There’s no doubt that moving home is an expensive process, with the cost of a removal company being a large chunk of the cost.
While most people opt to hire professional movers to help them transfer their belongings to their new home, there are ways of saving money, such as packing your property yourself, or a DIY move.
If you’re planning on taking the plunge and moving house you’ll want to know how much you’ll need to budget to pay a removal company in advance.
Here, I’ll give you a breakdown of how much removal companies cost and the average charges.
How much do removal firms charge in the UK?
When it comes to hiring a removal company you’ll find there’s no hard and fast set prices because there are so many variables.
The size of your home, the distance of your move and the number of outbuildings at your property will all factor into the cost of moving home.
The price might also depend on the time of year you’re planning to move. Some removal companies charge a premium during peak times because they know they’ll be in demand.
Removal companies charge on a per case basis and will come out to inspect your property before giving you a quote.
However, there are some price guidelines to keep in mind so that the cost of a removal firm doesn’t come as a surprise.
What is the average cost of removals in the UK?
To give you an idea of how much to budget for a removal company, the following average costs are a good guideline:
- The average cost of removals for a 1-bedroom house within 25 miles – £350
- The average cost of removals for a 2-bedroom house within 25 miles – £500
- The average cost of removals for a 3-bedroom house within 25 miles – £650
- The average cost of removals for a 4 bedroom house within 25 miles – £800
- The average cost of removals for a 5 bedroom house within 25 miles – £1,000
By following these price guidelines you’ll know the approximate costs for removal services enabling you to stay within your budget.
These UK removal prices assume that you’ll pack everything yourself ready for it to be loaded onto the van, so I’m talking about bare minimum costs here.
When packing a home myself, I always use this as an opportunity to declutter and throw out all the items I’ve been hanging on to but never use.
If you’re short on time, or don’t fancy doing the packing yourself, you can also find a removal company that offers this service.
How much do long distance removals cost in the UK?
The distance you’re moving has a huge impact on the cost.
Each move will be costed individually, with the distance being taken into account.
But as a rough guide, if you’re planning a move of 100 miles or more you can expect to pay a premium of upwards of £400-450 on top of the average moving costs I’ve listed above.
As with a short distance move, you should book a removals survey with a couple of companies to secure quotes so you can include the cost in your home moving budget.
How much does a packing service cost when moving house?
Again, this will vary depending on the size of the property and if there are any special requirements.
However, assuming that you’re living in a standard three-bedroom property, the cost of packing will cost you around £275-£300.
You’ll need to check with your removal company about additional costs, such as packing boxes and other materials, although many firms include them as part of the deal.
Most moving companies will also include basic furniture dismantling in their costs, such as beds and sofas.
However, there may be additional charges for specialists items that are complicated to dismantle.
How much do moving companies charge per hour in the UK?
If you want to know the average charge per hour for moving companies, it’s important to keep in mind that this can vary significantly.
Where you live in the UK can have a huge impact on the average hourly charge for removal companies.
If you live in the north, you can expect to pay around £45 per hour for a removal company.
But head further south and this increase to £55-£65, depending on the time of year.
House removal companies cost calculator
There are several useful resources which enable you to secure guideline quotes for house removal services using an online calculator.
One of these is operated by the Home Owners Alliance. All you need to do is enter the size of your property, your address and any other special instructions and you’ll receive quotes from up to 5 firms.
These are national removal companies, but if you’re only moving a short distance you’ll be better off finding a local removal firm.
You can try the house removal calculator here.
How to choose the right home removal company
It’s important to thoroughly research a house removal company before employing them as you’ll be trusting them with the entire contents of your house!
The number one thing you should do is read independent reviews.
Google reviews is a great place to start, especially if you’re searching for a local company, but there are many other places you can go.
There are several dedicated property portals that enable customers to leave feedback, but other more general review sites such as Trustpilot.
You can also ask for recommendations from members of any local Facebook groups that you belong to.
Remember, people are likely to recommend their friends and family here, but it can still be a useful tool to use as part of the research process.
Get a selection of quotes from removal companies
Once you’ve shortlisted a few companies, you should get quotes from each of them to see how competitive they are.
When you’ve chosen a company, you should check their insurance details to make sure they’re covered if anything goes wrong.
If they’re unwilling to provide this information, walk away.
Make sure you ask plenty of questions when they come to survey your home and produce a quote.
It’s important to get granular details such as how many packing boxes are included and what their complaints policy is so you know exactly where you stand.
Remember, you need to give the removal company as much information as you can to ensure they can carry out the job for the agreed price.
Make sure you fully understand the situation at your new property in terms of parking and access so there are no hiccups when the lorries arrive with all your worldly possessions.
How to pick a good removals company checklist:
- Read a wide selection of reviews.
- Ask for recommendations on social media.
- Get multiple quotes.
- Make sure the company you choose is insured and accredited.
- Get a house survey and breakdown of charges.
- Check how flexible they are on move dates.
- Make sure they have a fixed address.
- Check their policy on delays and complaints.
- Ask them about extra charges.
Should I tip my house movers?
This is a question that can apply not just to home movers but other industries as well, such as funeral directors.
As far as I’m aware there’s no hard and fast rule on tipping removal companies, but it’s something I’ve always done.
I don’t go overboard, but I’ll usually give the team enough to get themselves a drink when they finish.
Tipping house movers is down to personal choice to do what you feel comfortable with.
Removal company prices near me
The quickest way to find removal companies near where you live is to search Google. Add in the name of your town in your search query as well.
You’ll get a list of local companies that offer removal services in your area, together with an instant overview of their star rating according to people who’ve reviewed them.
Remember, this is just the starting point for your research, but it’s a great way to get a quick shortlist together.
Some removal companies put a price guide on their website, while others rely on you booking a quote so they can give you a more accurate costing.
Moving house without a removal company
It’s perfectly possible to move home without employing a removal company, especially if you live in a small property.
It’s more time-consuming and stressful to do it yourself, but you can save a large chunk of cash by doing so and move much more cheaply.
You’ll need to work out the practicalities of embarking on a self-move, such as how you’re going to manage heavier items, and whether you’re confident driving a van.
Small property moves are the most practical to do yourself from my experience.
All you need to do is hire a Transit van or something similar, enlist the help of a couple of friends and away you go!
Planning ahead is always a good idea – you’ll need to know how many trips your move is likely to take so you can factor in things like fuel costs for your move and timings.
You’ll also need to sort out your own packing materials, so working out how many boxes you’ll need in advance is essential.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve got a clear idea of how much removal companies cost, you can budget your house move accordingly.
However, it’s always best to expect the unexpected so set aside some extra cash in case there’s an unexpected cost along the way.
Moving house can be a stressful time – choosing the right removals company can make it considerably less so if you know your possessions are in good hands.
