Moving house can be stressful and potentially expensive. But with these 7 money-saving tips from removal companies, you’ll be able to get a great, stress-free house removal service without breaking the bank.
- Plan ahead
Last-minute removals are the stuff of nightmare. And good removal companies get fully booked well ahead of time. So work out when you want to move, and work backward from there. A good removal company will usually need four weeks’ advance notice. If you need to have some items stored then it may be best to look into storage companies like Boombox Storage to see how they can assist you with keeping your items safe before putting them in your home.
- Work out how much stuff you’re moving
Removal companies need an accurate idea of how many belongings you have. If not, they could turn up with a van that’s too small, leading to more than one trip. That can cost you double.
So be sure to tell your mover what you have. Don’t underestimate the volume of the clothes in your wardrobes and drawers, or the utensils and crockery in your kitchen. These take up more space than you think.
Take photos of your belongings – including what’s in those drawers and wardrobes. Or, if you have time, let your removal company come around to carry out a survey in person. It may seem inconvenient, but they’re happy to do it for free and it can save you having to pay extra for any mistakes.
If you’re moving a lot of stuff, get more than one company to do a survey. That way, you’ll be able to judge who’s likely to do the most efficient job for you. An experienced surveyor can size up a move in 20 to 30 minutes in most cases.
In case you are moving to an adjacent neighborhood and are planning to move your stuff yourself, do check for reliable utility trailers for sale or rent. These trailers can easily transport any equipment or machinery (like your HVAC). So, depending upon how much you need to transport, you can choose the trailer size accordingly. Also, do remember that you should maintain a speed limit of 55 miles per hour or less, otherwise you may risk the trailer to sway and pose a danger.
- Don’t go for the cheapest removal company
To save money, you should just find a removal company that’s willing to offer the cheapest price, right? Actually, the reality is that if a mover is offering you a cheap deal, that could lead to bad service. You don’t want your belongings to arrive at your new home bashed and broken, do you?
Instead, look to compare quotes for your move. That way, you’ll know roughly what range of prices companies consider to be fair, and you’ll be able to rule out any that look suspiciously low. Low quotes often come with hidden charges that can end up making your move more expensive than if you’d just gone for a higher quote in the first place.
- Find out about any access issues to your old and new homes – and make sure to tell your removal company
The longer a move takes, the more your removal company will charge you.
One of the biggest time drains on any moving job is how hard it can be to park close to your property. This is especially true in busy cities with parking restrictions, or in narrow country lanes where you can’t fit a large moving vehicle.
So take pictures of the street outside your current property and send them to you removal company you have hired in Burwood or your vicinity. Then look up your new address on Google Earth and look for any likely access issues. If you’re moving to a block of flats with no lift, your movers need to know that too.
The more information you can give your removal company, the better they’ll be able to judge the size of vehicle and number of lifters and handlers needed to handle the job in a reasonable time.
- Dismantle your own furniture before moving day
The second biggest time drain is taking apart and reassembling furniture – to the point that many removal companies will refuse to reassemble furniture at all. If you want them to do this, then be sure to check that they will.
If not, dismantling your own furniture such as wardrobes and beds is a great way to save time on moving day – which translates to a cheaper price for you.
- Move at the cheapest times
If you move at the wrong time of year and the wrong day of the week, your move will be more expensive. That’s because most people tend to want to move at the same times, and removal companies charge more during those times.
The less busy the removal company is, the lower the price will be. Up to 40% lower, in many locations. Avoid moving in July and August if you can – these are peak months. And never move on the last Friday of the month unless there’s no other alternative. This is always the busiest day.
Instead, move in January-March if you can. Move on the first two weeks of any given month. And try to move on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
- Negotiate on the price
If you’re willing to be bold, ask your removal company when they’re least busy, and then ask how much they’re willing to reduce the price if you move then. You could be surprised by the saving they’re willing to offer.
And the less busy they are, the better the deal they’ll be willing to agree to. So whatever day of the week or time of year you’re moving, make sure you ask if that’s their best price.
These money-saving house removal tips are brought to you by www.buzzmove.com, a removals comparison site that aims to make moving home as stress-free as possible.