Quick answer: many removal quotes only include a basic allowance of boxes and tape, or nothing at all, with a full packing service costing extra, typically £150 to £600 depending on the size of the property. On top of that, certain items, valuables, hazardous materials, and anything needing appliance disconnection, are never covered by a standard packing service regardless of what quote you’ve been given.
What 'Included in the Quote' Usually Actually Means
Some removal companies build a small materials allowance into the base price, a set number of boxes, some tape, a roll of bubble wrap, while others charge for every box separately. Neither approach is wrong, but they’re not directly comparable on price alone.
A written quote should document exactly what’s included: materials, whether packing is done for you or by you, and specifically what’s excluded. If a quote doesn’t spell this out, ask for an itemised version before assuming two prices mean the same thing.
What Movers Won't Pack for You, Ever
Some exclusions aren’t about upselling, they’re standard practice across the industry for genuine safety and liability reasons. Hazardous materials, perishable food, and living plants are typically refused outright by professional movers, regardless of which package you’ve booked.
Personal valuables sit in a different category. Medications, passports, jewellery, financial documents, and irreplaceable photographs should travel with you rather than in the van. This isn’t the removal company being overly cautious, it’s simply that these items are either irreplaceable or too sensitive to risk in transit alongside furniture and boxes.
Appliances: Why Disconnection Isn't Automatically Included
This one catches a lot of people out. Packing services generally don’t include unplugging or reinstalling appliances, the washing machine, dryer, fridge, or dishwasher, since disconnecting and reconnecting these is technically a separate trade with its own scheduling.
If you’re assuming your removal team will handle the washing machine on the day, check that assumption directly. It’s a common enough gap that asking the question upfront is far easier than discovering it on moving morning.
Specialist Items That Need Their Own Contractor
Pool tables, pianos, hot tubs, and heavy gym equipment typically sit outside a standard removal quote too, since these items need specialist handling and their own contractor rather than a general removals crew.
If you own anything in this category, flag it when you request your quote rather than after it’s confirmed. A company that knows in advance can either bring in the right specialist or tell you honestly that it’s outside what they cover.
Five Questions to Ask Before You Sign
Ask whether packing materials are included or charged separately, whether a full packing service is available and at what cost, what specifically is excluded from the standard quote, whether appliance disconnection is included, and how any specialist or high-value items should be handled.
Getting written answers to these five questions before you sign turns a vague estimate into something you can actually compare against a second quote fairly.
What This Looks Like in Shirley and Millbrook
Shirley’s terraced streets and Millbrook’s mix of older housing and newer estate infill both tend to have a lot of accumulated storage, garages, sheds, and lofts that haven’t been sorted in years, which is exactly where packing exclusions catch people out most.
A loft full of boxes that’s been undisturbed for a decade often needs emptying and sorting before it’s even clear what needs packing, which is worth mentioning when you get your quote rather than leaving it as an unspoken assumption that it’s covered.
Comparing Two Quotes Fairly
Say one quote for a three-bed house comes in at £900 and another at £1,100. On the surface, the first looks like the better deal, but if the £900 quote excludes packing materials entirely and the £1,100 one includes a basic allowance, the actual gap once you buy your own boxes and tape might be far smaller than it first appears.
The only way to compare fairly is to ask both companies the same five questions and get the answers in writing. A slightly higher headline price with everything genuinely included is often the better value once you account for what you’d otherwise have to source and pack yourself.
Questions People Ask About Packing and Quotes
Sometimes a basic allowance is included, but a full packing service is typically a separate cost, often £150 to £600 depending on the size of the property.
No, and they shouldn't. Passports, jewellery, medications and financial documents should travel with you rather than in the removal van.
Not usually as part of a standard packing service. This is typically treated as a separate job, so confirm it directly if you're relying on it.
Yes, flag it when you request your quote and we can talk through what's realistic to include and what might need sorting before moving day.
Ask both companies the same questions about materials, exclusions, and specialist items in writing. A cheaper headline price with less included isn't always the better deal once you account for what you'd need to source yourself.
One Last Thought
A cheap-looking quote and a genuinely cheap move aren’t always the same thing. Ask what’s actually included before you compare prices, and the number you’re quoted stops being a guess and starts being something you can rely on.
