Once you have completed selling your house, there is still one important step remaining: moving all of your belongings out of the house.
House removal is an essential part of anyone’s move, but when it takes a long time to sell or buy a property, it sometimes sneaks up on you. Various factors influence the cost of a house removal, from the size of your home to the distance the removal company has to travel.
In this blog, we are going to consider everything that can impact the cost.
By the end of the following article, you will know what to expect so you can budget accordingly, and make this sometimes-stressful part of moving, less of a headache.
The average UK house removal cost
The average removal cost for a 3-bedroom house with a short distance of up to 25 miles will cost approximately £500 – £600. Although this price will cover the basics, you will often need to pack your belongings and furniture in advance of the removal company’s arrival.
Any packing service or additional materials required will cost extra, so you will need to factor this into your budget if you want the removal company to do this for you.
If you want furniture to be dismantled or reassembled, then this will increase the price. Likewise, if you are relocating a long way away, then the price will go up, depending on how far the removal company has to travel.
Removal costs for different property sizes
The cost of hiring a removal company goes up, as the size of the property increases. This is because there are more furnishings and belongings for them to consider, and a bigger van and more staff will often be required.
It will take longer to remove belongings in a three, four, or five-bed house than it would a one-bedroom flat. Although the prices below are not completely accurate, they give a good indication as to what to expect. Also, different companies charge different rates.
Below you can see the average prices for a removal company in the UK, depending on the size of your property. Keep in mind that other moving costs are not included in these estimates – for example, surveying costs and stamp duty.
One-bedroom house:
- £356 for around 50 miles.
- £468 for around 150 miles.
Two-bedroom house:
- £576 for around 50 miles.
- £688 for around 150 miles.
Three-bedroom house:
- £806 for around 50 miles.
- £918 for around 150 miles.
Four-bedroom house:
- £1056 for around 50 miles.
- £1168 for around 150 miles.
Five-bedroom house:
- £1356 for around 50 miles.
- £1468 for around 150 miles
Removal costs for distance travelled
The removal costs for distance travelled will vary depending on the load and the size of the van. Not only this, but there is a travel fee as well. The removal company need to arrive at your home, but also charge for the time it takes to travel between properties. Around one hour of standard labour per person should be factored into the budget.
Moving and packing costs
One way of keeping costs down, with regards to removal companies, is to pack your own possessions and furniture in advance of moving. However, this may add a reasonable amount of stress to your house-moving experience.
For this reason, a lot of home movers enlist the help of a removal company. Expect to pay around £25 for every 30 boxes or so.
The final price will always depend on the number of boxes and the time it takes the removal company to pack and move the boxes. The risk is that you may not know how well the company will take care of your belongings. In this case, you should ask your friends (and look for reviews online) before committing to a single company.
It can be beneficial to go through a thorough cleanout in advance of moving house, so you don’t have any unneeded belongings. You can try car boot sales and trips to the tip so you are not paying for unwanted belongings to be packed and moved.
All remaining items will be packed and loaded onto the van before being unloaded at the new property.
Furniture dismantling and removal services
Furniture dismantling and removal is another common service offered by companies. A typical price for dismantling and reassembling three double beds is around £125. The final price very much depends on the furniture, how much there is and how long it takes the company – plus the fees of the company itself.
Antique furniture costs more to dismantle/remove, as does fine art and other valuable items. This is particularly the case when an items needs additional protection, or where specialist equipment is needed to carefully dismantle the item.
The more packing materials required, the more time it will take to pack, and the more fragile the items will be. Sometimes the removal company will need to use additional transport to move items safely. There is also a chance that extra insurance is needed, but this can give you peace of mind.
Other additional charges include ease of access. If the company finds it difficult to access your home because of its location (such as being on a narrow street, or restricted parking) then this can add to the cost. Some businesses charge by the hour while others have a fixed fee. A high-rise property with no lift will likely increase the price of removal because loading will be more challenging.
How much does it cost to move yourself?
If you are working to a particularly strict budget then you can always move your belongings yourself. The cost of hiring a van can vary but for half a day you can expect to pay £250 as a starting point. The price increases the longer you need the van for, and of course, the bigger it is. You will also need a clean licence.
Small vans are good for in-town moves, but there is also rental insurance to consider. The cost of fuel is another factor for you to take into consideration. Long distances and a large truck hike the price of this side of moving.
The price of moving your belongings yourself (rather than hiring a company) is lower, but the effort is not lower. Not only will you need to get personally involved with the heavy lifting, but you may also need to find other people who are willing to help. If you have helped friends and family move before, then now is the time to call in the favour!
Buying a thank you gift is probably cheaper than paying for labour, but you may have to work around other people’s time schedules to make sure they are available.
There is also the cost of moving blankets to project furniture, although some companies will hire these out as well.
Tips on keeping removal costs low if you hire a removal company
If you want to keep your costs low when you hire a removal company, you are not alone.
The first thing you should do is to create an inventory. In this process, you should go through your home and consider what you want to bring to your new property. Heavy items which are stored out of the way may not be coming with you, but you will need to go through the house and think about what you want to keep and what you want to throw away. The fewer items the removal company will load, the more affordable it will be for you.
Another tip to keep removal costs low is to pack everything yourself. If possible, try to avoid the additional cost of using a removal company by doing some of the work that they will otherwise charge for. This can include both packing and unpacking, as well as finding your insurance and getting a reasonable quote. However, most companies will have their own insurance to cover the price of any breakages. For your peace of mind, always check this first.
