Packing & materials the line you can move
Packing and materials — priced separately, because it is the one line most people can genuinely move themselves.
Packing is the part of a removal most people could do themselves, which is exactly why it is quoted separately rather than bundled into a single number that assumes an answer for you.
The three levels
Full packing
Everything, by us, usually the day before. The most expensive option and the least disruptive — and the right answer when you are working up to the move or the property is large.
Part packing
The commonest arrangement by some distance. You take the volume — books, clothes, non-fragile cupboards, the garage — and we take the kitchen, the glass, the pictures, the lamps and anything old. It moves the largest share of the cost you can move without risking the things most likely to break.
Fragile only
You pack everything except the items that genuinely need cases and crates. The cheapest packing option that still protects the things worth protecting.
If you are packing yourself
- Start earlier than feels necessary — it always takes longer than the estimate in your head
- Fill cartons properly: an under-filled box collapses, an over-filled one cannot be lifted
- Plates on edge, not flat. Glasses in cell partitions, not wrapped in a jumper
- Label the room, not the contents — it is the room that matters at the other end
- Keep boxes to a weight one person can carry; heavy is not efficient, it is slow
- Do not pack the kettle, and do not pack the tools you will need to rebuild the bed
What we would not let you pack
Mirrors, framed work, marble and glass tops, lamps and anything veneered or inlaid. Not because of skill — because they need purpose-made cases, crates and cell partitions, and those are worth the line on the quote.
Materials
The protection that comes with the move — blankets, covers, floor and frame protection — is included. Cartons, tape, tissue, cell partitions and specialist cases sit in the packing quote, and we take the packaging away when we leave rather than leaving you with a hallway of flattened cardboard.
Related
Packing as a cost factor, and how it sits alongside the other six.
Packing questions
Why is packing quoted separately?
Because how much of it you want varies enormously, and bundling it would mean everyone pays for the same assumption. Separating it lets you take all of it, some of it, or none.
Does packing myself save much?
It can, meaningfully. It also takes far longer than people expect. The honest advice is to take on the volume — books, clothes, non-fragile cupboards — and leave the fragile and awkward items to us.
What goes wrong with self-packing?
Under-filled cartons that collapse, over-filled ones that cannot be lifted, and fragile items packed flat instead of on edge. Badly packed cartons are the commonest cause of breakages on any move.
Are materials included?
The protection we bring — blankets, covers, floor protection — is included in the move. Cartons, tape, tissue, cell partitions and specialist cases are part of the packing quote, and we take the packaging away afterwards.
What always needs professional packing?
Mirrors, framed work, marble and glass tops, lamps, and anything veneered or inlaid. Those need cases, crates or cell partitions rather than a blanket, and that is a materials decision rather than a skill one.
Deciding how much to pack yourself?
Tell us which rooms you want to take on and we will quote the rest. There is no penalty for changing your mind before the day.