How Much Are The Average House Removal Company Costs?
In 2023, the average removal company costs for a 3-bedroom house travelling 50 miles are £806. It will cost £1,181 with packing and furniture dismantling services added.
Removal costs will vary and will depend on the distance travelled, the volume of items, the location and the services you require. In this guide, we share a detailed breakdown of the removal costs you can expect.
- Removal Costs By Size of Property
- Removal Costs By Location
- Removal Costs By Distance
- How Are Costs Calculated?
- Factors That Can Increase Costs
- How Does a Pre-Move Survey Help?
- Tips To Keep Removal Costs Down
- Why Do Some Quotes Seem Cheap
- Additional Removal Services
- How Much Will It Cost To Do It Myself?
- How Are UK Movers Saving Money?
The table below provides a breakdown of the average UK house removal costs for a 3-bedroom house travelling 50 miles. It includes costs for the removal company, packing and a furniture dismantle service.
| Service | Size | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Loading and unloading (50 miles distance) | 875 cubic feet (3-bed house) | £806 |
Packing services and materials | 30 large boxes | £250 |
Dismantling and reassembling furniture | 3 double beds | £125 |
Total | £1,181 |
Removal Costs By Size of Property
Removals quotes will vary depending on the volume of items you're taking with you. Below are the average removal costs for different sized properties moving 50 miles. Data is taken from our Moving House Calculator.
Cost of moving from a 1-bedroom house:
- Removals = £356
- With packing = £606
Cost of moving from a 2-bedroom house:
- Removals = £576
- With packing = £826
Cost of moving from a 3-bedroom house:
- Removals = £806
- With packing = £1,056
Cost of moving from a 4-bedroom house:
- Removals = £1,056
- With packing = £1,306
Costs taken from our Cost of Moving House Calculator.
Removal Costs By Location
Location plays a part in the cost of your removals. Below are the average removal costs as well as average highs and lows across cities in the UK taken from Compare My Move’s unique data.
| Location | Average Cost | Average High | Average Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £1,547 | £2,354 | £740 |
| Manchester | £1,306 | £1,662 | £949 |
| Bristol | £893 | £1,106 | £680 |
| Cardiff | £730 | £856 | £604 |
| Leeds | £1,011 | £1,188 | £835 |
Removal Costs By Distance
Removal costs are based on distance travelled, so the further distance you move, the more you will pay.
Our data shows that some UK companies charge an hourly rate. Others break down costs on a mile-by-mile basis.
| Distance travelled | £25 p/h + £0.50 per mile | £1 per mile |
|---|---|---|
50 miles | £45.83 | £50 |
100 miles | £91.67 | £100 |
200 miles | £183.33 | £200 |
300 miles | £275 | £300 |
500 miles | £458.33 | £500 |
How Are Costs Calculated?
Certain factors will affect how much you pay for your removals. These will be addressed during your pre-move survey to cut hidden extra costs.
1. Volume of items
The more items you’re taking with you, the higher the quote will be. Always check with your furniture removals company what services they offer before agreeing. On average, for a 4 bedroom house travelling 150 miles, it’ll cost £1,168 without additional services.
2. Distance travelled
Our data shows some companies charge £25 per hour plus £0.50 per mile covered. Others charge £1 for each mile that’s covered during your move.
3. Location
House removals in big cities will cost more than in smaller towns. You can expect to pay more for your move the closer to London you get.
4. Additional services
For an extra cost, movers and packers will offer a range of helpful removal services. These could include packing, furniture dismantling or storage services. If you’re happy with the service provided, you may want to tip the removal company. If you're after an office relocation service, you're move will cost significantly more.
5. Special items
Some removal companies will offer specialist services for fragile items like antiques. This can be discussed during the pre-move survey.
6. Move date
The day and month you move will affect your quote. Tuesday is the UK’s most expensive day to move, while Sunday is the cheapest. Summer is a popular time for a move so might see prices hike.
7. Access to property
If on moving day access to your property is blocked, you will face additional costs or even a cancelled move.
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Factors That Can Increase Costs
There might be extra costs added on moving day, usually from situations out of your control. To accommodate these, some removal firms may add extra to their hourly rate while others may add a fixed fee on top.
1. Access to property - Some removal companies may charge extra if they have difficulty gaining access to your property. If you live in a top-floor flat without a lift, your removal company will face difficulties. Your removal company will assess how close they can get to your property as part of your home survey.
2. Waiting for keys - If you are part of a property chain, you may have to wait for the keys. Your removal company might charge you each hour they wait. Unfortunately, this is something that you can’t avoid.
3. Underestimated volume of items - Make sure your volume estimates are accurate. If you’ve guessed the volume of items, expect to pay an extra cost on the day. To avoid this extra cost, make sure the removal company does a home survey to assess the number of items.
How Does a Pre-Move Survey Help?
A pre-move survey will help the removal company understand how to prepare for your move. It will be able to tell them and you the following:
- The volume of items that need moving
- What items you want packing
- Any furniture you need dismantling
- How many removal vans you need
- How many staff are needed for the job
- Assess any restrictions to the property
Tips To Keep Removal Costs Down
There are certain things you can do to keep your removal costs down:
1. Declutter before packing - Decluttering your belongings means you’ll be taking fewer items to your new home. This will help you to save money on packing and moving costs.
2. Opt to pack yourself - If you self-pack for your move, you’d save a significant amount of money on a packing service. It should be noted that you run the risk of damaging your items if you don’t use a professional packing service.
3. Compare removal quotes - If you go with the first removal quote you receive, you could be paying more than you should be. Comparing removal quotes allows you to get a range of quotes from different companies so you can take your pick.
4. Book in advance - Booking your removal company will not only avoid disappointment, but it can help you save money too. You’ll also be able to save over time for your move instead of forking out last minute.
5. Avoid peak seasons - Avoiding a move during a busy time in your area can help you keep your removal costs down.
6. Use free packing material - Making the most of free packing material will help you save money. Using towels and bedsheets to wrap delicate items is an efficient way to use what you have.
Why Do Some Quotes Seem Cheap
We’re always wary of removal quotes that seem too expensive, but it’s vital to question a quote that seems too cheap too. If your quote appears too good to be true, then it probably is missing some important costs.
1. They don’t have insurance - Removal companies should have both Goods in Transit and Public Liability insurances. Often if a quote seems too cheap, it means that the removal company won’t be protecting you if something was to break.
2. Services aren’t included - The quote might only include the cost for the removal itself and not packing. This should be discussed before during the pre-move survey to get an accurate quote.
3. No pre-move survey - If the company didn’t offer a pre-move survey, they won’t be able to accurately provide a quote for the move. This could result in extra charges at the end of the move.
4. They are ‘man and van’ - A 'man and van' service might not be able to fulfill your specific moving requirements. Discuss your requirements beforehand to make sure they can carry out the move.
5. Wrong volume of items - If your quote seems too cheap, the company might have got the volume of items incorrect. It’s always worth comparing quotes to spot this mistake.
Additional Removal Services
Below we list the costs for the most popular removal services.
Packing Costs
£250 for 3-bedroom house - includes 30 large boxes and labour costs
Most removal companies offer a self, part or full packing services to help you with the move. If you opt for a self-pack service, they can provide you with packing materials for the move. A part and full packing service will include packing, loading and unloading at the new house for the items you require.
The cost of packing will depend on how many items you’re taking with you. So the fewer packing boxes, the cheaper the move.
Furniture Removal Costs
£125 to dismantle and reassemble 3-double beds
Many removal companies will offer a service that dismantles and reassembles furniture. You can dismantle furniture yourself, but if you’re not experienced it may cause extra work for you. If you require this service, you should let your removal company know and they can assess this during the pre-move survey.
Fragile Packing Service
Varies depending on value of item
You will need a removal company that has experience transporting special care items. This is to ensure the highest standard of protection to your fragile items.
Labour costs will be higher when packing and moving high-value or fragile items. The cost will be based on the level of protection they need and the cost of hiring specialist equipment.
Self-storage Costs
£23.94 per square foot for UK storage
Many people use storage for moving house as it's an ideal way to tackle the move in stages, especially if you're in between homes. The cost of your storage will depend on how long you need it for and the unit size.
International moves
If you’re moving internationally, you can expect your move to cost more. Our data shows that the average international removal costs for a 3-bedroom house move are as follows:
- 40ft shipping container - £2,997
- Air freight per 100kg - £260
- Road freight per pallet - £265
Jacqui Morris, 15th June 2022
Amazing. Helpful and professional. Would recommend to anyone.
How Much Will It Cost To Do It Myself?
To hire a Ford Transit 350 ELWB Jumbo from Cardiff to Bristol will cost you roughly £124.30 for the day. It holds up to 3500 kg and doesn’t include the cost of your packing boxes and materials. It won't include a removal expert to help with your move.
Whilst it may seem like a cheaper option, using a removal company will save you time, money and stress. Removal companies are highly experienced, aiming to complete your move quickly and safely.
How Are UK Movers Saving Money?
We spoke to some of the UK movers we’ve helped save money on their move. They share their best tips for booking a stress-free move.
1. Book a mid-week move
The weekends are usually the most popular time to move, so moving during a week day can help to save money. “Clockwork Removals did a good [home removal] survey and suggested that if we moved mid-week, it would be cheaper, which made more sense to us.” - John Banner
2. Make sure they include the important extras
If the removal company doesn’t have insurance, you’ll have to pay to take out your own. “I was looking for the cheapest company that provided a good service. So, for example, included insurance, brought all their own blankets and had good reviews.” - Katie Pitman
3. Ask for a breakdown of costs
Finding out what you have to pay and when will avoid any unexpected extras. “They gave us a quote and were clear and upfront where there might be extra costs and where it’d be incurred” - Charlotte Giro
4. Make sure you compare quotes
Comparing quotes allows you to weigh up your options. “With the guys that I got from Compare My Move, the prices were all different. So, it was a good exercise to see quality and quantity.” - Dawn Cooke
5. Always read reviews
Reading reviews allows you to get a feel for the company. “I never order anything without looking it up first and getting customer feedback. We checked [the removal companies] out via previous customer reviews. We were able to choose the right company for our move. ” - Gerry Lunn
Charles Couch, Compare My Move Happy Mover
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