Sometimes, it is necessary to carry out a full or partial house clearance to create space, prepare a property for sale/rent, or to clear the home of a deceased relative. A house clearance can be a major task, and hiring a professional and reliable firm to carry it out for you can be immensely helpful.

In this article, we are looking at the house clearance process, including exactly what it is and what you can expect to be involved.

What is a house clearance service?

A house clearance involves full – or just partial – removal of the contents of a household. Typically, house clearances are used to prepare a home for new occupation by getting rid of unwanted clutter leftover from previous dwellers.

Landlords and letting agents commonly utilise house clearance services between lets, to make sure that the house, flat or apartment is ready to be occupied again. A house clearance might also be needed to clear out a hoarder’s home, which may be entirely filled with a myriad of unused items. If you’re downsizing, house clearance can be particularly useful in quickly removing items that you either can’t or don’t want to take with you.

Relatives suffering from a bereavement might also require a house clearance to empty the home of the recently deceased in order to re-sell the home, hand it back to a landlord, or simply to help with the bereavement process. This kind of house clearing can be difficult for many people, and many prefer to leave the job in the hands of a professional firm rather than having to face the process themselves.

What does a house clearance service involve?

If you feel like you need a house clearance service, it starts with finding the right firm. Search local listings or scour the internet until you find one that suits, and give them a ring to discuss your requirements.

The firm will discuss the job with you. They will need details about the size of the property and how much you want to be removed from the house. Some firms will be able to survey your home in person in order to provide a quote, while others will offer an estimated quote over the phone.

Typically, the cost of a house clearance will depend on the volume of goods to be removed. Clearing a four-bedroom house will likely cost more than clearing a one-room apartment, but prices will vary by the size of the items being disposed of. It’s a good idea to have a rough estimate of this beforehand so that your chosen company can provide a clearer idea of the cost from the beginning.

Decide what you want to keep – if anything

If there are items that you want to keep, tell the firm before the clearance begins and they will leave them to one side as they clear the rest of the home. If you want the entire household cleared – including any carpets, appliances or fittings – let the firm know and they will take care of everything for you.

If you have any furniture, items or keepsakes that you would like to keep hold of, but aren’t able to make room for them at the minute, some firms will have a storage service available which you can use to store your belongings for as long as you require. You should discuss this with the firm to make the proper arrangements.

Day of the clearance

When the day of the house clearance comes around, your clearing firm will arrive at the property and get to work. They will work meticulously to remove everything that they can, loading it all safely in preparation for disposal.

A house clearance can be a big job and may take an entire day or more if the household has a great number of items. Smaller house clearances can take as little as an hour; it all depends on the size of the property and the number of goods being removed.

If the workers happen to find important documents or anything that might be of particular value, they will put these to one side and let you know so that you can decide the next step. Your firm may be able to help you with any antiques, objet d’art or collectables that might require valuations, so a house clearance may bear some valuable fruit that you weren’t expecting!

Disposal

Once the home has been cleared, the items are taken away to be disposed of properly. The team will make sure to dispose of your items in an environmentally-friendly manner, in keeping with all regulations.

When hiring your firm, it’s important to choose one that holds a valid waste carriers licence issued by the Environment Agency. This ensures that you aren’t employing cowboy companies that may resort to fly-tipping. Dumped household waste which can be traced back to you may result in a £5,000 fine, so choosing an accredited, licensed firm to dispose of your household waste will give you complete peace of mind.

Hazardous waste isn’t able to be removed during a house clearance, and your firm will let you know what can and cannot be handled by them. They can, however, offer advice on how to properly dispose of this kind of waste.

Chappell's Removals provide specialist house clearance services to clients throughout Woking, Weybridge,Surrey and beyond. We hold a full waste carriers licence issued by the South East Environment Agency, and our friendly and skilled workers will work efficiently and safely on clearances of all scales. To discuss a house clearance service with us, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.