Movers Adelaide: who turns up, and how moving day runs

The Adelaide movers who arrive at your door

Moveall names four values on its About page: presentation, honesty, punctuality and efficiency. On moving day they look like this: the crew arrives when we said it would, introduces itself, walks the house with you before anything is lifted, and keeps you told about what happens next. The number of people on your move is set at the quote, from the inventory and the access, so a large home with stairs and a long carry gets the crew it needs rather than a pair who are rushed off their feet.

Moveall is SA born and bred, and its crews work Adelaide streets every week, from the old cottages of Port Adelaide to the steep blocks of the Hills. That local knowledge matters most in the small decisions: where the truck can stand, which door to use, whether a wardrobe goes down the stairs or out a window.

The truck and the gear

Moveall runs 3, 5 and 8 tonne pantechs. A pantech is an enclosed removal truck: the load is out of the sun, the wind and the rain from the first carry to the last. The truck for your move is chosen from the inventory, so it is big enough for the household without leaving room for things to shift.

• Moving blankets go around and between furniture so nothing touches anything else in the truck.
• Wrap protects upholstery and polished surfaces from dust, scuffs and handling marks.
• Floor and doorway protection keeps both homes as you left them while the crew carries.
• Specialty equipment and extra hands are added for heavy and bulky items such as a piano or a pool table, through Moveall’s heavy and bulky items service.

How moving day runs with movers in Adelaide

No two moves run to the same clock, so we do not promise times here. What does not change is the order of the day.

1. Arrival and walk through. The crew checks the inventory with you, notes anything fragile or unusual, confirms what stays behind and agrees which rooms things go to at the new home.
2. Protection first. Floors, doorways and banisters are covered where the crew will carry, and the truck is set up at the closest safe point to the door.
3. Wrapping. Furniture is wrapped and blanketed in the room before it moves. Mirrors, glass tops and artwork get extra protection.
4. Loading in order. Heavy, solid pieces go in first and sit low against the walls of the truck. Boxes stack on and around them, the lightest and most fragile on top. Everything is tied off so it cannot shift on the drive.
5. The final sweep. Before the truck leaves, you walk the house with the crew: every room, every cupboard, the garage, the shed and the garden.
6. The drive. Your valuables, documents, medicines and keys ride with you. The crew goes straight to the new address.
7. Unloading and placing. Furniture goes into the rooms you point to and boxes go to the rooms they are labelled for. Beds are put together first.
8. The last check. Blankets and wrap come off, you look over the furniture, and the crew takes away its protection, leaving the new home ready to unpack.

What makes the day longer, and how to avoid it

Most delays on moving day are about the house, not the truck. Moveall’s terms ask for loose items to be packed in cartons and for furniture to be emptied of loose items, and for clear, safe paths between the truck and the home. When those are not ready, the crew has to stop and pack, or work around obstacles, and the day runs long.

• Half-packed rooms. Finish packing the night before, or book Moveall’s Wrap & Pack and let us pack for you. See packing services.
• Full drawers. A chest of drawers full of clothes is heavy, awkward and easy to damage. Empty it.
• No parking. Move the cars off the driveway and, if you can, keep the kerb outside clear. In apartments, book the lift and loading dock.
• Busy paths. Keep children, pets and other trades clear of the carry route. It is safer for everyone and much quicker.
• Undecided items. Decide before the day what goes, what stays and what goes to the tip. Mark anything staying behind clearly.

Adelaide movers and the street outside

The carry from the truck to the door is where time goes. A short level path from a driveway is quick. A walk down a side path, up a flight of stairs or along a corridor to a lift takes longer, and so does a steep Hills driveway the truck cannot climb. Tell us at the quote about stairs, lifts, narrow side gates, long driveways and anything else that will slow the carry, at both homes. In the city, we check parking and loading rules with the building and the council before moving day. Our local movers Adelaide page covers street access across the suburbs and the Hills.

Furniture the crew takes extra care with

Some pieces need more than a blanket: glass and marble tops, large mirrors, antiques, solid timber dining settings, lounge suites with delicate fabric, and big-screen TVs. Moveall works to what it calls strict handling and packaging procedures, and these are the pieces those procedures exist for. Wrap & Pack also has purpose-made boxes and wrapping for TVs and artwork. How each type of furniture is protected is set out on our page for the professional movers Adelaide homes need for good furniture.

A piano or a pool table is a different job again: Moveall adds extra team members and specialty equipment for heavy and bulky items, as part of the move. Tell us about them at the quote. See pianos and heavy items.

Being there on the day

Someone who can make decisions should be at the old home while the truck is loaded and at the new home while it is unloaded. You do not need to carry anything, but you do need to answer the questions only you can answer: which bedroom the cot goes in, whether the old outdoor setting comes or stays, where the fridge needs to stand so the plumbing reaches. If you cannot be there for part of the day, tell us who can, and give them the plan.

Moveall holds $20 million public liability cover. Ask us about transit insurance for your belongings, and read our removalist insurance article for what each kind of cover does. If you are comparing companies, our page on choosing a moving company Adelaide residents can trust lists the questions to ask any crew before you book.

Questions people ask