No more shifting at night: House moving made easy

Shifting from one home to another comes with stress since it is labour intensive that involves heavy lifting.

However, with the changing trends, professional movers will help you shift to any location, less worried about risks like breakages or loss of property.

According to Lawrence Mukwaya, the managing director of Uganda Movers and packers Ltd, a moving company will help you pack home items, load them on a safe truck and transport them to the new location.

Property ready to be moved.

 
After, they neatly arrange them in your new home.

"Just as you hire an electrician or plumber, the professional movers guarantee you expertise shifting," he says.

This also shields you from the insecurities that force people to shift at night.

The art of moving

According to Patrick Ibanda, a move manager in Kampala, moving involves packing up all home belongings and transporting them.

They are unpacked before positioning them into relevant rooms in order.

"We receive orders through phone calls or emails from the clients and after we request for an appointment to do a house survey," he explains.

They prepare a quotation and reserve a moving date to avoid collision with other clients.

"Two days prior to the move, we give the client five moving boxes to pack essential items such as guns, medical records, travel documents, academic certificates and jewellery,"  Ibanda  explains.

On the moving day, photos of the home items are taken to look back on.  

They wrap the items, dismantle furniture (if needed) and pack them in standard moving boxes.

Hard paper is used in wrapping.

The boxes are clearly labelled with the name of the room.

"We take time for an initial walk-through with the client and make sure everything is out, the windows locked, lights off, doors locked before we move to the new location," he narrates.

Prepare in time

Mukwaya says that moving can be an uncertain time for children since they are leaving the only home they know.

"We tell the clients to begin including their kids in moving discussions, and give them an idea of what will happen on the moving day," he notes.

He adds that movers also advise the client to minimize what moves with them.

 They go through every room of the house and decide what stays and what goes, not forgetting items in the garage and servants quarters.

"We encourage them to notify utility companies like for water and electricity the day of the move and the new address for relocation convenience," he adds.

Security

Frank Mawejje, a field supervisor asserts that in order to guarantee the client safety and security, all items are packed properly and sealed in standard moving boxes.

"Sofa sets are wrapped in seat covers, beds and other furniture are covered in moving blankets," he notes.

Mawejje adds that mattresses are covered in mattress covers; electronics are secured in blankets and packed in moving boxes.

On the moving the day,  nobody  not even neighbours will see what a client is moving out ,  they will only see moving boxes and wrapped items coming out of the house, being loaded into a covered boxed body truck.

They ensure that nothing gets lost by taking pictures to look back on after the move.

 After arranging the house, they walk through with the client to make sure nothing is missing.

Furniture pads, bubble wrapping, foam cushions, covers and bags secure the clients fragile household items.

He continues that the movers are professional.  They avoid dangers like slippery floors when moving especially on rainy days.

How long does it take?

According to Mawejje, the duration depends on size of the homes and distance to the new location from the old.

They are then loaded on a safe truck.

 
However,  it takes a moving company one day (8:30am to 3pm) to shift a family occupying a three bed roomed house from and around Kampala suburbs.

This involves packing, moving, delivery and household arranging.

The cost

According to Mukwaya, the minimum payment for packing, moving and delivery is Sh500,000 against Sh650,000 minimum cost for packing, moving, delivery and household arranging.

In case of damage or loss, Ibanda affirms that the insurance company pays within 90 days. Their damage claims policy involves repairing damages between Sh10, 000 to Sh12million.