4-bedroom flat removal from Kensington to storage in Ruislip

A recent project took our team from a 4th-floor flat in Kensington to a 240 sq ft storage unit at Shurgard, South Ruislip, a two-day move involving a substantial 4-bedroom property, a 320 kg upright piano, and over 170 boxes.

The survey

About a month before the move date, Ivelin visited the Kensington address to conduct an in-person survey. This covered everything needed to plan the job accurately: the volume of goods, the packing materials and boxes required, and the access conditions at the property.

The building had a small lift, useful for boxes and lighter items, but not suitable for larger furniture pieces such as the piano, the sofas, and the bookcases. It was clear from the outset that a significant number of items would need to come down the staircase.

Ivelin measured the piano and the width of the staircase turning points to confirm the carry route was achievable, and assessed the best position for the vans outside.

Parking restrictions in the area meant a parking suspension would be needed, and this was noted and arranged three weeks before the move date. The survey also provided enough information to recommend the right-sized storage unit at Shurgard, South Ruislip.

ROUTE: Kensington to Ruislip

Distance: 14 miles, 45 min drive

£5,880 inc. VAT

5 men team, 2x 3.5t MaxiMover vans

The team and vehicles

Given the volume of goods and the number of large, heavy items that would need to be carried down by stairs, a five-man team was deployed across both days. Ivelin and Filip led the crew, with Iliyan, Dimitar, and Nick completing the team. Two 3.5-tonne Luton vans were used on both days.

Inventory

The inventory was substantial. An itemised list was produced during the survey, with every box and item logged and marked before and during the move.

Furniture:

320 kg upright piano
3-seater sofa and 2-seater sofa
2 armchairs
Tall wine cooler (100+ bottles)
3 large bookcases
2 king-sized beds
Bunk bed
4 chests of drawers
4 bedside cabinets
Large sideboard
Dining table with 8 chairs
Desk and filing cabinet
Small children’s wardrobe

The wine cooler contained over 100 bottles of fine wine. Each bottle was removed individually, wrapped in a corrugated sleeve, and packed into specialist wine boxes before the cooler itself was prepared for the staircase carry.
All furniture was wrapped in Furnisoft, Furniguard, blankets and stretch film before being moved.

Boxes and packing materials:

90 small boxes
70 large boxes
14 wine bottle packing boxes
10 wardrobe boxes with hanging rails

Day one

The team arrived at 08:30. The focus for day one was packing most of the boxes and making the first delivery to the storage unit. By the end of the day, around 70% of the boxes had been packed, with each one labelled in the itemised inventory. The wine cooler was among the items carried down the staircase on day one. The bottles had been removed individually, wrapped in corrugated sleeves, and packed into specialist wine boxes beforehand, leaving the cooler empty and manageable for the staircase carry. Smaller furniture items were loaded into the vans and delivered to Shurgard, South Ruislip. The team finished at 19:00.

The deliberate decision to leave certain items, primarily kitchen essentials and some contents of the three bathrooms, meant the client could continue to use the property comfortably overnight without disruption.

Day two

The team returned at 08:00. The remaining packing was completed first, covering the kitchen and bathrooms left from the previous day. Attention then turned to the larger furniture pieces.

The sofa arms were removed to get the sofas through the doorways, and the beds were fully dismantled before being carried down. In total, approximately 12 to 13 large pieces of furniture had to be brought down the staircase by hand rather than using the lift.

The job was completed at 16:00.

The main challenge: the upright piano, 4 floor down the stairs

The biggest logistical challenge of the move was the 320 kg upright piano. With the building’s lift ruled out, the only option was to carry it down the staircase, a task that had been identified and planned for at the survey stage, when Ivelin measured both the piano and the turning points of the staircase to confirm it was achievable.

On the day, the piano was fully padded with protective blankets and wrapped in stretch film before being carefully manoeuvred down the stairs by the team. The combination of thorough preparation and an experienced crew meant it was moved without incident

The job was completed on time, with all items delivered and stored safely at Shurgard, South Ruislip.

The two-day structure, the pre-move survey, and the team-size decisions all contributed to a move that had no surprises. When the refurbishment is complete, we will be returning everything to the Kensington address. We will be publishing the second part of this case study when that move takes place.