Moving Home FAQ's & Moving Advice
Moving Home in Plymouth
Moving Home FAQ’s & Moving Advice from Hackworthy & Sons Removals
Moving home can be a big step, and it’s natural to have lots of questions about the removal process. So, whether you’re moving house locally or relocating across the South West, our Moving Home FAQ’s & Moving Advice page is designed to give you clear, straightforward answers to the questions people ask most often when planning a move.
Hackworthy & Sons Removals is a top-rated removal company covering Devon and Cornwall, with years of experience helping customers move home safely, and with minimal stress. We regularly answer questions about packing, moving costs, timescales, insurance, access requirements, and what to expect on moving day — and you’ll find those answers clearly explained below.
Our goal is to help you feel informed and confident at every stage of your move. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, or you’d like tailored advice for your specific move, our friendly team is always happy to help. Simply give us a call to discuss your requirements or request a no-obligation removal quote.
Moving Expenses
Why should I hire a professional mover?
Moving can be both emotionally and physically draining. And while family and friends are often willing to lend a hand, moving large and bulky items with care takes skill. Our removal teams are highly experienced and will make sure your move is as easy and stress free as possible.
Access
While the surveyor will check the access to your current property during the survey, take some time to consider your new home, for example, what the access to your driveway is like and whether the surrounding roads are suitable for larger vehicles. If the crew need to carry everything up a path or a number of steps, please let us know; walking up a 20 metre driveway once isn’t a problem, but unloading the contents of a four bedroom house the same distance is the equivalent of walking four miles!
The key is to give us as much information as possible when you complete our online form, or during the surveyor’s visit. If you’re not sure whether something’s important or not, let us know anyway – we can never have too much information!
How much will my move cost?
All moves are different, and it depends on how far you’re relocating, the number of staff required to complete the work, the timeframe between leaving one property and gaining access to the next, the amount of packaging materials you need, and sometimes even the number of lorries required. Try our quick quote or online quotation tool to get an estimate for your move.
When should I get my quotation?
Knowing when your move is going to happen often feels like trying to predict the weather. However, what we do know is that clients who have their quotations in hand when solicitors start discussing moving dates are usually the least stressed throughout the moving process. So once you have a buyer and the process has started, feel free to give us a call. All our prices are guaranteed for three months. Once you’ve accepted our quotation we’ll be happy to dispatch packing boxes to you so you can start preparing for your move.
We realize advance planning is not always possible, and we do our best to accommodate last minute removals. The first step is to give us a call to check if we have availability on the date you’re looking to move. You can then get a quote quickly by filling in our full online quotation tool.
Will my move cost more than the quote
As long as you’ve given us full details about your move the price quoted is the price you pay. So when the surveyor visits your home, it’s important to tell them about everything that needs to be moved so they can include it in your quotation. Don’t forget to take a look in the loft and shed beforehand. While a few extra boxes or even items of furniture won’t make a difference to the price, forgetting to consider these areas can lead to additional costs.
What day/date is best for a move?
We’re usually busiest during school holidays and towards the end of each month. However, we don’t find that Fridays are generally any busier that the rest of the week. Our charges are the same for weekdays throughout the year, but if all or part of your move needs to take place on a weekend the cost of your move will be slightly higher.
Preparing to Move
Can I use my own boxes?
Of course. We’d encourage you to reuse boxes from previous moves or any you’ve been given by family and friends. However, we always recommend you use double-walled boxes to make sure your belongings remain safe and secure during the removal.
We can arrange for boxes to be delivered to you (wherever you live in the UK) as part of the removal price.
I want to do some packing and moving before the movers arrive. What areas would be most helpful?
Focus on packing rather than moving. Smaller items and boxes can be moved very quickly by the crew, so don’t worry about trying to move these items yourself. Instead, concentrate on packing boxes or preparing appliances for transport.
Will I need to dismantle furniture and beds?
We dismantle and reassemble standard bed frames as part of the removal. However, you’ll need to dismantle any items of furniture which won’t fit through doors or corridors before your moving day. The surveyor will discuss this with you when they visit. If you’d like us to dismantle any furniture for you, let your surveyor know and they’ll include this when they prepare your quotation.
Are there any items that you can’t move?
We’re not licensed to move hazardous or combustible items such as propane tanks, firearms and paint.
I have some items that I’d like to keep, but they won’t fit in my new home. Can you store them for me?
Yes. We can store any furniture that won’t fit into your new property or items which you’d like to hold on to for family and friends. We offer a variety of cost-effective storage solutions which can be included in the cost of your move.
What packaging materials do you provide?
We supply new boxes, clean white paper and tape. We also use export blanket wrap, bubble wrap and crates if they’re needed.
We supply two sizes of boxes:
Small (457x330x330mm): These are best for books, DVDs, CDs and very fragile items.
Large (457x457x499mm): Ideal for kitchen items, toys and other general household items.
Do I need to empty out my filing cabinets?
Two-drawer metal or plastic filing cabinets can be left full. The top two drawers of four-drawer cabinets need to be emptied. All tall cabinets need to be completely emptied.
How do I prepare my appliances for the move?
Make sure that your dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine and dryer are empty. Our movers aren’t trained electricians or plumbers, so while we’re happy to disconnect/reconnect standard connections for washing machines, you’ll need to arrange for the relevant professionals to disconnect your gas appliances and lighting/chandeliers.
If we’re storing your belongings, you’ll need to make sure your appliances are empty, clean and dry to discourage mould and mildew.
Can I you move my plants?
Yes, as long as they’re properly packed/prepared. However, we can’t guarantee the safe transport of live plants, as they can be traumatized by motion or the change of temperature during the move.
Are there any items that I shouldn’t put into storage?
We can’t store anything flammable, perishable or living. You’ll need to drain petrol and oil from lawn mowers, generators, snow blowers, etc before they go in to storage.
We recommend that you keep personal items such as keys, important documents (e.g. passports and driving licences), iPads, mobile phones and high value watches and jewellery with you during your move.
What can I do to make sure that my belongings end up in the correct room during the move?
Mark on the box where you want it to go in your new property. Boxes should be labelled on the top and three sides. Your crew will work closely with you at your new home to make sure everything ends up where you want it.
Do I leave clothing in my dresser drawers?
Yes – just make sure you remove anything fragile. If the drawers are particularly large (a triple dresser or part of a large armoire), it’s best to at least partially empty it.
Our crew will bring wardrobe cartons for hanging garments with them on the day of the move. If you need to dismantle wardrobes beforehand, just let us know and we can deliver them in advance.
Will the crew empty the loft/attic?
As we can’t carry out a full risk assessment of your loft/attic before your move, unfortunately this means our crew will be unable to access these areas unless there are fixed stairs with hand rails and the area is fully boarded out.
I need storage. What options are available?
There are two options – containerised storage, and self-storage.
If you don’t need access to your belongings while they’re in storage, then we recommend containerised storage. We use large wooden boxes which measure 8’x7’x5′, hold 250 cu ft and can be moved using a forklift. Unless you have particular access problems at your home these will be on the lorry when it arrives on the day. This cuts down on the number of times your belongings are handled, therefore reducing the risk of damage.
We also offer self-storage in the Plymouth area through our sister company Plymouth Self Storage. This is a good option if you need access to your possessions while they’re in storage.
Moving Day
Can I ride in the cab of the moving truck with the movers?
No. Unfortunately you can’t travel with us for liability reasons.
Will the movers arrange the furniture to my liking in my new home?
Absolutely. When we deliver your items to your new home the movers will work closely with you to make sure all furniture and boxes are in the correct rooms. We’re happy to arrange and rearrange your furniture until it’s exactly the way you want it.
How will the movers know what items to take and what to leave behind?
When the movers first arrive, they will do a walkthrough of your current home and check which items need to be moved.
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We strive to exceed the expectations of our customers and that’s the reason customers recommend and return to us.
Our move eventually happened, a year after they dropped the moving boxes off, we are so pleased to be in our new home. Thank you
Many thanks
Eddy
Caroline & Paul.
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