Could anyone give me an indication about what to expect from this line of work? Be it driving in the uk or abroad?! Would be great if you could help! Many thanks Chris
Usually not much driving an alot of lifting carrying and walking
Rule one if in doubt you know how to lift something ask some who’s experienced th same goes for loading blacketing and packing is something g of an art form for first few weeks learn and keep on learning as you go every job is different oh and time your time getting to your customers less hast more speed
Thanks for that mate! I take it your hours still remain the same tho as in 15 hr spreads! and are they usually double manned?
mozzer44:
Thanks for that mate! I take it your hours still remain the same tho as in 15 hr spreads! and are they usually double manned?
you can do 21 hours if it’s double manned 
i do removal work for brittannia its hard work long hours crap pay not a job i wud recommend
If you do 21 hours double manned whats your daily rest time?>
staffordtrucker:
i do removal work for brittannia its hard work long hours crap pay not a job i wud recommend
Which brittania is this mate if you dont mind asking?
brittania goodwins of stafford
staffordtrucker:
brittania goodwins of stafford
Just sent you a PM mate!
have replyed
Some people love the job, others stay for a bit but don’t get on with it, the hours are nearly always long, all the crew do is sleep while you get them there and back from the job, as the driver you are in charge so you need to be of a character that you can get people motivated to work, this isn’t easy when they know the job and you don’t.
I only did removals on the continent, lots of driving and not always too much ■■■■■■■ as you would take out a few different moves on the one truck.
Some people only have maybe something like a transit van load or less, where others will have two road trains worth of household effects. Every job is different, some customers greet you with a cup of tea and the offer of cooked food all the time you are on the job, then give you a big tip at the end, where others don’t even offer you a glass of water.
If you are going to get a job in the UK you will quite often have to pack, load and then drive to new house and unload all in one day, that can be hard work and often results in working your maximum hours, where as European work involves far more driving, it isn’t unusual to drive for 2 or 3 days, have 1/2 a day unloading, then drive the rest of the day before getting to the next town ready to do the removal the following day, then driving for another day or two before having to lift any furniture again etc etc. many removals companies run back from the continent empty so that is more time without having to do any ■■■■■■■.
Depending on the company you may find you always go to the same area’s and have lots of weekends abroad, I was often away for 3 weeks at a time.
You will have to pack up some houses as well as delivering the goods but your company should teach you how to do that.
You will be responsible for loading the truck, and have to do things correctly if you don’t want to damage the customers goods, generally you load base (furniture) then on top of them boxes, then on top of them bits and pieces, but that sort of thing would be taught to you when you start doing the job. Most companies would put an experienced crew member out with you to start off with so not to many worries there tbh.
It is very unusual to have two drivers in one truck but you will nearly always be doubled up in the truck, sometimes even 3 or 4 of you, but the others are only there to do the removal work normally
Money is generally better than general haulage, but not always.
If you don’t give it a go you will never know if it is a job that suits you. For the time I was doing it I loved it
jimti:
Some people love the job, others stay for a bit but don’t get on with it, the hours are nearly always long, all the crew do is sleep while you get them there and back from the job, as the driver you are in charge so you need to be of a character that you can get people motivated to work, this isn’t easy when they know the job and you don’t.
I only did removals on the continent, lots of driving and not always too much ■■■■■■■ as you would take out a few different moves on the one truck.
Some people only have maybe something like a transit van load or less, where others will have two road trains worth of household effects. Every job is different, some customers greet you with a cup of tea and the offer of cooked food all the time you are on the job, then give you a big tip at the end, where others don’t even offer you a glass of water.If you are going to get a job in the UK you will quite often have to pack, load and then drive to new house and unload all in one day, that can be hard work and often results in working your maximum hours, where as European work involves far more driving, it isn’t unusual to drive for 2 or 3 days, have 1/2 a day unloading, then drive the rest of the day before getting to the next town ready to do the removal the following day, then driving for another day or two before having to lift any furniture again etc etc. many removals companies run back from the continent empty so that is more time without having to do any ■■■■■■■.
Depending on the company you may find you always go to the same area’s and have lots of weekends abroad, I was often away for 3 weeks at a time.
You will have to pack up some houses as well as delivering the goods but your company should teach you how to do that.
You will be responsible for loading the truck, and have to do things correctly if you don’t want to damage the customers goods, generally you load base (furniture) then on top of them boxes, then on top of them bits and pieces, but that sort of thing would be taught to you when you start doing the job. Most companies would put an experienced crew member out with you to start off with so not to many worries there tbh.
It is very unusual to have two drivers in one truck but you will nearly always be doubled up in the truck, sometimes even 3 or 4 of you, but the others are only there to do the removal work normallyMoney is generally better than general haulage, but not always.
If you don’t give it a go you will never know if it is a job that suits you. For the time I was doing it I loved it
Jimti has pretty much summed it up, but if you are not shy of a bit of hard work it can be a very rewarding job. Knowing that you have got X amount of antiques from A to B without damage is very satisfying. Yes, the pay isn’t great but nights away and tips soon help to bump the wages up. A guy I work with kept a tally on his tips last year and he got £2200 so it soon adds up!!
My advice would be to try it, you certainly won’t need a gym membership and you will definately get a good nights sleep 
I work for pickfords occasionally but can’t say I like it, usually you drive for less than an hour, then it’s pack, hump, strain and load with very little in the way of breaks because it’s a tight deadline. Then you either go back to base or to the new address and unload it all. It’s normally a good laugh but bloody hard work.
Watch out for the other guys in the cab with you, feet on the dash and newspaper on their legs and you’ve lost your left mirror (well your view of it).
darkseeker:
Watch out for the other guys in the cab with you, feet on the dash and newspaper on their legs and you’ve lost your left mirror (well your view of it).
Yeah, this was a reason of my first scratch ever 
Also watch the guys in the cab with you, as they think that as there is more of them than you, they can do whatever they want. Mine were smoking canabis while I was supposed to drive… When I told them to stop, they threatened me with a knife :S
I just came back to the yard, took my tacho out and smashed the cab doors behind me (especially that the van was also not the best one, diplomatically speaking).
And that was one of the Britannia’s as well…
To be fair: I hate this kind of job, especially local removals (half day carrying furniture and heavy two floors down, 15 minutes driving, half day of carrying furniture three floors up). But some like it (I guess it’s all depends of the people you work for, as usual).
Been doing moves for a long time now, if you do euro work it’s great, paid to sight see, uk work if your local every day is tough, we do export work , deep sea, so a lot of wrapping and packing, it helps to have a good sense of humour and the ability to dig deep and keep working even when your cream crackered,a lot of people do not realise what the job entails, and think any monkey can do it, you have to dismantle furnture reassemble it, take off doors strip sash windows, problem solve, very challenging but very rewarding, but i think the best bit about the job is the comeradrie, A different breed moving boys.