Practical Tips For Choosing A Removal Company

Moving home is never easy. Packing up all of your worldly possessions into cardboard boxes can be a daunting prospect for many people. People of all ages and walks of life have the same concerns and fears when it comes to moving home. It is something that can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety, though it doesn’t always need to.

When it comes to moving house, one of the most important decisions that you make will be which removal company you will hire. There are many things to look for when picking a company to use their removal services – some of them will be glaringly obvious, while others you may not have even considered. Here we will share some of our top tips when it comes to selecting your removal company.

Do You Have Any Recommendations?

Before heading onto the internet to start searching for a removal company, do you know of anyone who has recently moved and who can recommend the company that they used? Word of mouth referrals are the best kind and give you the opportunity to speak to someone with real experience with the company.

Another thing you can check is any online reviews of the company. You might be able to find reviews for them on Google or their Facebook page if they have one. It is always a good idea to try and seek out any testimonials from people who have used the company in the past and what their experiences were.

Search Online

If you don’t have any recommendations, then your next bet is to get online and start searching. You’ll usually see a bunch of search results, as well as the map listings (if searching with Google). One very important thing to be aware of with the map results is this – does the company have a physical address?

You may not be aware, but many companies are using Google map listings for lead generation websites. Through good SEO techniques, they can get these types of websites ranking higher than actual companies on the map results.

If you want to deal directly with a company from the get-go, then you will want to make sure that you are dealing with a company that has a physical, and if possible, local location.

Does The Company Have A Landline?

Another important thing to be aware of is if the company has a landline number, or do they only offer the ability to contact them by email through their website. Maybe they have only a mobile number for you to call? This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as in many cases, the company may be run by a small number of people, and they may be out more than inside, hence the mobile number.

Getting Quotes

The next thing you’ll need to do is to start asking for quotes from the different removal companies that you contact. If possible, try and ask them to provide you with a written quote, rather than simply to rely on what they tell you on the telephone.

Prices will vary between companies, and may or may not include manpower. Is the company only providing the van and the driver, and you are expected to do all the lifting of boxes and furniture?

If you want them to do everything, then mention this when speaking to them. Ask if there are any additional charges, such as petrol for the vehicle. Some companies are very open and honest about their pricing, but you might come across others who have a range of hidden charges that are not mentioned in your quote.

You can also try and negotiate with them on the price. They might offer different rates for weekdays and weekends, and morning or evening, so check with them the possibility of giving you a better quote if you are more flexible with the time and dates of your move.

Removal Insurance

Do you require insurance for the removals? You might find that your household insurance will cover you for removals, so in this case, there is nothing to worry about. But if it doesn’t, then you will need to check if the removal company offers insurance, and ask for details such as the time limit on claims and the maximum amount covered. Compare the Market’s Insurance when moving home also offers a guide and a chance to start comparing quotes on home insurance for moving home. It is always advisable that you carry all valuable and important possessions yourself during the move. You’ll often have better peace of mind if doing so.

These are some of the things that you should look at when searching for a removal company. In most cases, you will be dealing with professionals who pride themselves on the service they provide. As long as you do your research properly, your moving experience should be at least a little stressful when using the removal services of a good removal company.