Quick answer: a standard local move in the UK typically costs £500–£700 for a two-person crew and van, or £50–£80 an hour (Checkatrade, checked September 2026). Sirelo puts a local three-bedroom move at about £985 if you pack yourself, £590 with a part-load or man-and-van service, and £1,435 with full packing. Council parking suspensions and clean air charges can add £30 to £165 or more on the day.
Removals cost checker
Pick the move that matches yours to see the typical UK price range and where it comes from.
Prices change and depend on the size of the job, the property, access and location. Figures were last checked . Always get a written quote before work starts.
Request a free quoteNo two removal quotes are priced quite the same way, but the published guides agree on the main drivers: how much you own, how far it goes, who packs it, and how easy the access is at each end. Every figure below names its source and was checked in September 2026. Where we could not find a source for an item, we have left it out rather than guess.
Removal costs by home size
Sirelo’s September 2026 guide prices local moves of about 25 miles, including VAT, at three service levels: a budget part-load or man-and-van service, a standard removal company where you pack your own boxes, and a premium service with full packing.
| Home size | Part-load or man and van | Standard (you pack) | Premium (full packing) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom flat | £250 | £480 | £770 | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| 2-bedroom house | £355 | £705 | £1,065 | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| 3-bedroom house | £590 | £985 | £1,435 | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| 4-bedroom house | £760 | £1,270 | £1,810 | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| 5-bedroom house | £930 | £1,550 | £2,180 | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
Two other guides give single averages. They measure different things (Checkatrade’s figures include packing; Konnect You’s come from moves arranged through its site between 2022 and 2026), so compare the pattern rather than the exact pounds.
| Home size | Checkatrade (with packing) | Konnect You (average) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | around £750 | £466 |
| 2 bedrooms | around £925 | £834 |
| 3 bedrooms | around £1,300 | £1,252 |
| 4 bedrooms | around £1,800 | £1,803 |
| 5 bedrooms | – | £2,661 |
How distance changes the price
Sirelo’s standard prices (you pack, VAT included) by distance:
| Home size | Local (about 25 miles) | Regional (about 90 miles) | Long distance (about 250 miles) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom flat | £480 | £570 | £795 |
| 2-bedroom house | £705 | £855 | £1,230 |
| 3-bedroom house | £985 | £1,215 | £1,770 |
| 4-bedroom house | £1,270 | £1,570 | £2,310 |
| 5-bedroom house | £1,550 | £1,925 | £2,855 |
Checkatrade gives around £1,025 as an average long-distance move within the UK, and around £400–£500 for a small local move where both homes are within about 50 miles. Konnect You says moves of 10 to 50 miles typically add £75–£150 to its average, and 50 to 150 miles add £150–£300. For more on longer moves, see long-distance UK removals.
Labour, packing and extras
| Item | Typical cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Two-person crew and van | £50–£80 per hour | Checkatrade house removal cost guide, checked September 2026 |
| Self-drive removal van | £50–£200 a day, before fuel and damage waiver | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| Full packing service | £290 (1-bed flat) to £630 (5-bed house) | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| Fragile-only packing | £120 (1-bed flat) to £270 (5-bed house) | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| Packing service (single average) | around £400 | Checkatrade house removal cost guide, checked September 2026 |
| Extra packer | around £50 an hour per packer | Checkatrade house removal cost guide, checked September 2026 |
| Dismantling and reassembly | around £145 flat fee, or £45–£60 an hour | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| Stairs without a lift | around £85 per floor above ground, at each end | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| Long carry (van more than 50m from the door) | around £75 | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| Pianos, pool tables and antiques | £200–£800 | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| Storage between moves | around £10 per cubic metre per month | Sirelo removal costs guide, checked September 2026 |
| Storage (alternative measure) | £122 a month for up to 50 sq ft | Konnect You removal cost guide, checked September 2026 |
Konnect You also found that about 6% of reviews on its site mentioned surprise charges, averaging £389, most often for overtime, parking permits and dismantling that was not in the quote. A home survey before booking is the best defence: see what happens in a removal survey.
Council and clean air charges
These are set by councils and transport authorities, not removal firms, and they vary a lot from place to place. We read each council’s own page in September 2026. The one-day figure is for a single space or the smallest booking, for a home move where a concession applies.
| Place | Charge | One day, roughly | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | Bay suspension £30 per bay per day; yellow-line dispensation £30 per vehicle per day | £30 | manchester.gov.uk |
| Camden (London) | £66.66 admin; first-day space charge waived for home moves (up to 3 spaces) | £66.66 | camden.gov.uk |
| Hackney (London) | £100 admin plus £44 per bay per day; first-day bay fee waived for home moves (up to 3 bays) | £100 | hackney.gov.uk |
| Birmingham | £18.90 a day (1 to 3 bays), £87.60 set-up and removal, £18.90 admin | £125.40 | birmingham.gov.uk |
| Wandsworth (London) | Domestic: £43.40 per space first day, plus £82.20 booking fee (10 working days’ notice) | £125.60 | wandsworth.gov.uk |
| Lambeth (London) | £57.55 per space per day plus £98.83 admin | £156.38 | lambeth.gov.uk |
| Islington (London) | Residents: £164.80 for day 1, any number of spaces. The council says most domestic removals can park near the home free | £164.80 if needed | islington.gov.uk |
| Glasgow | Traffic regulation notice fee through a contractor, plus the parking charge for each space for the full 10-hour day | Varies | glasgow.gov.uk |
| Zone | Charge for a non-compliant van | Source |
|---|---|---|
| London ULEZ (all boroughs) | £12.50 a day for vans up to 3.5 tonnes | tfl.gov.uk |
| London Congestion Charge (central zone) | £18 a day (£21 if paid later); applies to all vehicles unless exempt | tfl.gov.uk |
| Birmingham Clean Air Zone | £8 a day for cars and vans, £50 for HGVs | brumbreathes.co.uk |
| Glasgow Low Emission Zone | Penalty of £60 (£30 if paid within 14 days), doubling for repeats, up to £480 for light goods vehicles | mygov.scot |
| Greater Manchester | No clean air charges | cleanairgm.com |
| Leeds | No Clean Air Zone; the planned zone was dropped in 2020 | news.leeds.gov.uk |
Our city guides explain each council’s rules in full. Our general guides cover parking suspensions for removal vans and what clean air zones add to a move.
Prices in five UK cities
Konnect You publishes city averages from moves arranged through its site (updated September 2026). They reflect the mix of homes in each city as much as local prices.
| City | Average figures | Source |
|---|---|---|
| London | £952 overall average; north London around £660 | Konnect You removal cost guide, checked September 2026 |
| Birmingham | £430 (1 bed), £606 (2), £1,089 (3), £1,367 (4+) | Konnect You removal cost guide, checked September 2026 |
| Manchester | £492 (1 bed) to £1,265 (4 bed) | Konnect You removal cost guide, checked September 2026 |
| Glasgow | £601 (2 bed), £917 (3 bed) | Konnect You removal cost guide, checked September 2026 |
| Leeds | £326 (1 bed), £703 (2), £1,226 (3), £1,595 (4) | Konnect You removal cost guide, checked September 2026 |
When you move matters
Konnect You found February the cheapest month on its data, at around £1,020 on average, with August and November peaking at nearly £1,190, a difference of about 17%. The day of the week matters too, but not always in the way people expect: Konnect You’s Birmingham data found Wednesday the most expensive day there. If your dates are flexible, ask each firm for a price on two or three different days. See weekday or weekend moves.
How to keep the cost down
- Declutter before the survey: less volume means a smaller van and a shorter day. See decluttering before moving.
- Pack yourself, or pay only for fragile items. On Sirelo’s figures that saves roughly £450 on a three-bedroom move against full packing.
- Consider a part-load if your dates are flexible: Sirelo says it typically costs 40% to 50% less than a standard removal.
- Sort parking early, so the crew is not carrying furniture from the end of the street.
- Get written quotes that list the same things, and check what is excluded. Our guide to comparing removal quotes has a checklist.
Ready to compare? Ask for removal quotes or browse our UK removal options.
How much does it cost to move a three-bedroom house?
Around £985 for a local move where you pack yourself, £590 with a part-load or man-and-van service and £1,435 with full packing, on Sirelo’s September 2026 figures. Checkatrade gives around £1,300 including packing.
Are removal quotes usually VAT inclusive?
Sirelo’s figures include VAT. Always check whether a quote does; see VAT on removal services.
Who pays for the parking suspension?
It depends on the firm. Some arrange and include it, others leave it to you. Ask before you book, and check the council’s notice period.
Is man and van cheaper than a removal company?
Usually, for smaller moves. Sirelo puts a part-load or man-and-van service at roughly 40% to 50% below a standard removal. See man and van vs removal company.
Sources
- House Removal Costs in the UK (2026 Price Guide) (checkatrade.com)
- Removal Costs UK 2026: How Much Does It Cost to Move House? (sirelo.co.uk)
- House Removal Costs UK: Average Prices 2026 (konnectyou.com)
- Konnect You city removal cost guides for London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Leeds (konnectyou.com)
- Parking bay suspensions (camden.gov.uk)
- Parking bay suspension (hackney.gov.uk)
- Suspend a parking bay (islington.gov.uk)
- Parking suspensions: costs (lambeth.gov.uk)
- Parking bay suspension charges (wandsworth.gov.uk)
- Apply for parking suspensions or dispensations (birmingham.gov.uk)
- Suspending parking bays and getting permission to park on yellow lines (manchester.gov.uk)
- Apply for Dispensation or a Parking Suspension (glasgow.gov.uk)
- Ultra Low Emission Zone; Congestion Charge (tfl.gov.uk)
- Paying to drive in the Clean Air Zone (brumbreathes.co.uk)
- Fines for Low Emission Zones (mygov.scot)
- Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan (cleanairgm.com)
- Leeds’ Clean Air Zone is no longer required (news.leeds.gov.uk)
Last checked: September 2026. Prices change, so treat these as a guide and compare written quotes.
Compare House Movers is a comparison and referral service, not a removal company. We do not carry out moves, and a listing here is not a recommendation.