There are both advantages and disadvantages to choosing either an expert house removal service or simply hiring a van and doing it yourself.
Taking the following factors into consideration will help you make the best choice to suit your individual requirements.
1. The Size Of The Move
If you have a sizeable home with plenty of personal belongings that need to be relocated, it is probably best to select professional house removal services. Smaller loads are more manageable and can easily be relocated without assistance from a removal company.
2. The Removals Vehicle
Taking care of the move on your own means that you will probably be driving the van or lorry to your new destination. You will require a LGV (Large Goods Vehicle) license to drive a van exceeding 3,500 kg’s. A lorry license will be required to drive a vehicle exceeding 7,500 kg’s. You will also need to meet additional licensing requirements to tow a trailer with a van.
If you don’t have either of these licenses, it is probably best to opt for a professional house removal. You can select from a range of different vehicles to meet your specific needs.
3. The Distance of the Move
If you meet the necessary licensing requirements, you need to consider the distance you will be travelling to your new location. The further away from you current address, the more arduous your journey will be. You may need to make arrangements for accommodation along your route where your vehicle and goods will be safe and secure.
Most removal companies will travel any distance to your new location and will make an effort to select the most economic, safe and permissible route for the vehicle to travel on.
4. Insurance
When hiring a van or lorry, you will need to take out additional driver’s insurance. You cannot drive these vehicle on UK roads without insurance. You can find out whether your current household insurance will cover your belongings for theft, loss or damage during transit if you are moving the goods on your own.
A removal company will provide you with additional insurance to protect your household goods while being transported if you have no insurance or your current policy does not provide cover for goods in transit.
5. The Cost of your Move
Most people believe that a D-I-Y removal option is much cheaper than using an expert removal company. This is not always true. Once you take into consideration the cost of hiring a van or lorry, fuel costs, the additional insurance and labor that may be required, self home removal is often comparable in price to a low cost removal service.
You can lower the cost of a professional house removal simply by opting for the most basic services on offer. Smaller, local house removal providers often charge less than the larger companies.
