7 Things to consider when planning the best time to move

1) How long is your chain?

In terms of moving house, a chain is the series of house transactions surrounding the sale of your house, that link together to potentially impact on your own move.

As an example, if you were a first time buyer and you bought a brand new house, then your chain would be very short, as you’d have no property to sell to someone else, and the property you’re buying would have no incumbent owners who’d need to buy their own house to move on.

However, imagine you were selling your house, to someone who had to sell their house, to yet another person who had to sell their house, and then this pattern is repeated with the person you’re buying your house from. You can begin to see how fragile a housing chain can be, just one transaction falling through could potentially impact on 10, 20, or more moves.

Start asking your real estate agent questions and find out more about the length of your chain, before you try and plan your move date.

2) Other commitments

Sometimes life gets in the way of the best laid plans. Before you can plan your move date, you’re going to need to consider your other commitments.

Speak with your boss, and plan around those busy periods at work, that business trip you can’t duck out of, or that end-of-year report you have to deliver. Moving house is stressful enough without having to worry about work too.

Also think about your family and personal commitments. Get the calendar out and think about the holiday you’ve already paid for, the family event you can’t miss, or that ingrown toe surgery you’ve been putting off. Think about how you can work a house move around these events.

3) Peak times

Just like with holidays, restaurants and train tickets, peak times apply to house removals too. Peak times tend to be popular for a reason, and so what might seem the most convenient time to you, might be the most convenient for everyone else too, and so invariably it’ll cost you a little more.

Top tip: If you don’t have kids in school, try and book during term time to get the best possible price.

4) Weekends vs Weekdays

You should also think about if you can manage to do your house move during the week. Inevitably most people have to take time off work to help facilitate their house move, and so a weekday move is inevitable. However, some people want to be able to move at the weekend as it’s more convenient for them. There’s no problem with moving at the weekend, but it can prove more expensive.

Top tip: Try and book a mid-week move, during school term time, in a week that doesn’t have any public holidays in it, for the best possible price.

5) School term times

If you have kids in school, you’ll know all about term time. You’ll probably want to move in the school holidays to avoid disruption, and keep their routine consistent.

However, if you don’t have kids in school, you may benefit from booking your move for during term time (if your chain will allow it) in order to save a few bucks.

Top tip: If possible, book during term time to save money, as the school holidays are particularly popular with parents and families.

6) Christmas and major holidays

You know what it’s like. Everything slows down around Christmas, New Year and Easter. Moving house is much the same. It is possible to do, but bear in mind not everyone in your chain might be as keen, and invariably it might cost you a little more too.

Us removalists need a holiday too, and we’ll likely have fewer staff available, or have completely closed the office over these times. So if you want to move at these times, then give us plenty of notice, and we’ll see what we can do!

7) How to arrange your move date with us

If after taking into account the time of year, the time of the week, your personal and professional commitments…and the length of your chain, you think you’ve managed to come up with a suitable time to schedule your house move, then give us a call.

At this stage you might not have an exact contract exchange date from your solicitor, but we can begin the process with you, measuring up your house to give you a price estimate, and penciling you in for a potential move.

If the worst should happen and your move dates change or fall through, then never fear, we’ll work with you to find a date that does suit you.