Moving costs calculator
What moving day costs, from a hired van to a full packing service.
Typical 2025/26 figures — Friday and end-of-month moves cost more, stairs and parking restrictions add fees. Always get three written quotes from BAR-member firms before booking.
Removal costs scale with three things: how much stuff, how far, and how much of the work you outsource. As rough 2025/26 figures: a self-drive van for a small local move costs £50–£150 a day plus fuel; a two-person crew moving a flat locally £400–£700; a three-bed house locally £600–£1,200; and a long-distance three-bed move £1,500–£3,000. A full packing service adds £250–£600 but roughly halves the chaos, and dismantling/reassembly of furniture is usually a further line item.
The satellite costs are easy to forget and add up to real money: storage if completion dates don’t line up (£100–£300 a month for a household), end-of-tenancy or courtesy cleaning (£150–£350), mail redirection (from around £20 for three months), and the first-week costs of a new home — locks are worth changing (£100–£200), and there is always something. Moving on a Friday or at month-end costs more because everyone else wants those dates; mid-week, mid-month quotes are consistently cheaper.
Get two or three quotes with a proper survey (video surveys are standard now) rather than a price per van — underestimating volume is the classic cause of moving-day disputes. Check the firm’s insurance covers your goods in transit at replacement value, and if your dates depend on a chain, ask about cancellation terms: a collapsed completion with a removal van booked is exactly the moment you discover whether the small print is kind.
Common questions
How much do removals cost for a 3-bed house?
Typically £600–£1,200 for a local move with a professional crew, rising to £1,500–£3,000 for long distance. Add £250–£600 for full packing. A DIY van hire can do a small local move for under £200 if you have willing friends and a strong back.
Is a packing service worth it?
For most households, yes at the price: professionals pack a three-bed house in a day, materials included, and their packing is what the insurance covers — self-packed boxes are often excluded from damage claims. If budget is tight, a common compromise is paying for fragile-only packing.
What if my completion dates don’t line up?
Storage plus two part-moves. Containerised storage runs £100–£300 a month for a typical household, and most removal firms offer move-in/move-out around it. It is annoying money, but as a chain-saving compromise it is far cheaper than losing a purchase.
How far ahead should I book a removal firm?
Get quotes once you have exchanged — or provisionally earlier, since good firms book up 2–4 weeks ahead and Fridays and month-ends go first. Booking before exchange is a gamble; if you must, choose a firm with fair postponement terms. Exchange-to-completion of one to two weeks is the common window to work within.
Numbers are half the story. Check the home itself.
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