Moving home or office is an exciting step, but that does not mean that the moving process is stress-free. When you have a plethora of boxes and pieces of furniture to move, the services of a professional moving company will make the moving process effortless and enjoyable by safely transporting your belongings for you. In this complete guide to moving companies, we have outlined the different moving company services, including removal truck options, the costs, and how to select a moving company, all to ensure that you find the best company for your needs. When you need a reliable, efficient, and affordable removal company in South Africa, Biggles Removals is the moving company for you.

Moving companies, also called removal companies and movers, offer transportation services for your office or household items when you are planning to move. Moving companies will be comprised of a professional team who will use large trucks to safely transport your boxes, furniture pieces, and speciality items to your desired location. You can choose between local, long-distance, and international moving companies based on your moving requirements.

Alongside the safe transportation of your household or office items, moving companies will offer a diverse array of additional services. These services are designed to make the moving process easier and personalised to your needs, while also assisting the companies to stand out from their competition. We have briefly outlined the 7 most common additional services offered by moving companies.

1. Item Loading and Unloading:

Moving home or office can be a physically taxing process. Rather than breaking a sweat, you can enjoy the loading and unloading service offered by moving companies. A moving company will be equipped with a team of strong employees who will load all of your boxes and furniture pieces into the moving truck and then unload all of the items and place them inside your new home or office.

2. Box Packing and Unpacking:

One aspect of moving that most people dread is the packing and unpacking of their items. If you are moving from a large family home or office, it can take weeks to get all your items securely packaged into boxes for easy transportation. To save you time and effort, most moving companies will offer a packing and unpacking service. The moving company will send a team of employees and packaging materials, if requested, to professionally pack all your items to be ready for transportation.

3. Storage:

If you find yourself in the scenario where you need to move before your next home or office is available, you may need to place your items into storage. Finding a storage facility and manually transporting and storing all your belongings can be exhausting and time-consuming. Certain moving companies can take this off your list of worries with their storage service. The moving company will either have its own storage facilities or be partnered with a local storage company and offer discounted rates for storage. They will handle the storage while you focus on preparing for your upcoming move-in day.

4. Furniture Disassembly and Reassembly:

In certain cases, you may need to disassemble your household or office furniture to be able to remove it from your home or office. If you do not have the time or energy to spend on disassembling and then reassembling your furniture, moving companies can assist you with this with their furniture disassembly and reassembly service. They will send skilled employees with experience in furniture disassembly and reassembly to ensure this process is completed quickly and expertly.

5. Vehicle Transportation:

If you do not have the time to drive your car across the country to your new home, moving companies are ready to assist. A vehicle transportation service will be the use of specialised trucks designed to move your car to your desired location. Alternatively, the company may be partnered with a trusted auto transportation company and ensure that your vehicle will arrive safely at your new home.

6. Speciality Items:

Not every item in your home can be wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in a cardboard box. If you have speciality items that require expert care and previous experience with transportation, such as an art collection or a snooker table, you should use a moving company that offers a speciality item service. They will be equipped to ensure your speciality items are safely and professionally transported to your new location.

7. Packaging Disposal:

If you have moved before, you will know that soon your new home or office floor will be covered in bubble wrap, cardboard boxes, and scrunched-up balls of packaging tape. Moving companies can remove this frustrating aspect of your move with their packaging disposal service. They will ensure that all the messy packaging materials are removed and correctly disposed of or recycled where applicable.

The cost of using a moving company to move your household or office items depends on a wide variety of factors. These factors include the distance of the move, the quantity or weight of your items, the number of employees required for the move, the complexity of the move, and the time of year that you are moving. Each moving company will have different rates associated with each of these factors. To assist you to get an idea of the costs, we have answered some of the common cost-related questions.

1) How Much Does it Cost to Move House in South Africa?

In South Africa, there is usually a rate per hour for moving household items. Generally, local companies will charge a minimum of 2 to 4 hours, depending on the size of your home. We have listed the estimated rates per hour of moving household items in South Africa.

1. 2-Hour Move: R1500 – R2500.
2. 4-Hour Move: R2200 – R3500.
3. 6-Hour Move: R2750 – R4750.
4. 8-Hour Move: R3250 – R6750.

2) How Are Moving Company Costs Calculated?

Most moving companies will use a formula to calculate the costs of your move. This formula is (Hourly Rate) X (Number of Movers) X (Number of Hours to Complete the Move) + (Travel Fee) + (Additional Services Charges). After the moving costs are calculated, you will be provided with an estimate quote.

3) How Much Does it Cost to Transport Furniture in South Africa?

The cost of furniture courier will depend on the amount of furniture you need to be transported and the distance of the move. Furniture transporting can cost anywhere between R499 to R5999, without the costs of any additional services. As an example, moving furniture from a 2 bedroom apartment locally in Cape Town can cost between R1750 to R1950. This rate can increase to around R6000 if you are doing a long-distance move.

How to Choose a Moving Company:

You may be feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of moving companies in South Africa to choose between. To assist you make the best decision, we have listed four essential factors to consider when choosing between removal companies for your move.

1. Type of Move:

Are your moving requirements for a small apartment, a large family home, specialist items, an office, or a commercial business? The type of items you need to be moved will quickly help you choose between moving companies based on their moving capabilities and whether they offer additional services that can be beneficial to your moving requirements.

2. Location:

The most important factor when selecting a moving company is to find moving companies that can move your items to your desired location. Whether you are moving down the street, from Cape Town to Johannesburg, or from South Africa to the United Kingdom, you need to ensure that your selected moving company is capable of transporting your belongings to your desired destination.

3. Availability:

Based on your desired moving date, you will need to determine if your list of moving companies is available. It is important to remember that different times of the year can be more expensive to move, making it essential that you inform the moving company of your desired move date before receiving the quote.

4. Cost:

Once you have determined your budget for your move, you should contact at least three moving companies and ask for a quote. We recommend opting for companies that offer a free quote to save you the unnecessary expense. Once you have your quotes, you can compare the estimated figures to your budget and use this information to find the best moving company for you.

Questions To Ask Before Hiring a Moving Company:

Once you have found a moving company that fits your moving requirements, location, budget, and timeline, you should ensure that the company is the best match for you by asking specific questions. If the moving company is professional, they will happily answer all of your questions before requiring you to commit. We recommend asking these important questions before hiring a moving company.

1. Is your company licenced?
2. Is your company insured?
3. What liability insurance plans do you offer?
4. Do you have experience moving speciality items?
5. If you have a liability insurance plan, is it free or is there an additional charge?
6. Are there any additional fees not included in the quote?
7. What is your cancellation policy?
8. Do you offer any discounts?
9. What is your accountability if my items are lost or damaged whilst being transported?

Move With Biggles Removals:

Biggles Removals is a South African-based moving company that you can rely on for your move. We offer local, long-distance, and international moving services to ensure we can get your items to your desired location. With Biggles Removals, moving your household, office, or commercial items will be a breeze.

We offer simple and high-quality moving services to ensure you enjoy an efficient moving experience. In addition to the safe and speedy transportation of your belongings, we offer a diverse array of services to ensure you receive a moving service customised to your exact needs. Our services include safe and affordable storage, truck loading and unloading, expert packaging of your belongings, packaging supplies, furniture courier, van and truck hire for DIY moving, and specialist item moving.

We understand that moving home or office can be an expensive experience. With our free quote service, you will know exactly the estimated cost of using our professional moving services. We strive to be your affordable and reliable solution to getting your precious possessions safely to your new destination.

With Biggles Removals, you can enjoy a completely stress-free moving experience. We are a family run business that prioritises you having a positive move from your current home or office to your next. Our moving team is experienced and professional, allowing us to offer you a trustworthy and expert moving service.

Enjoy efficiency, reliability, and affordability when you move your household or office items with Biggles Removals moving company.