Calculating the Costs: How Much Does It Cost to Move a 4 Bedroom House?
Are you considering a move to a new city and wondering how much the removal costs will be? Perhaps you’re already planning your move and want to know how much to budget for the moving process. You’ll probably already know that moving can be a costly and potentially stressful process, especially if you don’t have professional help to assist you.
Researching the costs of your move ahead of time will leave you better prepared financially, and it will allow you to make the provisions necessary to move with minimal hassle. It goes without saying that your removal costs are likely to be higher the further you have to travel, and your costs may inflate if you have many boxes or large, fragile items to move too.
Moving a 4 bedroom home is no easy feat, and it’s recommended that you put aside at least 4 days to a week to complete the process from start to finish. It might benefit you to call on your friends and family to help you pack up boxes before moving day. Many removal businesses in the UK offer specialised packing services which can save you time and effort, but prepare to pay more in this case!
If you’d like to simplify the moving process and ensure that it’s as stress-free as possible, you can hire a certified removal company to ensure a smooth and delay-free move. Read on as we delve into the costs associated with moving a 4 bedroom house in the UK in 2022.
House Removal Expenses to Be Aware Of
The expenses involved in house removals can vary widely according to many different factors. Some removal companies charge on an hourly basis for their services, while others charge per mile travelled. The going rate in the latter case is roughly between £0.50 and £1 per mile.
In 2022, you can expect to pay around £50-£60 per hour for two professional removal experts to pack up your home into a single moving van for removal, assuming that your removal firm charges hourly. Remember that in this case, you will still need to pack up your home before moving day yourself and that the sooner you can pack up the better. Leaving packing until moving day risks adding unnecessary stress to the process, which is exactly what you want to avoid.
Professional home removal services can definitely add to the costs involved in moving, but they offer plenty of important benefits, too. Hiring a removal service can save you plenty of time, stress and effort while helping to ensure that your most treasured possessions make it to your new home in good condition.
The average cost of moving a 4 bedroom home depends on other factors, too. These include the distance between your current home and your new home, how easily accessible the new location is, and whether or not you need extra help with packing up and moving. Your total costs may amount to more than these general estimates due to any number of factors. This is why it’s important to contact a local removal company and request a more accurate quote well ahead of time so that you can budget accordingly and avoid unexpected costs.
How Removal Companies Charge Their Customers
The way that removal companies charge for their services does vary, but most certified removal companies stick to a specific method of costing. You may find some companies that charge by the dimension and weight of your possessions, but this is uncommon. Most movers charge on an hourly basis, taking into account the specific services you have requested.
Your removal expert will provide you with a quote based on the complete scope of your job. This scope includes how many boxes and possessions need moving, whether or not you need packing services, and the distance that the removal van needs to travel. Generally speaking, these companies consider three main factors when generating quotes:
1. Cost of packing and loading up your possessions
2.Travel between your current and new home
3.How long it will take to offload your possessions
These three factors all take time and require a certain number of movers, which will all affect your quote. The quote will take into account the equipment and materials required, the size of the van you need, and any additional costs which we’ll discuss further down.
It’s crucial to bear in mind that many removal businesses have a 2-hour minimum charge rule for their services. Long distance moves are often priced at fixed prices that range anywhere from £330 – £450 for a 1 bedroom home to around £1000 for a 4 bedroom home. The average removal cost for a 4 bedroom home in the UK in 2022 is somewhere between £650 to £1000.
If you are moving locally to another home in the same area as your current one, your costs could feature on the lower end of the spectrum – around £650 or perhaps even less. However, if you are relocating to another part of the UK, you could end up paying upwards of £1000 for your move.
If, for instance, you want to move from London to Northern Ireland, you may have to pay for a ferry or shipping container instead of a van to move your possessions. There are extra costs involved, as ferries and containers range vastly in price depending on their size and how early you can book them.
Packing Services and Additional Charges
It’s no secret that packing up a house can be an exhausting process. You can simplify it considerably by making use of your removal company’s dedicated packing services. Many experts recommend budgeting roughly £80 – £100 for this service, depending on how many possessions need packing. This cost will cover the standard rate of £20 per hour for a single packing expert for 4-5 hours. If you have a large home, you may need to hire two or more packing experts. Some publications suggest that the cost of home packing services for a 4 bedroom home can exceed £600 because of its size.
Many removal companies do not supply their own packaging materials like packing tape, boxes, bubble wrap and box markers. This means that you will need to buy these materials yourself and have them ready for when your packer arrives to assist you. Or you’ll have to pay extra for them if they’re included.
Total Removal Costs on Average
The average removal expenses for a 4 bedroom UK home in 2022 are around £1000 for self packed moves and £1,400 with professional packing services. This estimate doesn’t include additional services, like dismantling and reassembly, which generally cost extra and will only be included in your quote on your request.
There may be other unexpected costs to consider too. Many British homeowners need to buy permits for their removal vehicles, depending on the specific requirements of their local councils. You can find out more by contacting your council to find out whether or not you will need a permit for your van. Many councils allow you to apply for a temporary permit ahead of time to ensure that you don’t receive any penalties for parking too close to your new home while you are moving. The costs of these permits vary by council. Find out more by visiting the UK Government’s official website.
How to Budget for Extra Time
Having a large 4-bedroom home can make it difficult to predict how many hours you will need to hire home removal experts for. Experts recommend that you budget for more time than you anticipate you may need if you are uncertain. Request quotes from removal companies that are based on this extended amount of time so that you can budget accordingly and avoid frustrating delays during your move itself.
If you have particularly large, heavy or fragile items that need moving (such as pianos, large pieces of furniture and statues), you may also need to hire additional removal experts at an extra cost. Planning your move in advance will allow you to assess how much help you will need, which will in turn enable you to draw up an accurate budget that aligns with your specific removal needs.
Seasonal Factors to Consider
Seasonality can affect the overall cost of your move. Summer is often the busiest time of the year for UK removal companies, and they tend to charge more around this time of the year as a result. August is the industry’s peak season, so you can expect to pay significantly more in August than you would in April or November, for example.
If you do need to move during the busy summer months, be sure to factor the additional costs into your quote and your budget to prepare yourself.
Assessing the Quality of Your Removal Expert
The most affordable removal company isn’t always the best option. In fact, paying a little more for these services may actually provide you with a better experience overall. Trusted and certified removal companies generally belong to organisations like the British Association of Removers (BAR), which independently assess and audit removal companies to ensure that they comply with professional standards and minimise the risks of injury, property damage and hazard while they perform moves. Additionally, organisations like BAR may offer customers advance payment guarantees and independent complaints resolutions to provide superior peace of mind.
Moving companies need to pay for membership to these organisations, and these costs may slightly elevate the moving costs they can offer you. However, choosing a certified mover helps to ensure that you will enjoy top quality services provided by qualified and skilled staff members. Paying more for a move can often translate into paying for lower risk and verified standards, which will create a stress-free moving experience and protect your personal possessions from damage.
How to Make Moving Simpler
Moving your home yourself could save you money, but it does complicate the process. We recommend hiring a skilled and certified removal expert to save you time and effort while ensuring a smooth and reliable move. It may cost more than a DIY move will, but having skilled and experienced experts moving your valuable items tends to be well worth the expense.
We also recommend that you request quotes from a range of different removal experts to find a deal that works for you. Remember to ask for a detailed breakdown of charges and additional costs so that you can budget appropriately.
Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote and learn more about how we work efficiently and reliably to move you to your new home while protecting your belongings with standard insurance.
