How much do removals cost?
The short answer
A local move with a removals firm typically costs £600 to £1,250 for a three-bed house, with smaller homes from around £400 and larger ones well beyond £1,500. Distance, dates and packing move the number most: a full packing service adds roughly £300 to £500, and long-distance moves can add half as much again.
3-bed, local
£600 - £1,250
the most-quoted move
Packing service
+£300 - £500
for a 3-bed
Long distance
+35 - 75%
over 100 miles
What you're actually paying for
Removals pricing is volume × distance × time. Bedrooms are the industry's shorthand for volume - which is why every quote form asks - but the shorthand misses lofts, garages, sheds and gardens. Two "three-bed moves" can differ by half a van, and honest descriptions are why some people's quotes survive moving day intact and others grow.
| Property | Typical cost (local) | With full packing |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed flat | £400 - £700 | £600 - £950 |
| 2-bed house | £500 - £950 | £750 - £1,300 |
| 3-bed house | £600 - £1,250 | £950 - £1,700 |
| 4-bed house | £800 - £1,600 | £1,200 - £2,200 |
Distance shifts these in steps rather than smoothly: under 25 miles is usually a one-day, one-crew job; 25 to 100 miles adds fuel and hours; beyond 100 miles you're often paying for an overnight or a second crew. Run your own combination through the removals cost calculator.
The extras that appear on quotes
Packing (roughly £300 to £500 for a three-bed) buys a crew packing the day before - and crucially, transfers breakage risk for what they packed to the firm's insurance. Materials are often bundled with packing but charged separately if you pack yourself. Storage bridges completion gaps at a weekly rate. Waiting time is the quiet one: if keys arrive late, hourly charges apply - ask every firm how theirs work, because chain delays on moving day are common enough to price in.
Planning a move?
Describe the move once and verified local removals firms quote for it - free, no obligation, and you'll see who covers your dates.
Compare removals quotesCommon questions
How can I cut the cost of moving?
Move midweek and mid-month, declutter before quoting rather than after, pack yourself if you have the time, and compare two or three quotes on the same honest description. Between them those four routinely save hundreds.
Are online instant quotes accurate?
They're estimates from bedroom counts. Firms that ask better questions - or do a video survey - quote closer to reality, and reality is what you're charged on the day. A suspiciously low instant quote usually meets your loft later.
Should I pay a deposit?
Modest deposits are normal to secure a date. Check the cancellation and date-change terms before paying - flexible terms matter more than a small price difference when you're booking around an uncertain chain.
Is removals insurance worth checking?
Always. Reputable firms carry goods-in-transit and public liability cover, but levels and excesses vary, and items you packed yourself are usually covered differently from items they packed. Two minutes of questions before booking beats an argument after.
Sources and further reading