Need help with removal firms? Follow our 7 top tips

Ready to move home? You need quotes from removal firms as soon as you know your move is set.

For most of us, the days of renting a van and enlisting the help of friends to move home are long in the past.

Mostly that's because we have so much more furniture and possessions of value that we'd rather not trust your workmate's brother-in-law Dave to handle with care.

The smart thing to do is get several quotes well in advance of your moving date so you can make an informed choice on which removal company to use.

Costs will vary depending on:

• The size of your home
• Are the removers also packing for you
• Where you are moving to

Always check that the removers are fully insured. Most reputable removal firms are members of the British Association of Removers and you can check their status online.

Your overall removal costs can range from £300 to more than £3,000.

So, it's essential that you have an idea well in advance of how much to budget for the move. You also need to give the removers time to schedule you in their diary.

Remember Friday is the most popular day for property sales to complete and so they're the busiest for removal companies. Move on another day and you might pay less.

Here is Homeward Legal's 7 smart tips to follow when planning a removal.

1. Get at least three quotes from different removal companies to get the best value deal for your circumstances.
2. If your quote includes packing and unpacking, start to make life easier for yourself at the other end by decluttering now. Your removal quote will be based on how much you're moving, so if you have a garage or loft packed with boxes that would be better off at the tip, get cracking.
3. If you intend to pack yourself, make life easier by decluttering now! Pick up packing boxes and wrap to protect crockery, ornaments and delicate items. Don't forget to label every box so the movers know where to place them in the new house.
4. Book your removal company as early as possible to guarantee they're available on your moving date.
5. If parking is an issue at your current home, borrow a couple of traffic cones and zone off a parking spot (with plenty of space at the back!) for the removal firm's van. If you can't find traffic cones, improvise with your wheelie bins to stop anyone parking in front of the house.
6. Pack an essentials box and keep it with you. In it stick a kettle, teabags, coffee, milk, sugar and biscuits. Don't forget mugs! Both you and the removal team will appreciate a cuppa at the other end. Oh and a couple of rolls of toilet roll would help in there, too. Maybe some lightbulbs just in case. Trust us, it'll all help.
7. Have a plan B for the removal company to deal with overnight storage and somewhere else to stay if the keys to your new place are not released in time.