What questions should you ask a removal company

What questions should you ask a removal company?

Be sure to get what you want from your removal company We’ve been asked a range of questions over the years, from the obvious to the somewhat unusual. So, in this concept, we were wondering what questions you should be asking your removal company, regardless of which one you choose. Here’s a list of questions that we thought up between ourselves!

The ‘Pre-Move’ Survey It’s a good idea to get a full grasp on the job at hand. Ask your removal company to send a surveyor round to your home in order to confirm the true volume of your possessions. Remember that hiding items from the surveyor will only result in an inaccurate estimate for the removal process, so discussing the true volume of the move and your requirements can help you get a grasp on the move. It’s unusual for a removal company to charge you for this process, but it can change depending on the business.

Be sure to ask the company if they can provide a packing service, as this will be an important requirement come moving day. They’ll need to dedicate a considerable amount of time to the packing process, so be sure to tell them of your needs straight away. You can include the cost incurred from this in your quote, but be aware of the cost.

To finish of this process, ask for a written quote so you have proof of the quote if needed.

Ask about the staff members There’s nothing wrong in asking the experience and skills that the members of staff have.

Remember that these will be the people who are in charge of the safety of your valuables, so it’s good to get a grasp on who they are. Are they trained? If they are, who by? All of the questions are important for peace of mind and safety policies.

Also, further questions to ask are: Will the movers be casual, contracted or full time employees?

Casual workers are more than often less inclined to worry for your possessions or the responsibility the job has.

What about insurance?

Ask the removal company if you can view the details of their insurance policy. It’s good to check that it’s in date and covers any damages that can be incurred through the moving process.

Remember that there are some items which won’t be covered by their insurance policies, so you may need to cover some items yourself. A number of household insurance policies actually don’t cover household times when they’re in transit, so remember this when choosing your insurance policy.

Also, ask if you can see the VOSA number of the removal company. Given that the removal process needs to operate a goods vehicle that sits above a certain weight, you’ll need to be sure that they currently hold a license issued by the Traffic Commissioners.

The details of the move Remember to get a landline phone number and a full physical address for the business (you shouldn’t accept a PO Box as proof of legitimacy). Non-legitimate removal firms will only operate from a mobile phone, so be sure to avoid these.

Ask how the company would like to receive payment. Again, non-legitimate firms will ask for cash-in-hand payment, will reputable removal companies will have no problem taking cheques or credit cards.

Their previous feedback Finally, it’s good to remember that you can check out their customer feedback online, as a number of websites exist which will hold reviews for millions of businesses worldwide. Looking at just how they operate and treat their past customers will give you a good general idea of whether or not you wish to deal with them.

Again, it’s important that you employ the services of a removal company that you feel generally comfortable with. Skimping on price could lead to the damage and loss of your personal possessions, so remember that cost doesn’t reflect overall performance.

NKA Removals: Removals Amersham Removals Ascot Removals Aylesbury Removals Bracknell Removals Henley-on-Thames Removals High Wycombe Removals Maidenhead Removals Marlow Removals Newbury Removals Reading Removals Slough Removals Thame Removals Wallingford Removals Windsor

For more removal tips, advice and prices, please visit our website.

Top 10 mistakes people make when moving home

1. Leaving the packing until the last minute as the old saying goes, failure to prepare is preparing to fail, and will likely lead to broken objects, damaged clothes and unnecessary headaches for all. NKA Removals recommend planning to get the packing finished so that you have a days rest in between the day you finish and the removal day. These things take time and you will run out of time if left too late!

2. Book your removals company as soon as you’ve got your moving date. If you don’t, you could well find everyone is booked up and there’s only so much you can fit into your hatchback (not to mention possibly scratching your interior! You could do it yourself and hire a van but while that may be the cheap way of doing it, it’s way more time-consuming than you think, and it’s hard work lugging box after box.

3. Choose your removals firm carefully to ensure they do a good job: ideally get a removals company recommendation from a friend, family member or colleague. Make sure they are members of the British Association of Removers (BAR). www.bar.co.uk 4. Back up all electronic files to a portable hard drive so that you can access it even via someone else’s computer if necessary.

5. Forgetting to label boxes means that your kitchen materials end up in your bedroom and vice versa. Label precisely and in detail. If your removal company is packing for you, good firms

will label each box with the name of the room it is destined for, ensuring the boxes end up in the right place.

6. Work out measurements well in advance. Don’t end up with an item of furniture that doesn’t fit anywhere.

7. Don’t forget insurance. If you break something, it could be a costly mistake. If you are packing yourself, check your household insurance covers damage and breakages in transit. Removal companies will not be able to provide this level of cover unless they have done the packing themselves.

8. Try to get your new home cleaned a day or two prior to your arrival. This isn’t always possible if you are moving in just as the previous owners are moving out but if there is some leeway, it will make a huge difference.

9. Declutter before your move and ruthlessly discard things with no thought to sentimentality. It’s much easier then taking it with you.

10. Take valuables with you rather than packing them up for loading onto a van or lorry. First, you might need them quickly at the other end and secondly, you can relax knowing that your passports and jewellery are not stuffed into a large box, unreachable for days.

For more moving advice, contact http://www.nkaremovals.com. NKA Removals are a long established household removals and commercial removals company European Removals and Worldwide Shipping operating across the home counties. We can guarantee our customers an efficient removals service carried out by competent professionals, with a wealth of experience in all aspects of the removals business

Top tips for moving house

Credit http://tinyhouseswoon.com/

Before you get started consider these thing Moving house can be difficult for many people, but moving doesn’t have to be painful either. You don’t need to put everything off until the day before move. It’s always good to consider what you won’t need to take with you in the move, as this is a good chance to de clutter and rid of any unwanted items. Be sure that you prepare for any breakages.

Take your time to go through all of your belongings and have a proper clear out. A good idea is to make up a charity box filled with the items you no longer need and donate them to your nearest charity shop. If you’re looking to a raise a little bit more cash, always consider carrying out a car boot sale or post some items in an online auction, putting the resulting proceeds of your items to re-decorating your new home, buying new items, carpets etc.

Tally up what exactly you’ll need for the move. Things like storage boxes are necessary in the move, naturally, as this is where all of your items will be stored in the moving process. Get the

storage boxes well in advance, finding a variety of sizes for all of your various item sizes. Think about what else will be needed, like bubble wrap, tape and self-seal bags for all of those nuts and bolts together in the moving process. There’s nothing more frustrating than a few missing screws! Old newspapers can be used for lining boxes. In the moving process, don’t completely fill those large boxes; they’ll become too heavy and can lead to damages.

Using sturdy packing boxes for your items is necessary, or all of your items may end up scattered all over the pavement during the moving period. Be sure to check that you have contents insurance, ensuring that this will cover any damages or breakages that will happen during the moving process.

The moving process is important for most people, so plan accordingly.

Keeping hazardous materials, such as paint, bleach and aerosols, in separate boxes is necessary; keeping them away from the rest of your belongings is important for their safety.

Think ahead before the big move Unless you travel light, which we doubt will happen as this is a big move; you will not be able to unpack all of your belongings in the first day of the moving process, so it's worth making up your mind about what you might need to access as soon you cross the threshold of your new home.

Packing a box exclusively for the storage of your essentials is important, as this will allow for you to access all of the important items on your first night in your new home. This will allow instant access to tea, coffee and snacks, along with your kettle.

Prepare an overnight bag for all in the family, making sure that there are enough toiletries for everybody in the moving process. Useful items that should be kept close to you are a torch, a small tool kit and other items. Be sure to finish any laundry before you the moving begins in order to avoid packing damp clothes. Keep a separate box for dirty washing in order to avoid unnecessary laundry. Make sure that the boxes which contain items you need the least are loaded up first.

Be sensible in your packing Spend a considerable amount of time how you are going to pack all of your possessions. Books are easy to store but are heavy, whilst your valuables are in need of careful wrapping. This will take a considerable amount of time. There’s always one thing to remember: Start early. Packing will always take longer than you anticipate, particularly when you start viewing over old photographs stored in the attic.

Pack one room at a time, making sure to clearly label each box with the details of its contents and the room to which it is stored. Clearly mark up boxes that contain breakables and those that are load-bearing and can be stacked in the van.

The moving process doesn’t have to be hard, as long as you follow the above steps! For help in your big move, please visit our website.

For more on moving home, please visit our Home counties removals website.