When you’re moving home, removal costs can take up a fair slice of your budget. Here are some top tips on how to save money on home removals, whether you’re buying, selling or renting.

 

Start planning early

 

Last-minute arrangements are generally more expensive.

 

Starting your planning early gives you more options on when and how you move your belongings.

 

Have a clear out

 

Dispose of anything you don’t need or want in your new place before you move – not after. This way, you won’t have to pay to move it.

 

Sell items, give them away or donate them to charity.

 

Get several quotes

 

If you plan to use a removals firm, get several quotes.

 

In addition to using comparison sites, ask companies to visit and provide you with a quote. Quotes given in person are likely to be more accurate and could be lower.

 

Once you have several quotes, shop around to see if other firms can beat the cheapest one.

 

Consider local ‘man with van’ type services too.

 

Do your packing yourself

 

Many companies offer packing and unpacking services. But they’ll need to charge more to cover the cost of labour and materials.

 

Avoid putting things into storage

 

Avoid putting things into storage between moving out and moving in if possible.

 

Storage can be expensive and also means you have to pay to move everything twice.

 

Check van hire costs

 

If you’re planning a DIY removal, allow not only for the cost of van hire, but also for insurance charges and fuel.

 

Do-it-yourself removals might not necessarily be much cheaper – especially if you’re moving a long way or have a lot to move.

 

Here’s a little-known tip: Hiring a Transit-sized van for several days may well be cheaper than hiring a small truck for one day.

 

Be flexible on moving day (if you can)

 

Removal costs can be higher at certain times of the year, simply because there’s more demand.

 

School holidays, bank holidays, pre-Christmas and Fridays tend to be popular moving times.

 

Try to move on a less popular day. Midweek tends to be quieter and, therefore, may be cheaper.

 

And here’s a final top tip: Try to choose a moving date that suits you best and encourage everyone else to work around that – rather than the other way round.

 

We hope you’ve found these tips interesting and that they save you some money next time you move.

 

If you know someone who is planning on moving soon, please share these tips with them.