Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we're asked most often about our boxes and packing materials, ordering, delivery, and returns. Can't find what you need here? Get in touch and we'll help directly.
About Our Boxes and Packing Materials
What's the difference between single wall and double wall boxes?
Single wall boxes use one layer of corrugated cardboard: lighter, cheaper, and fine for clothes, linens, or general storage where the contents aren't heavy or fragile. Double wall boxes use two layers bonded together, which roughly doubles the crush resistance, and that matters when boxes are stacked in a van or storage unit for several days. As a rule of thumb, use single wall boxes for storage and lightweight items, and double wall boxes for house moves, kitchenware, books, or anything with real weight to it.
How many boxes do I need for an average house move?
As a rough guide, a 1-bedroom flat typically needs 15-20 boxes, a 3-bedroom house needs 40-50, and a 4+ bedroom house needs 60 or more. This varies a lot depending on how much you own and whether you're packing mostly books and china, which need smaller, sturdier boxes, or bulkier soft items, which pack fine in larger boxes. If you'd rather not estimate box by box, our house removal packs bundle a pre-set mix of box sizes with tape and bubblewrap sized for 1-2, 3, and 4+ bedroom properties.
What size box should I use for books and heavy items?
Use a small or medium box for books, tools, or anything dense. A large box packed full of books quickly becomes too heavy to lift safely, even for two people. Our smaller cardboard boxes are the better choice for this reason. If you only have larger boxes on hand, fill them half full with heavy items and pad out the rest with lighter things like bedding or cushions.
What sizes does your bubblewrap come in?
Our bubblewrap range runs from small rolls for occasional use up to bulk rolls for businesses and frequent movers, in both standard small-bubble and large-bubble formats. Large bubble gives better cushioning for fragile or heavy items, while small bubble wraps tightly around irregular shapes like glassware. We also stock biodegradable bubblewrap for anyone wanting to cut down on standard plastic.
Do you sell foam protection for edges and corners?
Yes. Our foam range includes pre-formed corner protectors and U-profile foam edging, sold both as retail packs and in bulk for trade buyers. Foam corners are worth adding to anything with hard edges (furniture, mirrors, glass tabletops) since cardboard and bubblewrap alone don't stop corners taking a direct knock.
What's the difference between pallet wrap and handy wrap?
Pallet wrap (also called stretch wrap or palletwrap) comes in large rolls designed to secure stacked or bulky loads, typically applied with a dispenser or by hand around a pallet. Handy wrap is the same material in a smaller, one-handed roll with a built-in handle, better suited to wrapping individual furniture pieces or awkward single items rather than a full pallet.
Do you sell removal blankets and furniture covers?
Yes, we stock removal blankets in several sizes for wrapping furniture and protecting surfaces during transit, along with furniture covers sized for sofas, armchairs, and mattresses. Blankets are the better choice for corners and hard edges on wooden furniture, while covers work best for keeping dust and damp off soft furnishings in storage.
Are your cardboard boxes recyclable or eco-friendly?
Our cardboard boxes are made from recyclable corrugated card and can go in your household cardboard recycling once you're done with them, provided they're clean and free of excessive tape. We also stock biodegradable bubblewrap as a lower-impact alternative to standard plastic bubblewrap.
Ordering and Delivery
How fast is delivery, and what's the cut-off time?
Orders placed by 1pm, Monday to Friday, are usually dispatched the same day on a next-working-day courier service across mainland UK. Mondays can run behind due to weekend order volume, so an order placed then can occasionally roll over to arrive on Tuesday. Orders placed after 1pm on a Friday are dispatched the following Monday, arriving Tuesday, excluding bank holidays. Smaller orders sent late in the week may go via Royal Mail instead of courier and can arrive on a Saturday. Full detail is on our shipping and returns policy.
How much does delivery cost?
Delivery is a flat £6.95 per order to mainland UK addresses, regardless of how many items you order. Addresses outside mainland UK, including the Scottish Highlands, Channel Islands, and the Isle of Wight or Isle of Man, carry an additional surcharge and can take 3-5 working days rather than next-day. We're not currently able to deliver to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. If you're near a postcode border and unsure whether a surcharge applies, contact us for a precise quote before ordering.
Do I need to sign for my delivery?
Yes, a signature is required on delivery, so make sure someone's available at the address on the day. If you leave delivery instructions asking the courier to leave the parcel somewhere without a signature, that's taken as your instruction and you take on responsibility for the goods left there. If nobody's in and no instructions are given, the courier will usually attempt redelivery the next day or hold the parcel for collection.
Do you deliver to business addresses as well as homes?
Yes, we deliver to both residential and business addresses across the UK. The checkout doesn't distinguish between the two, just enter whichever address you need the order sent to. If you need a larger quantity than what's shown on a product page, contact us directly and we'll put together a trade quote.
How will I know my order has been dispatched?
You'll receive a dispatch confirmation email with a tracking reference as soon as your order goes out, and you can check its status online at any time using that tracking number.
Returns and Refunds
Can I return unused boxes and packing materials?
Yes. Stock items can be cancelled or returned within 14 days of delivery for a full refund, credit, or exchange. Returns need to be authorised by Customer Service first, so contact us before sending anything back. Returned goods need to be unopened, unused, resaleable, and securely packaged, otherwise credit may be reduced to cover repackaging or damage. Full terms are on our returns policy page.
What if my order arrives damaged or items are missing?
Report any damaged or missing items within 3 working days of delivery. If the courier is still there when you notice a problem, marking the delivery paperwork "goods damaged" or "goods received short" helps speed up the claim. We'll collect and replace, or refund, faulty or damaged items at no extra cost. For a defect that only becomes obvious once you start using the product, you have up to 30 days from delivery to make a claim, though it needs to be raised within 14 days of you discovering it.
Are all items returnable?
Most stock items are, within the 14-day window described above. Items made or cut to a custom specification can't be returned once the order is confirmed, unless we're able to stop production before it happens, so double-check custom or made-to-order listings before confirming.
Payments and Pricing
Do prices include VAT?
No, prices shown on the site are exclusive of VAT. UK VAT at 20% is added at checkout on top of the listed price, alongside the £6.95 delivery charge. Business customers who need a VAT invoice can request one after ordering. Full pricing terms are covered in our terms and conditions.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major debit and credit cards, including Mastercard and Maestro, processed securely at checkout.
Contact and Support
How can I contact Storage & Removal Boxes Ltd directly?
You can call our Customer Services team on 0121 794 9598, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm, or reach us through our contact page for shipping enquiries, tracking updates, returns, or a quote for a remote address.
Where can I find more packing and moving advice?
Our moving and packing blog covers practical guides on topics like choosing box sizes, wrapping fragile items, and estimating how much packaging a move actually needs, in more depth than a short FAQ answer can.
