Moving house - getting help to clear house

bertiebb_2

Not massively disabled (but do have a blue badge) but do have back issues....

It makes it difficult now to move stuff around. Move stuff into storage. An hour or so loading the car etc means 3-4 days of pain.

Just wondered how poor people even worse off than me manage with things like this. Is there someone you can pay where they do all the work and you just supervise or something?

DE_612183

In my area there are a few "man with a van" who will do this work - get a couple of quotes, and perhaps recommendations from Facebook or local age groups

Albermarle

Removals companies normally also offer a packing service with an extra charge .

poppy12345

I've had experience twice with man with a van and it wasn't a nice experience so I'm going to say be cautious if you use them. Both times they damaged some of my furniture and the last time I used them some years ago I was a little late arriving at my new home due to traffic so they charged me extra. They had no care at all for any of my furniture or boxes and just literally left it in the middle of the rooms. I couldn't move because there was so much stuff around. Very stressful!

My most recent house move in Jan this year I decided to use a smaller removal company, which were local to me and recommended by some people from fb. I paid £600 to move from a 2 bed to a 2 bed about 20 minute drive from where I was living at the time. 

There were 4 men and a woman in total. They had 2 vans and brought everything that was needed to protect all my furniture. Shrink wrapped mirrors, wardrobes, chest of drawers, pictures, mattress bags etc. I was also able to leave all my clothes in the drawers and they provided wardrobe boxes, which was a huge help. 

They were absolutely amazing. They emptied my house so fast it was unbelievable. I didn't have to supervise them because they knew exactly what they were doing. When we arrived at my new house they put all the furniture exactly where I wanted it and even put the mattresses on the beds, along with the duvets and pillows. As well as put the correct boxes in each room.I also had new carpets throughout in the new house so 2 stayed inside with shoes off and the rest brought the furniture to the door. 

The whole move took about 3 hours ..ish, can't remember exactly how long. They were incredible and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. Made the whole house move very relaxing. 

If you have access to fb join a group for your area and ask for some recommendations. When you contact a company they should ideally come out to see you to see what furniture you have, rather then rely on you telling them.

mrcol1000

I moved earlier in the year. I used a proper removals company rather than a man with a van. We used their packaging service. We packed a few things but not much. They came in like a hoover and every thing went into boxes. They even took a bag rubbish that we'd forgot to take out. They also unplumbed the washing machine and took the TV off the wall. Really recommend paying for a removals to do a full pack. Its worth the money.

poppy12345

mrcol1000 said:

They also unplumbed the washing machine and took the TV off the wall.

Forgot to mention that they did that for me also, including desk top computers, gaming consoles, dishwasher. The also reconnected them in my new home. 

bertiebb_2

Sounds good - I think I'm going to need more of a full service

teddysmum

My son used a pro company for last year's house move and he grumbled about the price, but, afterwards, said it was well worth the money, especially considering the amount of luggage for a family of five.

Cyclamen

When i moved last, just over 10 years ago i paid for the removal company to pack for me.

They were brilliant and saved so much effort as they took chest of drawers out full.  They took my bed apart last to load on lorry,  and rolled the bedding into the bottom sheet, stuck it all in a box and it was the first thing off the lorry and assembled at new home so i could go back to bed as they unloaded...  they really were brilliant.  I just made sure i had a 'brew kit' and kettle for them to use and they even made me a cuppa. 

Its well worth talking t moving companies... they packed one day, loaded and travelled second day.. slept in lorry park and then unloaded following day before driving home.  Jolly hard work but they were all so lovely and really careful with the packing and making sure certain things (medical stuff) was loaded last and off the truck first. 

I didnt have an unpacking service .. had run out of money but family could do that as i moved nearer them... i would have happily paid for that too if i had enough savings for the obvious things .. 

teaselMay

Bertieebb, I've spent the whole of the time since getting my mortgage approved packing and dismantling things. Only me in the house but it's taken me that long because I can only do a bit at a time, hopefully by the time we can complete I'll have had a rest and be ready to put it all back together again, that can take as long as it takes though. Currently almost camping in the house with most things packed waiting for the wheels of conveyancing to turn.

I shudder at the thought of my original plan which was  to rent (no-one wants to let to someone on disability benefits with dogs) where I'd have needed to move within a week or two

[Deleted User]

I'm really sorry for those of you who have had poor "Man with a Van" removal experiences.  I had an excellent experience.  Lockdown was imminent in March 2020 nd I had to move within two days.  It was a huge rush.  I telelphoned a "Man with a Van" listed in the local newspaper.  He was finishing for lockdown at midday the next day and said that he could come at 11 a.m.

He arrived promptly and had a young man, aged about 18) to help him.  Everything went well and the price was very reasonable - they even insisted, owing to imminent lockdown,  on taking me in the van with them.  On arrival they moved everything in and offered to move things to the most suitable place for me - reminding me that lockdown meant that I would not be able to go out and no one would be able to come in.  Their tip was very well deserved.

I learned, afterwards, that the "Man with a Van" was well known locally and had a very good reputation.

When the engineer from Openreach came to connect my telephone, from outside, he too was extremely helpful.  Once he had connected my telephone he asked if I needed anything from the local shop before he left.  I was so grateful for the excellent help I received just as lockdown became effective.