What "all inclusive" should actually cover
"All inclusive" is not a defined term in the removals trade. Two companies can both use it and mean quite different things, which is why the phrase is worth interrogating before you accept a price.
A genuine full-service removal normally includes:
- A pre-move survey, in person or by video, which is what makes the price meaningful
- Materials — boxes, paper, bubble wrap, tape, wardrobe cartons, mattress and sofa covers
- Packing of everything, including the kitchen, china, glassware and artwork
- Dismantling of beds, wardrobes, tables and anything that will not fit through a door
- Protection of floors, doorframes and bannisters at both properties
- Loading, transport and unloading
- Placement into the correct rooms rather than a pile in the hall
- Reassembly of what was dismantled
- Goods in Transit insurance, with the limits stated
- Collection of empty boxes and packing material afterwards, which is a bigger job than people expect
If a quote described as all inclusive is missing several of these, it is a standard removal with a confident name.
What is often not included, even then
This is the more useful list, because it is where unexpected costs come from.
Parking suspensions. If either address needs a bay suspended, that is a council charge and is usually passed on. Ask who arranges it and who pays.
Congestion Charge and ULEZ, where they apply.
Waiting time. If completion is delayed and the crew sits outside for three hours, most contracts allow for that to be charged.
Storage beyond the quoted period, and delivery out of storage, which is frequently priced separately from the move itself.
Specialist items. Pianos, safes, pool tables, large artwork, chandeliers and wine collections are normally quoted individually, or subcontracted to a specialist. Say what you have at survey stage.
Appliance disconnection. This one catches people out. Removal crews will generally disconnect a washing machine or dishwasher from the water supply, but gas appliances must be disconnected and reconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and hardwired electric ovens by a qualified electrician. Book those separately, before moving day. Also fit the transit bolts to a washing machine drum if you still have them, since moving a machine without them can damage the drum bearings.
Unpacking. Packing and unpacking are different services. Many "all inclusive" quotes cover only the first.
Cleaning and disposal. End of tenancy cleaning, after-builders cleaning, and taking away furniture you are not keeping are separate jobs. Anything removed for disposal must go to a registered waste carrier.
Ask the scope questions before you sign
Five questions settle nearly all of it:
- What is explicitly excluded from this price?
- What happens if the job takes longer than estimated?
- What happens if completion moves, or is delayed on the day?
- What is the insurance limit, and what is excluded? Self-packed boxes usually are, which matters less on a full-service move because the crew packs everything.
- Who is my point of contact on the day, and what is their number?
Get the answers in a written quotation rather than an email thread. Our guide to what a removal quote actually pays for covers how to compare prices once you have them, and how to manage a move covers deciding how much to hand over in the first place.
Book earlier than you think
Enfield is a large borough with a lot of housing, and the good firms fill up. Four to six weeks before the move is sensible, and as soon as you exchange if the date is fixed. Fridays, month ends and anything between May and September go first.
Most companies will not confirm a booking until you have a completion date, so the sequence is: gather quotes early, then confirm the moment you exchange.
If storage is part of it, location matters
Plenty of removals firms offer storage, but not all of it is nearby. If your belongings end up in a facility an hour away, two things follow.
Access becomes a journey. If you need something back mid-storage, you are travelling to get it, or paying for a delivery. Container storage collected from and returned to your door removes that problem entirely, which is how ours works.
Delivery back costs more when the distance is greater, and that cost is often quoted separately from the move.
Either way, give notice before you need access. Containers are stacked in a warehouse, and getting to yours takes planning rather than a walk down a corridor. A few working days is normal, and the same applies to booking the return delivery. Plan backwards from the date you actually need things.
Enfield storage is collected from your address and returned wherever you choose, and the facility is monitored, dry and ventilated.
Negotiating without cutting corners
There is room to negotiate in this trade, but the effective approach is changing the job rather than asking for a discount.
Move midweek and mid-month rather than a Friday. Reduce the volume, which is the only lever that lowers the real cost. Ask what the price would be without materials, or with you doing the dismantling. Compare three quotes based on proper surveys so you have a genuine reference point.
What not to do is push a firm below the point where it can do the job properly. The saving reappears as a shorter crew, a longer day, and damage nobody wants to argue about afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
What does an all inclusive removal include? Typically a survey, materials, full packing, dismantling, floor and doorframe protection, loading, transport, unloading, placement, reassembly, transit insurance and collection of empty boxes. Confirm each in writing, since the term has no fixed definition.
What is usually not included in a removal quote? Parking suspensions, Congestion Charge and ULEZ, waiting time if completion is delayed, storage beyond the quoted period, specialist items such as pianos and safes, gas appliance disconnection, unpacking, cleaning and disposal.
Can removal companies disconnect my cooker or washing machine? Water connections, usually. Gas appliances must be handled by a Gas Safe registered engineer and hardwired electric ovens by a qualified electrician, so arrange those separately before the day.
Do I need transit bolts for a washing machine? If you still have them, yes. They secure the drum during transport, and moving a machine without them risks damaging the drum bearings.
How far in advance should I book a removal in Enfield? Four to six weeks, and immediately on exchange if the date is confirmed. Fridays, month ends and the summer months book out first.
How much notice do I need to access items in storage? Allow a few working days. Containers are stacked in a warehouse rather than accessible on demand, and the same notice applies to booking a return delivery.
How we can help
RMV Storage & Removals has run full-service moves across London for over fifteen years from our base in Enfield, with Enfield removals, man and van for smaller jobs, packing services and materials, handyman work for dismantling and reassembly, and container storage delivered to your door, across every area we cover.
Tell us what you want included and we will price exactly that, with the exclusions written down rather than discovered. Get in touch.
Written by Riki Migliori, Director at RMV Storage & Removals. Originally published June 2016. Fully reviewed and updated summer 2026.