How Much Does It Cost to Move House in the UK?
We’ll start with some good news; your removal costs are likely to be lower than buying everything new. That might not be how you expected this to start, but we like to surprise, and usually in a good way. 😅
With such an introduction, you await our reveal of the average removal costs in the UK with bated breath and your heart beating. So, let’s get to it! On average you can expect the average removal costs for a 3-bedroom house to range between £900-£1,100 for a local move and £1,200-£1,500 for a longer distance. Not too bad, if we may say so.
More often than not, time is money. Although, you might want to take the time to feast your eyes on our table that shows the estimated removal costs between certain cities. We included the distance and volume which are factors that affect removal costs Knowing could save you money, so it’s well worth your time!
| City to City | Distance | 1-bed | 3-bed | 5-bed |
| Manchester – Bolton | 12 miles | £610 – £690 | £990 – £1,120 | £1,460 – £1,650 |
| London – Oxford | 50 miles | £650 – £740 | £1,030 – £1,160 | £1,500 – £1,690 |
| Liverpool – Birmingham | 100 miles | £695 – £780 | £1,075 – £1,210 | £1,535 – £1,730 |
| Manchester -Glasgow | 200 miles | £800 – £910 | £1,185 – £1,335 | £1,635 – £1,840 |
| Birmingham -Edinburgh | 300 miles | £880 – £990 | £1,260 – £1,420 | £1,700 – £1,920 |
| Bristol – Aberdeen | 500 miles | £1,080 – £1,215 | £1,460 – £1,645 | £1,885 – £2,120 |
Disclaimer: Please remember, the prices shown above are only average removal costs and do not include extra services that you may require when moving home.
Is your city-to-city move not on our list? Don’t worry, you can use our UK house removals cost calculator to find out. Just keep reading and you’ll arrive there in no time while learning more along the way.
Find the Right Removal Company and Save Money!
As we mentioned, your choice of removal company influences your house removal costs. If you’re like us, then you know that comparison shopping is the best way to save money.
So, why not receive up to 5 free removal quotes to compare and find the best removals costs for you? Just select your move size below to get started!
Removal Costs to Northern Ireland
Much like moving to Ireland, moving from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland is different. Just the mere obstacle of an ocean to conquer!
Removal company costs differ depending on whether you ship your belongings in a container or if you get a ferry from the UK mainland across the Irish sea. If opting for the former, be sure to check out our container shipping costs page and you’ll become an expert on the matter before you know it! 😉
Be aware that the additional costs of moving to Northern Ireland are not reflected in the removal costs calculator. So, please bear in mind how the ferry crossing will add to your removal costs to Northern Ireland.
Sirelo Tip: Northern Ireland now sits on the other side of a customs border. While there’s free movement of people and goods destined for Northern Ireland, be sure to work with your removal company to avoid a hiccup at the border.
UK Domestic Removal Costs Calculator
So, your route wasn’t on our shortlist. Well, it was a very short list, but don’t fret as you can use our removal cost calculator for the UK to calculate your costs. It’s really simple to use. All you have to do is fill in the form below and the moving cost calculator will do the rest!
Now that you’re armed with the estimate from our house removals cost calculator, you’re ready to do some comparison shopping by getting some free quotes. You’ll also know, approximately, how far away your new home is!
Sirelo Tip: Check out our moving house checklist to make sure you have everything prepared for moving day. ✅
Factors that Affect Moving Costs
We have already mentioned how the volume and distance of your move are crucial in calculating your final removal costs. However, we haven’t explained why! Thus, we’ll discuss them below along with several additional factors that can affect moving company costs:
✅ Distance
Just like a train, the further you go the more you’ll pay. Unfortunately, distance is immutable and there’s not really much you can do to reduce this factor other than to just be aware and budget a little more if your removal takes you across the country.
✅ Volume
Unlike like distance, you can change the volume of your move by decluttering and discarding some of the junk you’ve collected over the years. Less space taken is more money saved!
Did you know that you can calculate your volume before you move? It’ll save you time when requesting quotes, and it’s pretty fun to use. Just check out our removal volume calculator.
✅ Ease of access
Is your home located on a busy street? Can removal vans park outside? If the movers have difficulty accessing your home, then you will have to pay higher removal company costs.
Depending on where you live, your removal company might require a parking permit for street-side parking, which can cost between £30-£80. Naturally, this will be reflected in your removal costs.
✅ Two-hour minimum
Removal companies will usually charge a two-hour minimum. This is to help them stay protected from wasting resources on moves that are too small.
✅ Man and a Van
If you want to take some pressure off your shoulders (quite literally!) and have heavy furniture to manoeuvre, a man and a van service is for you. Prices range from £50-£60 per hour for two removal men and a van.
✅ Time of your move
Are you flexible with your moving date? If so, save on your removal costs by avoiding moving during peak season (May-September) and on weekends.
✅ Special care
Lucky enough to own a piano? Or any fine art? To even give you an idea of the extra cost you can occur, a piano can add between £140-£520 to your removal costs!
✅ Additional services
We don’t blame you if you are feeling overwhelmed and want an extra helping hand. Fortunately, removal companies often offer services such as packing assistance or storage facilities. Unfortunately, this often comes with a price tag attached and they are worth it:
- (Dis)Assembly – some furniture needs to be taken apart to be moved and of course, removal companies can help for a small of around £100-£150. Pretty worth it to avoid having your wardrobe collapse on you!
- Storage – not ready to move into your home yet or need to wait for the Carrara Marble tile floors to be installed in the bathroom before you can bring in your claw-footed bathtub? Storage options are available from £25-£50 per week. 😉
- Packing Services – when it comes to moving packing is quite a labour-intensive task with all the boxing and lifting. Lucky for you, your removal company can step in and give you a helping hand. Doing the work and providing the materials often adds £200-£250 to your removal costs.
- Cleaning – it’s unpleasant to move into a house that isn’t clean and with all that’s going on, you may not have time to clean your house. Of course, this is also a service that removal companies usually offer for £15-£30 per hour.
Please note. Some of these factors are difficult to estimate and are thus only volume and distance are truly reflected in the quoted price of the moving costs calculator as we can measure those.
If you want some tips on how to make your house removal costs even lower, then check out our guide on cheap house removals, it’ll save you a pretty penny! 💰
![removal costs for your move]()
Circumstantial Cost Factors
Unfortunately, there maybe be further house removal costs in your future! Cue the screams in horror. But they will only apply if you happen to be buying or selling a home, which might give you pause.
However, there’s nothing drastic other than the solicitor and estate agent fees. Alas, you can’t buy or sell without them. This list below is by no means exhaustive, but it covers the major concerns:
✅ Solicitor and Estate Agent Fees
As we mentioned them already, it’s a good place to start. Your solicitor will cover all the essential, but boring, bureaucratic paperwork which is required whether you’re buying or selling. On average, you can expect to pay £1,100 for their services.
As for the estate agent, unless you manage to find a buyer, you’ll need to use their service to sell your home. Most likely, they’ll work on a commission of 1%-2.5% of the sale price, so it’s not really a cost just a reduced sale price if it helps to think of it like that.
✅ Surveyance fees
In order to move into your new home without any surprises, you might want to consider a property survey. It’s not a legal requirement, and while it might add £250 to £1,500 to your removal costs, it’s better than paying tens of thousands for repairs on a later date.
✅ Stamp duty
It wouldn’t be a real removal costs list if we excluded taxes, so don’t forget that Stamp Duty exists and will be applied to any home purchase. Fortunately, your solicitor will take care of this, just be aware that will be added to the final price you pay for your house.
There’s no one rate for Stamp Duty as, like income tax, there are brackets. In the interest of awareness so you too can calculate it for your budget:
| Stamp Duty Brackets | Stamp Duty Rate |
| £0 – £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 – £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 – £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Over £1,500,001 | 12% |
So, just remember that a house value of £290,000 won’t be taxed at 5% for the whole sum, only the £40,000 over £250,000 will be taxed at 5%!
✅ Energy performance certificate
If you are selling your house, just know that you’ll need an energy performance to sell your house. The great thing about these certificates is that they only last 10 years. So, check if yours is still valid and pay for a new evaluation if it has expired. Hurrah! 😐
They cost between £35-£120, depending on the city (look at you London) and there’s a £200 fine for not getting one, so really don’t forget!
Ready for Your Move?
First of all, pat yourself on the back. Reading about removal costs is no one’s favourite topic, but by having done so, you are one step closer to completing a smooth and budget-friendly move.
But being armed with this knowledge and an estimate from the UK removal cost calculator will give you a stronger position when assessing quotes from moving companies.
If you are still itching for more answers to your moving house queries, Sirelo has got your back 😎 Continue to explore our website to become real experts in the field. In particular, we reckon the pages we have linked below might be of great use. In the meantime, sit back and relax. We wish you every success with your move!
