Photographs can answer questions that a room count cannot. A two-bedroom home might contain a compact sofa and a few boxes, or several large wardrobes, a workshop and a packed loft. Before a removals survey, a useful set of photographs helps the person assessing your move understand what needs attention. It also gives you a record of anything you want to discuss.
Show the room, then the difficult item
Start with a wide photograph from the doorway of each room. Follow it with closer views of substantial furniture, fragile pieces and items that may need dismantling. Include the whole object rather than an attractive detail. For a wardrobe, show its height, depth and relationship to the doorway; a photograph of its doors alone tells the surveyor very little.
Open cupboards only where their contents form part of the move, and avoid including private paperwork. A photograph is a discussion aid, not a substitute for an accurate inventory. Note anything you intend to sell or leave behind so it isn’t accidentally included in the assessment for your house removals.
Photograph the journey to the vehicle
Walk from the furthest room to the likely loading point. Record narrow turns, changes of level, stair landings and entrance doors. Include the route outside, particularly if the vehicle may have to stop some distance away. Take photographs looking in both directions where a corner is awkward.
Add measurements to your notes instead of expecting the surveyor to judge scale from a picture. A wide-angle phone lens can make a landing appear larger than it is. If the destination has different access, provide a separate set clearly marked with that address.
Make the questions easy to find
Group the photographs by room and give unusual items a short description. Mention whether you have the manufacturer’s assembly instructions and whether furniture has moved before. Photograph existing visible damage for your own records, without assuming that a photograph establishes the terms of any insurance cover.
If you’re considering professional packing services, show shelves, kitchen cupboards and delicate collections as well as large furniture. This helps distinguish the transport task from the amount of packing involved.
Send Top Men Removals your inventory and access photographs with your proposed dates. Ask which items need a closer assessment before the scope and price are agreed. A short, organised photo set is more useful than dozens of unlabelled images sent at the last minute.
