Hot Hot Hot Removals

Hot, Hot, Hot. Today should have been a straightforward move, but then the weather forecast went red!!!!

Completions and house moving days need to continue regardless of the weather. We are more use to managing cold and wet conditions than extreme heat and humidity, so needed to plan in advance to meet our customers’ needs and ensure staff's needs and safety are considered. Today is due to exceed all time heat records in the UK and Nottingham, our base and Lincolnshire, where we are headed for todays removal, is not far from the eye of the storm.

The customers were surprised we hadn't cancelled today, but Albany residential and commercial Removals would never do that. Changing moving dates last minute would create an expensive nightmare for customers and anyone else in the chain, there are so many elements to coordinate in a move, so we just have to adapt to conditions. With the likely increase in extreme heat episodes, according to scientific predictions, Albany Removals is working on strategies to adapt.

The first and obvious thing to do today was to start earlier, to beat the heat. We left the yard at 6:30. Not quite 30 degrees, but that was soon reached and by 10 it was 32. Hot but we are used to working in this level of heat. We started the day ensuring we were hydrated and protected from the sun. Windows open, coolant, oil, tyres checked, water topped up, we set-off.

The Customer had everything well prepared and packed. As I've said in other blogs, this makes the move a smooth and stress-free event. If the packing had not been completed or was inappropriate it would have added hours to the day, which normally results in additional costs for the customer and a frustratingly, tiring, and long day for the staff. Today that would have had more significant consequences. Fortunately, our customers were brilliant.

When I say brilliant, I mean fantastically organised. They had even marked on the floor where the furniture was to go. I cannot stress enough the importance of labelling items to show what room they are to go in but making it so clear where to put them within a room makes the job so much more effective for all. This avoids the customer having to work out what is boxed and where everything needs to go, whilst we are trying to unload; even worse, changing their minds during the move. Taking time to plan this in advance will prevent these delays and also avoid the customer reorganising a few days later when the decide it needs changing again.
The efficiency of today's customers meant we could finish the job before the 37c it is now; apparently Nottingham is looking at 40c later.

Starting earlier, extra safety checks on the van, moving a little slower and the kindness of regular refreshments provided by the customers, kept the team going and everything completed with the minimum of difficulties. I hope everyone else, working outside today, especially in a physically demanding job, are able to remain safe and as cool as they can.