If you’re planning for an upcoming move, you’ve likely already felt the pressure to hire the perfect team of removalists. Perhaps you have a coworker who completed a recent move and has been waxing poetic for months about how finding the perfect team made her move a breeze. Or, at the other end of the spectrum, you may have a family member who chose poorly and cannot quit bemoaning the misery that was his moving experience as a result.
The takeaway, then, is this—the removal team you hire has the power to make or break your moving experience…so it is important…scratch that, it is imperative…that you choose wisely when hiring a team for your move.
That’s why we’ve come up with a list of the top 5 questions to ask any removal company you’re considering before you hire them…because their answer to these questions will make it crystal clear who you should trust with your business…and who you should avoid.
1. What is included in the cost of my move?
This is a big one, friends. This question (and the follow-up questions we’re about to share) is well-deserving of our number one spot. Just because a company is promoting a bargain-basement rate that seems to blow all other competition out of the water doesn’t mean that the price they are advertising is what you’ll pay.
Ask each company you’re considering to provide you with a detailed quote for the move and to specify exactly what services are included. Does the company charge a flat rate or do they charge by the hour? Are there any additional charges not included in the promotional rate?
Once you’ve asked this important question it’s time to move on to…
2. May I have a written quote?
Though we’ve framed this as a question, the truth is, any removal company that refuses to put down on paper the costs they’ve communicated to you is not the right removalist for you.
You can make their response easier by providing as much accurate information as possible. Tell them the square footage of your home, the distance between your old home and your new, whether you’re making an interstate move, if your new place is in a high rise, and anything else that could affect the cost of your move.
Be sure to request an itemised quote and have the removalist account for each charge listed.
3. Are you accredited?
The answer to this question is going to separate the good removalists from the great. Accreditation is not required, but companies that have been accredited by the Australian Furniture Removers Association (AFRA) must meet certain standards regarding their equipment, vehicles, staff training, and buildings.
Another reason to hire an accredited removalist is the fact that they are required to carry public liability insurance and can provide you with transit insurance to cover everything of yours, they move. This means your belongings are financially covered should any damage occur while your belongings are being packed and moved by the removal team.
Most unaccredited companies only carry insurance that covers their vehicles in the event of an accident, so be sure to make finding an accredited removal company a priority.
4. May I have a list of references?
Any reputable removal company is going to expect you to ask for references and should be happy to provide them. They should give you a list of former clients who are willing to share with you their experience using the company.
If you ask for references and receive any sort of hesitation or push back from the company, consider it a big red flag. After all, there’s a reason they don’t want you talking to former clients and, nine times out of ten, it isn’t good.
5. What is your level of experience?
When it comes to hiring removalists, experience matters. Having a well-trained, experienced team reduces the risk of injury and ensures a smooth, stress-free moving experience. Professionals know the ins and outs of the moving process—after all, they perform several moves each week while you may only make a handful of moves in your lifetime—like how to properly and efficiently pack and stack boxes, how to properly load and unload a moving truck, and how to wrap and pack items in a way that ensures they will arrive at your new location safe and sound.
If you are living in or around Sydney and are in the market for a friendly, experienced, and accredited team of removalists, we hope you’ll contact us at Holloway Removals. Our removal experts can help with both local and interstate moves and will happily provide you with a detailed, itemised, and custom quote including everything you need and nothing you don’t.
We’ll move you the right way…with Holloway.