House Removals in Ireland: How To Get It Right

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Minimising the stress of moving is so important and getting your house removals right can be challenging. A house removals company can make everything a lot easier, but where should you start in looking for one? In our guide, we go through all the information you’ll need to decide on how to handle your house removals.

What Are House Removals?

The stress of moving house is very real. What with changing all your utilities contracts, making your paying the right council tax rate, and sorting out arrangements with buying your property or with your new landlord, the actual move itself can get forgotten!

House removals companies are a great way to get all your belongings transported safely and professionally from your old home to your new one. House removals might seem optional, but if you’ve got a lot to shift, it’s a good idea to let professional movers handle it!

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What Does a House Removal Company Do?

A house removal company will pack and load all your furniture, household items, fragile objects, and wardrobe contents securely and move it all to your new property. They’ll even provide sturdy moving boxes with the right sizes and shapes to help get all your things organised!

The main services a removals company will provide are:

  • Advice on moving
  • Packing and unpacking
  • Specialist packing for valuables and larger furniture
  • Storage
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Should I Hire a House Removals Company?

People often think that hiring a house removal company will make your entire move a lot more expensive, but in fact it can have the opposite effect. If you’re living in a smaller place, it might be possible to move everything without too many issues, but if you’re moving from a larger house with a lot of antiques, you don’t want to risk damaging them!

It’s generally recommended to hire a house removals company if you’re moving:

  • From a 2 or bedroom property
  • A lot of heavy furniture
  • Valuable or fragile items
  • Furniture that needs to be dismantled

What’s a Man with a Van?

If you’re only moving from a 1 bedroom house or flat, it might be cheaper to think about hiring a man with a van. A man with a van is colloquially an individual who owns a van and will move your belongings for you for a price.

  • Benefits of a Man with a Van
  • Cheaper
  • More flexible schedule
  • Word of mouth recommendations
  • Better for last minute arrangements

If you don’t need to transport a huge amount, this will probably be the best option for you. Just remember you’ll need to pack and unpack everything yourself!

Are you moving offices? If you're moving offices for your company, there are slightly different rules involved when it comes to the entire moving process. You will need to think about decommissioning and setting up commercial energy, as well as hiring removals companies that specialise in commerical moves.

Check Out Our Moving Offices Checklist!

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How Do I Pick a House Removal Company?

Picking a house removals company can be quite difficult since there’s lots you’ll need to consider. You should have a look around to see which house removal companies offer the best quotes and experience before you go ahead. It’s also a good idea to ask any neighbours or friends who have moved recently who they used for their moving!

  1. Experience and Reviews
    Customer reviews are a great place to start when looking for a removal company to manage your move. You’ll be able to see what other people have said about the company and whether the company has a history of strong experience with moving. You should check to see they have a good website and reputation.
  2. Reasonable Quote
    Making sure your quote is reasonable is very important. A good removal company will let you know how to make you move better off for you by giving you different options that they might have available. Be careful not to fall into any hidden fees so make sure you go through the quote thoroughly.
  3. Insurance
    Removal companies should be covered by insurance. The standard insurances that removal companies should take out are the Removals and Storage Policy that will cover your move.
  4. Extra Services
    Many removal companies will also have extra services available for storage and packing for more complex furniture.

What is a Removals and Storage Policy? A Removals and Storage Policy is an essential for house removals companies and they should have it so you can avoid paying out for damages. The policy will cover any damages or theft that have occurred during the move.

What Questions To Ask a Removal Company

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When choosing a house removals company, you should make sure to ask them important questions in order to make sure you’re definitely getting what you’re paying for. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed about asking these questions since many removals companies would have likely heard them before!

10 Questions To Ask a Removal Company
  1. Are you covered by insurance?
  2. Are both packing and unpacking included in the price?
  3. Is transportation included in the price?
  4. What happens in bad weather?
  5. Are there any cancellation or postponement fees?
  6. What time will the movers be at the property?
  7. What’s the estimated time of completing the move?
  8. Will the movers disassemble and reassemble furniture?
  9. Who pays for tolls and traffic taxes?
  10. Is there additional protective packaging available?

Movers will not move dangerous objects! House removal companies will often refuse to move dangerous chemicals, explosives, or firearms. They won’t move live animals such as pets nor very large amounts of money. Make sure, if you need to transport anything like these, that you make separate arrangements for them.

How Much Does a House Removal Cost in Ireland?

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The costs of hiring a removal company will vary depending on how much you have to move and where you are moving to. According to Getamover, the Irish national average for moving costs is €1,885 for a 3 bedroom house. This figure comes down to €1,465 for 1 to 2 bedroom properties.

This €1,885 cost for a 3 bedroom house includes a range of different services so here's a break down of everything that goes into the overall cost:

Source: Getamover. Last Updated 16/09/2022.

When Should I Get Removal Quotes?

According to our moving house checklist, you should begin looking at quotes for removal services at least a month before your move. By this time you should have already begun preparing for your move and knowing what you need for your move to go as smoothly as possible!

On Moving Day with the House Removal Company

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At last, moving day arrives! You should be prepared for your house removals company for when they come and be ready to get started as soon as they come. If you’ve either just hired a van, or are required to pack the van yourself, you should begin loading in this order:

  1. Heavy Items
    Wardrobes, fridges, freezers, sofas and ovens should be loaded up first. Make sure they’re well balanced so they don’t fall down during transit.
  2. Delicate Objects
    Mirrors, televisions, and picture frames should be safely stored away after the heavier items have gone in. You should wrap these up with bubble wrap to prevent them smashing if they’re any problems.
  3. Longer Furniture
    Any mattresses or disassembled furniture you have that are longer should be stored along the sides so you leave space on the floor of the van.
  4. Heavy Boxes
    Your heavy boxes should go in next, taking up the rest of the floor. You should try and store them in any gaps so they don’t rock about on the journey.
  5. Lighter Boxes
    Your lighter boxes can then be packed into the van. Try to get them in as tightly as possible to avoid them shifting about. Use up all the available space!

If you’ve hired a house removals company, they will do all the packing and loading for you. Keep an eye on them just to make sure all your belongings are loaded up and nothing is forgotten!

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