For most of us, moving house is something we do pretty infrequently. Research earlier this year showed it is now likely to be once every 23 years – half as often as before the credit crunch.
So, it’s no wonder that moving can seem a bit of a daunting process. But don’t worry – here at McCarthy’s we have five decades of removals experience, and we can hold your hand every step of the way. We often find that movers come to us and will start by saying “It probably sounds daft but I was wondering…”, or “This might be a silly question, but…” . Don’t worry – there are no stupid questions! We can guarantee whatever you’re going to ask, someone has asked it before. We don’t assume that because we do this day-in and day-out that you will do too.
If you’re at the stage of thinking about moving house, and looking for some advice, feel free to get in touch and ask as many questions as you need, which we’ll answer as honestly and simply as we can. We thought it might be helpful to post some of the more frequently asked questions…
How can I book in if I don’t know when my house move will be?
Once you know you’re moving home, you should find a removal firm you trust. From offer to completion, most sales processes will take somewhere between six to 12 weeks, and usually you agree a date between you, which may need to tie in with other movers in the ‘chain’.
Removals firms can book up months in advance, so it’s important you start that ball rolling asap. They will need to come and see you (or we can also offer a video survey), so they can see how much stuff you need to move, and what the set up is at your home. From this they can provide a quote, and you can agree to or decline their services. Once a customer decides to secure our services, we can have a chat about likely dates and how to go about booking them in – but having open dialogue is the best way to make sure you’re covered.
Do we move out and in on the same day? How does that work?
It will depend on the details of your chain, but most people move out of their old home and into their new home on the same day. Usually you’ll move out during the morning, travel to your new place, the money transfers around lunchtime, and then the new home is officially yours. At that point you can move in. Sometimes there’s delays around money transfers, which mean hanging around for a little while, so make sure you have the solicitor’s number to hand so you can keep checking on how things are going.
What happens if I book in a move day and then things have to change?
It would all depend how far in advance the changes were. We always recommend people consider taking out postponement and cancellation waiver, to cover them for unforeseen circumstances. We understand a lot of things in the moving process are out of your control, so it pays to be covered.
We’ve booked our move but it now turns out that although we’ve got to vacate our old house on that day, our new one won’t be ready in time. What can we do?
Don’t panic, this happens. We can still come and pack up your home as we would have done anyway – except this time we will load the items into big containers on our removals van. We can then seal these before we take them to our secure storage site. They can remain there, sealed, for as long as you need them to, and then once you have the keys to your new place we can deliver them back to you. In the meantime, many people choose to stay with family or friends, in a hotel, or in a short term rental.
What is the benefit of having a packing service?
We have packed up thousands of homes over the last 50 years, and we like to think we’re now a bit of an expert. We know that when it comes to doing it for yourself it can be a long and difficult job. We will be able to pack up in a much quicker time frame, whilst also ensuring your items are packed safely and securely – we have all the right gear. Many people find the best thing to do is to have a good sort out yourself, so you’re not moving anything you no longer need, but to leave the actual packing to the pros.
Is it ok to have children and pets around on move day?
Of course, it’s absolutely fine to have move day work the way you need it to.
However, it’s a busy day, with lots of hustle and bustle and heavy items being
lifted, so we would always recommend that young children and pets are kept out
of the way if possible, as it may be unsettling for them. We don’t want anyone
running out of the door whilst furniture is being moved and going missing just
before you’re due to leave. If your pet needs to stay in the house we would
recommend confining them to one room with plenty of water and a quiet bed, so
they don’t get too disturbed by what is going on.
What happens if the weather is bad?
The move still goes ahead! Unless the snow is so bad we literally can’t move the vans, which is highly unusual, we’ll be there – come rain or shine (or snow).
Should I pack things in bags or boxes, and is it a good idea to ask my local shops if they have any spare old boxes?
If you’re moving home, you really need everything to be packed well – you don’t want to risk breakages or damaging anything. It’s fine to pack soft, light things in strong bags – it makes sense and they can be packed around the boxes. But anything fragile or heavier will need to be in boxes. It’s worth investing in good quality boxes, as they’ll make sure your items are kept safe and will be strong enough to take a decent weight. But don’t overload your boxes and remember the simple rule of heavy stuff in the bottom with lighter stuff on top. Ideally you want to fill your boxes so things can’t roll around, so some soft items can work as padding.
If we can help you with any moving requirements, why not get in touch?
