The things people ask before they book

We do — every bit. Poole, Christchurch and Bournemouth on the coast, Dorchester and Weymouth in the middle, the market towns up north around Shaftesbury and Gillingham, and the villages in between. If it has a Dorset postcode, we’ll happily come to you.

Not for us — it’s most of Dorset. Old harbour streets in Poole, terraces up the hills, single-track lanes to a village, a seafront with restricted parking. We check the access when we quote and, where it’s needed, arrange the parking or bring a smaller van to shuttle so the day runs smoothly.

Summer on the coast is lively — the school holidays and the good weather bunch a lot of moves together around Poole, Bournemouth and Weymouth. Fridays and month-ends fill first everywhere. The earlier you get in touch, the more choice you’ll have over the day.

All the time. Plenty of our moves come the other way — down from London or up from the far south-west — with people chasing the coast and the calmer pace. We’ll collect from wherever you’re starting and bring you home to Dorset.

Yes — small offices, shops changing premises, studios outgrowing their space. We usually run those out of hours so nobody loses a working day, and we sequence the load so the essentials come off first and you’re trading again quickly.

It depends on three friendly things: how much there is, how far it’s going, and how easy it is to get in and out at both ends. We don’t post a price online, because a number for a move nobody has looked at is really just a guess. Tell us about yours and we’ll take a proper look, then send a clear written quote.

We aim to be good value, which isn’t quite the same as cheapest. Good value is knowing exactly what’s included and paying for the move you’re really making — no surprise charges appearing on the morning for something we could have spotted at the survey. We’ll always be honest about what your move needs.

Because an instant figure for a job nobody has looked at is a guess dressed up as a price — and guesses are what go wrong on the day. We’d rather take a quick look, in person or over video, and give you a written quote that holds.

Ask whether the quote is written and based on an actual survey, what’s included and what isn’t, whether they hold goods-in-transit cover, and how they handle access and parking. A firm happy to answer those clearly is usually a firm you can trust with your things.

Not for anything we could have seen at the survey — that’s the point of looking properly and writing down what’s included. If something genuinely new appears (extra items, changed access), we’ll talk it through before it changes anything.

The four we run regularly are France, Italy, Spain and Portugal — we know the roads, the crossings and the customs steps for each. Thinking of somewhere else in Europe? Ask anyway and we’ll tell you honestly whether we can plan it well.

There’s paperwork on both sides now — an inventory, a transit declaration for the goods crossing the EU, and transfer-of-residence forms where they apply. We prepare it with you and lodge what needs lodging. It’s a process, and it’s the part we carry for you.

Up the A31 to the M27, then a choice of crossing — Portsmouth by ferry for a gentle start, or on to Dover and the Eurotunnel for the quickest hop. A load leaving Dorset reaches the Channel without fighting through a city first.

Often the smart choice, especially on the longer runs to Italy and Portugal. A shared or part-load puts your things on a vehicle already heading that way. A full home usually travels as its own load. Your quote sets out which suits what you’re sending.

It depends on the route, the crossing, whether it’s a shared or dedicated load, and customs at the far end. Rather than promise a figure that turns out wrong, your written quote gives you an estimated window and we keep you posted as it travels.

Either. Some people want the whole house boxed; others pack the everyday things themselves and leave us the china, mirrors and artwork. We price whichever line you draw, and we label by room with an inventory as we go.

Where we offer clearance, yes — a room, a garage or a whole house cleared and responsibly taken away, often alongside a move. Have a look at our house clearance page and just ask; we’ll be straight about what we can do.

We do. Dorset chains slip like anywhere, and sometimes the sale and the purchase don’t line up. We can hold your things safely and bring them on when you’re ready — say early if you think you’ll need it and we’ll build it into the plan. More on our storage page.

Usually yes, with the right crew and kit — pianos, safes, big appliances, garden machinery. Tell us at the survey so we bring the straps and the numbers, rather than discovering it on the day.