How far in advance should you book a removal company?

If you’re moving house soon and haven’t booked a removal company yet, then it’s likely that companies will be booked up with other jobs and won’t be able to help you on your big day. However, if you do book early, then the removal company will know exactly what they need to do when it comes to packing, loading, and unloading all of your belongings onto their vehicle. The sooner the better!

Every day, people move house. Whether it’s to downsize or upgrade their accommodation, moving house is a major undertaking that can be hugely stressful and costly if not planned carefully. If this is your first time at the rodeo then you may feel like you’re in uncharted territory! But don’t worry; here are some essential steps for getting organised before your big day arrives.

Why you should book a removal company at least 6-12 weeks in advance

Packing up your life and moving house is a lot easier if you get organised before the day arrives.

Moving house is one of the most stressful times in your life, and it can be made much easier if you take a few simple steps. One such step is to book a removal company as early as possible; preferably at least six weeks before moving day. This will ensure that everything goes smoothly on the big day itself because the removal company will know what needs to be done beforehand and won’t leave any jobs unfinished or running late. It’s worth noting that this doesn’t just apply to businesses with lots of employees: even small companies may have difficulty finding enough staff for last minute jobs!

You can’t just expect a removal company to turn up on the day of your move and expect them to be able to help. Even if they’re not fully booked, you’ll have no idea how long it will take or what items are going where. Booking ahead means that the movers know exactly what needs to happen when they arrive so everything goes smoothly, saving time and hassle.

It’s also worth booking well in advance because there are many factors which could affect availability at short notice – such as being fully booked themselves or their vehicles being out of service temporarily for repairs etc. And don’t forget that moving companies charge more per hour when it comes to last-minute bookings.

You’ll need to factor in how many rooms you’re moving, the type of move (long distance, local), your desired availability date and any other items like storage or packing materials when it comes to planning accordingly. Some companies allow online booking too, which makes the process even easier when they can see your information straight away and you can see their availability.

The benefits of booking a removal company early

It is important to book a removal company early in advance if you’re planning on moving house.

Booking at least 6-12 weeks in advance will ensure that the removal company has enough time to plan for your move, which means less stress and more peace of mind. It also means that should there be any changes, the company can easily accommodate them before it becomes too late. If you’ve booked with a well-known or reputable company then they’ll have already checked their availability so this shouldn’t be an issue, but it’s always worth checking just in case there are any hidden costs involved. Booking early will offer lots of other benefits as well!

The disadvantages of booking late

If you’re planning on moving house, then booking a removal company at the last minute will more than likely leave you with a limited choice of who to hire due to over-booking. Not only that, but if something were to go wrong, or there are any changes made, it may be difficult for the company to accommodate these.

What should you do if you’re moving house and the removal company is already fully booked? This may not be an issue if you’re planning on going with a well-known, reputable company. If they are already fully booked however, then it’s worth checking out their competitors or asking them who they would recommend in a similar position.

The benefits of booking a local company

Booking a local removal company like Cookson & Sons Moving is never a bad idea, especially if you’ve already checked their reputation and reviews. Local companies tend to have less employee turnover so they will most likely have more experienced staff working for them. Also, transportation costs should be cheaper as the company won’t need to spend as much on fuel by using local man and van services.

They will also know the area like the back of their hand. If you’re moving somewhere new then it’s always worth checking out Google Maps to see if your chosen route is the most convenient; saving time and money. The staff at Cookson Moving have already made each and every one of these journeys hundreds, if not thousands, of times.

The benefits of going with a specialist company

Specialist companies tend to be more experienced in moving a variety of items, from flat-screen TVs and pianos to pool tables and jacuzzis (to name but a few). They will also have a larger range of vehicles to choose from, which means they’ll be able to transport pretty much anything you throw at them.

Why book in advance?

The sooner you book a removal company in advance the better – this will give the company plenty of time to plan every aspect of your move and ensure that there are no delays or last-minute problems. If you’re moving house, then it’s always worth booking your removal company at least 6 weeks in advance if not more so that you can also take advantage of all the other benefits mentioned above.

How to find the best removal company for your needs

The best way to find a reputable removal company is by asking friends and family for recommendations, looking online for reviews and testimonials from previous customers, checking for accreditation such as BAR (British Association of Removers) or TSI (Trading Standards Institute), and reading through their policies carefully before signing any contracts. Once you’ve found a few companies that look like they could provide what you need, call them up and ask to set up a free quote. If you can, ask them to come out to your home so they can give you an accurate estimate of the costs involved with moving.

One way of making sure you have booked the best removal company for your needs is by checking how far away their nearest depot is from where you will be moving. The further away it is, the more expensive your move can be. The same can be said for how far they are from where you’ll be moving to.

It’s also worth checking what kind of levels of service they provide to their customers. Some companies offer a standard ‘man with van’ service which consists of one person and their van that must make multiple trips to and from your old home and new one. This may be fine for small moves such as within a city or within the same county, but if you’re moving across the country or even overseas then this isn’t going to be cost-effective. If you’ll need someone available throughout the move, taking items in and out of storage, and so on, then this is when it really pays to go for a company that offers a full 24/7 service.

What to do if you're not able to get a quote from a removal company because they're all booked up

Moving house is a stressful time for most people, so it’s important to plan ahead and book your removal company in advance. Most companies will fill up their schedules quickly, meaning you’ll have to wait longer if you don’t book early. This could lead to delays on the day of the move which can cause stress or even damage the furniture during transit. You should always approach a company well before your moving date and ask about availability. If all slots are taken, be sure to keep checking back periodically until there’s an opening that suits your requirements (i.e., same-day service).

Top Packing Tips

Your packing tips and tricks for moving house

Moving house is an exciting time, but it also means you have to pack up all your belongings and move them across town or even around the world! You need to plan ahead, work with a budget, and make sure you’re packing everything in advance. The good news is that there are five easy ways you can make packing less overwhelming.

Get started early

Packing will feel more manageable if you start with small things like books or CDs before tackling big items like furniture. It might seem easier to put off until later what really needs to be done today, but when it comes time for the actual move there may not be enough room left in boxes or suitcases! And in the end, a bit of extra work will make everything go more smoothly.

Organise before you pack

It can be confusing to try and pack when you have nowhere to put things. That’s why you should take some time ahead of time to organize your belongings into piles that are easy to manage. You should start with easily packed items like clothing and books, then move on to heavier things like kitchenware and electronics once they’re out of the way.

Don't overpack

You may be tempted to cram everything you own into one box so it doesn’t get damaged or lost during transit, but this can actually do more harm than good. It will be much safer for your belongings if they have room to move around inside the box. If you’re moving overseas, an overpacked suitcase could be lost or delayed in transit.

Organise mail forwarding ahead of time

Like organizing before packing, picking up mail forwarding is something that can be done well in advance so when it comes time for the actual move everything will run more smoothly. Not only will this save you time on moving day, but if your mail is being forwarded to a new address there’s no chance of it being returned by the post office when you have no forwarding address!

Use professional movers

Last but not least, hiring professionals to help with your move is one of the best things you can do to relieve yourself of stress. Hiring professional movers means packing and unpacking will be done faster and with less risk of damage to your belongings. It also means you don’t have to worry about renting a moving van, buying boxes, hiring someone to help you carry everything, or getting everything from one location to another safely. In short, professional movers can take care of nearly everything for you so that when the truck shows up on moving day all you have to do is tell them where to go.

Conclusion

Planning ahead can make moving house less stressful. If you know the date of your move and have a company picked out, it’s important to book early so that there are no delays on the day of or if something goes wrong. We’ve given you five packing tips for making this process easier-get started by sorting things into piles and not overpacking them! For those who don’t want to worry about all the logistics involved in moving house, we suggest hiring professionals: they will take care of nearly everything for you on Moving Day so that when the truck shows up, all you’ll need to do is tell them where to go!

Frequently Asked Questions

A removal company manages the ins and outs of all aspects involved in moving house for their clients. They provide advice, conduct property visits to inspect your home, organise packing and unpacking, pack up your worldly belongings at both ends of the move and assist with any international relocation that might be necessary.

There can be. You may have to pay a fee for the company’s time and workers, you might have to pay an early arrival surcharge if they’re coming to pack your belongings a few hours before a pickup date, and pre-access fees if the movers need keys. These will depend on your house move service provider.

If you are moving abroad or have a lot of heavy or difficult to transport goods then hiring a removals company is advisable. But for smaller, less complicated moves it may be better to hire man and van services for cost-effectiveness reasons.

The price of a man and van to hire varies depending on a number of factors, but generally costs £150-£200 per eight-hour shift. Hiring for a one-day moving job should cost between £300 -£400 including fuel and admin fees. So always double-check with your chosen removal company before booking.

Yes, Cookson & Sons have extensive experience in both furniture deliveries and removals.

Cookson & Son Movers & Storers
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