Moving home is a notoriously time-consuming process. From scouring the market to find the perfect property, hosting all the visits from prospective buyers, to communicating with your estate agents and sorting out all the paperwork, there’s a lot of work to do before you can settle into your new home.
But how long does a house move really take? Although typical moves in the UK will have a similar structure to each other, some can be completed much faster than others. In this article, we’re taking a look at how long moving house can take and why that is.
Buying and selling
It’s hard to put a timescale on the initial part of the move. Some homes stay on the market for months or years at a time while others are snapped up in a few weeks. Once you’ve had an offer accepted – and have accepted an offer on your place – things get a little more predictable.
Even if you want to move as quickly as possible, it’s always wise to be cautious. Take some time to find the right estate agent, and make sure you know exactly what you’re looking for when picking your way through the market. Preparation at every stage of the move will help things flow smoothly, so be patient; once the offers have been accepted you can start to make some real headway.
The chain
One of the main causes of delays for any move is being stuck in a chain of buyers. You might think everything is in order, only to see someone pull out at the last minute, setting you back another month or so. It’s frustrating to have a move delayed or fall through without having anything to do with you, but that doesn’t mean it’s bound to happen.
Chains are almost inevitable when moving home, but they don’t always take months at a time to complete. The other members of the chain will likely be in the same boat as you, and without any unforeseen circumstances – such as finance refusal or a damning building survey – taking place, you can expect a house move to go through in roughly 10 weeks or so.
Without a chain, things tend to go quicker, but the odd problem can still crop up. A move is quite the commitment. The run up to signing the contracts is focused on making sure all parties are fully informed, willing and able to move property.
Moving day
Once contracts have been signed and you’ve battled your way through the preparations, you can choose a moving date and get ready for the big day. You’ll have to wait for all parties to choose a suitable date – this shouldn’t take too long – and then it’s simply a matter of getting yourself ready.
The date could be a couple of weeks away, a month, or longer depending on your own requirements, and you should spend the time leading up to the date getting everything in place so that the transition is nice and smooth. This includes notifying relevant people – such as your employer, the bank, the post office, your utility providers – of the move, as well as decluttering and then hunting around for a reputable moving company.
While many people dread the day itself, hiring the right moving company will make this the simplest part of the whole process. After spending two/three months knee-deep in negotiations, it’s a blessing to have all of your belongings moved to your new home in just a matter of hours.
Packing, transporting and unloading everything you own is a mammoth task, but the right team will make sure that every aspect of moving day is tailored to your needs. This greatly reduces any chance of last-minute delays – such as having to make multiple trips because you underestimated the size of the moving truck you need – and allows you to relax during the final stretch.
Two Men And A Truck are proud to be the world’s fourth largest removals company. Our experienced team are with you every step of the way, from initial survey to the efficient and professional packing, transport and unloading of your belongings. We are dedicated to offering a first class service to every customer, whether it’s taken you the better part of a year to move home, or you’ve managed to fast track your way to your dream property, we are here to make moving day completely stress–free. For more information on all of our services, simply get in touch with us today.