Planning your move
Plan your move, week by week.
We’ve done this thousands of times, so here’s what to sort and when, what happens on the day, and the answers to the questions we hear most.
8 weeks
before
Ask for quotes and book a survey
Measure big furniture and tight doorways
Start clearing the loft and the shed
Tell your landlord or agent your dates
4 weeks
before
Book your date and pay the deposit
Order boxes, or book our packers
Tell us about parking at both ends
Redirect your post
1 week
before
Pack everything but the essentials
Defrost the freezer and use up food
Take beds you’re keeping apart, or leave it to us
Confirm key collection times
The day
before
Pack a first-night box
Charge your phone and set out the kettle
Leave a note of meter readings to take
Keep keys, documents and medicines with you
On the day
A typical moving day.
Times move with your completion, but the order doesn’t. Your crew leader rings you the evening before to confirm.
Crew arrives
Your crew leader walks round with you, notes anything fragile and checks what’s staying behind.
Floors and doors covered
Carpet film, door protectors and blankets go down before anything moves.
Wrapping and loading
Furniture is wrapped and beds and wardrobes come apart. Heavy items go on the van first.
Last look round
We check every room, loft and shed with you before you hand back the keys.
Unloading at the new place
Boxes go to the room written on them, furniture where you point.
Beds built, done
Beds and wardrobes go back together and we take the blankets and packing away.
Parking and access
Help us get the lorry close.
Parking
We need about 15 metres of kerb for a lorry. If there are yellow lines or permit bays, we can apply for a council suspension and add the fee at cost.
Flats and lifts
Tell us the floor and whether there’s a lift. Book the lift with your building manager and we’ll fit our day around it.
Tight spots
Narrow stairs, low beams or a sofa that came in through a window? Mention it on the quote form and we’ll bring the right kit.
What we can’t move
✕
Paint, thinners and white spirit
✕
Petrol, diesel and garden fuel
✕
Gas bottles and camping stoves
✕
Fireworks and matches
✕
Bleach and aerosols in bulk
✕
Anything that’s leaking
Keep these with you
→
Passports and house documents
→
Jewellery, cash and bank cards
→
Medicines
→
Laptops and chargers
→
Keys for both homes
→
Pets: we love them, just not on the lorry
Questions
Everything else people ask.
Still stuck? Call 01632 960439 or email hello@aldervane.co.uk.
How far ahead should I book?
Four to six weeks for a Friday or the end of the month. Midweek moves can often be booked within a week.
Do I need to pay a deposit?
£100 holds your date and comes off the final bill. The rest is due the day before you move.
What if my completion is late?
If it slips on the day, we wait. If it slips overnight, your things stay on the lorry in our locked yard, and the first night is free.
Will you take furniture apart?
Yes, beds, wardrobes and flat-pack, and we put them back together. We don’t disconnect gas cookers or plumbing.
Do you move pianos?
Uprights, yes, with an extra mover and a piano trolley, from £120 on top of your move. For grand pianos we use a specialist.
What about my washing machine?
Disconnect it and fit the transit bolts if you still have them. We’ll move it and put it in place at the other end.
Can I move on a weekend?
Yes, seven days a week. Saturdays cost the same as weekdays. Sundays and bank holidays are £100 extra.
What if something gets damaged?
Tell us within seven days. Goods in transit cover is up to £50,000 per move, and we’ll sort out a repair or a claim with you.
A fixed price for your move, usually within a day.
Tell us where you’re moving from and to, and roughly how much there is. We’ll come back with a price that won’t change on the day.