It’s no secret that moving house can be overwhelming. In fact, it’s often said that moving house is one of life’s most stressful events! The whole process can also take months and sometimes even up to a year to complete, with overseas relocations often being even more stressful and time-consuming for obvious reasons. From navigating the complexities of putting your property on the market to sealing the very last cardboard box shut, there’s no denying that moving house can be a long and arduous process.
Another task to tick off your house moving checklist is to decide whether to hire a removals company or take care of the relocation alone – something many homeowners grapple with before moving. At Essex Removals, we understand that this can be a difficult decision for lots of people. After all, if you haven’t moved house before, it’s impossible to completely understand the ins and outs of it. Because of this, it can be challenging to figure out which option is the most convenient and most affordable.
If you’re not sure which option is best for you, we’re here to help. Here are some of the main factors to consider when moving house, including some of the common misconceptions about hiring a removals company and why we’d recommend doing so.
The cost of hiring a removals company vs doing it yourself
When it comes to moving house, one of the most important factors to take into consideration is the cost. Of course, you’ll probably have a set budget in mind, so you’ll need to factor this in when deciding whether to hire a removals company or take care of the move yourself.
You may hold the misconception that hiring a removals company is extremely expensive and not worth the money. However, this simply isn’t true. There are lots of great companies that offer highly affordable rates. Additionally, while it may cost you slightly more to hire a removals company than to move your belongings yourself, the time and money-saving benefits will certainly outweigh the upfront fees.
Look at it this way. Moving a whole house of belongings by yourself is going to take a good couple of days. This will amount to time off work and extra childcare fees if you have little ones that you’d like to keep out of harm’s way during the move.
Then, to physically transport your belongings, you will either need to hire a van or fuel up your car to power through multiple journeys. If you’re relocating across the country, these long car journeys back and forth could cost you hundreds in fuel.
Not only this, but moving your belongings yourself could lead to more damages and breakages than if you used the services of a professional removals company. As experts in domestic removals, house movers can transport bulky furniture (like sofas, desks and pianos) safely and without damaging them or your property. Even if you have help from friends or family, moving heavy valuables like your television without the relevant experience can be risky.
When you add up the costs of moving house yourself, it probably doesn’t seem as cost-effective as you might have initially thought. Another point to consider is that when you hire a removals company to take care of your relocation, you’ll be able to factor the cost of their services into your budget. There won’t be any additional costs to deal with (such as an extra tank of petrol or a broken television to replace), so you’ll be able to budget accordingly.
The stress of doing it yourself vs hiring a removals company
Of course, there’s more to deciding between hiring a removals company or doing it yourself than how much it will cost. You should also think carefully about which option is the least stressful.
You might think that hiring a removals company is just another task to add to your already full-to-the-brim to-do list. However, it’s highly likely that when it comes to moving day, you’ll wish you’d hired a company to take care of your move for you. After all, having a whole team of professional removalists to hand will reduce your workload significantly. It will also give you time to take care of more important tasks, like saying goodbye to your neighbours or preparing a snack for your children before the drive ahead.
When you hire a removals company, you’ll have a team of people to do the heavy lifting and carrying on your behalf. This saves you from the hassle of laborious work, and it can also prevent accidents and injuries caused by improper lifting techniques.
Deciding to take care of your house move single-handedly means you won’t have this help available. You may have friends and family members willing to lend a hand, but it’s not the same as working with professionals who are well-versed in loading and unloading boxes quickly and efficiently.
If you have pets of children, using the services of a removals company could be even more helpful! For instance, instead of unloading all of your boxes when you arrive at your new property, you can spend time setting up your child or pet’s personal space while the removalists take care of the unpacking. This will help them settle into your new home much more easily and reduce their stress levels, too.
Protecting your belongings in transit vs hiring a removals company to do so
When you’re moving house, it’s understandable that you’ll want to protect your belongings in transit. Whether you’re relocating a dining table that’s been passed down through the family or a very expensive television, you’ll want to make sure these are in the best possible hands during the move.
For this reason, some homeowners decide to move their most valuable items themselves. However, deciding to move your most precious belongings alone won’t necessarily keep them safe. Of course, you may be able to keep an eye on them at all times, but you may be more likely to drop or scratch them without a team of professional removalists on hand to help you out.
Not only are removalists better equipped to transport valuable items from A to B, but they will also have comprehensive insurance to cover the cost of anything that is damaged in transit. This means that if your items get broken, you won’t be responsible for the cost of replacing them. However, if you damage them yourself, then you’ll be liable for the whole replacement fee.
Remember – removalists can also help to protect your new home. The last thing you want is to scratch the walls of your new abode as you try to squeeze sofas around awkward corners or pianos through narrow door frames. Professional movers have lots of experience in this area, however, and will be able to keep your property looking exactly the same as when you first opened the door.
Should you hire a removals company or take care of the move yourself?
The answer to this question largely depends on the requirements of your move. For example, if you’re moving out of a very small studio flat to a property just a few streets away, it might be more cost-effective and convenient to pack up your car and take care of the relocation yourself. However, for any move bigger than this, we’d recommend hiring a removals company to assist you.
There are three main reasons for this, as we’ve mentioned. Removals companies can:
- Save you lots of time and stress
- Save you money
- Protect your furniture and new property from damage.
There are lots of other benefits to hiring removalists (for example, they can also supply you with sturdy packing materials), but these are three of the most important to consider. When deciding on the best option for you, take these into account and ask yourself whether you really have the time and equipment to DIY your next house move.
Essex Removals: BAR-accredited removalists specialising in UK and long-distance moves
If you’re still not sure whether to hire a removals company or take care of your house move alone, why not give us at Essex Removals a call? Our friendly team of experts are always on hand to answer your questions, offer moving advice and provide free, no-obligation quotes.
As BAR-accredited professionals in our field, we’re also qualified to take care of your house move, whether you’re moving elsewhere in the UK or further afield. We’re proud to offer first-rate removals services, in addition to storage, shipping and packing solutions, to make sure your relocation is hassle-free from start to finish.
To learn more about our services or to discuss our pricing, contact us at Essex Removals today. We look forward to helping you with your relocation!
