a few clothes. The children finished off the school Christmas term and didn’t miss out. We ate suppers at friends houses. It was like glamping.
Husband arrived back in order to help with final move down in a hired van and our Discovery. It felt like an adventure rather than a sad farewell. It was on 23rd December that we left. We managed to go away to the inlaws for Christmas itself and then with friends for New Year, so too much going on to fret about what we had left behind.

specialsubject · 20/02/2018 09:32

With the old house, give a spare set of keys to the estate agent. Clean it as the removers pack, then chuck your keys through the letter box. Buyers collect keys from the agent when payment clears.

Get your stuff stored over night.

Ariela · 20/02/2018 10:28

The drivers will be restricted on hours, so even if 2 or 3 of them the loading/unloading counts as hours of work. They need designated hours of rest. They'll want to collect one day and deliver the next day, so you can travel and stay in a hotel, and arrive as they do the next day.

Original poster

veuveo · 20/02/2018 12:18

So, day before completion they turn up and pack half.
Day of completion they continue to pack.
Then store overnight.
Then delivery to new empty address.

If not, they could pack all day on completion day, store overnight, deliver in the morning.

I never knew why they wanted to do it over 2 days, must be the breaks/rests. Too big a job?

I just need to avoid the situation, where they pack up and drive straightaway.
But I guess they won't do that if they need breaks.

Buffalo- I'll ask pickfords, guess it's easier for a nationwide company.

OP posts:

wowfudge · 20/02/2018 12:32

Get three removals quotes - removals firms are used to this kind of thing and will tell you what works and detail the arrangements in their quotes. With that kind of distance involved they will want to be packed up the day before completion.

Pickford's are bloody awful from what I know - there are plenty of other firms who can do long-distance moves for you. Pickford's screwed up our NDN's moving in and I've heard other bad things about them.

Original poster

veuveo · 20/02/2018 12:52

I think pickfords were the most expensive quote last time, by a long shot.
I was happy enough with Aussie firm I used last time.
Let's see what they say

OP posts:

scaryteacher · 20/02/2018 13:35

Whites are good and did our last long distance move, but that was to another country. Get packed day before completion to allow you time to clean through, they deliver at new address day after completion to allow you time to get there.

Original poster

veuveo · 20/02/2018 14:34

Anyone want to give me a guesstimate for a 4 bed house + garage + games room, packing too? Out of London

OP posts:

AgnesSkinner · 20/02/2018 17:33

Packing won’t add too much - a couple of hundred quid.

I would think they would pack on day 1, finish packing, load and travel as far as they can on day 2 and then arrive and unload on day 3. Cost will depend on whether they can pick up a backload, but I would think you’re probably looking at the £2k plus VAT mark at least. If you go for a larger company they have a better chance of picking up a backload to keep down costs and if they have a depot local to where you’re moving to it means just the lorry and driver will travel as the local staff can be used to unload.

Some companies can arrange a property clean for you as part of the service (I know Pickfords do, but they are generally expensive and friends that used them weren’t very impressed).

We used GB Liners for a big move, and I’d happily use them again.

Original poster

veuveo · 20/02/2018 18:26

I just found my inboicefrom last time.
£1950. That was for a 3 bed, just around the corner.

OP posts:

AgnesSkinner · 20/02/2018 22:07

veuveo we paid £1200 inc full packing and VAT 18 months ago for a move from 5 bed to a 4 bed about a mile away. We paid a hell of a lot more when we did a more recent move from one end of the country to the other though (that was painful).

CotswoldStrife · 20/02/2018 22:14

When we moved a couple of hundred miles (big house, lots of stuff) they packed one day, kept the stuff overnight and drove down very early the following day.

I drove halfway down and then DD and I stayed in a hotel overnight because I'd had no sleep the night before and DH who was already in our new (rented) house met the removal men who unloaded.

The unloading took far less time than loading the van, they tend to load it carefully and take account of weight, etc.

I had planned to drive down and stay at the new house overnight but was just too tired. It actually worked out quite well, apart from the new house being so much smaller and rammed with boxes when I got there Good luck with the move op!

HidingFromTheWorld · 20/02/2018 22:26

We’ve undertaken long distance moves twice, with the first one being over two days - they packed up the house, left at lunchtime and travelled down the next day, arriving mid-morning. We finished up at the house, handed keys in, drove to the new one and prepared it for the arrival the following day. We stayed overnight in a PremierInn.

With the second move, we packed up and cleaned as the lorry was being loaded, left the keys with the estate agent and overtook the lorry en route to our new home. We had a family member on standby to meet the lorry if we were delayed with clear directions as to where everything should go.

Original poster

veuveo · 21/02/2018 15:55

£5700!!

OP posts:

wowfudge · 21/02/2018 16:34

Keep looking!

Original poster

veuveo · 21/02/2018 17:07

I can't help feeling like they they're taking the piss.
I don't have that much extra than last move.
And they are saying 4 days.

OP posts:

KolintheKaterpillar · 21/02/2018 17:27

Which area are you? We have the best ever removal firm near me who we've used over ten times, for long distance and local moves. Happy to recommend.

Original poster

veuveo · 21/02/2018 17:59

SW London

OP posts:

AJPTaylor · 21/02/2018 18:17

We moved from a 4 bed to a 4 bed around 200 miles. Local firm . 1800. Loaded day before completion. One of their biggest lorries plus a luton box van. Finished at 2 ish. We cleaned and left keys in a key safe in garage . Travelled down at 4, stayed in the nicest hotel. Removal van arrived at 11. Got keys at 11.30. They were unpacked and away by 3.
V professional. We had quotes from 700, too cheap to 3000.
Went with ours as trusted them and they did know what they were doing

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