Removal Companies: A practical guide for hiring a removals firm

Whether you live in a small flat or large family home, it’s always worthwhile hiring a professional removal company, especially if you have expensive, fragile or heavy furnishings to move. After all, the last thing you want is your favourite fixtures and furnishings to become damaged before you reach your new home.

A removal company has the skills, knowledge and equipment to move your items safely and securely, ensuring that they reach their destination in one piece. Many removal companies will also help you to pack up your stuff and move it.

Find out all you need to know about removal companies in our handy guide.

Family unpacking after moving

What do removal companies do?

Removal companies have years of experience in handling all different types of removals to and from a wide range of properties, including hard to reach properties. A professional removal company also has specialist experience in lifting heavy and troublesome, difficult to move items.

Hiring a removals company vs moving to a new house yourself

One of the main benefits of hiring a removal company is that you won’t have to lift a finger. Whether you hire a removal specialist to pack and move your things, or you just need help moving your belongings from one place to another, a removal company will ensure that everything is packed safely and securely.

Removal companies are a godsend for busy families and those with small children, allowing you to concentrate on safely moving your family, rather than having to worry about packing and moving your furniture.

If you choose to move to a new house yourself, you will have to take out additional insurance to ensure that you are protected should any of your items be damaged or lost during the process.

How to choose the best removals company near you

When it comes to choosing a trusted and reputable removal company near you, make sure you do your research and get several different quotes before you commit.

Remember, when you’re requesting quotes, always make the removal company aware of any restricted access, tight spaces or any other factors that will affect their ability to complete a seamless move. You should then ask for your estimate to be broken down so you can see what’s affecting the cost, such as the hourly rate, mileage costs, packing and insurance.

How much does it cost to use a removals company?

It’s not a case of one size fits all when it comes to the costs associated with a removals company. There are several factors that need to be considered, including the size of the move, how long the job will take, the distance to the new property and the type of properties you are moving from and to.

As a general rule, a removal company charges approximately £400 to move items from a one- bedroom property and around £1,000 for a four-bedroom property. If packing is added, you can expect to pay between £150-£400 or more, depending on your property.Briefing a removals company

To ensure a seamless move, it’s important that you brief your removal company thoroughly ahead of moving day, making sure that they know as much as possible about what you will be moving.

On your briefing sheet, you should include the following information:

  • Items that require special packing
  • Fragile or expensive items that need to be handled with particular care and attention, including pictures, antiques and cumbersome items
  • Large furniture that needs dismantling, including any carpets
  • The floor plan of your new property, if you have it

Local removal companies vs national brands

Moving home can be incredibly stressful. But the good news is, there are a wide range of local removal companies and national brands that are ready and waiting to help!

Whether you’re looking for a local removal firm or one that operates around the country, it’s important to do your research. From making sure that the firm is a member of the British Association of Removers and checking their proven track record, through to checking their trading industry and longevity, you should always look into the companies you are thinking of hiring. Don’t forget to get a range of quotes.

If you’re moving to a new property close by, you might find that a local removals company is more cost effective. However, if you’re moving further afield, a national removal company may work out cheaper.

Whether you opt for a local firm or national brand, you should expect to receive the same level of service and local knowledge.

Removal companies vs van hire for a house move

Not everyone requires the help of a removal firm to help them to move property, especially those living in small homes that are easy to access. Some people choose to move their belongings themselves, while others hire a van.

However, hiring a removal company is often more beneficial than hiring a van to move yourself. From saving you a huge amount of time during the move and helping you to load, through to packing precious, valuable and fragile items securely, a removal company can be there to assist in all aspects of your move.

But that’s not all. Not every move is plain sailing and another advantage of hiring a removal company is that they will be on hand if things go wrong. For example, if there’s a last-minute change, a problem occurs or any other moving day problem, you’ll have extra hands on site to help carry and share the load.

Removals company insurance

The vast majority of removal companies already have insurance cover to protect your belongings during a move. When choosing a removal firm, it’s important that you establish whether or not they are fully insured.

As most removal company insurance only covers clients for damage of around £40-£50, it’s a good idea to get any valuable or precious goods valued. Think about taking out another insurance option with your removal company as extra cover.

Why choose Titan Storage to help you move home?

If you’re in the process of moving to a new house and need extra storage, you’ve certainly landed in the right place.

Here at Titan Storage, we have earned a reputation as leaders in our field, providing premium storage that meets your exact requirements. Whether you’re looking for personal or business storage, contact Titan Self Storageto discuss your unique requirements.

Thomas Light

Tom’s SEO experience includes working for both agencies and within in-house marketing teams over 8+ years period. With a marketing degree under his belt, he is able to think of the bigger picture and make website recommendations that have benefits beyond SEO. Tom is not one for jargon and likes to explain things in a way that’s easy to digest; because of this, he’s happy assisting internal teams as well as working with external developers when needed. Tom’s approach to SEO is heavily focused on content and usability. He prides himself on being efficient and effective, with great communication and prompt action. Tom lives in Southampton (much to the disappointment of the Portsmouth locals within the company), and in his spare time you’ll find him watching live music, playing games and attempting to imitate his favourite musicians on the acoustic guitar.

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