Removal companies??
 

Can any one recommend a good reliable moving company, Southampton to Calgary?

Friends of ours moved with Edward Barden from Bosham to France, stuff in storage for two years, and when it arrived in France there was no end of damage, lots of crockery and furniture broken, despite paying for them to pack it! Family heirlooms broken it was heart breaking. Don't want that to happen.

Thanks

Re: Removal companies??
 

Hi,

To save you time waiting for responses why not check the archives? This is one of the most discussed topics on this forum.

Good Luck

SAW 04

Re: Removal companies??
 

We are using Overs of Camberley. They provided a competitive quote, and their service was far better than the others we tried.

We booked them on a recommendation from another site member

Hope that helps

peterb

Re: Removal companies??
 

As I've said before - avoid Britannia at all costs.

Re: Removal companies??
 

Thanks - I have heard this about Britannia before, will bear it in mind. Is it best to let the removers pack or should you do it yourself? :)

Re: Removal companies??
 

Despite the fact I saw them do some pretty stupid packing, I'd have removal men (or ladies!) pack my stuff every time. Things like glassware, pictures, huge pieces of furniture were packed far better by them than I ever could have done. I just don't know how they stack and pack containers and could have packed really inappropriately.

As for breakages, you must expect some. I've just had the claim handler guy round this morning to sort out our insurance claim. Compared to stories I'd heard from friends and relatives, I think we got off lightly with:-

- Split foot on antique armoire
- Chip on bureau drawer
- Gouging and scratching on scrolls of child's crib
- Scratching and dents on kitchen bin (feeble to claim for a bin, I know, but it was an expensive one!)
- Dent and tear in side panel of leather recliner as power unit for chair was wrapped with chair and obviously had heavy item on top of it
- Smashed glass in etching
- Squashed child's shape sorter thingy
- Missing cleaning equipment, mugs and kitchen spices - these were taken at the last minute, unwrapped, as the men ran out of time. I assume they are languishing in their warehouse somewhere and we may see them again one day!

Re: Removal companies??
 

Isn't it funny (or rather no-so-funny) that I keep reading about a number of horror stories :scared: and I'm so glad I didn't know about them before I left. I hired a skip, bought boxes online and bought two big rolls of bubble wrap from Lakeland plastics and started wrapping. Yes it was a long job and on occasion very boring but at the end I had around 90 manageable boxes and a list of exactly what was where. it went into The Big Yellow via a removal firm in Holsworthy then another (I can't remember who). I had antiques including a glass fronted corner cabinet, quality glassware and china and didn't have one item broken. Looking at some folks' experiences at least doing myself gave us complete control over what happened to it.

Many years ago now my mum put her furniture into storage in South Shields and it was a disaster - things missing, broken etc and water damage! She had to take the company to court to get damages and it took years to win.

Best tip is to purchase double wall boxes, money very well spent. And don't throw them out when you're finished. For some reason I can't find any replacements here and one removal company wanted $2 per (used) box we used!

Re: Removal companies??
 

We had Whites from Farnborough.....Everything was really well packed...the receivers at this end were spot on....time frame for delivery was near to what they quoted.....and the price was the best around....GIVE THEM A CALL!!!

Re: Removal companies??
 

Usually a good idea to check the archives once in a while but it is useful to have updated info....I also think that this is what this forum is about.

Re: Removal companies??
 

Thats the one thing I wish I'd known. We let the removal men take most of the empty boxes away. We only kept a few.

I'm also thinking we got off lightly on the damage front. One tray damaged and one handle on an antique dresser damaged.

Re: Removal companies??
 

I just had some qoutes done last week.

We were told by most of the companies we require a 20ft container.

We will be shipping from London to Oakville (Toronto area).

Qoutes varied from £3600 to £4200.

I felt most confident with Doree Bonner.....they seemed to be confident in wht they do and knew whats requirted in Canada very well....whereas the other companies were a bit vague and unsure on some questions I had.

Does anyone else have positive or negative experience with Doree Bonner as I am thinking of instructing them?

Rgds
Mans