Postby FLH03 » Sat Jan 24, 2015 10:20 am
We moved house at the back end of last year. I had quotes from Burke & Wills, Harradines and Cavendish & Country. All well run professional companies, insurance comparable, likewise with specified job managers, numbers to pack and move etc. You see their vans all around this area, they do big and small jobs, in London and to beyond.
Burke & Wills were the most expensive by a large margin. We went for the cheapest. What I did find is that most companies are prepared to negotiate and you can ask your preferred one to price match. It's a very competitive market for them, and not as many people are moving these days.
Some other points with the benefit of hindsight.
Box deposits - some companies want them some don't. Find out whether cheques are cashed and then refunded or just returned to you. Depends on how long you want to live with boxes unpacked as well.
Box collection - some companies will come and collect in stages, but most want to come and collect the broken down boxes in one go, every available space in our home was taken up with empty boxes and I was desperate to get rid of them. It did encourage me to unpack all of them though.
Packaging inside boxes - some removal companies will take this to recycle when they collect the empty boxes (but again boxes of this will fill up your home), others want you to dispose of it, that's a lot of orange sacks or many trips to the recycling centre in Smugglers Way.
Deposit - do not pay this until you 100% have completion date agreed, and this means you have actually exchanged contracts. Our purchaser messed us around severely and exchange and completion kept being pushed out. My company were great, kept pencilling in new dates, and were relaxed about deposits. I heard of horror stories where a deposit was paid before exchange, exchange was delayed or did not happen, and removal company kept the deposit, or could not then fulfil the new move date. It's a matter of good communication and read the small print.
Our removal guys worked SO hard - I kept them well supplied with hot and cold drinks and food, there was lots of goodwill between us and they were happy to go the extra bit to help. They were so helpful we also tipped the guys personally , it was money well spent as moving home is hard work exhausting and stressful.
