Time spent researching for the right removal company for your home move is essential.
Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted – Albert Einstein
That is especially true when you choosing the right removal company for your home move.
How to choose a good removal company, How to find the best removal firm, how do I choose a removal company I can trust? – All valid questions, but remember, you are looking to select the right removal company for your move.
Not the cheapest, not the biggest, not necessarily even the most highly rated Removal Company. What you are looking to do is recruit the removal company that will best fit the criteria that you have, for your home move.
There are so many removal companies to choose from, how do you choose a reputable, reliable removal company which is best for your home move and what things should you consider when hiring a removal company?
Here we will offer you top tips for hiring the best home removal companies for your home move.
The best gift you can give someone, they say, is your time. Well, giving plenty of notice of your intended move date is a gift to your home moving company, and to you.
Click here to download your free printable home moving checklist and planner.
To your advantage, the longer the time period before your actual move date, the less likely that the premier removal companies in your area will be fully booked. The more choices of Removal Company you have, the better your chances of finding the right removal company for you.
This pre-move period also gives you the opportunity to scrutinize removal company estimates in greater detail, and research the removal company in greater depth. Both vital parts of the selection process.
Of course, if you intend to pack your home contents yourself, plenty of time for planning and packing is essential.
You will find great advice here on how to pack fragile items when moving home.
But despair not if your home move must be made at short notice, the following top tips are here to help all home movers make the right choice of removal company.
Moving home in a hurry? This guide will be invaluable to you.
Get an Estimate for your Home Move.
This is the first step on your road to selecting a reliable moving company and finding moving day nirvana.
Visit an online removal company estimation service. Usually, you will have responses from about four home removal specialists, normally in the first instance by email.
You should not select your home movers on price alone, there are many factors that must be considered when finding the best home removal company for your move.
Do not dismiss, nor favour, any particular estimate at this stage, although the timeliness of response, and the professional presentation of the email, is a good first indicator of how the removal company conducts its business.
For your free home moving estimates from reliable removal firms click here.
Use the tips here as your map to choosing the best removal firm.
Get an In-Home Moving Survey
Invite all those removal companies that responded to your estimate request, to do an in-home moving survey. This is essential to ensure that you have the chance to discuss any specifics, such as a packing service, or if the removal company can replumb your washing machine at the new property.
It is equally important for the moving company to have this first meeting so that they are totally aware of any issues that may affect the moving estimate, and also the efficiency of moving day, such as access issues, or if any items require specialist equipment to move.
This is also your first opportunity to meet with the ‘face’ of your potential removal company. Use this opportunity to glean as much information as you can about the company, and how they intend to make your moving day as stress-free as possible.
Ensure that all the quotes you get are comparable. How can you make a decision based on different criteria? Make sure you are clear in your own mind of what you require of the removal company.
If getting a packing quote this is particularly important, as the quality of the packing materials used is very important. Enquire as to exactly how they will pack your precious items, and what packing materials they will use.
Keep a written note of any information the company representative gives you, and ensure that you have a written, final move bill, with any specifics, for example, the ply of the packing boxes, or any special care items, fully itemized.
This in-home survey should be a two-way communication event. If the removal company fail to ask you questions, ask yourself why.
How can they quote for the safe delivery of your items if they know nothing of the access problems, or the four flights of stairs at your new property?
Good communication between you and the removal company is vital to ensure the smooth execution of your home move.
To find out the best questions to ask removal companies just click here.
How do you pick a Reliable Removal Firm? – Research the Moving Companies
Now for one of the most crucial parts of your selection process.
You are about to entrust all your worldly possessions to people you do not know. You would not hand over many thousands of pounds worth of goods to just anybody off the street, would you?
Of course not.
But without proper investigation and consideration of the removal company, that is exactly what you could be doing.
So, have you ever wanted to be a super sleuth? Dust off your deerstalker, now is your opportunity.
It is your mission to discover every piece of information that you can about the removal companies who have now given you written quotes.
Keep an open mind still, as this part of the elimination process is more important than price when choosing the right home moving company for your move.
To read reviews of reputable removal firms click here.
How to Select a Reliable Removal Company
Use a Removal Review Website – Wisely!
Your first port of call is a reputable moving company review website.
Use the information within the reviews wisely, some information will be of little use to you, and other reviews will mirror your needs and aspirations for a stress-free move.
Check out whether the removal company actually responds to any of the reviews, good or bad. It is another pointer as to whether the company cares about its customers, and its reputation.
We have written a guide specifically for home movers to help them extract the best information they can from removal company reviews.
We recommend that you read this vital information on making Removal Company reviews work for you.
Scrutinize the Removal Company Website
A reputable moving company will have a company website, read everything you can on their site.
Even how the website looks is an indication of how seriously the company takes their business.
Is there landline and mobile phone numbers, a physical address and an email contact address? If there is, the company are not afraid to be contacted by their customers, which is a good sign.
Visit the company at the address given on the website, look at the condition of the removal vehicles and the general appearance of the offices. Clean and organized premises are a good sign.
Does the removal company offer moving advice, or give moving tips, or have a moving blog? Having such resources available to the customer is not just useful to you as a mover, but also shows that the removal company has a genuine interest in their industry.
Note if they are accredited to a professional moving association such as the British Association ofRemovers (BAR), or National Guild of Storers and Removers (NGRS) then go the BAR or NGRS website and check that their membership is still current.
A removal company that is a member of BAR has certain codes of conduct and criteria to meet to become a member. It is a good indicator of the professionalism of the removal company if they are members.
Additionally, there are safeguards for you as a customer because of their membership, this is a big plus in your assessment of which removal company to select.
Does the removal company website state that they have accredited training or safety certificates? Check them out by contacting the issuing authority, or ask your removal company if you can see them to ensure they are still in date.
Ensure your removal company has the right skills to carry out your home move.
Check the Removal Company Insurance
What insurance does the removal company offer you for your goods being moved?
What does it cover?
What are the compensation payments, for example, do they offer full replacement cost, in case of damage or loss?
Will the removal company charge you if there is a delay in getting access to your new property on moving day?
Will the removal company insurance still cover your goods if you packed them yourself?
Packing Services from Trusted Removal Companies
What packing services do the removal company offer?
If it is an important consideration for you, do they have specialist packing materials?
Ask how the removal company would protect particularly valuable or awkward items.
Other considerations
What are the payment options? Preferably they will accept payment by credit or debit card, remember that when paying by this method you may be entitled to extra insurance from the card issuer. Be wary if the removal company only accepts cash.
If moving large pieces of furniture, does the removal company have specialized moving equipment?
Is an eco-home move important to you? Ask if the company is carbon neutral, or what their environment policy is.
On moving-day, are the removal team employed by the company, or are they casual labour staff? If they are employed full-time by the removal company, they are likely to take better care of your possessions.
Do the staff at the removal company undergo a CRB check (this is a criminal record check)?
Are the vehicles liveried and do the staff have a corporate uniform? Not essential for how your home move will be conducted, but you are looking for professionalism and attention to detail.
Will the removal company organize parking permits, or road closures, if your move warrants such things?
Does the removal company offer storage facilities? How secure are those facilities? Can you get access to the stored items 24/7?
All through your investigation you are looking for indicators of an established business, which has a proven reputation as a quality mover.
But as every good detective will tell you, gut feelings should not be ignored.
If everything else about the company fulfils your requirements, your research does not reveal anything to alarm you, and prices are on a par between two removals companies, your gut feeling could be the deciding factor.
An article full of great advice for staying safe on moving day can be found here.
After your home move, don’t forget to leave a review for your removal company, there are lots more detectives out there who need your evidence about the removal company you chose.
You can leave a review for your removal company here.
And now, as you sit in your new home, feet up, beverage in hand, you will have earnt that broad grin on your face. You now know that all your detective work paid off, resulting in a stress-free home moving day.
*At RemovalReviews we will connect you with a professional moving company. Please note that we may not be affiliated with
and you may be speaking with another licensed provider.
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