are pickfords worth it?

cheap_charlie

I don't know if Pickfords specifically are worth it but I would opt for a professional removal whenever possible - there are too many cowboys out there. In my experience whenever I have got a quote from Pickfords they have been far and away the most expensive.

Last time I moved I ended up choosing Clockwork Removals because their price was competitive but included full insurance and packing plus a removal truck large enough to carry everything. I was very impressed with them - they were careful, considerate and hard working.

In comparison to the previous move I made using a local firm where various items were damaged, never mind the walls, they were the epitome of professional.

When I (stupidly) asked the company I had used on my last but one removal for a quote the assessor informed me in a fly by night manner that he could "knock off the VAT" for me, which didn't instill much confidence. Even worse, the end result was still more expensive than Clockwork's WITH the VAT.

GoToGal

LandyAndy wrote: »

I've used these in the past http://www.gbliners.com/ . Again not cheap but very efficient. They also stored our stuff for 3 months.

My experience with GB Liners: I emailed them Tue 08/02 and asked for a Sunday move maybe 20/02. They called Wed 09/02 but I missed the call, busy day, lots of meetings.

Gave them a ring back and provided all the information required. I couldn't stay on the phone to get a date for a site visit, so I asked for an email. Later that day received email saying they don't work Sundays but no mentioning when they do work and when they could come take a look. No reply so far to my email sent Wed PM.

Shame really as I could have picked another day, I just prefer Sunday because it is quiet.

PasturesNew

I and close family members have used Pickfords on many, many occasions. In different areas, packing into storage, the wrapping/packing service, the long term storage, their part delivery service. You cannot fault them. They are 100% brilliant. Worth every penny, even if they cost more. The staff I've encountered are more than pleasant, efficient, knowledgeable, hard working, never complaining, methodical, hard workers. Probably the hardest working people I've ever had the pleasure to sit on my 4rse and watch.

The job just gets done, no messing about. Professional, respectful, delightful. Lovely blokes.

rosyw

I've not used Pickfords, but would always go with a "professional" company, rather than the local "man & van"! When I moved a few months ago I sued Britannia, and they were fantastic, took very great care of everything, were very polite and efficient, nothing broken, no scrathces on my furniture, carpets/flooring covered, so no mucky boots marks anywhere etc., it's well worth paying a bit more. I used there packing service as well, the whole packing/moving process was completed in 36 hours, at very short notice, and I didn't have to lift a finger.

Cissi

rosyw wrote: »

When I moved a few months ago I sued Britannia, and they were fantastic

Blimey, you sound like the demanding customer from hell - wondering how you would have dealt with a company that wasn't good - shot them? :rotfl:

Sorry, couldn't resist

Cissi

Ok, now for a proper reply!

We didn't have a great experience with Pickfords a few years ago, a number of things were unnecessarily damaged, but at least we did get compensation on insurance. The next time we moved we used a cheap local company - and regretted it bitterly. Even though they seemed professional enough to start with, it was a total shambles. They were literally throwing items around, breaking fragile things as they went; nothing was covered properly in the van and mattresses and sofas got stained as it rained in. We had paid them for packing and unpacking, and their packing technique consisted of dumping everything kitchen drawer by kitchen drawer in boxes and then randomly upending the boxes into whatever drawers at the other end, causing an incredible mess.

We have a number of (fairly valuable) oil paintings (artists in the family, not me!) and they had assured me that these would be properly treated, wrapped individually in blankets etc. My Mum (one of the artists in question) caught them stacking them with the hooks at the back of one painting into the oil of the next one - and they were incredibly arrogant, claiming that they knew much better than her what to do (don't think so, she exhibits around the world so has quite a lot of experience...). Result: damage, of course. And of course we got no real compensation - they tried to "fix" a few things, yeah right!!!

Since then we've used another local company that came highly recommended by word of mouth, and charge a similar amount to Pickfords and Britannia. They were amazing. Professional, efficient, didn't damage a single thing - and the lads were friendly and made the stressful experience of moving fun. I have recommended them to a number of friends. Funnily enough, recently I seem to see their vans everywhere so they seem busy even in the current climate :T

So my recommendation would be to go on personal recommendation, if you can. A national company is usually a good bet, but a really good local one may provide even better service since they rely heavily on word of mouth. But beware of the cheap "man with a van" jobbies, at least if you have fragile/valuable things.

mufi

Pickfords quoted us almost exactly twice as much as a local, long-established, family company, who did a fantastic job.

Ask around for recommendations or, if you're happy to, post your location and you may get some recommendations on here.

LandyAndy

GoToGal wrote: »

My experience with GB Liners: I emailed them Tue 08/02 and asked for a Sunday move maybe 20/02. They called Wed 09/02 but I missed the call, busy day, lots of meetings.

Gave them a ring back and provided all the information required. I couldn't stay on the phone to get a date for a site visit, so I asked for an email. Later that day received email saying they don't work Sundays but no mentioning when they do work and when they could come take a look. No reply so far to my email sent Wed PM.

Shame really as I could have picked another day, I just prefer Sunday because it is quiet.

I guess they don't work Sundays because people normally want to move on completion day and you can't complete on a Sunday.

TBH what you describe sounds like 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. You didn't answer their call, you rang and then hung up before you dealt with everything. They haven't come back to you within 24 hours.

LandyAndy

I wouldn't use a packing service. Proper companies provide all the materials you need to pack and it isn't exactly difficult. I packed our four bed house on my own. You can take your time and do it well. Packing services may be experienced but they are doing it against the clock and it's not their stuff.

GoToGal

LandyAndy wrote: »

I guess they don't work Sundays because people normally want to move on completion day and you can't complete on a Sunday.

TBH what you describe sounds like 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. You didn't answer their call, you rang and then hung up before you dealt with everything. They haven't come back to you within 24 hours.

My issue is that in the initial email and on the phone I told them I wanted to move on a Sunday, the customer service agent even confirmed the day of week before he started taking all my personal information.

If they had mentioned to me they couldn't do Sundays, I would have ended the call not spent 10 minutes confirming inventory and all my personal information to a company that couldn't provide the service anyway. On their last email, what is the point of sending a potential customer an email saying "We don't do Sunday" without giving any options or alternatives?

In any case, I've found a moving company that can accommodate and does reply to emails fairly quickly.