Removals: planning a house move with one removal company

Removal prices are driven by volume, not by the number of bedrooms. A three-bedroom house with a full loft, a garage and a shed can need far more van space than a tidy one of the same size. That is why a proper removal company wants to see your belongings before it commits to a price, either on a home visit or on a video survey where you walk round with your phone and open cupboards, the loft hatch and the garden shed.

The survey is also where access problems come to light: a narrow staircase that means the wardrobe has to come apart, a flat on the fourth floor with a small lift, a lane where a large lorry cannot turn. Tell the surveyor about anything that is not going, items you are selling, and things that will still be in use on the day, such as a bed you sleep in the night before.

Be wary of a firm that quotes a fixed price over the phone without asking about volume or access. The figure tends to move on the day, once the van is too small or a second trip is needed.

A clear quote lets you compare what is actually included rather than a headline price. It also protects you if something goes wrong, because it shows what the firm agreed to do.

• the estimated volume, the number of vans and the size of the crew
• whether packing, packing materials and unpacking are included, or only loading and transport
• dismantling and reassembling beds, wardrobes and other furniture
• specialist items: piano, American fridge freezer, safe, large mirrors, artwork
• insurance cover for your goods, the limit per item and any items excluded
• access at both addresses: parking, distance from van to door, stairs and lifts
• storage if there is a gap between moving out and moving in
• what happens and what it costs if completion is delayed and the van has to wait
• deposit, payment terms and the cancellation or postponement terms

Removal firms usually offer cover for your belongings while they are packed, loaded and in transit. Read what it actually covers. Items you packed yourself are often covered only for obvious external damage, not for breakages inside a box you taped up. Valuables, jewellery and documents are commonly excluded, so carry them yourself. Check also whether your home contents policy covers goods in transit, and do not assume it does.

The British Association of Removers is the main trade association for removal companies in the UK. Its members follow a code of practice approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, and it runs a scheme that protects advance payments for domestic moves with members. Not every good firm is a member, but if a company says it is, check on the association's own website that the membership is current.

Offrano does not check which associations a business belongs to or how well it moves furniture. We only confirm that the buyer is a registered business. Membership, insurance and the written terms are yours to check before you pay a deposit.

Where the van parks matters more than most people expect. On a residential street with controlled parking you may need to ask the council to suspend a bay or issue a permit for the day, and many councils want notice well in advance. Rules and fees differ from council to council, so check the council website for both the old and the new address, or ask the removal firm whether it arranges this.

In England and Wales you only get the keys once the buyer's money has reached the seller's solicitor on completion day. In a chain that can mean waiting until the afternoon. A realistic plan loads the van in the morning and allows for a delay before unloading. Ask what the firm charges if it has to hold your goods overnight, and whether it can store them if completion slips by a day or more.

In Scotland the date of entry is fixed in the missives and the process is different, but the practical point is the same: do not book the removal until the date is firm, and keep the firm informed if it changes.

Clear out before the survey, not after it. Everything you sell, donate or take to the tip is volume you do not pay to move. If you have a lot to get rid of, a separate house clearance may be cheaper than taking it all with you.

Label boxes by room at the new address, keep an essentials box with kettle, chargers, medicines and bedding in your car, and defrost the freezer the day before. Measure large furniture against doorways and stairs at the new place, especially in older houses and flats with tight landings.

For long-distance and international moves the planning starts earlier. Crossing a border brings customs paperwork and longer lead times, and a firm needs to know whether your goods travel in a shared load or a dedicated vehicle.

You tell us both addresses, the size of the property, your rough moving date and any special items. We confirm your phone number with a text-message code and your email address with a link. The request then goes, without your name or contact details, to removal firms in the area. Exactly one of them can buy it; that firm pays Offrano and the request comes off the market. Using Offrano costs you nothing.

We email you the name, address and phone number of that removal company before it sees your details. There is no guarantee that a firm takes up every request; unsold requests are withdrawn after 21 days. You are free to decline the quote and to ask other removal firms as well.