One of our most frequently asked questions is, “can removal companies take plants?” In short, yes. As an experienced removal company, we are able to load and transport your plants. However, there are a few things that are worth noting as there are some exceptions and things to consider.
Please note, if your belongings are going into storage, we do not have any facilities to store your plants. However, we can take them to a friend or family member’s property, should you wish.
Insurance
The first thing we make explicit is that whilst we can take your plants, we are not insured should any damage occur. This applies to all other garden furniture, ornaments, water features, etc that are left outdoors. Weathering causes any items left outdoors to become weakened. Whilst we will do our best to protect these items during transit, they are more susceptible to being chipped or cracked because of this. The lack of insurance cover for garden items, including plants, is pretty standard across removal insurance companies. Therefore you will struggle to find a removal company who can insure against this kind of damage.
Weight
It has to be said that our team of movers are pretty strong! However, depending on the size of the pot, it might be necessary to remove some of the soil. We take all things health and safety very seriously. However, we also have to think about how we will secure the load once it is on the van. Heavy pots full of large plants or soil are harder to properly secure. In addition, there are legal restrictions on the weight our vehicles can carry. Therefore, this is something to consider if you have a lot of pots to take.
Cost
If you do have lots of plants to take, then please bear in mind that it can get very expensive to transport them. As a general rule, we will stack your belongings high to make use of all the space available. However, we are unable to stack anything on top of plants. Combined with the weight issue as described above, we might have to allow for an extra van just for your plants and pots. This will incuur additional fuel charges as a minimum, and might mean extra labour charges if another driver is required.
Containers
For the most part, we are asked to take plants that are already in pots or planters. However, from time to time we are asked to take shrubs and trees that are planted into the ground. We can take these plants too. However, we will be unable to dig them up for you and any roots must be bagged to avoid soiling the van (pun not intended!). We are also unable to replant at your new property. If you are using a Belfast sink as a planter, this will definitely need to be emptied of any soil due to the weight.
Other items
We’ve covered whether removal companies can take plants, but what about your other garden items? We’ve briefly mentioned garden furniture and ornaments, which we can take. However, we are also happy to take:
- Garden toys and swing sets – any sand from sandpits will need to be emptied
- BBQs – although we cannot take the gas canisters
- Lawnmowers, jet washers, strimmer, etc – any petrol will need to be drained.
- Trampolines
- Sheds and summer houses – will need to be dismantled either by yourselves or us
- Chimneas, pizza ovens, garden heaters, fire pits
- Much more!
There are so many different items our customers keep in their gardens or surrounding areas. The easiest way for us to discuss the transportation of these items is during our home survey.
