Service
Packing,
and somewhere for it to go
Two services that usually arrive together. Packing with the material decided per item rather than per room, and containerised storage that is wrapped, listed and racked indoors.
Packing
The phrase "full packing service" covers an enormous range of actual practice. At one end it means somebody putting everything into boxes quickly. At the other it means a decision being made about each item before it is touched. We do the second, and the difference is almost entirely in the materials.
What goes on what
- Acid-free tissue directly against polished, painted and gilt surfaces before any wrap touches them
- Cell partitions for glassware and stemware, rather than paper and hope
- Purpose-made picture cartons and cases for framed work and mirrors, with glazing taped
- Built crates for stone and glass tops, sculpture and valuable paintings
- Wardrobe cartons so hanging clothes travel hanging
- Soft wrap and corner protection as the baseline on everything else
Choosing your depth
Full pack, part pack, or fragile-only. The last of those is more popular than people expect: you do the books, the clothes, the toys and the garage, and we do the kitchen, the glass, the pictures and the wardrobes. It puts the skill where it earns its keep.
Whatever you choose, the quote names the rooms and the categories we are packing. That is the only way both sides know what was agreed.
Unpacking
Available, and worth it on a full pack. Cartons opened, contents placed on surfaces rather than left in stacks, and all the packing material taken away the same day. What we will not do is put things away in cupboards for you — that is a decision only you can make and it takes longer than the move did.
Storage
The gap between completions is the commonest reason. Renovations that overrun are the second. Waiting for an overseas vehicle and its paperwork is the third.
How it works
The crew that packs the house loads the containers. Everything is wrapped as if for transit, listed on an inventory you keep a copy of, and sealed in. Containers are racked indoors rather than left in a yard. When you are ready, the same inventory comes back out and is delivered room by room.
- One handling at each end rather than a shuffle between units
- A written inventory, with valuable pieces listed individually rather than by room
- Furniture wrapped before it goes in, not after it has been scuffed
- Collection and redelivery quoted as part of the move
Cover
Goods in store are covered as well as goods in transit, with the usual conditions around owner-packed cartons and undeclared valuables. Anything of real value should be declared before it goes in, and we will confirm in writing what applies.
Putting the two together
Packing and storage are almost always quoted alongside a house removal or a business relocation rather than sold separately, because the handling decisions made at survey carry through both. Items needing more than the standard treatment are covered on fine furniture and antiques, and the storage is frequently what makes a European move workable at all.
Detail
Packing and storage questions
What does white-glove packing actually mean here?
Materials and method chosen per item rather than per room. A shelf of paperbacks gets a carton. A gilt mirror gets tissue, wrap, corners and a case. The phrase is only worth anything if somebody is making that decision item by item, which is what the survey is for.
Can you pack just part of the house?
Yes, and most people do. The common split is that you take the books, the clothes and the garage; we take the kitchen, the display cabinet and anything framed. The quote names the rooms so nobody is surprised.
Are owner-packed cartons a problem?
Not a problem, but they sit differently in the cover, because we cannot verify what went in or how. We will explain that plainly rather than leave it in the small print, and we will tell you which items we would rather pack ourselves.
What is containerised storage?
Goods are wrapped as if for transit, listed on an inventory, loaded into timber containers, sealed and racked indoors. Nothing is tipped into a communal space and nothing is handled more than once at each end.
Can I get at things while they are stored?
With notice, yes — a container can be brought down and opened during working hours. It is not a self-storage unit you walk into whenever you like, and that is the trade for it being handled, inventoried and indoors.
How long can things stay?
From the gap between exchange and completion up to a renovation that has badly overrun. There is no fixed limit; the arrangement is confirmed in writing so nobody is guessing.
Next step
Need it packed, stored, or both?
Tell us what is going, how much packing you want done, and whether there is a gap to bridge. We will quote the whole arrangement in one.