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Are you moving house but you can't move everything straight into your new home? Maybe you're having work done at the new house or are renting temporarily because the home of your dreams hasn't come up in time for the completion of your sale. If this is you, you probably need to consider Storage as part of your move.
If you're looking at storage with your removal company it's important to understand removal company storage costs.
Many Removal Companies have their own storage facilities and using removal company storage is a great option when your storage requirement is as part of a house move.
The cost of removal company storage for a 3 bedroom house is around £48 per week for an average furnished house. (Based on prices in the South East of England).
The most important thing to understand is that storage costs can vary for each move. In this comprehensive guide to removal company storage costs we'll break down everything you need to know about how cost is determined.
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Why removal company storage is a great option when moving
- How removal company storage works
- Average removal company storage costs
- Factors affecting storage costs
- Additional costs to look out for
- Why some removal companies storage costs are more expensive
- Why some removal companies storage costs are cheaper
- Tips for comparing movers storage quotes
- Cost saving tips
Reasons why removal company storage is a great option when moving house:
- Easy: Can be organised as part of your door-to-door move so you only have to work with one company, not separate collection and delivery agencies in addition to arranging your own storage facility.
- Safer: Many removal companies will load your items straight into a storage container at your house, and then bring the same container back to your new house on delivery. This means your items are only handled twice, instead of being loaded, unloaded at a storage facility, loaded and unloaded again! This reduces the risk of damage.
- Convenient: Most removal companies also offer a packing service, so not only will everything be well protected for storage but you save time by having someone else do the hard work for you.
- Flexible: Typically moving companies offer rolling weekly contracts, this means if your plans change (i.e. if there are delays in getting a visa for an international move) that you can arrange storage for as little or as long as you need it without committing to long storage periods.
How does removal company storage work?
You've typically got two options when it comes to storage - self-storage, or container storage with a removal company that offers collection and delivery services. We've written a guide to everything you need to know about self-storage vs. container storage., so check it out if you want a full comparison.
In short, with removal company storage your items are collected by the moving company, loaded onto their truck and taken back to their storage facility, and then delivered out to your new home when you're ready. You'll be given an inventory of your containers in case you need to keep track of what's been stored or locate a specific item if you need access.
- Pre-Move Survey (either a home visit, video survey or a list of items)
- Quote & Booking
- Packing (if selected)
- Collection and return to storage facility
- Inventory provided (in case you need to keep track of what's been stored or locate a specific item if you need access.
- Delivery booking
- Delivery
What cost should I expect for storage in the UK?
This can vary greatly depending on company and location, but as an example in the South East of England here are some suggested costs you might expect to pay for house storage with a removal company:
- 1 bedroom house storage costs from £24 per week
- 2 bedroom house storage costs from £36 per week
- 3 bedroom house storage costs from £48 per week
- 4 bedroom house storage costs from £60 per week
What factors affect storage costs?
Size of storage required
Removal company storage is usually charged by the container. A typical wooden container used by removals and storage companies has around 250 cubic feet capacity and is roughly 5m x 7m x 7m.
The contents of the average 3-bedroom house will fill 4-5 storage containers.
How long you need storage for
Unlike Self-Store facilities Removal Company storage is typically charged weekly, so your cost will vary depending on how many weeks your items will need to be in storage.
Some removal companies may be able to offer you a discount for longer periods of storage. If you know rough timescales up front be sure to let them know.
If your items need packing for storage
Whilst you can pack your own items before they are collected for storage, Removal Companies usually offer optional professional packing services if you'd prefer.
The benefit of asking your movers to pack for you is knowing they will use the right materials and techniques to ensure your items are best protected not only for the move, but the period in storage too.
The cost of packing services is often cheaper than you might think, starting at around £300 for a 3-bedroom house depending on your requirements.
We'd strongly recommend considering adding a packing service if:
- You don't have much time for packing
- You don't have much space to store packed boxes in the run-up to the move
- You are concerned about fragile or valuable items getting damaged
- You just really hate packing!
Special items
If you have any oversized items, or items that might need crating or special protection this may increase your storage costs, or the collection/delivery charges.
Insurance
Insurance charges vary by Removal Company, so this is an important cost to check when comparing costs. Ensure you understand what any insurance policy covers, and what risks you carry without it.
Ask about:
- Fire insurance
- Collection and delivery (Removal) insurance
- Storage insurance
Additional costs to look out for
- Access Charges - If you're likely to need access to your items during the storage period there may be charges to have your container bought to a safe access area for you.
- Assistance Charges - Some moving companies can also provide extra assistance if you need someone to help you retrieve items, but this will usually be a chargeable service.
- Dismantling/Re-assembly - If you have any large items that will need to be taken apart by the mover to store them safely then there may be additional charges for this.
Why are some Removal Company storage costs more expensive?
In addition to the major factors affecting storage costs we've explained above (size, length of time etc.) there are a few other things that can make one company or option more expensive than another, including:
Location
Storage costs can vary based on the location of the storage facility. For example, property in London is expensive, so to recover costs companies offering storage in London will charge more to their customers. This may also be the case for storage facilities located centrally in large cities that are conveniently located, whereas movers with warehouses in slightly cheaper areas may be able to offer cheaper rates.
Demand
In most industries, when demand is high prices tend to be high too. Whilst storage costs don't tend to fluctuate seasonally in the removals industry some of the associated costs for moving into/out of store may. In peak periods like summer, you may find that collection and delivery costs are higher than in quieter months.
Why are some Removal Companies' storage costs cheaper?
Capacity
Capacity is the amount of space available in a removal company's warehouse. Typically movers want to keep their warehouses full to cover their costs, so if they have lots of capacity they might offer cheaper rates to fill space.
Quality / Safety (or lack of!)
Most professional removal companies invest in their storage facilities to ensure they are weatherproof and secure, for example making sure sites are covered by alarm systems or CCTV and that access is securely controlled. These provide peace of mind that your belongings are safe, but are additional costs that the company will need to pass on - making them more expensive than those that don't offer the same reassurance.
Members of the British Association of Removers have their storage facilities inspected as part of regular audits to ensure they are:
- Suitable for purpose
- Safe and Secure (including protection from natural elements, alarm systems, fire detection, fire regulation compliance etc.)
- Well-maintained (including monitoring of pests)
- Professionally administered
- Provide safe facility for customer access, if required
If you're looking for removal company storage, the BAR badge provides peace of mind that your appointed mover has been pre-vetted to meet the required standards to minimise risk.
Tips for comparing removals and storage
- Get multiple quotes: If you don't have a preferred provider (e.g., from a recommendation) then it's always a good idea to get multiple quotes to ensure you're getting best value for money, and to compare the different service options available for you. You can find a list of British Association of Removers approved Removal Companies on their website.
- Find out where companies will be storing your items: Some removal firms have their own purpose-built warehouses that are secure and weatherproof. Others may not, and may use another location or a third party partner - so it's important to check where they will be storing your items and make sure that you're comfortable that they will be safe. Look for accreditations like membership of the British Association of Removers meaning movers' warehouse facilities have been inspected to ensure they are safe, secure and fit for purpose.
- Check their reputation for storage: Check out online reviews or ask in local community groups online to find out about real experiences of current and previous customers.
Did you know: Review sites such as Trustpilot even allow you to filter reviews by keywords like "storage" so you can read specific customer experiences for that service.
- Access Requirements: If you think you might need to access your belongings whilst they are in storage then make sure to ask about arrangements for access. What is the charge to access items? Do you need to give notice? Can help be arranged? What are the opening hours? Can you arrange to have specific items/part loads extracted and delivered separately?. If it's important to you, make sure you know how it will work before selecting a provider.
- Contracts: Find out if you'll be on a weekly or monthly contract or if your contract is for a fixed or minimum period of time. This is especially important if discounts have been offered for an initial storage period as this may mean you're committed for payment for that period, even if you are ready for delivery early.
Cost savings tips for removal company storage
Minimise the space you need:
As the majority of the weekly storage charge is driven by the number of containers you need the best way to minimise costs is to use as little space as possible.
Here are some ideas:
- Decluttering before items are moved into storage makes sense. There is no point paying for an item to be stored for months on end only to decide you don't really need it when you finally move into your new home. Check out our guide to decluttering.
- Use space efficiently. If you're using self-storage facilities with a removal company then clever loading can minimise the number of containers you need. If the mover will be collecting and loading for you they will usually be expertly trained in how to make the best use of space at the same time as keeping everything safe.
Decluttering before you move is a great way to reduce the costs of storage. (Image by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels).
Be flexible on collection/delivery dates:
If you're having the removal company collect and re-deliver items then another large part of your costs will come from the move into and out of storage. Your mover may be able to offer you preferential rates for transport if you can arrange your dates when it best suits them.
ready to get quotes for storage?
By following the tips in this article we really hope you've got a better understanding of the costs to help you get the most value for money.
If you're moving in the South East of England we'd love to provide you with a quote for storage. You can fill in your enquiry for a storage quote here or call your local Bournes branch.
