How Much Do House Removal Companies Charge to Move?

Quick answer: Most UK removal companies charge local house moves by the hour and quote longer moves individually. In York we charge from £75 an hour for one mover, £85 for two and £125 for three, the same seven days a week, plus a one-off van fee confirmed in your quote. What decides your total is how much you own, the access at both homes and the distance, not the number of bedrooms.

Ask three removal companies what a house move costs and you'll often get three different answers, because they're pricing different things. Some quote by the hour, some give a fixed price, and some leave out parts of the job that only turn up on the final bill.

This guide explains how house removal costs are worked out, what pushes the price up or down, and how to compare quotes properly. It uses our own York rates as a worked example rather than vague national averages.

House removal companies in the UK use two main ways of pricing:

• Hourly rates for local moves. You pay for the crew's time, usually from when they arrive at your old home until the last item is unloaded at the new one.
• Fixed prices for some jobs. A fixed price is only reliable if the company has properly seen what you're moving, on a video call or a visit. A fixed price given over the phone from a bedroom count is a guess.

Neither method is better on its own. An hourly rate rewards you for being organised. A fixed price gives you certainty, as long as it's based on an accurate list.

Around nine in ten of our house moves are charged by the hour, and our rates are the same Monday to Sunday:

On top of the hourly rate there's a one-off van fee, which covers the vehicle and fuel. It's confirmed in your quote and paid by bank transfer when you book, which secures your date. The balance is paid to your driver once the last item is unloaded. We're not VAT registered, so there's no VAT to add, and there's no weekend surcharge.

You pay in whole hours, from arrival at the first address until the last item is unloaded, including any time spent waiting for keys. Our removal prices page has a simple cost simulator if you want to see how the hours add up.

The question we hear most is "how much to move a three-bedroom house?" The honest answer is that the bedroom count tells us surprisingly little. A four-bedroom house can hold two bedrooms' worth of furniture, while a two-bedroom flat with a full loft and garage can take longer than a sparsely furnished family home.

What actually sets the time is:

• how much furniture and how many boxes you have
• how far the van can park from each front door
• stairs, lifts and narrow hallways at both ends
• furniture that needs taking apart and rebuilding
• whether everything is packed and ready when the crew arrives
• waiting time, especially for keys on completion day

That's why we'd rather see your home on a short video call than guess from a bedroom count. It's the only way to give you a price you can rely on.

Flats and one-bedroom homes

Smaller moves are often a good fit for one mover with you helping the driver, or a two-person crew if there are stairs or heavy items. Check whether your building has a lift and whether it needs booking, and find out where the van can stop. A first-floor flat with no lift and a long walk to the van can take as long as a small house.

Moving a three-bedroom house

A three-bedroom family home is usually a two- or three-person job. Two movers at £85 an hour suit a home that's well packed with good access. Three movers at £125 an hour cost more per hour but often finish sooner on a bigger load, so the total can work out much the same or lower. We'll suggest the crew size that makes sense for your move.

Moving a five-bedroom house

Large homes almost always need a three-person crew, and sometimes more than one van. The biggest time savers on a move this size are a full inventory before you get quotes, packing finished the day before, and furniture taken apart in advance where possible. Gardens, garages, lofts and sheds add up quickly, so put them on your list.

York has its own quirks that affect removal costs. Inside the city walls and in the older terraced streets, parking is tight and many roads are residents' parking only. If the van can't stop near your door, every item travels further, and that adds time.

If you live in a residents' parking zone, you'll need to arrange a parking suspension with City of York Council yourself. Do it as early as you can. It's one of the simplest ways to keep an hourly move short.

Completion day in a property chain is another York regular. Everything happens on the same day, so we start as early as possible and aim to have the van loaded before the money goes through. Time spent waiting for keys counts towards your hours, which is worth knowing when you plan the day.

Moves beyond the York area are quoted individually, based on the distance, the size of the load and the time the crew will spend on the road. Whether you're moving from York to another part of the UK or into York from elsewhere, send us both addresses and an idea of what you're taking, and we'll work it out.

• Packing. We can pack for you as an hourly add-on. Packing yourself is the biggest single saving most people can make.
• Dismantling and reassembly. Beds, wardrobes and corner sofas take time to take apart and rebuild. See our furniture and sofa dismantling service.
• Heavy and specialist items. Tell us about a piano or anything unusually heavy when you ask for a quote. Our guide to how much it costs to move a piano explains upright piano pricing.
• Things you don't want to take. Anything you're leaving behind can go with our house clearance and rubbish removal service, so you don't pay to move it.

• Declutter before you get quotes. Every item you sell, donate or clear is one less to carry.
• Pack everything before the crew arrives, with boxes taped, labelled and stacked near the door.
• Take apart what you can. If you're on a budget, dismantling beds and flat-pack furniture yourself saves time on the clock. It's optional, as the crew can do it for you.
• Sort the parking early so the van can stop outside.
• Pick the right crew size. More movers can mean a lower total on a big job.
• Give an accurate list, including the loft, garage and shed. Surprises on the day cost time.

The removal is only one part of what moving house costs. When you work out your moving budget, also allow for:

• Estate agent fees if you're selling
• Conveyancing and searches through your solicitor
• A survey on the home you're buying
• Stamp Duty Land Tax, if it applies to you. Check the current rates on GOV.UK, as they change.
• Mortgage fees, if you're taking out or changing a mortgage
• Council tax and utility changes. Our council tax and address change checklist covers the paperwork.

A cheap quote isn't cheap if it leaves things out. When you compare, check:

• whether it's hourly or fixed, and when the clock starts and stops
• how many movers are included
• whether there's VAT to add
• whether weekends cost extra
• how much Goods in Transit insurance is included
• what happens if the move takes longer than expected

Our guides to what a removal company quote should include and Goods in Transit insurance go into more detail. If you're still deciding whether to hire a crew at all, read DIY move or professional removal crew. For a small move you'd rather load yourself, see the cost of hiring a removal van.

How much does a house removal cost in York?

Local house moves in York are charged by the hour, from £75 for one mover, £85 for two and £125 for three, plus a one-off van fee confirmed in your quote. The total depends on how much you own and the access at both homes.

How much does it cost to move a three-bedroom house?

It depends far more on how much you own than on the number of bedrooms. Most three-bedroom moves use a two- or three-person crew, at £85 or £125 an hour. A short video call lets us give you an accurate price.

Do removal companies charge more at weekends?

Many do. We don't: our rates are the same seven days a week.

Is VAT included in your removal prices?

We're not VAT registered, so there's no VAT to add.

Can I get a fixed price for my house move?

Yes, once we've seen what you're moving on a video walk-through or a visit. A fixed price based on a guess isn't worth having.

How do I secure my moving date?

You pay the van fee by bank transfer when you book, which secures your date. The balance is paid to your driver once the last item is unloaded.

Want a price for your move? Ask for your house removal quote, book a video walk-through for a fixed price, or call us on 01904 390 906. We've been a York removal company since 2008, and you'll get a clear quote with no extras added on the day. You can also see how our house removals service works from start to finish.