Questions To Ask Your Removal Company

A quick look around your home will make you realise just how time-consuming and complicated your home move could potentially be.

And that just takes into account the million and one items you have to pack. Now consider the physical moving of your furniture and boxes, and your head starts to spin.

But fear not, a logical and organized approach to your home move will help to alleviate any stress heading your way.

We are here to help, in particular, with the questions to ask when hiring a moving company, one of the most crucial aspects of organizing your home move.

But before we get to the stage of actually meeting and interviewing the removal company there are some preparations to be done.

Read on to discover a simple 5-step plan for moving home so that when it comes to question time you are fully prepared.

A Simple 5-step Home Moving Plan

1. Declutter your home.
2. Get an online moving company estimate.
3. Arrange an in-home moving survey.
4. Choose your removal company.
5. Sit back and relax whilst your removal company manages your home move.

Sounds easy? It can be. So let us go through the plan in detail.

1. Declutter Your Home

There is no point in getting any type of moving company estimate which includes items that you will not be taking with you.

The fewer items you take, the less packing to be done, and therefore the less loading and unloading to be done, which will save you money on your moving costs.

Sell anything you no longer need or you will not be taking with you, at a car boot sale, online, or with a yard sale. Not forgetting that charities will always be grateful for any donations.

Selling unwanted furniture to your buyer or landlord is an easy option to save any back-breaking work and to save money on your moving costs.

Having decluttered your home, you are now in possession of only items that you need to move, and you will have saved some money too.

You may also like to read: The Epic Guide to Decluttering for a Home Move. In this guide, we look at not only how to declutter your home room by room, but how to handle letting go of items that you may have an emotional attachment to.

2. Get a Free Online Moving Estimate

This is the first stage in your search for the right moving company for your home move.

The online moving estimate will give you a ballpark figure for your home move, based on the distance from your old to your new home, and the size of the property you are moving from.

Usually, about four reputable removal companies will respond to your estimate request.

This saves you the time and inconvenience of having to ring around endless removal companies yourself to find one that is reputable, and with the available manpower and vehicle on the day you want to move.

The moving estimate only takes a few moments to request, and the removal companies will typically respond within 20 minutes.

Plan to start recruiting your removal company 3-4 weeks before your move date.

You may also like to read: How to Pick a Good Removal Company: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide. With so many removal firms to choose from, how do you choose the right removal company for your home move? In this guide, we take you through the process step-by-step.

3. Arrange your In-Home Moving Survey

Remember, the estimate you have received so far is just that, an estimate.

You should now arrange for the removal companies to visit your home to give a pre-move survey.

This may involve a physical visit by the removal company or as is becoming more common, an online video survey.

But the in-home survey is far more than just getting an accurate price for your home move.

Why is a home removal survey important?

1. It is an opportunity for the moving company to assess the exact logistics and potential problems that your home move may pose to them.
2. It is the opportunity for you to assess the suitability of the removal company for your home move.

The importance of an in-home survey when moving home cannot be underestimated.

If this is not something that any removal company you are considering hiring offers then seriously think about walking away.

How can they make an accurate cost estimate without knowing exactly what you are moving, if they can park nearby, have 8 flights of stairs to navigate, or don’t know that your double wardrobe is solid mahogany and not chipboard?

Without a proper survey, you will find that on moving day your removal costs may skyrocket.

What does a removal company survey involve?

The surveyor is there to gather as much information as possible about your home move, to ensure that the moving home experience is as stress-free as possible for all concerned.

The pre-move survey should be a free service that the removal company offers.

This is worth repeating: If they do not offer this service, walk away.

Your home move is too important to get wrong and a reputable moving company will want to get your move right, their reputation depends upon it.

What happens when a removal company comes to survey my home?

1. They will take an inventory of every item to be moved.
2. They will advise on any items that it will not be possible to load onto the removal vehicle, for example, lawnmowers with fuel still in the tank.
3. They will assess any parking or access issues.
4. They will discuss what other services the removal company can offer to make your home move as easy as possible for you.
5. Any specialist packing, or items that require specialist equipment to move, will also be assessed.
6. It gives the removal company the opportunity to assess accurately how many loaders, and the size of the removal vehicle that will be required.

Typically a home moving survey will take between 20 – 60 minutes.

Importantly, this is your opportunity to assess each of the moving companies that will come to your home. As with any recruitment process, there must be an interview.

When the in-home removal surveyor comes, consider the following:

1. Were they professional in appearance and manner?
2. Did they arrive on time?
3. Did they answer your questions confidently?
4. Were they thorough in making an inventory of your items to be moved?
5. Did they offer advice on your home move?
6. Did they ask plenty of questions to ensure the service that was being offered, was what you wanted or needed?
7. Did they explain their moving plan to you?
8. Did you have a good feeling about the removal company? At the end of the day, this could be the deciding factor on which removal company you choose.

You may also like to read: Why Social Proof Matters When Moving Home. Social proof is the concept that if something has been successful for other people then in all probability it will be successful for you too. In this guide, we find out why social proof matters when moving home.

Questions to Ask During a Home Removal Survey

There are important questions that you must ask the removal company to ensure they provide a service that will give you a stress-free moving day:

1. Do they provide a full packing service?
2. Do they provide the packing materials for your move?
3. Are the packing materials included in the cost?
4. Will the packing materials have to be returned to the removal company, and if so, within what timescale?
5. Do they provide specialist packing boxes for things like TV’s?
6. Are they experienced in moving a particular item that you are concerned about, for example, a piano?
7. How do they propose to get your solid walnut, double wardrobe out of the house?
8. Are there any items they cannot transport during the home move?
9. Will the removal company disconnect and reconnect your cooker or washing machine?
10. Will the removal company dismantle and reassemble your furniture?
11. Do they have experience of long-distance moves if that is applicable to your move?
12. How long has the company been established?
13. Are the moving team employed by the company or are they temporary staff? Temporary staff are likely to take less care of your belongings.
14. What training does the moving team undergo? Ask to see training certificates.
15. What insurance cover does the company offer? Does it offer adequate cover for especially precious items? Pay particular attention to this question and ensure you know exactly what you are, and are not, covered for, and what the levels of compensation are should the worst happen.
16. What is their complaints procedure?
17. Are they a member of an industry professional body, such as the British Association of Removals?
18. Are there any additional charges that you may incur on moving day, for example, if there is a delay in getting the keys to your new home?
19. Does the company have a cancellation policy? Do they charge you if you need to cancel your home move?
20. Do they have storage facilities if you need them? Even if you think you do not need storage, ask this question. If you need emergency storage for some reason on moving day it will give you peace of mind that your belongings are safe.
21. Find out their terms and methods for payment. Be wary of cash-only transactions.
22. Find out how you can contact the removal company: mobile numbers, landlines, and email addresses. Reputable companies will be able to offer you various forms of communication.
23. Ask for their website address.
24. Find out the registered address of the removal company.
25. Don’t forget to mention if you intend to take garden furniture or heavy garden plant pots.
26. Find out if the removal company has any expectations of you before, or on, moving day.

At the end of the survey ensure that all you discuss, the inventory, and the cost, are all provided in writing.

Remember that the inventory, or details of your home move, can be amended nearer the moving date.

And if you forgot to ask a question at the survey stage, contact your moving company and ask.

Again, communication with your removal company is vital.

This comprehensive list should provide all of the important questions that you should ask your removal company, but your move is unique to you.

Ask anything and everything that you think may affect the success of your home move.

You may also like to read: Why it Pays to be Honest With Your Removal Company. You would expect your removal company to be upfront and honest with you and they expect the same from you. In this guide, we look at the possible consequences of ‘forgetting’ to mention something to your removal company.

4. Choose a Home Removal Company

All that remains now, is for you to read the online reviews for the removal companies that you have met and interviewed.

This will help you determine which removal company to choose for your home move.

Having read the reviews, scoured the removal company website, and considered all you learned during the pre-move survey, you should now be in a position to choose which removal company best suits your move.

Don’t forget though, that after your deliberations, if the company you want to use is just too expensive….. talk to them.

There may be an opportunity to get a discount on the price they have offered you.

You may also like to read: How to Negotiate The Best Price With a Removal Company. In certain circumstances, especially if you can be flexible about certain aspects of your home move, there may be opportunities to negotiate the cost of your removals. Here we suggest ways that may make your home move cheaper.

And a couple of last suggestions to help your moving day go smoothly:

• Keep an eye on the local news, not only where you are moving from, but to. If you discover that there are roadworks for example, outside your home, scheduled for moving day, let the removal company know.
• Good communication and approaching your home move with the right state of mind are essential for a good home move.
• Expect things to go wrong, but trust in your choice of a reputable home removal company to deal professionally with anything that does go wrong.

They do home moves day in and day out. They have the skills and knowledge to deal with most situations.

5. Relax. Let the Professionals Do The Hard Work

Moving home does not need to be stressful or complicated. A good removal company will ensure it is not.

Ensure that you are available on moving day in case your removal team has any questions, but keep a safe distance as moving heavy and large items can be dangerous.

Of course, there is still so much to do after moving day. But that is the exciting part, making your place feel like your home, exploring your new neighbourhood, and making new friends.

Good luck with your home move and be sure to visit our home moving blog which is packed with helpful guides about every aspect of moving and settling into a new home.