Trouble free moving

Using professional movers significantly reduces the hassles of shifting houses. They come to your house, pack your belongings and move them to your new home, writes Njoki Chege

When Richard Bundi was moving to a larger house in Nairobi’s Kasarani area, earlier this year, he swore he would not make the same mistake he made two years ago.

"Back then, when I was moving, I decided to hire a pick-up to ferry my property. It was cheap because I was only going to pay Sh4,000. Little did I know that I would be paying much more," says Richard.

"I swore to use professionals the next time I decided to move," he says.

True to his word, he contracted a local professional moving company that made sure all his property was packaged and moved in an efficient manner.

Welcome to the world of professional movers, who lift the burden of moving houses off your shoulders by ensuring everything is packaged, transported and organised in your new house, just the way you like it.

Extra cost

Many have embraced this new culture of using professional movers to do the work that many of us would rather skip. These companies have become popular and are giving the ‘ask for transport’ pick-up operators a run for their money.

They may not be as affordable as the local transport operators, but those who have used their services attest that the extra cost is indeed worthwhile. The assurance that, given the mover’s skill, the property will not be damaged is worth it.

Jane Muriuki, a lecturer at a local private university, can attest to this.

"I was very busy and I could not spare time to move. I contacted a moving company who charged me Sh20,000 to pack, unpack and organise my possessions from Kasarani to the new house in Kahawa West," says Jane.

The movers had electricians and other technicians who dismantled and mounted Jane’s furniture and electrical appliances in a professional manner.

Cube Movers is one such company that offers services for both local and international moving. The company has been in the Kenyan market for six years and the response has been good.

"The moving industry in Kenya is very young and most people are still in the process of adapting and accepting this new concept. Our services have mainly attracted the busy and professional people who have absolutely no time to move houses," says Cosmas Kamuyu, Cube Movers’ Business Development Director.

Responsibility

Moving charges are based on the volume of goods one is moving, the nature of the goods, the distance covered while moving as well as the time taken between packing and repacking. The least one can pay is Sh10,000 but it can go as high as Sh100,000.

"The way you handle glass items is not the same way you would handle a wooden piece that is 200 years old, so we have professionals to do that for you," says Kamuyu.

Moving companies also take responsibility for any damages during the process of moving. For example, Cube Movers has an insurance cover that ensures the client is refunded the cost of the damage.

"However, we always advise our customers to take their own personal Goods In Transit cover (GIT) in case the truck transporting the goods is involved in an accident," says Kamuyu.

Despite the availability of moving companies, many people are still ignorant of their services. Joel Waweru, a resident of Eastlands says; "I have never heard of people who do such business. If there are, they are probably for those people who live in upmarket areas, not for us in Kayole."

He believes such services are for the well heeled in society who have a lot of possessions. Anne Kagendo is of the same school of thought. She says she has seen the trucks ferrying people around but has been put off by the perception that they are for the rich.

"I have seen some of my neighbours using these services, but I cannot afford to move my single room furniture in a huge truck," she says.

Kamuyu admits there is a market misconception that professional movers are for the rich, something that has cost them a lot of business.

"People think we are expensive based on the nature of our business," he says, adding that the company moves approximately 15 to 20 people every month.

People intending to move houses or offices are encouraged to try a hand at professional moving companies for several reasons. The risk of breakages or theft is minimal as goods are transported in closed trucks.

Removal experts

Professionals such as electricians, plumbers and technicians handle your furniture and electrical appliances. Such moving companies also use specialised packing materials such as wardrobes, mattress covers, wooden crates for fragile items and plastic boxes for utensils as well as corrugated paper for padding furniture to avoid scratches.

Other moving companies in the market include Urgent Cargo, which has teams of removal experts. Each team comprises of packers, an electrician and a carpenter to ensure that goods are handled professionally. An inventory of packed goods is taken at site and a copy provided immediately after packing. The goods are then put into containers and sealed at site in the presence of the client.

Beacon Movers Kenya also offers proffesional moving services. Domestic moving is done in five phases, namely, pre-move survey, local move proposal, packing, transportation, unpacking and placement. In the pre-move survey, a moving consultant meets with the client to discuss the move, assess the volume of shipment to be moved, evaluate the packing requirements and explain methods to protect the belongings.

After the assessment, the personnel are tasked with the duty of moving the client to the specified location.