How Much Does a House Removal Cost? Our Honest Guide
It’s the first thing everyone asks — and it’s a fair question
“How much will it cost?” is usually the first thing people ask us, and it’s a fair question to want answered before you even book a call. The honest answer is: it depends — but not in a dodge-the-question kind of way. There are a handful of things that genuinely drive the price up or down, and once you understand them, you’ll have a much better sense of what your own move is likely to cost before you even ask us for a quote.
Here’s what we actually look at when we’re working out a price, what tends to catch people out, and what’s worth asking any removal company — us included — before you book.
What actually affects the cost of your move
1. How much you’re moving
This is the biggest factor by far. A studio flat with a bed, a sofa, and a few boxes is a completely different job to a four-bedroom family home with a shed full of tools, a piano, and twenty years of stuff. We price based on the volume of what’s being moved and how much time and van space it’ll realistically take.
If you’re not sure how much you’ve got, think in terms of van loads — a small van might cover a studio or one-bed flat, while a bigger family home often needs a full-size van, sometimes with more than one trip.
2. Access at both ends
This is the one people forget about until the day itself, and it can matter more than the size of the move. We’re always thinking about:
- Parking. Can we pull up right outside, or is it a walk down the street with every box?
- Stairs. Ground floor is easy. A third-floor flat with no lift means everything gets carried up, every trip.
- Doorways and corners. Narrow hallways and tight turns can slow a job down more than you’d think, especially with bigger furniture.
- Lifts. If there’s a lift, is it big enough for a wardrobe or a sofa? If not, it’s going up the stairs regardless.
If you know your move has tricky access either end, tell us when you call for a quote. It genuinely changes how long the job takes, and the price reflects that.
3. Distance
A move across town is a different job to a move across the country. Local moves we can usually get done in a single day, sometimes with another job booked either side. Long-distance moves take up a full day (or more) just in travel, and that’s reflected in the cost.
4. Time of year and day of the week
Like most trades, we have busier and quieter periods. End of month, weekends, and summer — especially around when university terms end here in Cambridge — tend to be our busiest times. Booking outside those periods can work in your favour, and booking early is always a good shout if your move falls in a busy window.
5. Packing — do it yourself, or let us handle it
Some people pack everything themselves and just want the heavy lifting and transport sorted. Others want the whole thing done for them, boxes and all. Doing your own packing is usually cheaper, but it takes real time and a decent stock of boxes — worth weighing up, especially if you’re juggling work or a tight deadline.
6. Extra bits
Storage, flat-pack assembly, specialist items like pianos or safes — none of this is unusual, but mention anything like this when you call so it’s factored into the quote properly rather than being a surprise on the day.
What to ask when you’re getting quotes
Whoever you end up going with, a few honest questions will tell you a lot:
- Is this quote based on what I’ve told you, or has someone actually seen what I’m moving? A phone quote from a rough description is fine for a small move, but for anything bigger, a proper look — even just photos or a video call — tends to give a much more accurate price.
- What’s included, and what isn’t? Does the quote cover packing materials, taking furniture apart, or is that extra?
- What happens if the job runs long? Access problems, traffic, or just underestimating how much stuff there is — worth knowing how that’s handled before the day, not on it.
- Is there anything that would change the price on the day? A straight answer here tells you a lot about who you’re dealing with.
The honest bottom line
There’s no single number that fits every move, because every move’s different — and anyone who gives you a firm price without knowing the size of your move, the access at both ends, and the distance involved is guessing. The best way to get an accurate figure is to actually talk it through: what you’re moving, where from, where to, and anything unusual about access or timing.
If you’re planning a move in Cambridge, Peterborough, or the surrounding areas, give us a call — we’re happy to talk it through and give you a free, no-obligation quote based on your actual move, not a guess.