At Removals.co.uk, we have conducted so many house removals and international shipping services, that we are confident in our ability to avoid any damages when transporting your goods. However, there are sometimes unlikely incidences where damage may occur. In these events, we want you to feel comfortable with what you should do about it.
There are a number of measures that we take (and you can, too) in order to prevent this from ever happening, though. Let’s see what they are…
How to Avoid Damages:
Professional packing and wrapping
Removals.co.uk offers an excellent expert packing and wrapping service for you to make use of for your international shipping (or other removal service). Our professional packing team are knowledgeable about the best materials and methods of packing. This is to ensure delicate items are protected, surfaces are kept from scratches and smudges, and that items don’t clash against one another. Trust our team of movers and packers to do it for you, in order to ensure that your items are expertly wrapped and packed before transport. We offer a full-packing service that will help you to worry less about the packing, and more on the moving side of things.
We can pack and wrap: furniture, appliances, clothing, soft furnishings, paintings, pictures, ornaments, artefacts, electricals and more.
The right materials
There are certain industry standard materials that will help to keep your items safe from damages in transit. Small items should be packaged into robust shipping boxes, ideally wrapped in bubble wrap for buffering, so that they don’t break or rub against one another. Furniture can be wrapped in things like industrial cellophane for their protection and to avoid exposure. Everyday household materials will not work as effectively as industry-approved packing materials, though.
You can opt for our full-packing service, where we will handle everything from assessment, to gathering materials, then wrapping and packing your items. Otherwise, you can opt for our self-packing service, where you will do all the manual work, but we will supply you with the materials to ensure your items are still safe.
Materials may include: cellophane, air bags, industrial tape, bubble wrap, polystyrene chips/peanuts, crumpled newspaper, dividers, boxes, cartons, foam, industrial cardboard (double walled ideally) and more.
If you are unsure about anything, we are only a phone call away. Don’t do something that you are unsure of in regards to your packing.
Fragile items
We offer a brilliant fragile packing service to help ensure that your fragile items are not damaged or broken in transit. This service focuses on fragile items, such as: glassware, china, paintings, pictures, ornaments, artefacts, and electricals. Fragile items are wrapped securely and individually, cushioned with packaging peanuts and then packaged twice. “Fragile” tape/stickers can be used to help notify movers which items contain more fragile items, so that they can then take extra care when handling the item.
Accurate packing
There are a few things to consider before packing. These are industry-approved guidelines to packing and wrapping items ready for international shipping:
• Leave no empty spaces inside boxes.
• Wrap items individually, where possible, and centre the item. Don’t put it against the sides of the box and buffer it with polystyrene chips/peanuts or something of the like. At least 5cm of cushioning should be used.
• Use dividers for small items in the same box.
• Use appropriate sealing: Polypropylene tape (brown plastic tape), Vinyl adhesive tape (electrical tape), Fibre-reinforced paper tape (duct tape). Seal the boxes using the “H-Taping” method.
• Do not secure your items with string, because this can get snagged in transit.
• Do not use bags made from non-weatherproof materials, as these can deteriorate.
• Do not use weak, single-walled boxes. Boxes should be double-walled, rigid and new or else their stability may be impaired during transit.
• Nothing should be exposed, loosely packed or bare.
• Use labels where necessary.
• Be wary of oddly shaped items that could damage the box it’s in, or damage other items.
We provide full-packing, self-packing and commercial packing services to ensure no matter the task or your budget, you can get an excellent packing service and ensure the safety of your items.
Shipping method
Both shipping methods (sea freight and air freight) will involve various issues like weather and turbulence that could harm your products in transit. We will take the weather into account before shipping your items, but not all weather issues can be avoided.
It is believed that it is more likely that your item could be damaged through sea freight shipping than air freight. There is less handling of the goods, less chance of loss, and no stops along the way. Air freight is one of the safest ways to transport your items globally, however, it is more expensive.
Credibility
Our credibility means your items will be safe during transit – as best we can. These are from organisations and associations such as:
• The Removals Industry Ombudsman Scheme
• FTA (freight Transport Association)
• Eurovan
• NGRS (National Guild of Removers and Storers)
What to Do in The Event of Damage
We suggest that you get transit insurance in order to cover your items when they are transported overseas. You can call us if anything has happened to your item(s) during transport; you will need to be in contact with the insurance company, too. An investigation will ensue and then it will be down to the insurance company to decide what happens from there.
However, we are sure it won’t come to that. If you have any other queries, then don’t hesitate to call us on 08000 556 331.
