are pickfords worth it?

tiny_tear

cheap_charlie wrote: »

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.

Seconding Clockwork. They moved us London to Scotland, then Scotland to storage and storage to London and were always quick professional and helpful

BitterAndTwisted

Anybody ever read Dirk Bogarde's autobiography where he described shipping a whole house-worth of valuable antique furniture back from France? Stuff was decanted at the port in France onto a UK truck and shipped to storage. Dirk was to visit the storage depot some time later to select items to be delivered to his new home and found the workers sitting on his antiques out in the open air. I'm sure it wasn't Pickfords and I'm equally certain that stuff like that doesn't happen any longer.

liubeliu

In my three moves I used BAR registered firms. All have been excellent and all provided free boxes (i.e. return them (or rather ring up and they collect) and no charge). All three were from recommendations.

erinyx

We chose them for the wrong reason, the girl who quoted us was very nice and their prices not much different from the other 2 we asked.
They quoted us about 6.5k -it was a 4 day move out of the property and 3 day move in + 650 per month storage.
We had wooden crates ordered for some paintings at about 350.
They offered us transit insurance for £700 which of course had the little window out that since they didn't do the packing themselves we wouldn't be able to claim anyway - which of course we didn't take since our insurance would cover for a fraction of the price.
Moving out seemed ok. Moving in, 3 months later we discovered the truth.
Almost every single piece of antique damaged. Veneers broken, chunks of beadings missing, a huge antique mirror for which we had paid the wooden crate to be made to order came smashed into pieces, the frame and the gilding not the glass.
A whole container all damaged with mould - they stored wet and damp stuff with boxes etc, lots of things had to be chucked straight away.
Etc etc etc - long list!!
The people they used, a couple very good, some others not good at all.
Swearing and not taking care of things, forcing drawers to the wrong position,breaking the guides, placing boxes the wrong way round, not even reading the huge FRAGILE USE EXTRA CARE that we had written on. Annoyingly demanding drinks every 30 mins.
I would really advice to keep away from them.