How Do Removal Firms Calculate Moving Costs?
Let’s look at how they arrived at your home removal quote. These are some of the factors they will have taken into consideration.
#1 How much stuff do you have to move?
This will determine how big a van the removal company will need. The bigger the van, the more fuel it will need, and the more expensive maintenance, insurance, and associated costs are.
The number of things to move will also affect the packing, loading, and unloading time required.
#2 How far are you moving?
The longer the distance, the more fuel the lorry will use.
Add into that miscellaneous charges like tolls, parking, wear and tear, and green zone charges.
#3 How long will it take to load?
Do you live on the 8th floor of the building?
Is there a service lift, or has the lift a weight restriction, which will mean more trips? How close can the removal van get to your front door?
All these factors add time which costs money.
#4 How long will it take to unload?
See the list above.
#5 Is there a weight or width restriction in the village you are moving to?
Often this means that the removal company needs to use a shuttle van which will be an added cost.
#6 Do you need a packing service?
Do you have antiques or fragile items that require specialist packing materials or additional packing time?
Having hired professional packers you will realise what fantastic value for money they offer.
#7 Will specialist moving equipment be needed to relocate some of your things?
If moving a piano or grandfather clock, for example, then specialised moving equipment may be needed.
#8 Are you moving on a Friday or weekend?
This is the most expensive time of the week to move.
If you can move midweek you may save some money.
#9 Are they a member of a professional home removal organisation?
This will cost money as they must adhere to legal and training guidelines. But it is a sign of competence and professionalism that you may want.
#10 They have all the risks
The removal company is taking the risks, any vehicle, goods, or property damage, they will be liable for.
You may also like to read: The Pros and Cons of Moving Home Yourself vs Hiring a Removal Company. In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of hiring a removal firm vs doing all the hard work yourself.
Are Cheap Removal Companies Worth Considering?
When you say cheap, you mean a man and a van out of the classifieds right?
Let’s just stop and take a moment to think about that.
You may have spent many years accumulating your possessions and spent a fortune in the process. Likely, your possessions represent your entire wealth.
Would you stop a random van as it drives past your house, give the driver a few hundred quid to take your stuff to another address, then let him drive off with everything in the hope he is honest?
Well, he gave you a mobile telephone number so it should be OK, right??
Maybe I am getting skeptical in my old age, but I think that is just a bit risky. And there are plenty of horror stories to back up my concerns.
So maybe you are thinking that is crazy too, but you want a cheap home moving service.
There are many very good man and van services out there, you just need to choose wisely.
Equally, there are some very poor removal firms.
Ask yourself: Where will the cheap removal company save costs? And is that a concern to me?
Here are a few things to think about before trying to move cheaply.
#1 Are they a legitimate business?
Being legal costs money, are they a legitimate company? Check out that they are registered at Company House.
#2 Are they insured?
Do they offer comprehensive insurance or any insurance at all?
#3 What happens if there is an issue?
Is there a set-out complaints procedure? What will you do if you need to complain or claim?
#4 Will they pack for you?
Do they offer a packing service? How are the packers trained?
#5 Do they use quality packing materials?
Are they using poor-quality packing materials that will not offer the same level of protection?
Often they will not use furniture blankets or will skimp on the use of other protective packaging.
#6 Are their staff trained?
Do they employ seasonal labour, or are they fully trained members of staff?
Many of the cheaper removal firms use day labour who are rarely trained.
#7 Do the staff undergo checks for criminal records for example?
These checks cost money and are unlikely to have been carried out.
#8 Be wary if they have no physical address
Is the business run from a physical address or a PO Box Number?
#9 Have they a landline and email address?
Make sure you check them and that you get a response back.
#10 Does the company have a website?
Websites are expensive to set up and maintain but does give you some confidence that the removal firm is serious.
#11 Do they have any reviews online from a reputable review site?
Whilst fake reviews are common, they can be a useful tool to gauge how long the company has been in business and how good they are.
#12 Do they quote without doing a survey?
Do they offer an in-home survey, or just quote you over the phone without seeing what you want moving, or how difficult the move may be?
Beware, come moving day they may hit you with additional charges as they ‘did not know about such and such’.
#13 What happens if something goes wrong?
What happens if the van breaks down on moving day, do they have a plan B?
Getting answers to the above questions may prevent you from being scammed.
A reputable removal company will be able to answer all these questions, and importantly, be able to offer evidence to support their claims.
You may also like to read: Is Moving Home Cheaply a False Economy or Not? In this guide, we look at where people commonly try to cut costs when moving home and ask whether that is a false economy or not.
Moving Home Myself – What is the Real Cost?
On the face of it moving yourself vs hiring a removal company will be cheaper.
But like most things, it is, until it goes wrong.
Here are a few things to consider about a self-move.
#1 How long will it take you to pack your things, do you need to take time off work? At the very least it may eat into your holiday entitlement.
#2 Are you physically able to move heavy boxes and furniture?
#3 If you cause yourself an injury, can you afford to be off work?
#4 Consider that if you damage a hire van you may face hefty charges.
#5 Any damages you cause to goods or your property, you will have to pay for.
#6 Most insurance companies will not insure items that you have packed yourself.
#7 Don’t forget to add in all those miscellaneous costs like tolls, parking, fuel, green zone charges, furniture moving equipment hire, protective gloves, and insurance.
#8 Never underestimate the effect of stress that moving home causes. A reputable removal company will alleviate most of those stresses.
#9 When should you hire a removal company? A student move, or moving without furniture, may be doable with the help of a few mates. Larger home moves are generally not suitable for self-moves.
You may also like to read: How Difficult is it to Move Home By Yourself? In this guide, we look at all the aspects of moving home to help you decide whether attempting a self-move is really worth the stress and effort.
Are Removal Companies Worth It?
If a removal company provides a service that reduces the physical hardship and the stress of moving home, your items are treated with care, and you finish moving day with a sigh of contentment, then yes.
It is impossible to put a price on a stress-free home move.
So when you see your quote, think just what amazing value for money you are being offered rather than just looking at the figures.
With the best will in the world, things may still go wrong on moving day, but you are paying for a team that has seen it all before, and knows exactly how to resolve most situations.
You may also like to read: What to Know When Hiring a Removal Company for the First Time. If you have never hired a removal company before then you will find this guide invaluable. From how to prepare for the movers arrival, to what they can and cannot move, to how to choose the best removal firm for your home move.
Take the time to meticulously plan your home move, thoroughly research the removal company you intend to hire, stay calm on moving day, and everything will work out just fine.
Don’t forget to visit our home moving blog which is packed with tips and guides to make your home move cheaper, quicker, and easier.
