As we’ve talked about here before, moving house is right up there on the list of life’s most stressful experiences. Every part of the process can be exhausting and tense for many people. Removal companies can be seen as luxury – an additional cost that can be avoided, because how hard can it be to do it yourself? Sometimes the answer to this can be ‘very’.
Doing things on your own can often lead to more stress and poor use of your time in the long run. Whilst it might look easy, there is a lot to think about and a good removal company will be professional and reliable – making the days prior to the move, move day itself and after the move stress free.
Prior to your move
When moving yourself there will be a number of important jobs to do prior to the big day. You will need to start thinking about and gathering materials to use for packing – paper, bubble wrap, boxes – in a variety of sizes plus covers for your furniture and carpets. These will often cost you money, at a premium, if you choose to buy these directly from a supplier. Otherwise, you’ll need to put in the time driving around various supermarkets and asking for freebies.
A decent removal company will always offer a full packing service. However, if you do want to pack yourself, materials would be delivered to you at a convenient time, in order for you to pack prior to move day and are often free of charge with every move. We certainly provide this service at Mardan.
Next will be the hiring of a vehicle or vehicles, and this will depend on how much you have to move. Rest assured, you will often have more than anticipated – many of our customers run out of time to have a good clear out! You will also have to ensure you (or one of your friends and family) feel comfortable driving a large vehicle and have the necessary licence to do so.
If not, it means you’ll need more vehicles and drivers at your disposal, or multiple trips to and from your properties – an added time pressure that should not be underestimated on moving day. An additional time stress will be that your old property will have to be vacated by completion, which is usually 12 – 1pm. A good removal company will have a range of vehicles, from 3.5 tonnes to an 18 tonne container vehicle with tail lifts, drivers will have full valid licenses and vans will be equipped with sack trucks, piano wheels, removal blankets, straps and ties ensuring the safe transportation of your belongings.
Finally prior to move day, if you are busy packing, loading, driving and un-loading you may need to organise who will look after your children/pets. Again, this may incur extra costs of kennels, dog walkers, after school clubs or baby sitters.
Moving day
The day of the move finally arrives, often much sooner than anticipated. Not quite all of your packing is completed and you may have to get the kids up and off to school and pets walked and fed before you can finish the last few boxes.
Finally, when the last one is packed, you now need to start loading the van and emptying the house prior to completion. If you have a few friends on hand to assist you, then this isn’t so bad but people often have to move during the week and not everyone can take the time off work to help. People have good intentions and may readily offer to help you out, but find themselves unable to do nearer the time.
No time for niceties – patience is often in short supply. Tempers can be frayed. In addition to the multiple boxes to shift, there are a few, valuable items and large pieces of furniture to be moved including that huge double wardrobe from the first floor. You built it from flat pack in situ, but now you have to get it down the stairs in one go. It reminds you that you’re not as young as you once were and that some pain relief and a heat pack may be helpful tonight to sooth your back – if only you knew which box they were in…
If the weather is unkind and it’s raining, you’ll need to ensure you cover your mattresses and sofas adequately and also any other furniture you don’t want to get wet.
Finally the van (or vans/cars) is loaded and ready to go. You’ve been up early and you feel shattered – but you now you have to put the hoover through and dust the skirting board that was hidden behind the bed (and that wardrobe) and there is no time. Completion is upon you and the new owners have arrived with their removal company.
And it all has to happen again at the new house. After a hectic afternoon unloading with no time for tea and biscuits, when all you want to do is collapse in your new lounge, you need to collect the pets and kids and return the vehicle(s) prior to the hire company shutting for the day.
A good removal company would have arrived early or handled the move over two days, with all the packing completed the day before. Each member of staff would have had an assigned task, vans would be parked, ramps lowered, boxes packed and loaded, large pieces of furniture easily manoeuvred down the stairs and taken to the van. All pictures, glass wear, china or any other breakable items would be carefully wrapped and your furniture would be blanketed onto the van/lorry then tied securely. The van would then have been driven to your delivery address ready for keys and unloading.
You on the other hand would have been able to calmly make teas and coffees as required, sort the kids and pets and do a final check prior to locking up and taking the keys to the estate agent. In addition, many companies offer an unpacking service and will mark boxes when packed so that they are placed in the correct rooms on delivery. Removal teams will be fully trained to handle all items so you can be assured your goods will be packed and handled with the utmost care and attention. You would also have been spared the physical and mental strain of getting everything off the van and in the right place. Particularly if the weather is bad.
After the move
So you take a deep breath, straighten up your aching back and survey your new home. Packed boxes surround you, your furniture needs moving between rooms and you have no idea where your kettle, kitchenware or even your toiletries are.
As bone weary as you are, you’re now faced with unpacking it all, and you also have to think about the process of removing all the packing materials so your new home doesn’t look like a warehouse. Endless trips to the tip / recycling centre await you. If you had used a removal company and requested the unpacking service, everything would have been put in place and they would have removed all packing materials and they left, leaving you to enjoy your new home.
Cost is obviously a big factor when moving home and many of our customers have attempted handling their own move at some point in the past. But they all tell us that they couldn’t face doing it again, and after they totted up the cost of van hire, box and packing material purchases, the favours they had to call in (many of them got let down on the day after people who’d originally agreed to help had been unable to make it when the day dawned) together with the sheer physical and mental effort it took, they felt it wasn’t worth the difference in cost at the end of the day.
It also meant that they didn’t get their new houses straight for a lot longer and that in itself is a stressful experience. When you tot up the cost of everything else that’s associated with a house move, the removal company’s expenses within that sum are pretty reasonable compared to everything else you’re expected to pay for. Taking a huge amount of the strain away is worth a lot in the long run.
Diary of a house move: read what one satisfied customer had to say.
They say that moving house is right up there on the list of life’s most stressful experiences. Before, during and after the experience can be exhausting and tense for a lot of people but there are things you can do to make life easier for yourself throughout the whole process.
It may sound obvious but the quality of the removal company you choose will make all the difference. It will change the experience for you. A poor removal company can make the process excruciating and adversely affect both your bank balance and stress levels. Mardan in Bath is a family-run business, and our team has been successfully moving people and companies for over 25 years.
We pride ourselves on offering outstanding service, so we’ve compiled a list of things to bear in mind in order to help you make a decision to find the best removal company for you.
1. Even though you’ll probably be busy with a lot of things to think about, do spend some time researching the companies available to you. Whilst it’s tempting to make a quick decision to tick another box on the list, try to take your time. You’ll regret it in the long run if you rush into it.
2. Reviews and personal recommendations are the best ways to find the right company. But of course what’s important to one person may not be as vital to you and vice versa. Ask a few questions based on your own standards and requirements.
3. Being a member of trade associations doesn’t always guarantee results either. Many removal companies use their membership as a positive sales point but don’t really provide the kind of personal service and high standards that you might expect. At Mardan, we feel that belonging to a trade association does not automatically raise standards. Standards are raised and maintained by adequately vetting and training staff to ensure they are experienced, trustworthy and hard working, using good kit and well maintained vehicles, receiving and responding to customer feedback and taking a pride in our work.
4. You don’t have to use a company that requires a pre-payment scheme. This is something we do not ask our customers for because we understand moving is inherently expensive. We know our service is good so we are happy to ask our customers to pay in full on the day of the move, once they are happy that everything is complete. If a removal company isn’t confident enough in its own abilities to agree to this then you should maybe think again before using them.
5. Ask the company about their policy on dispute resolution. We are confident that the exceptional skill and experience of our staff and the high standard of kit we use will ensure our customers’ moves go smoothly, but should any client have concerns, they can talk directly with the owners of the company rather than a faceless trade disputes service employee.
6. Ask them about the levels of insurance they provide. These should more than adequately cover all aspects of the moving process to provide you with peace of mind.
7. Judge them on their quotes. These should be clear and unambiguous and provide full details of what is included.
8. Don’t be afraid to enquire about the team who will be moving you. The company should be able to tell you who will be coming into your home and their levels of expertise. The staff on the day make all the difference; giving reassurance, packing efficiently and using their time to the optimum level.
9. One thing that many people forget to ask removal companies about is the materials that they use during the process. Although expensive, they are an integral part of any move. Always ask if furniture covers are supplied for mattresses, sofas, TVs and pianos. Carpet and floor protection should also be use as standard. You’d be surprised how many firms don’t use them due to the outlay cost but they are very important, particularly in bad weather.
10. Always get a quote based on a house visit. At the very least you should video each room and open all cupboards if a site visit isn’t possible. Descriptions and emails really aren’t enough to give an accurate price. Nasty surprises on the day will mean you’ll be hit with extra charges and much longer working hours, which will make the move extremely stressful. The quote should include the volume involved, all packing materials required, confirm access needed and produce a realistic time scale and price for the move.
11. Ask them for advice on pre-move processes. A good company will have a few helpful hints and tips for you to make the move more efficient. Mardan advises customers to have a good clear out in good time before the moving date. There’s no point in moving clutter and mess that you won’t use from one house to another. By being ruthless and getting rid of shoes, clothes, paperwork and any unwanted household items before the team arrives to move you, you’ll save yourself a lot of time unpacking at the other end.
12. Be realistic about the price if you can be. Very cheap quotes will normally mean a much lower standard of service. VAT is to be expected for an established firm. And don’t forget to ask for a copy of their terms and conditions and take a thorough look through these. They will highlight if companies require a deposit, have a key waiver and when payment is expected.
If you’d like an informal, no-obligation chat about your own move, we’d be happy to help. Give Marcus or Claire a call on 01225 317645 and we can give you any advice you need.
