Approximate cost of removal company?

seashore22

I will try to keep this short, but I feel a bit ranty just now.

My elderly parents are moving yet again. It's a bad idea for lots of reasons, but entirely up to them. They are in HA/council housing and won the new place about a week ago and have to move by the 7th November. They live in a tiny 1 bed ground floor flat and are moving to another (even tinier) ground floor property about 20 minutes away. The quote for removals is £1,800, which they were not prepared for. A relative is organising another quote, but that does sound excessive to me.

Can anyone give me an idea of what a reasonable amount would be? They will be packing themselves, although if last time is any indication, it will be complete chaos. We will do what we can to help obviously.

pinkteapot

Get two more quotes, so three in total. Unless their flat is absolutely crammed with stuff (and even then to be honest), that quote is obscene, and sounds like they've either gone to Pickfords (like going to British Gas for your boiler), or found someone willing to rip off an elderly couple. If they get a couple more quotes I'd fully expect both of the others to be substantially cheaper.

I've always used good quality BAR-registered removers, and the most I've paid is £1,200, and that was for a move from a four-bed house, with the remover doing the packing! That was also moving 20 mins away, and it was £800 for the removal and £400 for the packing.

Prior to that I moved out of a flat, and moved about half an hour away. I can't remember exactly what I paid but I believe it was around £500.

They shouldn't tell the people who quote that it'll be chaos though - that would put the price up.

casper_g

We had the contents of our three-bed house, garden and lock-up garage moved two hours along the M4 for £1690, two years ago. This included insurance, full packing service, all packing materials and disassembly/reassembly of large items of furniture as needed. There was a lot of stuff, and the job took three men two full days to complete, not counting the day taken for the packing service.

So yes, the quote they've had seems a bit OTT.

If it was chaos last time they packed for themselves, I would strongly suggest getting quotes with packing included. In our case it only added £195 to the cost, and was very worthwhile. If they try to pack themselves and end up not being ready in time they could very well pay more than this in extra fees for the delay!

seashore22

We know it will be chaos, but it's chaos that the family will deal with. The removal firm don't need to know. I'm dreading it and said that I would never do it again after the last time. I don't think they will let the removal company pack for them and it will land on our shoulders. Again.

Thanks for the help.

I think it's someone taking advantage too.

seashore22

My brother is going to be there when the next quote is done later today, so fingers crossed.

divadee

We moved from a ground floor 2 bed with garage to a first floor 2 bed flat and it cost £800 including a full packing service. All we had to pack was an overnight bag with clothes and toiletries etc..... This was to move 2 miles away.

Guest101

TBH it's a man with a van £300 job from the sounds of it.

seashore22

Maybe 2 men and a van, but you could be right.

rtho782

seashore22 wrote: »

My elderly parents are moving yet again. It's a bad idea for lots of reasons, but entirely up to them. They are in HA/council housing and won the new place about a week ago and have to move by the 7th November. They live in a tiny 1 bed ground floor flat and are moving to another (even tinier) ground floor property about 20 minutes away. The quote for removals is £1,800, which they were not prepared for. A relative is organising another quote, but that does sound excessive to me.

We moved from a 1 bed ground floor flat to a 2 bed house, and paid £1500, in mid 2015.

However, we were moving 250 miles, and it was a 5 hour trip, and that was full pack+wrap. They did the packing and loading one day, then we drove down and got keys, they turned up the next morning.

From that (very cluttered) 2 bed house, to our 4 bed house 20 mins away, we paid £700, again including full pack and wrap, in May 2016.

For just removals, 1 bed, and 20 minutes, your quote is crazy.

Harper123

2 bed house to another 2 bed house 30 minutes away at £500. Packing everything myself.

Paully232000

sounds excessive.
We moved 3 years ago, with a BAR registered removals firm, 20 minutes away, and used 3 movers.
From a 3 bed semi, to a 4 bed detached. There are 2 adults and 2 childrens things to move, and included packing.
3 quotes, NW england, all within the same amount of approx £800.