Typical cost of removal firms?

togarama

We haven't exchanged contracts yet but I've been thinking ahead to the physical aspect of moving and getting some estimates.

The quotes so far have been pretty eye-watering (£800-£1000) and I wonder if I'm looking at the wrong kind of firm for our move or whether this would come down drastically once they've actually surveyed what we own. (Largely books, DVDs and computers with only a couple of items of heavy furniture and 2 pianos. No white goods or glass & china.)

In the past our moves have all been either work-related (and therefore my company paid) or happened when I was young and possession-light enough to fit everything I owned in the back of my parents' car. (We don't drive.)

We also have the option of hiring a van and getting our three 6'+ brothers to drive and help out but this would mean moving at a weekend and I'm not sure I can coordinate our end of tenancy date and completion date to make this do-able. I guess we could use storage for a week or two if necessary.

How much did others pay for their moves? And does anyone have any removal company recommendations?

Thanks!

blossom30

Hi Togarama, You are doing the right thing at this stage and preparing for the costs of removal van and men. I am from Glasgow and moved about 2 years ago. I remember completing forms online of my goods to be uplifted and delivered to new address about 8 miles apart and I got various quotes. I settled for not the cheapest but the one I thought looked more professional and if I remember right for a 2 bedroom contents removal it was about £220. I was annoyed at the company though as they were due to uplift and remove at 11.30am and didn't turn up until 3pm. Fortunately for us the person who bought our house wasn't moving in until the following day. I think these companies are all the same as I used a well known company on a previous move and they were just as bad. Always sign the form at the new address as goods unchecked as they really don't care about your possessions and I found this out ,anyway that is another story.. My mother in law always gets her relatives and son in law who has access to a large van to do all the donkey work (me included) and she is always working that day! typical. Anyhoo good luck with your move shrewdalx

hellokitty08

My MSE advice would be do your own packing, but get someone in to load the boxes in to their van and unload them. Moving day is stressful enough with out having to add that bit in too.

I think I paid (northamptonshire) about £260 for our move which was a total of three streets away, but did still take about 4 hours.

littlemissbossy

I haven't moved for over 10 years but do remember getting the price lowered significantly by not using the firms "insurance cover" for any damage done. I rang my home insurer and they told me I was covered with them for removal. This might be worth a phone call.

HTH

longtimelurker_2

I would try and avoid using storage. I did this when I last moved, and it was so demoralising stacking everything into a storage locker, knowing that it was all going to have to come back out and back in a van and unpacked again in the house. Storage means 4 moves, not 2.

loadsacash

We have had about 3 quotes ranging from £650.00 to £950.00. We are moving from a 2 bedroomed second floor flat in Edinburgh to a semi in Linlithgow - about 37 miles away.

To hire a van costs about £50.00 per day and my husband can get some mates to help out so I think that move ourselves will be the thing to do!

pelirocco

How long is a piece of string? , depends on the distance moved , the size of move , the service you need , access at each end .........

pelirocco

loadsacash wrote: »

We have had about 3 quotes ranging from £650.00 to £950.00. We are moving from a 2 bedroomed second floor flat in Edinburgh to a semi in Linlithgow - about 37 miles away.

To hire a van costs about £50.00 per day and my husband can get some mates to help out so I think that move ourselves will be the thing to do!

remember the time factor involved , and the fact you cannot move stuff in until completion , yet you have to be out of old property by then ( if you are purchasing ) . How much stuff can you get in one load ?37 miles is a fair distance

jenny74

We had Hoults removals out to do us a quote this morning... £900 inc VAT. We do have a LOT of stuff and he told us that our stuff will completely fill their lorry.

We used them when we moved last - 10 years ago.

I guess who you go with will depend on various factors, such as how much work you want to do yourselves... How much stuff you have... How far you're moving... and how stress free you want it to be!

As I mentioned we used Hoults last time, they are very very professional and emptied our 2 bed end town house in about an hour and a half as 6 blokes turned up as they couldn't get onto another job. Previously we had hired a van and moved to our previous house ourselves, we ached for days afterwards and he stress was unreal!

I would definately do with a reputable company. (I ave also had a quote for £400, but he hasn't been out and I have seen his vans and we'd need at least 2!!) So I don't think his quote is accurate.

HTH

Jenny.

telfordwhite

Get a "MAN IN A VAN" type company to do it if you aint bothered about insuring stuff.

Mine is charging me £200 for a 3 bed house but I am only moving a mile away. It would cost me half that to hire a Luton van and do it myself.

PasturesNew

Here's one random website that sets out their rough estimate of costs, so you could add it up yourself:
http://www.twomenandavan.co.uk/7.html

But it does depend on access, distance, roads.

For small moves not requiring a survey we can offer a low, hourly rate for our services. Our charges begin at your present address and end on completion of your at your new address.

£35 per hour & £1per mile for a one man and van service.
£50 per hour & £1per mile for a two man removals team.
£70 per hour & £2per mile for two removals men & two vans.
£85 per hour & £2per mile for three removals men and two vans.
£100 per hour & £2per mile for four removals men and two vans.

I know somebody who lived down a small lane, so removals had to be done by bringing the big lorry to the top car park, then transferring everything into a smaller van to drive down into the village.

Others will have a driveway or road for easy access, while some will have to walk goods the length of the road. You might be in a bungalow, or a 4-storey town house. You might have just household goods, or an extensive collection of mirrors and glassware.

You might have everything flatpacked ready to go, or expect them to take furniture apart.