Making plans for moving house is not something that should be left to the last minute. Unless you plan ahead, you could find that moving day is far more stressful and expensive than it needs to be.
Moving house can be expensive in other ways, from estate agent commission to mortgage fees. Even students moving out of halls and back home can face unexpected fees if they don’t plan properly. This is why it’s important to find ways to save money in other areas, such as when using a London removals firm.
We’re happy to share our insider tips as West London movers on the best ways to save money on moving house, as well as those times when it would be a false economy to skimp. What you need is a good value, reliable service that takes the hassle of moving off your plate. Here’s how to get just that:
1. Move at the right time
In our experience, January is the quietest time of the year for house moves. There are a few reasons for this, but generally speaking it’s to do with Christmas. People aren’t at the point of completing on house purchase transactions immediately after Christmas, and many others are on holiday. This is why the smart house mover may want to schedule their move for January, as prices for West London removals services may be cheaper. If you have the flexibility to pick a month for your move and you’d like to save money and avoid a busy patch for the movers, this one’s a no-brainer.
There are other important points to consider in terms of the timing of your move as well as the month. We’d recommend avoiding moving on the weekend as this is when our moving teams are most in demand. If you move during the week instead, there could be a reasonable-sized discount coming your way.
Bank holidays are also a no-no. Many people choose to move near bank holidays as it gives them an extra day or two to get organised, but in reality it can make things more complicated. Most West London movers will be in demand, which could push prices up, and any delays in the completion of the purchase can’t be sorted out until the bank holiday is over. This can lead to hiring the removals firm for extra days, which can quickly become expensive.
2. Book early
West London movers are in high demand, so you’ll need to act early to secure the best price. The later you leave it to get your removals firm booked in, the more likely it is that their calendars will be full. This means higher costs, whereas if you book nice and early you may be able to lock in a great deal. Booking early also means less worry and stress, as you have the peace of mind that your removals team is already confirmed and all ready to go. It’s one more thing off your list of things to do before the move.
3. Do your own cleaning
London removals specialists such as Kiwi Movers are happy to offer a handy cleaning service as part of our service, and many people find it a huge relief not to have this burdensome task to worry about. If you’re busy at work, with the house move, looking after the kids and about a million other things, the last thing you want is to be deep cleaning your flat. Our end-of-tenancy cleaning service can handle all of this for you. However, if you’re looking for ways to save cash on your move and you have the time to get stuck into cleaning (or perhaps you really like cleaning!) – doing it yourself can be an economical way to go.
4. Pack your own things
Just like with property cleaning, packing is another of the services offered by West London movers such as ourselves. The Kiwi Movers team will carefully, quickly and professionally pack, package and protect all of your belongings, from the bulky to the valuable. This is a huge, time-consuming task off your to-do list, which is why so many people decide to use this service to make lives just a little easier for themselves.
For those concerned about their moving costs however, it could be a good idea to do all the packing yourself. You’ll need time, the right materials and plenty of patience – and it’s probably only worthwhile if you don’t have a large number of items or lots of valuables. Before you make this choice though, consider whether or not it may cost you more in the long run if your valuables are broken in transit due to poor packing. Moving firms are experienced in minimising breakages, and they have full insurance to cover the cost if anything does go wrong. If you’re confident of your packing skills, carry on. If not, speak to the Kiwi Movers team about our packing service.
5. Use your own boxes
This one is very much down to personal judgement as to whether it’s a money-saving tip or not. It is true that not buying boxes from a removals firm will save you money, but is it a false economy?
Boxes you’ve scrounged from local supermarkets and friends simply may not be up to the task. They won’t be designed for the rigours of house moves or the weight you want to put in them, and no amount of extra tape you put on them is going to stop the box from collapsing or breaking. Full boxes could split mid-move and cause valuables to be broken and damaged, as well as causing extra delays due to the clean-up time involved. If you don’t want to lose whole dinnerware services, have to replace all your glasses or see your vital documents and papers whipped away all over your driveway by the wind, buying proper removals boxes could be a smart choice.
Kiwi Movers offer great value, affordable moving boxes that are tried-and-tested throughout hundreds and thousands of moves, but it’s completely up to you if you want to use those or your own.
6. De-clutter on a major scale
How can you save money on moving house in West London? The answer is simple – move less stuff. Having a huge property-wide de-clutter can give you a fresh start in your new property but crucially, it means that you’re not paying to move stuff that you don’t need. You’ll save time and money during the move, as well as packing and unpacking on both sides. Plus, it can feel amazing to get rid of all that old junk, and many people find it quite an enjoyable and satisfying experience. You might even make some extra cash from selling off unwanted possessions.
7. Consider a pre-move survey
On paper, your house move seems simple. But what if that large item of furniture that simply won’t fit out of the door or window? What if parking at your new place (a problem that West London removals firms come up against all the time) is a nightmare? Issues like this can all drive the price up, especially if they cause delays or extra work.
The way to stop this from happening is to anticipate problems in advance is to get a pre-move survey carried out. Kiwi Movers experts will go over your move plan and spot any potential snags that could affect the price, and put plans in place to circumvent or eliminate these problems. Best of all – as well as the fact that it could save you cash – these pre-move surveys are completely free.
8. Pay by the hour
If you’re not moving far, a smart way to save money on a London removals service is to pay by the hour. For those with not a lot of belongings and only a short distance to travel within the West London area, this can make sound financial sense.
There is a crucial thing to remember though with pay by the hour removals services – you must be organised. You must have a clear and realistic idea of how long everything will take and be all packed up and ready to go at the appointed time. Any delays can push you into an extra hour, which of course costs money. Some of these delays may be out of your hands, such as traffic, so you should keep a contingency budget for an extra hour just in case.
Ready to move?
Please contact the Kiwi Movers team for a quick quote for your house move, or to find out more about our time and stress-saving services. We’ve also put together handy guides for moving house in Islington, Chelsea, Teddington and other West London destinations – to help you move smoothly and settle into your new home easily.