Moving and Packing Tips

How to Find the Right Removal Company

Fantastic Team
Published: May 20/2022
Last update: Aug 18/2023
8min read
Views: 102

Image source: Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock.com

Moving home is one of the most stressful events a person can experience and for good reason. You need to plan everything out, pack all your belongings in boxes, label the boxes, find a proper vehicle for the moving, transport them, and unload every single thing at your new home. A truly unique experience in every sense of the word.

Fortunately, there are numerous moving companies to choose from, which can save you a great deal of stress and time. But how do you find a removals company that’s right for you?

If you:

are planning to move very soon;
don’t know what to expect from a moving service;
wonder what to look for in a moving company;

Read and learn how to choose a moving service!

Why hire a removal company in the first place?

There are numerous advantages to hiring a professional moving company, as opposed to doing everything by yourself. With that in mind, here are the four main ones:

It saves time – Some professional movers can pack all your belongings in boxes which they also provide. This can save you time from having to search for moving materials at different shops and having to decide what to pack where. And when it comes to the actual packing process, there are also certain things you need to think about – for example, did you know that heavy items better go into smaller boxes, while light objects go into large boxes. Then there’s the transportation aspect. Movers can transport everything in one trip, no matter the distance.
Insurance of the items – When the home removal company packs your belongings, they can also provide you with insurance for all the items. This means that you will get compensation if something breaks or goes missing. In the DIY case, you will have to spend money to fix or replace the item if something happens.
Less stress – There so much to remember when moving. Not just the packing phase, but also all the administrative hoops you have to jump through. By using a moving company, you can concentrate your attention on more important things, while the professionals handle everything else.
Protection from injuries – Movers know how to lift items of any size and shape so as to not injure themselves. They also have the proper gear, such as lifting straps, gloves with extra traction, and shoes which protect their toes. This makes them more efficient and faster.

Now you know all the advantages of using professional help, but how do you know when to book a removals company? Simple – if you need to move more than a single room, then you certainly will benefit from professional help. Also, if the household consists of more than one person, then you need professional moving services.

How to choose the right removals company

Today’s market is full of moving companies that offer different types of services, deals, etc., so you need to know how to make the best possible choice. Do not jump to the cheapest one, because it might turn out more expensive in the long run. Instead:

Get recommendations

The first and most obvious thing to do is ask your friends, relatives, and colleagues which removals company is the best. Nothing beats first-hand experience, and these people will provide you with the best possible advice. Ask any kinds of questions, which pop into your head to learn as much as possible.

Read reviews

Go online and read reviews for the mentioned companies. Read the good ones as well as the bad ones. People are more prone to write in detail when they’ve had a bad experience. Read all that they wrote, so you know what signs of unprofessional behaviour to watch out for. Also, go through them with a grain of salt. Sometimes the positive reviews which overpraise a company, without going into any details, are actually fake.

Cost and payment

Professional moving services can sometimes seem rather costly, but there’s a reason for that. Each move is calculated with the following factors in mind:

The size of your property. Generally, the larger your property is, the more items you own, hence the higher the removals service cost.
The number of items you want moved.
Do you have items which need extra care such as paintings, sculptures, or antiques.
Will the company take care of the packing?
Will furniture pieces need to be dismantled? You need to notify the company in advance about this.
Access to your home. It will cost more if you live on the second storey as opposed to the first. The price of parking will also be included unless you have a permit.
The distance between property locations. You get charged per mile.
Will you need storage space?
The day of moving. Moving prices are generally higher at weekends because that’s when most people move home.

With all said so far, what kind of price can you expect? The average price for a one- to two-bedroom home starts from £300 and increases with each next room and storey. That doesn’t include packing and storage services. If you are moving within the city, then you will be charged by the hour and not by kilometre.

Also, check what the payment policy is. Some dubious removal companies only accept cash upfront, which is a huge red flag. Avoid those and search for professional companies which accept payment via debit, credit cards, and checks, not only in cash.

Check prices and get to know the details of the professional home removals that we offer at Fantastic Services!

Learn More

Check service specifics

Now that you’ve found several, and hopefully professional, moving companies, it’s time to read about them in detail. A company worth investing in, must have:

Reliable and well-trained staff – As mentioned earlier, the movers need to be well trained on how to lift and carry heavy and bulky objects. When they know how to do that, they significantly decrease the chance of dropping or mishandling your items.
Large vans and proper equipment – Аny self-respecting moving company should have vans of different sizes and each one should be equipped with safety blankets, pads, straps, and dollies.
Additional services – A simple man with a van is enough if you are moving just one room, but a real moving company should also provide you with packing, materials delivery, storage, and furniture disassembly services, if you need them, that is. It’s way more convenient to have it all in one place than to search for these services separately.
Insurance – Every professional moving company must provide insurance at least on some level. Mind you, oftentimes this insurance is only legible if the items are packed by the company movers and nobody else. Other times the insurance may only be in action when the van is on the move. Either way, you need to be aware of the terms and conditions to negotiate a good deal.
Pre-service check – If you are moving a large household, then a survey is more than necessary. However, not all companies do it and sometimes clients need to pay more because the company staff wasn’t aware of the full amount of items in need of moving.

Transparency

Things don’t always run smoothly on moving days and as a result, you may face some extra charges. Ask the removal company for any potential fees in case of a rescheduling, a delay in the relocation, and even last-minute cancellations.

Good communication

A reliable moving company always has its communication channels open for clients. The customer service agents must be ready to assist at all times and must be fully informed of their clients’ relocation details. Failure in communication will result in a bad moving experience, where the movers are either unprepared for the amount of work or will require a sum different from the one agreed on.

A quality moving service by Fantastic Services

If you’re still looking for options, then try Fantastic Services. We work with insured, uniformed, and vetted home removal teams, who drive modern vans with tail lifts for safer loading and unloading.

Using our services is easy and stress-free, which is a key factor in any house move. It goes like this for all our clients:

You schedule a regular or video survey. That’s right, we offer video surveys as well.
You receive your quote and confirm the price and any details, including whether you need additional services.
You will be visited by a removals team on the desired date and time. Usually, the team consists of two, sometimes three specialists if the move is large.
The team will pack, load, and transport all the items agreed upon to the new location.

So, what are you waiting for? Give us a call today and book!

Need a reliable removals company?

Entrust your move to experienced professionals!

Takeaways

Ask friends and relatives about their last experience with a moving company;
Read reviews for different moving companies, but don’t take everything at face value;
Check specifics about each company;
Check what kind of insurance the company offers and in what conditions;
Ask the company about any potential fees in case of a rescheduling, relocation delay, or last-minute cancellations.

Do you have your own ways of searching for a moving company? Be sure to share them by leaving a comment below!