13 March 2007

So who's your favourite... Removalist?

| johnboy
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So, pending you guys getting out there and pushing our rate card I might be in the market for a removalist. So if it comes to that, who do you recommend? And who should I avoid?

Just remember you can say what you like about companies but don’t go defaming individuals.

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Actmovers.com.au is a local company very reliable and with a friendly team. Their prices are also better than bigger companies.

… bump? This thread is old enough to get a higher score on Angry Birds than me.

I’d imagine many more people have moved (and possibly joined RiotACT) since this thread was last expanded. Do any of you have any more recommendations for or horror stories about local removalists?

Meg4n said :

Just bumping this thread in case anyone has any new suggestions for a removalist for a bit of a longer haul than a hired truck and I could manage on our own.

Does it make any difference which way the move is? Last time I used a small family firm but because they didn’t have offices on the other side of the country they – unbeknownst to me – sub-contracted the delivery. Then when a lot of stuff was wrecked neither firm was willing to take responsibility.

Lesson learnt and I’m after a top notch mob now.

Meg4n,

If you are moving big distanes your best bet are Grace. For work purposes I have been bumping from state to atate recently and I can’t fault them on price and/or service. if you are going a fair distance it really is worth paying a few extra $$ for quality service, the isruance they offer and getting them pack your gear.

Just bumping this thread in case anyone has any new suggestions for a removalist for a bit of a longer haul than a hired truck and I could manage on our own.

Does it make any difference which way the move is? Last time I used a small family firm but because they didn’t have offices on the other side of the country they – unbeknownst to me – sub-contracted the delivery. Then when a lot of stuff was wrecked neither firm was willing to take responsibility.

Lesson learnt and I’m after a top notch mob now.

ah. Easier to use a ute or a small truck, unless you don’t liek a bit of work. Have lots of tarps and blankies, and things to pad the ropes, and some friends, and a BBQ at the end of it, and do it yourself! I helped a mate move umpteen times (and now we own 2 utes I am careful not to mention the fact) and I learned to hate his matress, his wardrobe and his horrible old fridge. He always moved into flats, and they were always up concrete stairs and always up lots of them.

argh. But they always survived, to my disgust, and it cost him some sausages and beer.

Clown Killer9:58 pm 19 Aug 08

That’s a shame DJ. My experience with Hollbrokks has been nothing but great. I’ve used them twice,. both times they took care of everything. So much so, that on the second time we took advantage of the time off work for miving house to have a long lunch in civic and caught a cab to our new place where we spent the afternoon showing them where we wanted our stuff and then left them to pack the shelves and the like. Nothing was damaged – but if it was we kne it was covered under the reasonably priced insurance package they arranged for us. They’ll also happily incoprporate payment into settlement arrangements so you don’t have to pony up the cash either.

Couldn’t be happier with Hollbrooks.

I would highly recommend against Holbrooks.

Expensive, rude, late and definately not trustworthy – that story can’t be told at this time. If you do go with them don’t tell them about anything expensive in your property.

I recently used Citymove. They were very professional, turned up on time and moved very quickly (surprisingly because they are paid by the hour). The only fault I found was that they could have been a bit more careful with my furniture. But everything arrived in one piece so no real complaints.

I have also done the “rent a truck and move yourself with mates” thing and found Kennards excellent. They include a “movers pack” which includes ropes, padding and a trolley. Heaps cheaper but you owe your mates heaps of alcohol at the end.

In the end rented a truck.

To be honest the extra few hundred for a mover is probably a better way to spend your money unless you’re really, really skint.

Did you use a removalist in the end, Johnboy? I’m looking for one soon, any recent experiences / recommendations welcome.

Well get going with the rate card and we shan’t be needing it eh?

For the love of all things holy JB, get insurance if you’re not going to do it yourself. Don’t let my ACA embarrassment be in vain!

Do not, under any circumstances, use Balck and White based here in Brisbane. Damagaed a fair bit of goods and didnt even pack the truck correctly. Our wooden dining table now has a nice bow in it that you could use as a ramp for matchbox cars. I have also heard that in general, you have to expect some damage in any move.

Those’d be the google ads.

From time to time I’ve seen an animated ad for Nod 32 anti-virus systems pop up in the spot where the Google ads generally sit. It’s wider than the other RiotACT-specific ads.

Is this bunch advertising directly through RiotACT or is it just something to do with Google ads?

A relative is fairly high up in Grace, and another relative worked for them after school, and they seem pretty fussy about their workers, ensuring that they’ve read these massive manuals with rules aobut how to move all the various things one moves (packing and carrying).

im with al. i bought a trolley and packed all my stuff myself.

when the removalists arrived, they moved heavy stuff and boxes.

when you are packing and unpacking, the trolley will save your back. even loading one box and wheeling it to the other end of the house instead of lifting and carrying will help your back.

we all tend to overload packing boxes, really you shouldnt put more than 14 kg in any box, but when its stuffed full of classical music lp’s, or books it can weigh up around 20-25kg.

go the trolley.

“If you get a removalist at least they have to carry the bloody fridge.”
You can go to Magnet Mart or Bunnings and buy a trolley for $20 (how they can sell them for that I don’t know, but let’s not hijack the thread into discussion of Chinese sweat shops…).
I moved a 510 litre fridge and a 2 metre workbench made out of ironbark by myself – no sweat.

I wouldn’t use Towers.

When I did, they shoved EVERYTHING into one small room, swore up and down (in front of small children) and abused me for telling them NOT to put everything in the small room.

Hubby was at work and came home to see me eyes deep in furniture with two children sleeping on towels and blankets on the loungeroom floor because their beds were right at the back of the small room with the tv.

The truck idea is good one only thing is you have to move all the stuff your self. If you get a removalist at least they have to carry the bloody fridge.

chrisjeanemery9:28 pm 13 Mar 07

White Knights

Don’t know if there’s similar in Canberra, but in Sydney there’s “One Man and his Van” – or something like that.

Never used him though.

I used Canberra Removals for a local move the other weekend, and I was very happy with them.

Kents if someone else is paying

Vic Bitterman8:20 pm 13 Mar 07

I have a ute.

But it’s a Hilux dual cab, so doesn’t have the worlds biggest tray.

Feel free to borrow it if you want to JB. Nix to you 🙂

Due to a substantial amount of DOA items, and the ongoing dispute about liability, I would not recommend Tytherleighs at all.

I’ll say it again….johnboys goons…..

I’ve used Holbrook Removals to and from Melbourne, and to do a backload motorbike delivery. Didn’t break anything, turned up when they said they would, charged mid-range prices.

I’ve also used Rumbles for local moves round Canberra. Didn’t break anything, turned up when they said they would, charged cheapest rate in town, but didn’t seem as professionally polished (so I might not use them for moving stuff that’s irreplaceable if broken).

Better idea – there’d be enough RiotActors with their vans & cars to head off in convoy to Kiama with your stuff.

Just throw us a party at the other end (we may need to crash over at Kerces’), & we’ll all be happy.

VYBerlinaV8 now_with_added grunt1:19 pm 13 Mar 07

Go to Hertz or Thrifty and hire a 3 tonne truck (largest you can drive on a standard license). Pack it carefully, and do one trip. Take 2 large friends with you (truck seats 3) to help pack/unpack.

smiling politely1:14 pm 13 Mar 07

Go with the ute, making sure you’ve got ropes and blankets/rags as well (of course). I used a hired holden rodeo with no problems a little while ago, $125 bucks + fuel for the entire weekend. Recommend you ply friends with beer to get them to help you as well.

Regarding removalists, I may have organised some moving through Capital Self Storage once upon a time and I may have found them to be less than satisfactory. Indeed, were one so inclined, one could arguably employ a description of their services using little else but expletives.

Well, I’m trying to kill two birds with one stone.

Tell us of removals?

Thought you must have been angling for a new tranch of advertsiers, but then I read on further…
Have been up and down the eastern seaboard like yo-yos and can recommend Caloundra Van Lines for the longer hauls at good prices, but a little hop over to Kiama? Hire a van, get some exercise, save some bucks…

Leave your gear in the flat for the time being – in case you don’t like it in Kiama for some reason…

neanderthalsis12:14 pm 13 Mar 07

I moved from Brisvegas down using Grace. They were cheaper than some of the others, quick and I had no real hassles at all.

oh I’ve been meaning to scream this everywhere since last week – DO NOT DO NOT USE DLM REMOVALS – they are worthy of every expletive you can think of. And many that haven’t yet been thought of.

VYBerlinaV8 now_with_added grunt12:04 pm 13 Mar 07

A good mate from uni used to help out with a well known removalist for extra $$ back when we were all studying full time. One day he was helping move a grand piano, and slipped and they dropped the piano all over the road and it smashed to pieces.

Years later he was in a pub, and he met a guy that used to work there also. “So YOU’RE the guy who dropped that piano…”

JB you remember who I used, right?

find someone who owns a ute.

White Knight Removals.

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