Moving to a new home is stressful, challenging, long-lasting, and exhausting.
If you don’t spend enough time on good planning, chase away all expectations for starting your new life in the most pleasant way. There’s one opportunity, though, for all people who usually fail in time management and setting a proper organisation.
Use a professional moving company and experience hassle-free removal at a budget-friendly cost. Before you decide how to approach the process, there are 9 critical questions to consider in advance.
What is included in the moving services?
For those of you who find booing a man and van attractive, there’s something crucial to figure out in advance. Our friendly reminder is that every moving company has its own approach to providing top-to-bottom services.
These services are not identical. They include different pros and cons, extras, and activities included in the final pack you will see calculated in the final contract price. Just booking a moving company is not enough. You need to know what exactly you book.
Here are the things that are almost always included in the service but should be combined with your requirements and orders if you have such:
- A helping team of one man and van or several movers depending on your concrete service type and the volume of your luggage;
- Assistance in loading the vehicle with your baggage (including when you get to your new home location);
- Professional vehicle to carry your baggage;
- Packing help;
- Full storage equipment;
- Setting the best route to your final destination.
Is the moving company licensed?
British moving companies are, in most cases, licensed. The reputable ones definitely are. This license provides them with the legal right to operate in the removal industry.
Although, logically, all companies have such a document, avoid misplacing all offers you will come upon. On mandatory requirement from the consultant to show you official papers that guarantee you are at a licensed company office. This will save you many problems in case of accidents, omissions, losses, delays, or damages.
What type of liability coverage does the moving company offer?
Another significant quality a moving company should have is liability. Though what’s the best way to determine if the company is reliable, you might ask?
The insurance clause inside your removal contract is the guarantee you should look for. The insurance covers numerous incidents and unpredictable circumstances that can ruin your removal process.
All possible damages will be covered through solid compensation if something wrong happens. Attention – it is a must to look for a moving team of 100% insured and vetted movers.
What factors affect the cost of moving?
Moving out is not only stressful and exhausting. It’s also quite an expensive initiative. We should note that it’s costly in both cases – with or without the professional movers near you to help.
Even if you DIY the removal process, you will still have to face many expenses like storage supplies, renting a vehicle to transport your things, etc. Yet, the removal service is a personalised service, which means that if your neighbour paid a small price, it doesn’t mean you will pay the same.
The final rate depends on the following critical factors:
- When do you move out? Did you know there’s a particular period during the year called the moving season? It lasts between May and October. During this time, the prices are higher as consumer demand increases.
- When do you call the company? Apart from the concrete removal date, what also can increase your final cost is how long you will wait until the deadline to contact your local moving company. The earlier you do it, the cheaper your removal will be. If you call at the last minute, prepare to pay an extra emergency fee. Besides, it’s not even 100% guaranteed that someone can handle your order at the last minute.
- How big is your baggage? The more things you carry with you, the more you pay. It’s because you will have to buy more storage supplies. If the volume of your luggage is massive, prepare to spend some extra cash for another man with van. Besides, if there are too many storage boxes and items to handle, the moving company might decide to send more movers, which means more expenses.
- How long will you travel? The duration of the trip determines the final fuel price for the man with van. If it’s a short-distance move-out, you might get away with a cheap final cost. The expenses will be more if you are supposed to drive the whole country to your final destination.
- How well have you prepared for the removal in advance? In other words, if there are things you can handle on your own, you will pay less. Moreover – if there’s no chaos in your removal process, the helpers will charge a smaller price if paid hourly.
How do I handle damage complaints?
Remember when we mentioned to you that it’s a must for your moving company to be licensed? And can you recall the warning about the insurance inside your contract? If these have become your critical factors for selecting a man and van, you might not have problems even if any damage is caused during the process.
See, when there’s insurance, and the company is regulated, you can make a complaint in case of an omission, loss, breakage, or even a delay. All you have to do is to write a formal report to the company and explain your claims. Make sure to add as many documents and pictures to prove the damage.
Does the moving company offer shipment tracking?
Yes, some companies do. But, no, they will not provide you with one if it’s a short-distance removal. The shipment tracking is an extra included in some removal services. You should apply for one while discussing your removal with the consultant.
The moving company suggests shipment tracking itself when the distance from point A to the final destination point B is quite long.
How long will the move take?
It’s good that you ask, but it’s bad that no one can predict it. Even your moving company cannot answer this question precisely and immediately. Those factors we’ve mentioned about the final moving price suit the determination of the time needed to deal with the process.
Yet, we believe it’s unnecessary to convince you that the more organised you are, the less the moving will take. In addition to this, having some professional help definitely reduced the duration, too.
Am I paying additionally for moving supplies?
Discussing the moving supplies with your moving company is something you are supposed to start with. Or at least make it one of your top priorities during the negotiations! Our hot advice for you is to take benefit of the professional moving equipment if you have nothing but a set of two suitcases and several old shoe boxes at your disposal.
In most cases, the companies provide moving supplies, but those that don’t offer it as an extra service. In the end, though, the price is identical.
What forms of payment does the moving company accept?
It’s good to know when and how you will pay. Of course, the moving company might require your part of the final price to be paid. There’s nothing weird in that (especially now, with this high growth of fuel costs).
However, some companies might have established that only paying in cash is an option. The removal service is not cheap, so you should be prepared with money in advance.
Get your man and van’s answers to these 9 significant questions. We’ve scratched some basics standard for the industry, but like we’ve said at the beginning of the material, each company and team has its own business policy.
