Removals company vs doing it ourselves?

Tiglet2

It's all very well doing a 'few' easy trips back and forth, but you will need access to the new property to offload the van before going back to collect more belongings, which is not easy on completion day.  People at the beginning of the chain will complete first, often at 10/11 am and the people at the end of chain will complete later, usually by 2 pm.  What will you do if you complete at, say 12, you have your buyers chomping at the bit waiting to get in, but the monies haven't yet reached your purchase solicitors, so you don't yet have access to your new property until 1pm?  Will you keep your buyers waiting while you do two or three return trips?

To be fair it doesn't sound like you have loads to shift, but do not under-estimate how long it will take.

Personally I would prefer to pay the extra and get someone else to take the responsibility.  

user1977

youth_leader said:

You'll also have to clean the house when you finally leave.

Assuming they're selling then no, they don't. 

maisie_cat

I have moved 22 times and never used a removal company, we did get a quote for the last move but it was 250 miles and £4000 plus quotes. The main issue is having the house clear at completion so lots of trips are not usually an issue. We rented a storage unit and put most of our stuff into in the weeks prior and then just a luton van and car load on completion day.

Tiglet2

Yes, if you have storage facilities you can access before completion day, then doing it yourself would be easily possible.

anselld

Tiglet2 said:

Yes, if you have storage facilities you can access before completion day, then doing it yourself would be easily possible.

... however, it would effectively double the work.

Billxx

Do it yourself.  But it will take longer than you think and it will be tiring - get some help if you can.  As per the previous post, do the big items first.

Gavin83

If you’ll require several trips then I really think you need to hire someone. If your buyers are having to wait around they’re likely to get extremely cheesed off and potentially incur extra costs which they’ll likely pass onto you. I certainly wouldn’t accept being out of pocket because my vendor was too tight to hire a removal company.

I had a friend who moved fairly recently, did it himself. Took far longer than he expected and didn’t end up handing over the keys to his buyer until 6pm. I’d have been fuming if I was their buyer.

If you can do it all in one trip then I think it’s more viable. Or if you use a storage unit inbetween moves but that’s likely to eat up a lot of the savings.

Also don’t bank on your brother in laws helping. They might but if they refuse then accept it and seriously look into hiring a removal company instead. If your other half is doing it all himself all it takes is a back injury and you’re screwed. Were I in your brother in laws position I certainly wouldn’t do it.

Having typed this out I really don’t think it’s worth the saving. Too much potential aggro. It’s also extremely stressful and hard work on moving day and if you can outsource most of the heavy lifting you’ll thank yourself for it.

comeandgo

The fact that I’d have to ask two relatives to use their holiday entitlement to help me out, even with paying them, would make me lean to getting the removal men in.  Also, they are insured for accidental breakages or slip ups, you individually are not.  Your saving if you do it yourself is only a couple of hundred if that, if you were to cost your time then I’d say no savings made.

lookstraightahead

Haven't hired actual removal companies for years. Hired a can, or man and a van, or a van that will remove a certain number of items.

hazyjo

Oh god, I'd get the removal people in. They'd be packing for me too. The drive between properties is the easy bit!

As above, you should aim for one trip. You might not get keys until 3pm. Your buyers may well turn up if they complete early expecting a access.

I'd want my stuff insured. Very easy to say I'll drive carefully lol. (Accidents don't really work like that!) Check if your current insurers will cover you.