Before you hire a packing and moving company, verify that they are real, that their quote covers everything, and that they can handle your belongings carefully — check these ten things and you will avoid most of the common problems people face on moving day.
A move involves a lot of trust. Someone is walking into your home, handling belongings — some fragile, some heavy, some valuable — and loading them onto a vehicle. It is entirely reasonable, and wise, to check a few practical things before committing. None of the checks below are difficult; they simply take a few minutes and a few direct questions.
1. Is the company real?
Before anything else, confirm the company exists as a genuine business. A verifiable physical address, a working phone number and someone who answers it, and a website with real service details are basic signals. Ask where their office or yard is and whether you can verify it. If a company is hard to pin down before you pay them, that problem does not get better after you pay them.
2. Does their quote cover the full scope?
The most common source of moving disputes is a quote that looks cheap but covers little. Ask precisely what the figure includes: packing materials, packing labour, loading, transport, unloading, and delivery to the room of your choice. Equally important, ask what is not included. Compare quotes only when they cover the same scope.
3. What packing is actually included?
"Packing service" means different things to different companies. It can mean full professional packing of everything, or simply supplying empty boxes for you to fill. Confirm which one you are paying for, the type of materials used, and whether delicate items such as glassware are wrapped individually. Our guide to how professional packing protects your valuables explains what good packing looks like.
4. How will fragile and valuable items be protected?
Ask directly about mirrors, glass, electronics, artwork and heavy furniture. Do they wrap mirrors in protective material rather than laying them flat with other items? How do they handle a piano, a wardrobe, or a refrigerator? A careful company will answer with specific techniques, not vague reassurance. This is covered in detail on our packing and unpacking services page.
5. What equipment and crew will they use?
Know what is arriving at your house. Is the vehicle sized for your volume, and is it serviced for the distance? Does the crew have trolleys, straps and protective blankets? How many people will be doing the lifting? A team that is too small for the volume can damage items through haste or strain. These are normal questions, and a professional company answers them normally.
6. Can they confirm the details in writing?
A verbal promise fades fast. Ask for the scope of work, the charges and the schedule confirmed in writing or in a dated message before moving day. This protects you and the company, and it forces both sides to be explicit about expectations. If a company resists giving anything in writing, consider that a warning sign.
7. Do they understand access challenges?
Stairs, narrow doorways, lifts, and long distances between the door and the vehicle all change how a move happens. Mention these things up front and confirm how the company handles them — some items may need disassembly to fit, or extra care on stairs. Checked early, these details fit into the plan rather than becoming arguments later.
8. What happens if something is damaged?
Ask what happens if an item is damaged during packing, loading or transport. How is damage reported, and what is the process for resolving it? It is important to distinguish between damage caused by poor handling and pre-existing wear on old items. A straight answer to this question tells you a lot about how the company will behave if things go wrong.
9. What do the payment terms say?
Understand how and when you pay, and what charges could appear afterwards. Ask about deposits, balance-payment timing, and any conditions that could add cost — for example, if access at the destination is different from what was described. The goal is not distrust; it is simply knowing the financial picture before you commit.
10. Does communication feel easy?
Moving involves a schedule, and schedules change. Notice how quickly the company replies, whether they answer your actual questions, and whether the person you speak to knows the job. Good communication before the move is the best predictor of good communication on moving day. If you can reach someone real at A-B Packing And Movers today — via the contact page or 0316-5695498 — you will get a straight answer to any of the questions above.
How to compare quotes fairly
Price comparisons only work when the scope matches. Two quotes can look very different while covering completely different jobs:
- Fix the scope first. Compare quotes for the same volume of goods, the same distance, and the same services — packing, loading, transport and unpacking each have their own cost.
- Read the exclusions. Watch for stairs, lifts, parking, weekends and extra stops. Confirm which of these are included and which draw an extra charge.
- Check what "free quote" really covers. A quote that skips asking about your volume or access may be a placeholder, not a price.
- Value the number, not just the total. If one quote is meaningfully cheaper, ask what it leaves out — late arrival, shared loads or basic packing all reduce cost for a reason.
What good preparation looks like the day before
A company that handles the ten checks well will still expect you to be ready. The day before the move:
- Confirm arrival time and the exact vehicles that will come.
- Prepare the essentials bag that travels with you — never on the truck.
- Clear paths, doorways and parking space so the crew can work without delays.
- Complete the last packing so the only things left unpacked are what you use on the morning itself.
- Do a final walk-through at the old home and a room plan at the new one, so boxes go straight to the right place.
Red flags while the company talks to you
Beyond the ten checks, listen for the signals that show up in a first conversation:
- A firm price offered before asking about your volume, distance or access.
- A quote that cannot be itemised, or that avoids the word "included".
- Answers that change depending on who answers the phone.
- Pressure to book immediately, or dates offered only if you decide on the call.
- No interest in your fragile items, stairs, lifts or parking — the details that actually decide the job.
None of these is proof a company is unreliable, but together they predict the experience you will have. The team you should book is the one that treats your move's specifics as the point of the conversation — exactly the team this guide is helping you find.
Put these checks to the test
Ask us each of these questions directly — get an itemised quote with nothing hidden.
