Shocked at quote from removal firm

[Daffodils9]

We’re moving house nearly 400 miles, so it’s definitely a big move. Thanking our lucky stars that DH’s work will pay most of the relocation costs including for the removal firm to pack for us. We needed to get 3 quotes so work can sign off on one of them.

We have a four bed house and it’s a bit cluttered. Probably more than the average number of books, for example.

We’ve had our 3 quotes and I was expecting them to be high because of the distance. It will be 1 day to pack, 0.5 days to load, 1 day to travel, 0.5 days to unload and then 1 day to travel back, so 4 days total for each firm.

One firm has quoted £11,000!!!

The other two quotes are £6,000 and £7,000 which I thought were pretty high themselves. We’re not keen on the £6,000 one as their service has been pretty bad so far just trying to get the quote booked in.

We’re getting a fourth quote as the £11,000 seems ridiculous. Do they just not really want the job? They are a national firm so it doesn’t really make sense to me.

All the movers know that a company is paying rather than us so I don’t know whether they put the prices up a bit in that case. Do they expect us to haggle or is what is quoted the final price?

Looking at calculators online I was thinking more £1500 for the packing, £1000ish for the travel and then some more for the labour and accommodation for the movers. So maybe £4000 total. Perhaps it’s the fuel costs that are pushing it up? Or am I completely unrealistic about how much such things cost?

Thanks!

Was it Pickfords? I once had a quote from them that was three times the others. I think they do a lot of moves that businesses are paying for.

Ours was £3k to move 15 miles to a 3 bed house last year...

It wasn’t actually - we discounted them as we know several people who have had crazy high quotes from them. It’s another national firm though so they should be used to doing long distance moves.

If anyone has any recommendations for national firms please do share!

So maybe £4000 total.

I am afraid that is completely unrealistic. In July 2021 I was quoted 2.5k to move a first floor, 2 bed flat a 45 minute drive. That did not include packing.

One of the firms said they couldn’t move me for three months.

Remember the news headlines a year or two ago that we are short of 300,000 lorry drivers? We haven’t employed 300k of them since then.

It’s labour shortages fuelling salary rises, Brexit, cost of living, fuel, and that there are so few able to still provide the service that they can quote what they like because they will always have the business.

What I have noticed suffering is the man with van business. In the last few months I keep seeing them advertise on Facebook, whereas they were previously quite quiet as they were busy.

£4k doesn’t seem likely. We paid over £2k for moving - 15 minutes round the corner and packing pre-Brexit when there weren’t labour shortages. You’ve essentially got 5 days of work plus a long drive plus accommodation etc.

4 days at £11,000 so £2,750 per day. Not cheap but perhaps not excessive for: Labour costs of removal men, taxing and insuring the lorry, fuel costs, costs of wear and tear on the lorry, admin overhead (those in the office who do the scheduling), company indemnity insurance, cost of premises, cost of bookkeeper and accountancy, marketing and so on and so forth

Sorry but I also think £4k is unrealistic. I paid over £3k 4 years ago to move 56 miles with packing service for a 3 bedroom house with lots in it.

£11k seems excessive but £7k doesn’t.

We paid £2800 to move 1 mile from a 2 bed house so your expectations we're wildly out.

£11k is too much for I'd say £8k would be accurate

I think even if you break it down, 400 miles in a vehicle that does probably 12 to the gallon, is £200 in diesel each way = £400

4 days for 2 or even 3 staff at £200 each per day (employer costs not only what they earn) =£2400

Overnights for the staff £200 at new location 400 miles away

There's £3000 before you pay for the persons wages that quotes, the actual vehicle (probably £80k new), the premises and commercial rates where they store the vehicles, electricity, tyres, vehicle testing etc etc.

I think if you're quoted anything close to £6k, I'd sign quickly!

Fucking hell that's a lot of money! The last time we moved 11 years ago (about 40 miles north of where we were, with two 7.5 ton truck loads, and moving from a big four bed house to a small three bed cottage,) we only played £550! (Small firm out of the local paper.) It only took 4-5 hours in total.

We did all the packing and the wrapping and everything so they only moved it all 40 miles, and took it into the new house... that was only 11 years ago. £550 it was... And your company wants £11,000?! What in the living fuck are they charging £11,000 for? that's an absolute piss take. Shop around a lot more @Daffodils9 See if you can find a local firm/start up firm. Even in today's money £500 would only be about £800-£1000.

You moved 40 miles, the OP is moving 400 miles. It’s an entirely different scale of job.

We moved 400 miles last September, London to Scotland, and paid about £2,500. A two day job for a larger than average two bed ground floor flat (plus outdoor furniture etc). We packed ourselves. Company was called Eagle Relocations.

Op, I imagine the movers and driver will all need to be paid bonuses or double time for overnight stays too.

Wow! Those are insane prices. Like PP above but in the opposite direction my family moved from Scotland to England for under £3k.

Yeah but £11,000? Really?! £3000 tops I would say.

As per @Thebigpeanut and @LittleDitto Both £2500 to £3000 for a moving job that is a few hundreds of miles. THAT'S more like it! £11,000 my arse!

Did the prices include VAT?

Not when they are also packing - was £1k to pack our china last time. £1,500 to pack everything which was so worth it.

You moved a tenth of the distance, with no overnight stays and before Brexit caused a labour shortage and the Ukrainian invasion caused huge increases in energy costs.

If OP packs everything the quote will come down significantly but it will much harder and really not worth the saving - particularly when her husband’s firm are subsidising the cost.

The OP also says there are a lot of books. They take time to pack and they are heavy and take up space. One lorry may not be sufficient.

We just had quotes ranging from £300 to £2200 to move 25 miles. Went with Bishops Move.

We paid £1400 for packing and moving from a 3 bed to 4 bed house. About 2 miles apart. A two day job and they provides materials. That was January this year. That was the lowest price from a local trusted company with 3 men on the job. They did it all brilliantly and it is as worth it. Add in the cost of overnights and it will add up fast.

We’ve moved several times, never paid for removals. We borrowed a man and pack it and unloaded it ourselves. At those prices you’re better off hiring a couple of large vans and paying for the one way pick up.

But that would be horrendous. Why put yourself through that when it’s not needed

How would it be horrendous it’s only moving. Gives you a chance to declutter. I would never pay someone else to pack my things. I moved house when I was 37 weeks pregnant, took all the beds down etc. I get logistically moving 400 miles is a bit far for hiring vans but they’re quite capable of packing and dismantling to take the cost down.

You're paying them to pack? I would absolutely hate the idea of someone going through all my personal possessions. Why not just pack yourselves. Would probably reduce the cost considerably.