Moving house is widely perceived as one of the most stressful tasks a person can do, so it’s no wonder Brits often call on those closest to them to help literally carry the load, according to new research from Taskrabbit.
The two-way network, which connects people needing help with household jobs to skilled, reliable Taskers in their local area, found that 35% of Brits have asked a pal to help them move house, compared to 24% who have called on professional help. This is despite the fact that a whopping 87% of the nation believe it would be better to enlist an expert, citing reasons of speed, reliability and avoiding arguments.
With the increasing financial and emotional strain of the rising cost of living, it’s understandable that Brits are seeking ways to keep the costs down when it comes to moving house. However, this could turn out to be a false economy, as those who choose the friends route actually end up shelling out £114 on average, compared to the average cost of £100 for professional help (£50 per hour).
While some savvy operators choose to reward their friends for help by “showering them with compliments”, the majority of those who call on pals to help ‘lift and shift’ end up investing in monetary incentives like food, drink and presents to persuade their mates to help.
Top five ways Brits compensate friends who help them move:
- Drinks (22%)
- Returning the favour (22%)
- Food (21%)
- Physical gifts/presents (12%)
- A bunch of flowers (11%)
The possibility of clumsy friends breaking or damaging property also ups the financial stakes of choosing this option. Those who had helped a friend move house reported mishaps ranging from scratching a wall to damaging furniture or even leaving an item behind in their former residence – which cost £36 on average to fix.
Other important elements to consider include time - with the research revealing that asking a friend's help takes nearly an entire day (21 hours) longer than getting professional help - and impact on relationships. Respondents said they dread being asked to move help by friends more than running errands for them, or being given the responsibility of watering their plants while away.
Following the research, TV star Vicky Pattison – who has recently moved house herself – recalls some of the moments when they called in friends to help them move, with disastrous results:
“The last time I moved house I roped in all the lasses to help so I told them ‘come over, I want you all to have a look through my wardrobe and you can take whatever you want’. In my head I thought they would take loads and then they would help just pack up the rest but all they did ALL night was try on all of my clothes, fight over the nice designer bits and left me to do all of the packing – it was an absolute disaster and I was no further forward.”
To help ensure no-one else falls prey to a similar scenario, Vicky has shared her tips on what to consider before roping in friends to help move.
- Set clear expectations – want to be packed and on the road by a certain point? Make sure you let your mates know that’s the plan and be strict with it! Moving takes time and once you get going it’s easy to be impatient and just want to be in the new place and all settled. Setting clear expectations on timings and logistics will help things go more smoothly and reduce the opportunity for disagreements.
- Have some fun with it (or at least try!) – let’s face it, moving can be really stressful. Making sure you’ve labelled up everything, not losing anything and then the sheer effort of getting things out of a van/car into the new place – it’s a lot. But it can be fun too, especially if you’ve got your closest mates involved. Why not make some games out of it such as who can pack up things the quickest, or even a furniture building competition? That way you’re getting things ticked off the list and trying to make it not feel like a long and boring chore.
- Get additional professional support to lighten the load – it’s okay to call in the experts, especially if it means saving a friendship in the process. If it gets closer to the moving date and it seems like too much of a mountain to climb with your mates, it’s worth outsourcing the job to a Tasker on Taskrabbit who you can trust to get on with it quickly and without risk of argument. After you’ve paid your mates in dinner or drinks, or had to replace that broken vase, the cost won’t even be that different!
- Have a plan of attack - there are many jobs involved in moving, from packing, to navigating to the new place, to figuring out where everything should go, and it can get chaotic. Have a chat with your friends before you start to assign everyone a specific room to manage or role like furniture building. Agreeing in advance will make things smoother on the day and minimise risk of arguing about the job that no one wants to do.
- Plan a post-moving in celebration – whether that’s a post-move prosecco or a pizza order, planning to have a reward at the end of the moving tunnel is a great way to stay motivated and get through the boxes.
Begüm Zarmann, Managing Director at Taskrabbit Europe, said: “Moving day is always stressful, and tensions can run high, so it’s no surprise Brits have said it’s their least favourite favour to offer. Taskers are always on hand to help with the jobs needed, from packing, assembling furniture, or driving, so the stress is taken away and those moving can just sit back, relax, and enjoy their new home.”
Anyone needing a helping hand moving a house can book a Tasker at https://www.taskrabbit.co.uk/services/help-moving
