Removal company costs

[Oguh]

We haven't moved house for 25 years. Can anyone one offer any tips? We are moving from Cambridge to the West Country

I'm relocating and looking for removals- We're moving from SE to NI. The difference in quotes has been massive 2k-4K. Make sure you get several and see what that includes- packing, dismantling and what size van.

Definitely get the packing service. When we got quotes I realised it was false economy to pack ourselves as the difference was only around £300 - £400 if I remember correctly, and then you still need to buy packing materials.
It be saves sooo much hassle!!

We got three quotes from local reputable removal companies.

Make sure you get your broadband arranged at the new place with several weeks notice.

On moving day take pictures of the meters in both houses.

I personally wouldn't use the packing service - they'll do it quickly, delicate stuff will get damaged/crushed in the boxes, & once they've unpacked everything you think 'Great!', but then realise you have no idea where anything actually is & spend weeks looking for stuff. Doing it yourself & you have a chance of remembering!

Our mover provided us packing materials. Single day load/unload, single large van (sort of 3/4 the size of an HGV), 3 men, was £700.

My recommendation would be to find removals companies that are local to your start point (i.e. Cambridgeshire if that's where you're moving from). Ask neighbours or local Facebook groups (or residents association if you're in a block of flats) for recommendations. Find three companies and get three quotes. Last time we moved, we had three quotes from three different movers; one for £1,500, one for £2,200 and one for £6,000! We went with the middle one in the end, because they seemed to come the most highly recommended.

I would say in my experience, the packing service has been well worth the (little bit) extra. I've moved five times in the last seven years and we've had the packing service every time, and never had so much as a single wine glass broken. I also have some artwork which is quite valuable, and the movers are always good at export-wrapping it so that it's sufficiently protected.

Can anyone explain what the full packing service entails?

I wish I had insisted on a packing service now. It often costs £££ (which is why DH didn’t want it) but it’s worth it’s weight in gold. The ability to just go on a holiday hand over keys and then having everything where it should be is great

We had the packing service - it was about £300 from memory. Worth every penny in my opinion. They labelled the boxes with the room and the contents. They packed stuff really carefully. There was only one breakage - and they'd warned us about that and that it would be difficult to move and we took the risk.

But they pack everything! So you have to declutter first.

We didn't have unpacking but only because we are basically camping in the house prior to building work. I'd have unpacking too now I realise how brilliant it is.

We used Proctors recently in the Cambridge area and they were excellent. Packed and moved over two days, worked so hard and were incredibly professional. Definitely get the packing service if you can, although remember they do pack absolutely everything, including our kitchen bin with rubbish still in! We looked on FB for recommendations and got a couple of quotes from local firms.