Whether you do it yourself or hire a mover, moving antique or designer furniture is always a tricky business. Deriving its value from its age or rarity, this type of furniture is often made up of fragile parts, making it difficult to move. Correct handling therefore requires protection of sensitive areas and appropriate transport. What's more, it's important to take out insurance to compensate you in the event of problems during the move. This raises the question of declaring the value of the items taken in charge if you use a professional mover. So how do you protect yourself against breakage during the handling and transportation of valuable furniture? And how do you fill in the declaration form if you entrust your personal effects to Gentlemen du Déménagement? We explain in detail.
What precautions should be taken when moving valuable furniture?
If you're a lover of fine furniture, you may own a Louis XV, Empire or Louis-Philippe style sideboard, chair, chest of drawers or secretary... Once crafted by cabinetmakers, some of them renowned, these refined pieces are most often made of precious woods adorned with fancy decorations (moldings, inlays, marquetry, gilding...). When their value does not derive from their age, your furniture may be worth a great deal and require special attention because of its rarity, originality or decorative quality: this is the case with designer furniture, which must be moved with the same care as antique furniture.
Valuable furniture is often fragile, which means it must be protected.
If your furniture is old, it is bound to have been weakened by the passage of time. When moving this type of furniture, you need to avoid shocks at all costs, and provide extra protection for exposed areas during handling operations. This is even more important than for ordinary furniture.
Just like visible surfaces, furniture corners and legs are impact-prone areas that need to be protected against scratches, snags and breaks. Decorations in precious and sensitive materials (carvings, inserts, marquetry) must also be taken into account and protected accordingly.
Moving parts such as drawers and doors should also be secured to prevent them opening during the journey and causing damage. Don't forget to remove keys so you don't lose them, and label them so you can put them back in the right place after moving in.
Furniture must be handled and transported appropriately
To move solid wood furniture, which is often heavy, you need to plan for a sufficient number of movers, especially if you have to deal with stairs. The use of specific equipment such as flatbed carts can help you move furniture smoothly over a flat surface. If the layout of the premises allows it, using a furniture lift can be a good idea and save you a lot of hassle if you have several floors to go up or down.
To transport the furniture, you'll need a truck with a suitable volume, in which you can attach the various pieces to prevent them from shifting or colliding during the journey. All furniture should then be protected with a blanket when moving between the two addresses.
The same care should be taken when loading and unloading furniture, which must be able to find its new place without damage. Les Gentlemen du déménagement will advise you and provide you with the human and technical resources you need to ensure that your valuable furniture is taken care of.
How do you declare the value of your valuable furniture and personal effects?
If you entrust your move to a professional, you'll need to fill in a declaration of value. This is a form on which you must list the items to be moved and their value. This is compulsory: it will insure you during the move and enable you to receive compensation in the event of damage to your furniture and valuables.
Start by listing your valuables
Drawing up a room-by-room inventory will ensure that you don't forget anything in your declaration. To help you, you can refer to your comprehensive home insurance policy, which generally lists your valuables. At the same time, this will enable you to review your insurance contract and modify your coverage if necessary.
Evaluate as accurately as possible the cost of furniture to be moved
From the list you've drawn up, collect the relevant purchase invoices or make an estimate based on market prices. If your valuable furniture is old and difficult to estimate, don't hesitate to ask an auctioneer or an antique dealer to help you.
Please note that the estimated value must correspond to the furniture's value on the day of the move. In the case of recent furniture for which you have an invoice, depreciation will be applied to the purchase price in the event of compensation. Unfortunately, the sentimental value of your furniture cannot be taken into account.
Warning: don't underestimate the value of your possessions to reduce costs: you risk losing more than you gain in the event of damage. For valuable objects or furniture, we advise you to opt for a higher MUST cover than the basic insurance. Talk to an advisor to find out which coverage to choose for your valuables.
When you call on a professional to move your valuable furniture, you can be sure that you'll have the appropriate means at your disposal to ensure the safe collection and transportation of your belongings. In the event of damage, you can also take out insurance cover for repair or replacement. To do this, you need to fill in the declaration of value as accurately as possible. This formality guarantees you compensation commensurate with the items taken in during the move, which is particularly useful for valuable furniture or objects.