Short answer: to compare removals quotes in the UK fairly, give every company the same information, ask for the quote in writing, and check what each one includes before you look at the total. The cheapest quote is often the one that leaves out packing, insurance or extras. This guide lists what to check.
1. Give every company the same details
Different details give different prices, so tell each company the same things:
- The moving date, and whether it is flexible.
- Both addresses, including floors, stairs, lifts, parking and any narrow access.
- Roughly how much you are moving: the number of rooms, large furniture, and the contents of the loft, garage and garden.
- Whether you need packing, dismantling and reassembly, storage or cleaning.
A quote given without any of this is a guess.
2. What a good quote lists
Ask for a written quote that sets out:
- The dates and both addresses.
- What is included and excluded, line by line.
- The number of staff and vehicles.
- Whether packing materials and packing time are included.
- Any storage, and for how long.
- The insurance cover, with its limits and exclusions.
- How the final price is worked out, and what could change it.
- The payment terms and the cancellation terms.
3. Compare what is included, not just the total
Put the quotes side by side in a simple table with a row for packing, materials, insurance, parking, storage and extras. A quote that looks cheaper may be missing a row. A quote for a straightforward removal is not comparable with one that includes packing, a deep clean and unpacking. Our guide to what a full-service removals company does explains the difference.
4. Ask about insurance
Ask each company:
- Do you have goods in transit insurance, and what is the limit?
- Do you have public liability insurance?
- What is excluded, such as items you pack yourself or particular valuables?
- Can I have the details in writing?
Check your own home contents insurance too. It may not cover items while they are being moved or in storage.
5. Ask who will do the work
Ask whether the company uses its own employees or sub-contractors, who will be at your home on the day, and who to call if something goes wrong. If you are moving someone else, such as a parent, see our guide on choosing a removals company for an elderly person for the extra questions to ask.
6. Red flags
- A price given without any details of your home.
- No mention of insurance, or a refusal to put it in writing.
- A large cash deposit, or pressure to book on the spot.
- No written terms.
- A company that will not say who will do the work.
7. Check the extras that change the price
Stairs, long carries from the van, parking permits, a second visit, storage and moving on a weekend or at short notice can all add cost. Ask whether they are in the quote. For a wider look at the numbers, see the cost of moving house in the UK.
Where Chayce fits
Chayce Properties is a moving, downsizing and relocation service based in Northampton and arranging moves across the UK. Our service is designed with older people in mind and is open to anyone. Chayce publishes its package prices: Bronze Essentials from £995 for packing and an insured removal, Silver Comfort from £1,850 for a full-service move with a dedicated coordinator, and more on the packages page. Every removal is fully insured against loss or damage in transit, with the details set out in the service agreement before the move begins. If you want a plan and a budget first, a Discovery Consultation costs £150. To ask for a quote, get in touch.
