Are you planning for a big move?
It’s always worthwhile to hire a professional removal company who knows the art of packing and handling your belongings.
However, your choice in removal company could make your move a bust-up or a breeze. To make sure your belongings get from your old home to your new home in one piece and on time, you need to select your removal company carefully.
Not sure what to look out for? Not to worry.
Here are 5 key differences between good and bad removal companies to make your moving day a breeze:
1. Great customer reviews
When it comes to removal companies, ones with rave reviews are almost always a safe bet.
Customer reviews are a great way to gauge a company’s reputation, reliability, service and overall professionalism.
Reviews and testimonials will either give the company the credibility you’re looking for, or send you searching for a better option. Insincerity is easy to sniff out, so keep your wits about you when reading reviews.
There are many websites that offer customers a platform to rate a company’s service. Our favourite has to be Hello Peter. This site offers current, honest reviews as well the handy option to compare businesses to help you make an informed decision.
2. Accurate in-home estimation
It is standard procedure for removal companies to come to your home for an inspection of the amount of belongings you will be moving. Make sure you show the inspector everything you need moved – don’t forget closets, the garden shed, the garage, etc. Be sure to also inform the inspector of any particular conditions your new home might have, like stairs.
From this inspection, the removal company will send you an estimate of price, generally based on the amount of time the whole move will take. We advise getting a few of estimates to compare prices and ensure a company is not trying to take you for a ride.
Be warned! Removal companies that don’t offer this in-home estimation for free could be out to milk you dry. Be on the lookout for these scammers.
3. More than the price
Your belongings are precious and need reliable hands to move them. You need the reassurance that your belongings will be treated respectfully from the moment the removal company arrives on moving day to the moment the last item is settled in your new home. So, when selecting a removal company, the cheapest option is not necessarily the best.
Check what kind of value services various removal companies offer as these might make a higher price worthwhile. A little extra cash for a whole lot of peace of mind is definitely worth it.
4. Appropriate insurance coverage
You should never move without insurance coverage. This is a big risk to take as any move involves factors that are simply beyond your or the removal company’s control. This is especially true in South Africa where you can’t ignore the possibilities of car accidents, hijackings, vandalism and strikes.
Most removal companies provide insurance for the loss or breakage of your belongings while they are in transit. Be sure to check the terms and conditions of this insurance and the amount it covers.
You don’t want to find yourself in a financial bind should things go south later on.
5. Trained staff
The company’s staff should be trained, monitored and conduct themselves in a professional and hardworking manner.
Also (and this may seem like an obvious point) staff that are uniformed and moving vans with branded signage are a good indicator of a successful and well-run removal company. This shows that a company takes pride in their assets and workforce and invests in them accordingly.
We hope this has helped to set you on the right moving path. We wish you all the best if your moving day is around the corner. Here’s to an exciting, fresh start.