Moving house is often noted as one of the most stressful experiences we go through in our adult lives and because of this, there are a few essential traits to look for in a removals company to ensure everything runs smoothly. You should look for a friendly, qualified and experienced team of removalists who offer transparent prices that are good value for money.
Alongside these business attributes, you’ll also need to find a firm who offers a comprehensive set of moving services that are catered to the type of relocation you’re planning. Whilst some people just need a simple relocation service, others require specialist support for more complicated moves, such as a military relocation or an upheaval to a far-flung corner of the world.
Every reputable removals firm will provide a quality service that ensures their customers are totally satisfied throughout, however, not all companies will offer the exact same set of services. As a leading removals company who offer a range of specialist services, here at Arrowpak International we are experienced in a wide range of moving services and can advise on how to choose the right company for you.
We’ve put together this blog outlining both the core relocation services and the more niche services provided by specialist firms. Read on to find out about what’s available to you for your upcoming house move.
What are the core house removals services?
Along with excellent customer service, affordable moving quotes and a helpful team that are willing to go above and beyond for their customers, a reliable removals company should offer the following core services. It’s worth bearing in mind that most removals teams will also accommodate office and business relocations too, providing a very similar set of services for commercial customers. But for now, we’ll explain what’s available in the context of a domestic house move.
Relocation service
At the very least, your removal firm will transfer your belongings from your old home to your new home, utilising a team of qualified removalists and a fleet of vans and lorries. A standard relocation service usually involves a home survey, whereby removalists will assess the amount of stuff you have and estimate the size of vehicle and the number of staff required to carry out your move efficiently and safely.
On the day of the move, the team will arrive at your home and load their vehicles. They’ll then transport everything to your new place as you follow behind, before unloading your belongings and placing them in your new home, as directed by you. Your team of removalists will be experienced in the logistics of moving and can even advise what time of year is best to move.
Relocation services vary in terms of the distance they’ll travel and transport your belongings. Some companies may just operate within a region or county of the UK, whilst others can manage relocations further afield, across Europe or internationally.
Overseas moves are inevitably more stressful and take much more planning, so choosing a reputable company that’s experienced in international moves is crucial. If you’re moving to Europe, America, Asia, Australia or beyond, you’ll need to travel by either sea or air. These more complex moves require careful planning, however, an experienced removals company will ensure that your move is handled appropriately. There are four main options available for international moves, including:
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Full load movement: this is similar to a standard relocation service within the UK, where the removals company handles all of your belongings and transports them to your new location in one fell swoop.
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Part load movement: as the name suggests, a part load removal involves transferring your belongings abroad in batches, either because you need to move quickly or because you simply have a lot of stuff.
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Groupage: groupage is a type of international removals used for overseas moves where belongings and furniture are loaded with other cargo and shipped as part of regular commercial freight shipments to the relevant location.
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Airfreight: airfreight is simply the carriage of goods by aircraft and is used when shipping isn’t efficient enough or inappropriate for the given location.
Your removals company will assess your situation and choose the most appropriate service for you, depending on where you’re moving to, how much stuff you have and how quickly you need to move.
Packing and packing materials
If it’s the first time you’re moving house and you’re not confident in your packing skills or you simply don’t have the time and want a hands off moving experience, you can rely on your removals firm to pack and unpack your belongings. This could involve visiting your home and packing everything up, or it could mean providing you with quality packing materials and supporting you through the packing process.
Your removals team are the most experienced packers around and will ensure that it’s done safely and efficiently. If you have fragile items, they’ll make sure they’re wrapped in quality bubble wrap or paper wrapping and always carry them carefully. Equally, for large items of furniture, your team will make sure they’re carried properly without damaging the furniture itself or the walls of your property. By relying on professional removalists to pack and unpack everything you own, you can rest assured that your belongings will be in safe hands before, during and after your move.
Storage
Many removals experts also double up as storage specialists- an invaluable tool for people who are moving house. Unfortunately, hold ups are inevitable when moving, whether that’s a delay in the buying and selling process, an unexpectedly drawn out renovation project or simply a postponement to the move itself due to personal reasons.
Storage provides a valuable solution to all of these issues as it allows you to partially move some of your items and then keep the rest back, either to be sorted through and passed on elsewhere or moved into your property when you’re ready for it. A reputable storage company will be able to hold things for either a short or long period of time in secure storage units, keeping your belongings safe from damage and theft.
What do specialist removal companies offer?
Along with the core services described above, some removals firms also offer specialist services for customers with more specific requirements. Below, we take a look at a few examples of these services.
Military relocations
If you’re in the army, navy, RAF or another military service, you’ll most likely have been or will be posted to various locations throughout your career. Service personnel are frequently posted to different locations, either within the UK or abroad. Often, you’re required to move to unfamiliar countries and expected to relocate relatively quickly, so having support from experienced removalists doesn’t go amiss.
A removals company that is experienced in military relocations will track your consignment well in advance of your move and ensure that all your documentation is completed for clearance into the country you’re moving to. Furthermore, if you’re new home isn’t ready by the time you move, your removals company can arrange storage for you and deliver your belongings as soon as everything is set up.
Car transportation
Moving home doesn’t just mean moving everything inside your property, it also means transporting your vehicles to a new location too. In most cases, you’ll simply drive your car to the new place, following behind your removalists. However, if you’re moving abroad or you have a particularly valuable vehicle that can’t travel long distances, such as a vintage car or a motorbike, you may require a specialist vehicle transportation service.
You want to ensure that your treasured bike or car is in safe hands all the way through the move, so finding a removals company that offers this service is essential. They’ll have the correct equipment, namely car transporters and vehicle freight containers so that your vehicle doesn’t have to be driven on the road unsafely. Furthermore, your removalists can track your car or bike during transit, providing you with peace of mind that your vehicle is safe and secure at all times.
Fine art, antiques and pianos
As well as a treasured vintage car or prized motorbike, you may also own valuable art, antiques or musical instruments- all of which must be handled with the utmost care. Whilst you want to ensure that everything from your sofa to your kitchen crockery arrives in perfect condition at your new home, there are some items which are that bit more valuable.
For this reason, many removals companies include a specialist fine art and antiques packing and moving service, reassuring customers that the team of removalists are experienced in handling even the most precious of items. Your removals company will give your valuable belongings specialist attention by designing custom cases to carry the items and securing them appropriately.
Pianos are specialist items that also require a little more attention during a house move. Not only are they expensive, but they’re also extremely heavy and difficult to transport. If they’re not handled with care, pianos can easily become damaged both externally and internally, which is why choosing a removals firm that is experienced in dealing with pianos is vital. Whether it’s a family treasure or a concert grand, you’ll want it moved efficiently and without any damage.
Arrowpak International: A leading local, national and international removal firm offering specialist moving services
For over 30 years, Arrowpak International have been operating as local, national and international removal experts, supporting customers through relocations across the road or across the globe. We provide all of the services described above and more, ensuring each and every customer receives the expert guidance and support they need throughout their house move. Our removalists are both experienced and qualified, and dedicated to providing an excellent customer experience, tending to the customers’ needs and always going above and beyond to ensure that things run smoothly.
At Arrowpak International, we’re experienced in moving within local areas and destinations across the channel in Europe, as well as far-flung corners of the globe to countries like China, New Zealand and Argentina. We’re also equipped to support clients through military relocations, offering a strict attention to detail and smooth procedure throughout the move. To support our core removals services, our team are also able to handle alcohol shipping, fine art, antiques and piano removals and car transportation and storage.
If you’d like to speak to a member of our team and discuss your requirements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. We’re always willing to take the time to understand your needs and figure out the logistics of your upcoming move to ensure we provide a removals service that’s catered to you.
