The DIY Approach to Moving House
Posted on 21/08/2014
Moving house is expensive, everyone knows it yet the costs keep on spiralling out of control and it’s not even just the homes themselves which are getting more and more expensive, solicitors fees, legal charges, surveys, taxes and fees soon start to mount up on top of the sale of the house. Asides from the house there are removal services, storage centres, state of the art boxes and a whole host of other services and products which take your cash. Instead, why not try saving money for a change by moving house with a DIY attitude, instead of paying the professionals for their skills, simply do it yourself.
Looking for a home
Obviously, you’ll be looking for a home yourself, even though at times it would be perfect to have a personal assistant to help filter out the good, the bad and the downright ugly. However, it is important to remember that you should spread out your resources when looking for a new home. Many people get stuck in to the cycle of using the agency or bank they’re moving with, or lending of, to find a home, but the chances of the perfect home being in the window of that estate agents are pretty minimal. Instead use all available channels; internet, press as well as the good old high street to make sure you’re moving into the dream home. Also, don’t be afraid to chase up houses you might see on your travels. If ever you spot a For Sale sign and it peaks your interest, make a note of the company and the address, you don’t even need to wait until you’re at the office, get them on the phone and ask for the details before arranging a viewing if it’ suitable. Nowadays there are countless Apps and online services to get the dream house quickly with house hunting at your fingertips.
Removal companies
Do you really need a removal company? If you’re moving the family from a large house, then maybe, but, if it’s just you or you’re moving as a couple, then you probably don’t have that much stuff, especially if you’ve been in rented accommodation. You’ll be surprised at how little you own and how well it fits into a small selection of boxes. This might be a depressing thought, but on a lighter note, it means you can save yourself a small fortune on removal services. It might all fit into the boot of your car, especially over a few trips, but if that isn’t looking likely then you can look into renting a small van to drive yourself. It will make moving house quicker, easier and cheaper as well as being completely in control of the times, days and how long it takes to move.
Save on storage
Storage, for many, is a lifesaver if you have a lot of stuff and nowhere to put it. If you don’t have a lot of stuff it’s unlikely that you need to add yet another monthly cost to your expenses by paying for a storage company. Besides, a storage centre is much like the gym, you pay for it full of good intentions and sooner or later you forget about it and just let the money roll out of your pay check month in month out. However, instead of the gym where you just forget it ever existed, you come to rely on the storage centre as an expensive cupboard which hoards things you simply don’t need. If you could do with somewhere to store your items whilst in the process of moving out, which often is not as seamless and smooth running as it should be, ask friends and family instead if you can use their garage or spare rooms. You could even still save cash and do a friend a favour by paying them half of what a storage centre would charge, and they’ll be friendly enough to remind you if you’re stuff is outstaying it’s welcome.
