Category: Movers

How Much Does a Removal Company Cost?

Example of Average House Removal Costs

The table below provides a full breakdown of the average house removal costs for a 3-bedroom property moving 50 miles away. It includes the removal company cost, cost of packing boxes and a dismantling and reassembling furniture service.

Average Removal Cost Based on Size of Property

Below are the average removal costs for different sized properties that are travelling 50 miles and 150 miles. The cost of a removal company will vary depending on the company you use, the distance travelled and any additional services you need.

Pre-move Survey

Once you’ve received your removal quotes from Compare My Move’s verified removal partners, they should offer you a free pre-move survey at your home. This will allow them to confirm the quotation, discuss any special requirement you have and check the access and parking arrangements for their vehicle.

How are Removal Costs Based on Distance Travelled?

A removal company will charge less for relocating in the local area than they would do for moving across the country or overseas. The further distance you move, the more you will pay. A recent survey of our partner network showed that some removal companies charge at an hourly rate, while others break down costs on a mile by mile basis.

Most removal companies offer a part or full packing service to help you with the move. The service will include visiting your house before the move and professionally packing your belongings, loading on to the van and unloading at the new house.

Removal Service

What moving services do we offer

We want to ensure your move is as stress-free as possible, so our removal service can be adapted to your needs. Our packing service makes life a lot easier, but we also supply free packing materials if you do want to do the packing yourself. The movers can also take care of dismantling furniture. Storage is also available for as long as you need it, even if its just overnight. Our storage rates are very competitive. We are one of the few removal companies who offer free transit and storage insurance

Our storage rates compare very favourably with our competitors, partly due to our large storage capacity and having everything in the one place. We can operate efficiently with fewer warehouse staff and fork trucks by having just one facility. The overall cost of your removal is mainly based on the time it takes to pack, load and unpack your belongings. The fuel and travelling time costs are relatively low. Cost is an important factor when moving, but our customers also value, reliability, experience and the ability for us to adapt our service to their needs.

The reason for a family move is often a deeply personal and emotional one. Moving during a difficult family time can take an especially hard toll on your family. Throughout this guide, we consider your family every step of the way and provide advice on ways to help all prepare and cope with the upheaval.

Taking your time to plan your move week by week, hour by hour and box by box in advance is easier said than done. This is particularly challenging when you are trying to run a household as well as juggle work with your three and five year old. The way you approach your move will depend on the moving circumstances and the help or resources at hand. We give you practical tips to help you successfully organise and pack up your family life ready for the big day.

Using our experience and research we have gathered together some useful tips, advice, and things to consider for your family on moving day. Keeping some key pointers in mind for your moving day will help you support your family and tackle each hurdle as it comes

Clearance Guide

Clearance definition

clearance is generally defined as the loading and removal of bulky waste from a property by a man & van crew. The service covers collection of waste from anywhere on the property, loading it into a truck, sweeping up any loose material, and delivering the waste to a licensed disposal facility.  Rates are based on the volume of waste removed and cover the labour, transport and disposal fees.

Who provides clearance?

Every council is obliged to offer a subsidised collection service for bulky household items to its residents.  Some offer this for free, but most charge – and in recent years those charges have steadily risen.  The service is normally restricted to furniture, appliances and other household ‘junk’, rather than builders and home improvement waste. This is because the latter is considered ‘trade waste’ and not something the council should subsidize. Service levels tend to be pretty basic so you will often have to wait a week or so for an appointment and all items must be placed outside.  Nonetheless it is normally cheaper than a private service, so if you don’t mind the inconvenience, it’s definitely worth checking your local council’s website to see what they offer.

Private waste companies, although likely to cost more than the council, take the full range of bulky waste (rather than just household junk) and, unlike council crews, their teams will collect from anywhere on the property (including upstairs and the back garden).  Plus they will be available at much shorter notice and offer narrow arrival times, so you don’t need to wait around all day.  Prices of one man bands may be cheaper than larger, professional organisations

Waste types – what bulky waste types can be removed?

Bulky waste means in the context clearance any non-hazardous waste that can comfortably be lifted by two people.  This includes builders waste, fly-tipped waste, bulky appliances (including domestic fridges), furniture, bric-a-brac, carpet, plasterboard, garden waste and household junk.  For waste licensing, health & safety and insurance reasons, most firms will not remove the following hazardous items:

Asbestos (read our guide on safe disposal of asbestos)

Batteries

Clinical or medical waste, including syringes

Fluorescent tubes

Commercial fridges, freezers and air conditioning units

Gas canisters and gas bottles

Hazardous & toxic materials

Oil, petrol, diesel

Paint & Cans of paint

Tyres

Weight restrictions – do I need to worry about how heavy the waste is?

clearance firms typically don’t like and aren’t best suited to jobs with lots of very heavy demolition or excavation waste like soil, rubble and cement (often referred to as ‘inert waste’).  This is because their collection vehicles are usually light goods vehicles.  Light goods vehicles, although cheaper and easier to run than heavy goods vehicles, must by law never weigh more than 3.5 tonnes.

Removals Training from the Experts

House Removals

Whether you are moving across town or to a different city or continent, finding a reliable removal company will be essential to ensure your house move runs smoothly.

vast experience of the entire removals process makes us the best choice when deciding on a home moving provider. We fully understand that no two moves are the same. That’s why our fully personalised approach to removals has made us one of the most popular choices for moving home.

National Home Movers

Whether you need to insure your expensive items during the packing process or need additional cover for international removals

Why Choose?

If you’re heading from a city apartment to a suburban house, or from the quiet countryside to the centre of a metropolitan city, has the experience and expertise to provide you with exceptional service when moving home

There’s no obligation to proceed yet you’ll quickly discover that our removals company service is offered at a highly competitive price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Bill of Lading or BOL?

A Bill of Lading is a contract between you and for the transportation of your household goods. It will include your name, origin and destination address, equipment information, and other information important to your move. We will mail, email or fax a copy of your BOL before your move, so you’ll have the opportunity to review the details and terms and make sure everything is correct. If you have questions or need to make changes before moving day, just give us a call.

You Pack.

Take control of your move from the start by packing exactly how you want! No waiting for a crew, and no wasting time packing items you don’t need. The best part? The ability to pack your own things can help you save money! The less space you use, the more you save. 

You Load.

Place your items in the moving equipment and secure them for transit. You get up to three business days, so no need to rush. Need help with this part? We’ve got you covered

We Drive.

Let us know when you’re finished loading, and we’ll come get the equipment. No need to stick around — you won’t need to sign at pick-up. You’re free to start traveling to your new home. Stop when you like and get a good night’s sleep. Your belongings are in good hands.

What is the best way to pack and load?

Use quality packing supplies and these  packing tips,  loading tips and  moving videos to help make sure your belongings are packed and loaded properly for a long distance move

VEHICLE LOADING & UNLOADING TIPS

Truck unloading is a daily activity in many businesses. It is also a regular source of injuries to the driver, workers and visitors. Employers have a responsibility to ensure. they maintain a safe working environment. Forklift operators are also responsible for the safety of others in the unloading area. This guideline should be used to help management establish safe work procedures as it relates to vehicle unloading.

Establish an Unloading Area:

• Area should be level to help maintain stability of the truck and trailer. The ground should be free of potholes and debris.
• Area should be free of overhead electric lines.
• Area should be clear of other traffic — vehicles or foot. Pedestrians, the truck driver, or others employees not involved in the unloading process should be clear of the area.
• Area should have sufficient lighting for early morning or evening unloading.
• If possible, the designated area should be a one-way route to prevent the need for vehicles to back up. If a driver is required to back the vehicle, a spotter should be used to protect pedestrians and property.

Guidelines for Truck Drivers:

After checking into the office, the driver should proceed to the designated area and remove tarps, straps, or other load securement devices. Secure this material so it is not an obstruction to the forklift operator during the unloading process.

Driver should secure vehicle, apply brakes, and turn off engine, as appropriate, to prevent unsafe movement during the unloading operation.

Driver should proceed to a designated area (safe zone) located away from the truck and outside of the unloading area. The driver should remain in that area during the unloading operation.

NO material should be unloaded nor should any forklifts be operating in the area around the truck until the driver has completed all of the tasks above and moved to the designated safe zone.

Forklift Safety Tips for Transport Loading and Unloading

Safety Tips for Transport LoadingThe forklift is a material handling piece of equipment that was designed to load, unload, and transport heavy objects and materials. They are used throughout warehouses mainly and are a crucial part of the daily working processes. Trained workers are the only ones qualified to operate forklifts because as helpful as forklifts are, they can be dangerous when not operated correctly. Preventing accidents on forklifts depends on safety practices and training. Loading and unloading protocols is one important part of safety training that can help workers prevent accidents and save lives.

SAFE HANDLING PREPARATION

Before an operator can handle a load, they need to be aware of any possible hazards that could cause the forklift to tip over or cause any damage to people or the surroundings. These hazards are off-center loads which can cause tip overs, overloading which can cause tip overs and falling loads, and damaged or loose loads that can come unstable and hurt someone. To ensure the safe handling of a load, workers need to make sure the load is secure to stabilize it, center the load as much as possible, avoid overloading, understand the forklift’s load capacity, and use the load extension backrest for security.

LIFTING A LOAD

When attempting to lift a load, it is important to be conscious of any hazards like an insufficient clearance, falling loads, and stuck loads. Safety tips for lifting a load include checking the overhead clearance to ensure there are no objects that could in contact with the load, such as lighting, pipes, and sprinklers. This step is especially true when operating in a confined space like a truck trailer. Lift the load very carefully above the lower stack about four inches. Raise the load until it’s clear off the ground and then tilt the mast back slightly to rest the load against the backrest extension to help stabilize it and provide support when traveling. Make sure the load is not touching any objects and can’t catch any obstructions. Return the lift control lever to the neutral position.

LOWERING A LOAD

The biggest hazards present when lowering a load on a forklift are falling loads that can hit other workers, and hitting objects that can fall and strike others or come into contact with other unstable objects. Before a load is lowered, make sure the load is slightly tilted back to stabilize it, out of its neutral position. First, ensure the load is secured before moving, tilt the mast backward to stabilize the load, and move the forklift 8-12 inches away from the load to get it ready for lowering. Stop the truck, return the mast to the vertical position before lowering the load, lower the load so that its lowest point is 6-8 inches away from the floor, and keep the load at a safe travel height while moving with the load.

How to load your forklift:

• While loading, ensure the goods are evenly distributed, correctly stacked and positioned across both forks to avoid any collapsing and damage to the contents. Do not lift a load with one fork.
• Ensure the load is fully secure before moving the forklift. Use securing measures such as ropes or bindings if needed.
• Never overload a forklift truck as it’s an accident waiting to happen. Know the capacity of your forklift and any attachments being used and never exceed this capacity. An overloaded vehicle can cause the rear tyres to be raised off the ground and may cause the forklift to tip over.
• Do not use the tip of the forks as a lever to raise a heavy load or push a load with the tip of the forks.
• It is important to ensure that the goods are tilted back with the forks sitting low whilst transporting in order to increase truck stability. Keep the centre of gravity of the load as low to the ground and as close to the front wheels as possible: Carry the load at the lowest position possible, 4 – 6 inches from the ground. Tilt the mast back and position the heaviest part of the load against the carriage.

Safety Tips: Loading & Unloading

Properly loading and unloading freight is integral to our continued success at Minimax. It ensures that the truck you’re driving is loaded safely, which safeguards against our drivers getting injured on the job and it allows us to deliver damage-free products to our customers.

Here are five great safety tips for loading and unloading freight:

1. Distribute weight evenly

Having a well-balanced pallet and trailer will prevent against the tipping or falling over of the pallet or product. Remember to place the heavier objects on the bottom of the pallet and the lighter object on top, and double-check that no boxes are misaligned or overhanging. Let the pallet act as a bumper for forklifts or pallet jacks, not the packages!

2. Use cardboard corner beads

Cardboard corner beads- image of box with yellow strapping

Cardboard corner beads protect against the misalignment of boxes on a pallet while simultaneously ensuring the protection of our customers’ products by protecting the corners of boxes from strapping.

3. Use straps

Strapping the pallet with nylon or metal strapping will add an extra level of assurance that whatever is on the pallet will stay on the pallet during transportation.

4. Shrink wrap properly

Don’t skimp out on shrink wrap! Make sure the pallet is wrapped four or five times with a particular focus on the bottom of the pallet where a shift in product could result in uneven weight distribution. If you need extra strength when wrapping, twist the shrink wrap as you make your away around the pallet.

5. Utilize load protectors

A load protector is a flat, empty piece of cardboard that can be placed every few rows to stabilize loose boxes while also helping with weight distribution.

Steps to loading safely:

• Get good quality ramps, rated to handle the size and weight of your quad or side x side and are long enough to allow for a safe loading angle into your truck – jacked up trucks will require longer ramps.
• Secure your ramps to your truck with straps and check that the ramps can’t slip or slide out as you apply power up the ramps.
• Wear a helmet when loading/unloading in case something happens. If you have a side x side wear your seatbelt, you want to be inside the machine in the event of a rollover.
• Use 4 wheel drive and low range and apply the throttle smoothly as you climb the ramps.
• Get your weight forward – just like climbing a hill when riding you should be prepared to lean forward or stand to move your weight forward as required for the slope of your ramps.