Do I Need a Removal Company or a Man and a Van?

In basic terms this is the difference between a man with a van and a removal company:

• A man with a van will assist you to load your things onto his van for transportation to your new home.
• A full-service removal company will dismantle furniture, offer a full packing service, will load and unload your furniture for you, place your things where you instruct them to in your new home, and reassemble your furniture for you.

Of course, services can vary from provider to provider, but when it comes to entrusting your entire home contents to strangers to move, then you want to be sure that you are hiring the right people.

If you are planning on moving home soon you may be wondering what is the best way to move your things to your new home.

How you move to your new place can affect how much stress and inconvenience your experience on moving day, so it is important to make the right decision.

There is often confusion among people moving home as to whether they need to hire a man and a van or a removal company, they assume they are pretty much the same.

However, in most cases, they are miles apart in terms of the services they offer.

So in this week’s home moving blog, we explore which is best for your home move, a removal company or a man and van service.

Man and a Van vs Removal Company – Which One Do I Need?

It is important to decide how much you want to be involved with your relocation and to know how much you have to move.

Here are a few questions you may ask yourself, with a comparison of services provided by a removal company and a man and van.

#1 Are you moving just a few items or an entire home’s contents?

If you are moving just a few boxes, for example, a student moving back to university, or a move with no furniture, then hiring a man and a van would be a viable option.

#2 Will a man with a van move just a few items?

Yes, and this is often the most cost-effective option for small moves.

#3 Will a removal company move just a few boxes?

Many will, but there is often a minimum charge which may make it uneconomical for you.

#4 What size vehicle does a man and a van usually have?

The van will often be a transit van-sized vehicle which is not big enough for a full house move. Often larger house moves will require multiple trips costing you extra time and money.

If you are loading particularly large or heavy items then you may need a man and a van with a tail lift. You will need to search for that specific type of vehicle as many are not equipped with tail lifts.

A removal company will have a range of van sizes to cater to the size of every home move. This is more efficient in terms of loading and transportation time, saving you money in the long run.

#5 Are you physically fit enough to move home?

Are you physically able to move heavy and large furniture, often up and down stairs for many hours, or do you have enough reliable people who will help you on moving day?

Moving furniture all day is no easy task, there is always the possibility of causing yourself an injury, so consider if you really want to move furniture yourself or employ a professional removal company to do it for you.

#6 Will a man with a van move furniture?

Yes, they will, but they will need your help. A man and a van are usually just that, one man and a van, it will cost you extra if you need another helper.

Often they will not have the level of training that a professional removal team has, nor the proper moving equipment.

#7 Will a removal company move furniture?

A removal company will provide a crew big enough to move all your items. They will be fully trained to move your large and heavy furniture without causing them or your property any damage.

They will also have all the protective and moving equipment required to safely move your precious items.

#8 Do you have the time and skills to pack everything yourself?

Packing is one of the worst parts of moving home and takes an extraordinarily long time to complete if you are trying to also live your normal life at the same time.

Also, note that many insurance companies will not cover your items if you have packed them yourself so check your insurance policies carefully.

#9 Will a man and van service pack your things?

No

#10 Will a removal company pack your things?

Yes and will often provide free packing materials saving you a considerable sum of money. They will also pack the moving boxes efficiently saving space, time, and money.

Moving Valuable and Sentimental Items to a New Home

If you have a number of irreplaceable or valuable items that you need to move to your new home then you should always hire a professional removal team.

Antiques, pianos, and expensive works of art for example, often require specialist packing and moving techniques that a man and a van service will not be able to provide.

Even some removal companies do not have the moving equipment or packing crates that such items require, so choose even a removal company carefully ensuring that they have the skills and experience to move your most highly valued items.

Will a man and van move valuable items?

It is not recommended to hire a man and van to move highly prized items without checking if they have the skills, equipment, and the proper level of insurance for moving such items.

Can a full-service removal company move valuable items?

Only a reputable removal company will have the necessary skills and equipment to move such items so research anyone you intend to hire thoroughly.

You might like to read: How to Compare Removal Companies – The process for comparing removal companies equally applies to a man and van service so you will find the tips in this article useful when deciding who to hire for your home move.

Do Removal Companies Offer a Man and Van Service?

Many professional removal companies will be able to offer you a man and van service. This is probably the ideal solution if you are doing a student move or only moving a very few items.

The advantages of hiring a man and van from a removal company are many, including:

• You will have all the skills and experience of a professional mover on moving day
• They will have the proper equipment to move your things
• Excellent customer service if you should need it
• The insurance the removal company will provide is likely to be far more comprehensive
• They may offer you packing materials for free

Not every removal company offers such a service but many many do, so do not exclude researching removal companies when looking to move home cheaply.

Where can I get a removal cost estimate for my home move? A few minutes is all it takes to get a quote for your home move. You can then compare prices and services being offered between a removal company and a man and van before deciding which is the best choice for your particular home move.

Questions to Ask When Hiring Man and Van Services

When it comes to trusting someone to move your home contents you need to be sure that they have the skills and equipment to do so safely, are a trustworthy company, and have procedures in place for when things go wrong.

There are some excellent man and van services, but there is also a huge number who are unskilled, have no furniture moving equipment, and will rip you off.

You need to ask anyone you are thinking of hiring a series of questions to be sure that they are the right company to use for your home move.

#1 Are you a legally registered business?

You can see if the company is legally registered at www.gov.uk

#2 How long have you been in business?

You can verify that answer at the link above on the www.gov.uk website. The longer they have been in the business the more experience and trustworthy they are likely to be

#3 How much experience do you have doing house removals?

#4 Is your quote the final price or are there any additional costs?

Ask for a full list of additional charges that you may incur. Often you will be given a cheap quote but then on moving day, the price rises significantly.

#5 What does your insurance cover me for?

Check this very carefully as to what exactly their insurance covers. Check with the insurance company that the policy is still in date.

#6 What happens if any items get damaged during the move?

Often you will be dealing with just a very small company when hiring a man and van and there will be little to no redress if things get damaged.

#7 Will we move everything in one trip?

Depending upon the size of the van they have, you may end up doing multiple trips which are not only costly but time-consuming, and on moving day time is one thing you will be very short of.

#8 How many people will help with the move?

Often a man and van are just that. 1 man, 1 van. Some also offer an additional person but this will cost you extra.

#9 Will you wrap any of the furniture being moved?

It is unlikely that they will use proper furniture blankets to protect your things so you may need to hire your own.

#10 Do you use furniture moving equipment?

Having the proper furniture moving equipment will help prevent any damage. If they do not have any you may want to hire your own.

#11 Do you disassemble and assemble furniture?

#12 Will you do a pre-move survey so that you know exactly what is being moved?

This is really important as come moving day you will find that the cost spirals as they discover there is more to move than anticipated, or they need to make multiple trips up and down stairs.

#13 Will you organise parking permits or reserve the service lift?

99% of the time this will be your responsibility but still, ask the question.

#14 Do you have additional contact telephone numbers?

Come moving day and they don’t turn up you will want multiple ways to try and contact them.

#15 Is there a minimum charge?

#16 What forms of payment do you take?

Avoid paying in cash if you can. A credit card is always best and offers you some protection

#17 Do you take a deposit?

Never pay the full amount upfront. If you do pay a small deposit make sure you get a receipt

#18 When do I pay you?

Again, never pay upfront. This is a red flag that you may be being scammed

#19 What happens if I need to cancel or change my booking?

Some will charge you the full amount for the move if you cancel at the last moment.

#20 Can I travel with you in the van?

#21 Do you have any reviews?

These can be invaluable when trying to decide who to hire for your home move.

As much as you can, verify every answer you are given. It is highly unlikely that a cheap man and van will tick every one of the question boxes and there will almost certainly be an additional charge for the extra services you need.

Moving Brokers

If you are booking your man and van, or even a removal company, online, check that you are not booking through a broker but are speaking directly to the company that will perform your home move.

Moving brokers are agents who take the details of your home move and then pass them on to whoever they get the best price from.

They will often give you a lowball quote to secure your business then come moving day the people actually doing the move will hike the price.

Additionally, a broker will take no responsibility if there are any problems so always deal directly with the people who will be performing your move.

Equally, though, using a broker can save you time and sometimes money, you just need to be aware of the risks and know exactly who you are dealing with.

You may also like to read: Moving Brokers. What You Need to Know and Why. Moving brokers are middlemen who take the details of your move and sell them usually to the highest bidder, whilst some will work with specific removal companies. Brokers are a fairly new phenomenon in the UK but are becoming more common. This guide tells you all you need to know.

Your Man with Van Questions Answered

Here are the answers to the most frequently asked man and van questions.

Why use a man and van instead of a van hire?

Driving a hire van yourself can be daunting and ultimately extremely expensive should the van get damaged in any way.

If you are unsure whether to hire a van and move yourself then you may like to read Self-Drive Removal Vans – All You Need to Know which explains the licence requirements, what size van you will need, how to load a van yourself, and much more.

Can I hire a man and van to take rubbish away?

There are many man and van companies who offer this service but you should ensure that they are licenced to do so.

Man and Van House Clearances.

This is a service that many man and van companies offer.

How do I find a man and van near me?

Ideally, you will be recommended a good man and van service by friends.

You can also check review websites and do internet searches to find the best man and van companies near you.

The most popular search terms that people use when looking for a man and van service include man and van removals reviews, man and a van near me, man and van home removals, man and van furniture moving, and man and van for moving.

How can I make my move cheaper?

Declutter your home and move as few items as possible. The fewer items you move to your new home the cheaper, quicker, and easier every aspect of your home move will be.

You may like to read: The Epic Guide to Decluttering for a Home Move in which we offer suggestions on how to declutter every room in your home and also how to deal with the emotional aspect of getting rid of things you have an emotional attachment to.

Get friends and family to help with the packing and loading.

You may also like to read: 22 Really Useful Ways to Help a Friend Move Home. There is so much to do when moving home, as well as all the usual everyday things that need to be done. In this guide, we suggest 22 ways in which friends and family can help you move home and they do not even need to lift a single box.

Shop around to get the best quotes for your home move.

How do I avoid being scammed?

The world of man and a van has a reputation for scamming people, although there are equally some excellent man and van services out there. This also applies to removal companies, you just need to choose carefully who your moving partner will be.

You should read this guide on How to Avoid Removal Scams to ensure that you take every precaution possible to prevent you from becoming a scam victim.

How much does a man with a van charge?

We have deliberately not included the answer to how much a man and van costs as the answer is dependent upon so many factors such as the services you need, how much stuff you have to move, how far you are moving, and whereabouts in the country you live.

Moving house without a removal company can be a daunting task and is a decision not to take lightly.

The money it will cost you to hire a full-service removal company is exceptionally good value for money when you consider the stress, time, and inconvenience that hiring a good removal company will save you.

However, not all home moves require a full-service removal company so in our home moving blog you will find a range of topics that cover every aspect of moving home yourself.

Take the time to go through and read them as it will save you time and money, as well as make your home move far less stressful.

And finally, we will repeat our advice to thoroughly research anyone that you intend to hire to move your home.

Along with the steps we have recommended above there is also the Which? Trusted Trader Scheme and the Trading Standards Buy with Confidence Schemes which many of the best companies adhere to and are well worth checking out before you make your final decision.

The time this takes will be more than repaid in peace of mind and a moving day that is a pleasure rather than a nightmare.