Have you never hired a removal company before and are wondering where to start, what you should do, and when?
It can seem all a bit daunting, can’t it?
After all, we are not talking about only a few pounds here, moving home is expensive, not to mention that all your precious possessions are being moved, so you really don’t want to get this wrong.
But fear not, our step-by-step guide to things to know before hiring a removal company for the first time will help you.
From how to prepare for your removal company quotes, how to get removal quotes, how to organise the tasks that you are responsible for, discovering what services removal firms offer, how to choose a good removal firm, to how to avoid any moving day scams, this is an invaluable guide.
When Do You Start Preparing for a Moving Home?
When do you begin preparations for your home move?
The easy answer is the sooner the better.
The more time you have to plan and organize for your home move the smoother and less stressful it will be. Of course, your move date may not be set in stone yet if you are reliant upon others in your sale chain for example.
But there is plenty you should be doing to get prepared for when you do have a fixed date.
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Decluttering is the single most important thing to do to prepare for your home move.
Whether selling your home, moving out of the family home for the first time, or moving out of a rented property, it is absolutely essential.
Decluttering entails getting rid of all the things that you no longer need or want to be a part of your new life in your new home.
This should be done before you start getting quotes from removal firms, there is no point in them quoting for things that you will not be moving to your new home.
The benefit of doing this is that you will not pay the packing and removal costs of items you have no use for, and you may make some money selling items, which will help with your removal costs.
Decluttering is such an important part of moving home that we have prepared some in-depth guides covering every aspect of decluttering:
When, Why, and How to Declutter Your Elderly Parent’s Home. This is a task that most of us face at some time in our lives. In this guide, we look at both how to declutter a home, how to handle decluttering sensitively, and how to cope with the emotions that arise during decluttering.
How to Declutter Your Loft When Moving Home. The loft is often a dumping ground for things you rarely need and things that have sentimental value but you never even look at. In this guide, we offer suggestions as to the best way to declutter a loft and how to let go emotionally of your possessions.
The more organised you are, the easier your home move will be
Whilst a professional removal company will take care of all the stress and hardships on moving day, there are still some home moving tasks that you are responsible for doing.
There are so many things to do when moving home that the only surefire way to not forget anything is to use a home moving calendar and planner.
This consists of a list of every task that goes into making your home move as stress-free and organized as possible and suggests a chronological order in which to do those tasks.
Must have: Week-By-Week Home Moving Checklist. In this guide, we have created one of the most comprehensive home moving checklists available. All you need to do is cross off the tasks that do not apply to your particular home move.
Next, you will want to budget for your home move to take into account all the extra costs that may sneak up on you.
You may like to read: How to Create a Home Moving Budget. To help with that task we have created a moving budget checklist for you which takes into account all your pre-move and post-move expenses so that you can budget accordingly.
To ensure that you don’t become a victim of identity theft or end up paying for utilities that you are not responsible for, we have also created a change of address checklist for you.
Must have: The Ultimate Change of Address Checklist. This is one of the most comprehensive change of address checklists available and will ensure that anyone who needs to know your address will be informed.
The final tool you need for organising your relocation is a home moving binder.
This is where you will keep all the essential information about your old home for the new occupiers.
Additionally, you or the occupiers of your new home should create one for the home you are moving into.
The binder contains essential information like where stop-cocks and shut-off valves are, will contain any guarantees and instructions for appliances, and also useful information such as when is recycling day.
You may like to read: How to Create the Ultimate Home Moving Binder. In this guide, we show you how to create a really useful and simple home moving binder and the types of information that it should include.
When is the Best Time to Move Home?
What time of year and even what day of the week you move can affect your removal costs
It is worth bearing in mind that the time of year, month, and even day of week, will have an impact on the price you pay for your home removal service.
The summer months during the school holidays are popular home moving periods, the beginning and end of a month, and Fridays are always busy for home removal companies.
Plan your home move outside of these times as you will most likely get a far better deal.
If you can be flexible about your home moving date you will likely be in a better bargaining position to secure a good price for your removal costs.
Having now decluttered your home and decided when you would like to move, you are now in a position to get a far more accurate estimate for the cost of your home move from a reputable removal company.
This is your first stage in being able to select a professional removal company and will also give you an indication of the money you need to set aside for your home moving costs.
Getting a no-obligation quote from up to four reputable removal firms takes just a few minutes and will ensure that any firm that contacts you has the equipment and skills. as well as the availability, to carry out your home move.
This saves you time and money ringing around endless removal firms trying to find one that suits your needs.
Hiring a professional packing service will be the best money you spend during your relocation
Having requested your online home moving cost quotes, you should now be in possession of up to four different estimates from removal companies that can perform your home move and have the resources available when you need them.
But so far you only have an estimate of what the costs will be for transporting your goods from point A to B.
Additionally, a removal company may be able to offer you:
Specialised packing services
Packing materials
Dismantling and reassembly of furniture
Storage facilities
Junk removal
Cleaning services
Home moving insurance
Home moving advice
You may also like to read: What Do Removal Companies Do? In this guide, we look at the different services that removal companies offer so that you can decide exactly which services you need for your particular home move.
#1 An In-Home or Video Survey
Essentially, the removal company will want to perform an in-home moving survey.
What is an in-home moving survey?
This is a crucial part of the removal cost calculation process when the removal companies will want to assess accurately exactly what you intend to have moved, if there are any access issues that will impact upon the loading of your goods on the removal vehicle, and to discuss any additional services you may require.
During the survey, they will make a plan for moving day so that it is as easy and as stress-free as possible.
Should the removal company not offer any form of survey (increasingly the survey is done via a video app), nor do they want an inventory of the items being moved, very seriously consider walking away.
How can they accurately give you a price for your move without knowing exactly what is being moved? Usually, this is a red flag and invariably come moving day you will find your removal costs skyrocket.
#2 Professional Packing Service
The removal company may offer you a professional packing service.
This should be seriously considered as not only is packing your home contents extremely time-consuming, but depending upon what you are transporting, may require specialized packing materials or knowledge.
You may also like to read: Are Packing Services Worth the Cost? In this guide, we look at exactly what a professional packing service is, how much it costs, and how it will make your home move so much easier.
Also, bear in mind that your insurance company may not insure your goods during transit if you have packed them yourself.
#3 Home Moving Insurance
Insurance is another add-on cost to consider.
There are many types of insurance to cover your home move and all the eventualities that you may encounter.
You may also like to read: Home Moving Insurance – Do I Need It? In this guide, we look at the various insurance policies that are available, how much they cost on average, and if it is a good idea to take out such policies.
#4 Storage
Your removal company may be able to offer or recommend a local storage facility for you should you require it.
Whilst your home move may not necessitate the use of a storage facility, it is good to know that one is available should things not go exactly as planned on moving day and you need emergency storage.
#5 Home Moving Tips and Advice
A reputable moving company will also be willing to offer you any help and advice you may need regarding your home move.
Good communication between you and the removal company is essential for the successful completion of your home move.
This is especially true if you are embarking upon an international home move when the in-depth knowledge from your removal company will be invaluable.
You may also like to read: Why it Pays to Be Honest With Your Removal Company. In this guide, we examine why it is a bad idea to be less than honest with your removal company and how if you are not, come moving day there could be some expensive problems.
And don’t forget to visit our award-winning home moving blog which has invaluable tips and advice on every aspect of your home move.
Things That Removal Companies Will Not Move
You should be aware that there are things that your removal company cannot take in the removal lorry for health and safety reasons.
From pets to flammable liquids, to perishable goods, there are a number of items that you will have to pack and move to your new home yourself.
Ensure that you ask your removal company for their list of prohibited items, should you try to put such items onto the removal van you will likely invalidate your insurance.
You may like to read: How to Pack and Move the Things Your Removal Firm Won’t. In this guide, we list the things that commonly removal firms will not pack and move, and show you how to safely pack and move them yourself.
How to Choose a Reputable Removal Company
Research, research, and research again is the key to hiring a good removal company
It may seem like you are getting a bewildering amount of information from the removal companies right now, and choosing which removal company to use to move your possessions may seem an impossible task.
Choosing the right removal company can be a complex task.
For that very reason, we have created a step-by-step guide on how to pick the best removal company for your particular home move.
No industry in the world is without someone trying to rip somebody else off.
The removal industry is no different, with unscrupulous traders who will try to charge extras on moving day or in the worst-case scenario will drive off into the sunset with all your worldly goods.
Although the vast majority of removal firms are totally honest and trustworthy, there are plenty of precautions you can take to ensure you are not a victim of moving day scams.
You may like to read:
How to avoid Moving Scams. In this guide, we highlight common removal company scams and how you can avoid them.
Moving Brokers: What You Need to Know and Why. In this guide, we look at what is a moving broker, what they do, and why booking through a broker could be a problem for your home move.
If you have any unanswered questions regarding hiring a removal company for the first time, then post them in the comments box below.
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