The family firm that's
more than just a Moving Company

Comparing Removal Companies

Today we are totally in shock following a comparative quote a potential customer showed us.  The job in question was a larger than average 3 bedroom flat on the 2nd floor, without a lift, plus a basement full of stuff.  The couple in question admitted they were hoarders.

We did a full survey and, based on volume, quoted a very fair price.  A smaller company came in and quoted around £700.  This lead us to wondering just how the job could be done at that price?  These are the costs a fully fledged removal company should be incurring and basing their price on:

Staff wages - We don’t pay the minimum wage because, of course the old adage, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys, is very true.  Our staff are well remunerated for the work they do and never feel the need to string a job out, help themselves to little extras etc and of course they have pride in the work they do because they feel valued.  We also provide our staff with smart uniforms, safety boots, and rain gear.

Insurance - legally we are obliged to have public liability insurance, goods in transit insurance, health and safety insurance, fleet insurance, employers liability insurance - these are all enormous but vital costs for the protection of our staff and our customers

Vehicles - everyone knows the cost of rising diesel but there is also the general upkeep of the vans, to ensure that breakdowns don’t occur thus inconveniencing everyone.  All our vehicles are smart, clean and new and conform to the goverment vehicle emmissions programme.

Time - a huge factor involved in the cost of removals is the time taken.  Our quotes allow for the time to wrap and protect each and every piece of furniture plus the time taken to pack the van safely and securely for transit.  Yes, you can load a luton van in an hour if you literally just lob everything on as is, but what state will it arrive in at the other end?  Mirrors and pictures are all bubble wrapped in export bubble and the corners protected with blue foam corners.  Sofas and armchairs are covered in custom made protective covers.  Mattresses are covered in plastic. Plasma TV screens are now transported in a specialist protective bag with cushioning and hardboard.  Very often furniture needs to be dismantled and reassembled in order to get it in and out of the property without causing damage to the walls - this of course takes time - we all know how long it takes when we’ve made an Ikea purchase!  Our men arrive with electric drills and toolkits and the speed with which they do this is amazing but it does take time.

Pricing exclusions - our experience of fixed price jobs is that no extras are taken into account.  If you read the small print, there may be many extra charges added to your final bill.  Examples of these are dismantling, packing, materials, and overtime.  We try to offer a very transparent pricing structure which allows for flexibility on the day as no one can be precisely predict how the job will go.  There are often delays or unforseen circumstances or alternativley the client may have done so much preperation and packing that the job is completed in much less time than predicted.  Our final bill is calculated on the actual time taken that way if you want a bit of extra packing on the day, or an additional pick up en route, it’s no problem.

In summary, beware of the man offering to do the job cheaply, he has to be taking short cuts that will impact on your removal experience.  Our customer base is full of people who have come to us following a bad removal and are happy to pay that little bit more for peace of mind and a stress free move.

Amber Moves learns the art of Feng Shui

Recently we were employed by a leading estate agency on behalf of one of their landlords to carry out a very special removal job in Knightsbridge.  The property yielded a weekly rent of £5000 and had some water damage.  In order to carry out the repairs, the entire apartment needed to be packed up and stored for delivery some 12 weeks later.

An interior designer had decorated and furnished the apartment according to principles of Feng Shui.  Our staff photographed the entire flat and it’s contents, right down to how the cutlery drawer was filled.  They measured the distances apart of every piece of furniture right through to the placement of the mirrors and cushions.  Every piece was inventoried, recorded and married up to it’s photo in order for us to put the property back to it’s original state on the re-delivery.

We made use of the very best storage we offer to all our clients, ensuring that the contents were all secure, dry and totally protected against any damage.  We filled two 20ft containers which were than lifted by gantry crane, ensuring no movement, into a temperature controlled warehouse.

The pack and load and the return unload and unpack took two days each side, with a crew of 8 men on each day.

The job has now been completed and we are very proud of the work we have done and can now add it to our list of experiences and capablities.

Should I stay or should I go?

This is the question that is on everyone’s lips at the moment.  Now there is talk of the Chancellor removing stamp duty so anyone considering buying or selling is going to sit tight and wait and see, bringing the housing market to even more of a halt, if that is at all possible in this climate.

Do you buy and sell now before prices drop even lower or just bite the bullet and, if you are able to sell your house and have found your dream home, move now?

It all comes down to the Ikea advert - is your house your house or is it your home?

There is never going to be  a perfect time to buy or sell, neither we can confidently predict when the market will turn.  Take your family’s needs into account and consider what works for you now.  If you need more space, or to be nearer good schools why wait - these improvements will be immediate and you can start enjoying the benefits straight away.

Consider that the moving process is never straightforward and it could take a good 6 months from starting to view properties to actually moving in.

The estate agent’s quick fix is to drop your price now for a quick sale - what pressure is being exerted on your seller to lower his price?  There is no point in moving if you haven’t made any money on your current property and you need to take into account the costs of moving from solicitors to estate agents to removal companies.

In the end it’s all about being in a property that you love and call home.  You can’t put a monetary value on yours and your family’s happiness and security but we all know these are priceless.