A house move is often cited as one of the most stressful life events an individual can live through. That’s not surprising, it’s no easy feat, especially if you are moving with kids. You’re literally packing up your life into boxes, several lives if parents and kids are moving together, and shifting everything to an entirely new location. And while it might be a fresh start and a chance to begin a new chapter of your life, you still have to get through the complexities of packing, organizing and settling in a new place.
And on that note, the house moving company you choose can make or break the experience. The wrong movers will increase your house move stress workload and make life harder than it is to be at an item when you need simplicity. So let’s take a look at some tips to help you avoid any removal company mistakes.
Define The Scope of Your Move Before Getting Quotes
The last thing you need to be doing is booking a removal company before you have pinned down the details of the move. When you don’t know exactly what you need or what is happening, quotes are built on assumptions and are like building a house on sand. Looks great initially, but will crumble fast.
Start by creating a list of everything moving with you from room to room, including furniture, appliances, note fragile items, items out of the ordinary (piano?), anything needing to be dismantled, and any outdoor furniture or equipment. Then check measurements for your home to assess ease of access and manoeuvring items from where they currently are and out of the house, so you know what to tell your movers.
Then provide this when you ask for quotes, so you can get a better idea of what you need and what you will get on the day, and there are no surprises or refusals to do anything.
Request Detailed Written Quotes
Do not rely on verbal quotes. This is where confusion lives. Instead, when you speak to any moving company, request a quote. Because building a move around a price that was flippantly discussed but not clarified leads to miscommunication and added charges at the very least.
Your invoice should include aspects such as
- Labour hours
- Vehicle size
- Number of overs
- Packing materials
- Distance calculations
- VAT
From here, check if the price is fixed or variable based on time, check if there’s anything the movers won’t do, or you might be charged additionally on the day. Clarify how they assess volume, i.e., in person via a video survey or by rough description. The more precise they are, the more accurate the pricing will be.
Then ask questions like: what happens if the job takes longer? Is the waiting time charged or included as standard? This gives you an idea of what to expect if things don’t go to plan on the day, and removes any nasty surprises.
Verify Licensing, Registration and Insurance
All legitimate moving companies will have these details to hand and will be happy to supply evidence to confirm these.
You want to request proof of goods-in-transit insurance and public liability insurance. Then check the coverage limits and ensure they realistically meet the value of the goods you’ll be transporting. It might be that you need to get additional insurance for specific high-value items or for non-standard objects that need to be moved.
This becomes even more important if you’re travelling long distances or to different countries. Cross-border moves require an additional level of documentation that movers need to adhere to, and regulatory documentation and insurance validation need to extend beyond domestic standards. Experienced international movers will be able to verify required documentation, customs processes and insurance structures to protect household goods regardless of where you’re moving from or to.
Check Independent Reviews and Complaint History
This is really important. A company might have a polished website and a confident sales pitch, but that does not guarantee professionalism. This is confirmed by patterns and behaviours. It’s in the doing, not the shiny brochure online.
Search for independent reviews across multiple platforms — social media, Trustpilot, forums, etc., and look for repeated comments and threads within the reviews. Check punctuality, if anything was broken, whether there were any surprise fees, handling, care, communication and issue resolution. This is more important than any sales pattern.
Then search for the company using “complaints,” “Damage claims,” or “late delivery”, and then, if you can, review how the company responds publicly. You’re looking for professional replies that suggest they take accountability and will improve for the future, not dismissive replies.
Clarify Price and Extra Charges
Unexpected fees aren’t anyone’s idea of a good time, and the last thing you want is to pay for your entire move only to find there’s another bill landing in your inbox.
Ask specifically about charges for stairs, packing materials, fuel surcharges or waiting time. Ask if anything is billed separately and clarify any cancellation charges or fees for amendments to the original booking. Find out if your deposit is refundable or not.
Then ask for any variable costs to be listed clearly and have them put into writing in the contract if they aren’t already there. For example, if extra charges are triggered for underestimated volume or access restrictions, you need to know ahead of time, not post-move.
Check Damage Procedures and Claims Handling
Even the most well-managed moves aren’t completely risk-free. And the critical factor here isn’t about whether things go wrong, it’s about how the company handles it when this occurs.
You need to understand their claims process to know what to expect when things go wrong. Is the damage documented on the day? Do you only have a certain amount of time or a small window in the day to report any damage? Will the company take photos before loading to cover themselves? Do they take an itemised inventory? How is compensation calculated?
The company should be able to explain its claims process simply and easily. It shouldn’t be hard. You should expect certain details to be requested, but the process shouldn’t be a fight. It should be a formal process that moves in stages smoothly, not a “he said, she said” kind of back and forth.
