10 Questions to Ask a Removal Company Before You Book

Written by the Henry Speights team – Sheffield removal & storage specialists since 1891

Searching for house removal companies near me is the easy part. Working out which one is actually worth booking is where most people get stuck.

Every quote looks roughly similar on the surface: a price, a date, a van. But what’s hiding underneath that number, whether packing is included, what happens if your date changes, whether your belongings are properly insured, is where the real differences show up. Asking the right questions before you book can save you a lot of stress later, and it usually only takes one phone call to find out.

Quick Answer: Before booking, ask a removal company about their exact cost breakdown, insurance cover, whether they’re a local team or a broker, what happens if your date changes, and whether they’re accredited (like ISO 9001 or a trade body). These 10 questions cover everything you need to compare quotes properly.

Red Flags to Watch Out For When Choosing a Removal Company

Before you even get to the 10 questions, there are a few warning signs worth knowing about, since they’ll save you asking anything at all. If a company shows any of these, it’s usually best to keep looking:

• No fixed business address, just a mobile number and a generic email
• They won’t give you a written quote, only a figure over the phone
• Cash only, with no invoice or paperwork offered
• They can’t, or won’t, confirm whether your belongings are insured
• Heavy pressure to book right now, with a discount that “expires today”
• No reviews anywhere online, or a suspicious batch that all landed the same day

None of these prove a company’s dishonest on their own. But together, it’s the kind of pattern worth paying attention to. A genuine, established removal company will normally put things in writing, explain their insurance properly, and give you time to think it over rather than rushing you.

What to Have Ready Before You Ask for a Quote

The more detail you can give a removal company upfront, the more accurate your quote will be, and the fewer surprises you’ll get later. Before you call around, it helps to have a rough idea of:

• What’s actually moving: roughly how many rooms, plus any large or unusual items like a piano, gym equipment, or a shed’s worth of tools
• Access at both properties: parking availability, stairs, lifts, and how far the van would need to be carried from
• Your likely moving dates, even if they’re not confirmed yet
• Whether you’ll need any packing help or plan to do it all yourself
• Whether you might need storage, even temporarily, between properties

Companies that offer a proper survey, in person or over video, will usually ask most of this anyway. If you’re just starting to plan your move, our complete guide to removals in Sheffield is a good place to begin

How to Compare Quotes From Different Removal Companies Fairly

Once you’ve got two or three quotes back, the real work is comparing them properly rather than just looking at the bottom line. A £600 quote and an £850 quote aren’t actually comparable if one includes packing, insurance and storage, and the other includes none of it.

A few practical steps make this easier:

• Ask each company for a written, itemised breakdown, not just a single total
• Check whether insurance, packing materials and VAT are included or added separately
• Compare what happens if your date changes across each company, not just the price
• Note whether the quote was based on an actual survey or a rough guess

Once you’ve done that, the cheapest quote on paper isn’t always the cheapest quote in practice, and it’s rarely the one that causes the fewest problems on moving day.

10 Questions to Ask a Removal Company

Before booking a removal company, ask about costs, insurance, packing, storage, and what happens if your moving date changes. These 10 questions cover everything you need to compare quotes properly and avoid unexpected charges later. Ask each company the same questions, so you’re comparing like for like rather than guessing.

1. What’s Actually Included in Your Removal Company Costs?

This is the one question that matters more than any other, and it’s also the one people skip most often. Removal company costs can vary a lot depending on what’s bundled into the price and what gets added on afterwards.

Ask exactly what your quote covers:

• Is packing included, or is that charged separately?
• Are insurance and protective materials part of the price?
• Is the quote based on an actual survey or a rough guess?
• Are there extra charges for stairs, long carries, or parking restrictions?

A cheaper quote can end up costing more once these extras get added on, so it’s always worth getting a clear breakdown before you compare.
It also helps to ask whether the quote is binding or non-binding – a binding quote locks in the price, while a non-binding one can change if anything about the job shifts on the day.

2. Do You Offer a Full Packing Service, or Just Transport?

Some removal companies offer a complete moving service, covering packing, transport and unpacking. Others provide the van and driver only, leaving all the packing to you.

Neither option is wrong, it depends on your budget and how much time you have, but it makes a huge difference to how your moving week actually goes. If you’re short on time or would rather not spend a weekend wrapping glassware, ask whether packing can be added on, even just for the fragile or awkward items.

3. Is My Move Fully Insured, and What Does It Cover?

Ask specifically what’s covered if something gets damaged, lost, or broken during the move, and whether that cover is included as standard or an optional extra. This one’s easy to assume and easy to get wrong.Ask for the exact cover amount too – insurance limits vary between removal companies, so it’s worth getting this confirmed in writing rather than assuming it’s covered.

A genuine removal company should be able to answer this clearly, without hesitation. If you get a vague answer, or the insurance only covers certain items, it’s worth factoring that into your decision, especially if you’re moving anything valuable or sentimental.

4. Are You a Local Company or a Broker Passing the Job On?

A search for house removal companies near me doesn’t always bring up a local, hands-on team. Some results are booking platforms or brokers who pass your job on to a third party, someone you’ve never spoken to and can’t properly vet.

Ask directly whether the same company doing the quote will be the one turning up on the day. A local, in-house team tends to mean more accountability, clearer communication, and someone who actually knows your move if you need to call with a question.

Still deciding what kind of help you need? Read our man and van vs removal company comparison

5. What Happens if My Moving Date Changes?

Moving dates shift more often than people expect, especially with property chains involved. Ask upfront whether there’s a charge for postponing and how much notice they need if your date moves.

Some companies charge for any change, others offer more flexibility, particularly for the first date change. This is one of those questions that feels unnecessary until it suddenly isn’t, so it’s worth asking before you book rather than after your date has already moved.

6. Can I See Genuine Reviews or Speak to Past Customers?

Ask them for reviews you can actually check. A star rating alone doesn’t tell you much, so ask for their Google or Trustpilot page instead, or request a reference from a recent customer, especially if you’re moving something valuable or awkward to handle.

A company that’s confident in its service won’t have a problem with this question. It’s a good early sign either way, whether they answer it openly or seem reluctant to.

7. Do You Offer Storage If There’s a Gap Between Moves?

Not every move lines up perfectly. If there’s a chance you’ll need somewhere to keep your belongings between moving out and moving in, ask whether storage is available and how it’s priced.

Some companies offer secure storage as a natural extension of the move itself, rather than something you’d need to arrange separately with a different provider. It’s worth asking even if you don’t think you’ll need it, since plans change more often than people expect.

8. Will the Same Team Handle My Move Start to Finish?

Ask whether the same professional movers who carry out your survey or give your quote will be the ones actually moving your belongings on the day. Consistency matters more than people realise.

Some companies use different teams for different stages, or bring in subcontractors for busier periods. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it’s worth knowing in advance, particularly if clear communication and consistency matter to you.

A well-run team will usually turn up in uniform and with ID – a small detail, but one that tells you a lot about how seriously a company takes the job.

9. Are You Accredited or a Member of a Recognised Trade Body?

Look for accreditations like ISO 9001, which covers quality management, or membership of a recognised trade association. Accreditation isn’t just a badge on a website – it shows a company has been independently checked, not just describing itself well.

It’s a quick way to separate genuinely established removal companies from newer or less accountable operators, especially when you’re comparing several quotes that all sound similar on paper.

10. How Do You Handle Fragile, Valuable or Awkward Items?

Wardrobes, mirrors, pianos, antiques, the answer here tells you a lot about how experienced a company actually is. Ask what materials they use, whether specialist handling is available for anything particularly awkward or valuable, and how they’d approach tricky access, like a narrow staircase or a lack of parking.

A confident, detailed answer is usually a good sign. A vague one is worth following up on before you book.

Ready to Ask Us These Questions Yourself?

At Speights, we’ve been offering home moving services across Sheffield and South Yorkshire since 1891, with an in-house team, full insurance as standard, and no charge for your first date change. We’re always happy to answer every question on this list, and a few you haven’t thought of yet.

If you’re comparing quotes and want honest answers rather than a sales pitch, get a free, no-obligation quote from our team, or give us a call and ask us anything on this list directly.

Choosing between house removal companies near me shouldn’t feel like a gamble. Ask the right questions upfront, and you’ll know exactly what you’re getting long before moving day arrives. If you’d like to talk through your own move first, request your free quote today and we’ll walk you through it.Get a free, no-obligation quote from our team

Last updated: 24th Sept 2026