How much does it cost to move house in 2026?
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If you are asking how much does it cost to move house, the honest answer is: it depends on the property price, the distance, and how much stuff you have. But ‘it depends’ is not useful when you are trying to budget. So here is the breakdown.
The average total cost of moving house in the UK in 2026 is roughly £13,000 if you are both buying and selling, based on a property priced at £292,000 (the UK average). That figure comes from HomeOwners Alliance data and includes everything: stamp duty, legal fees, surveys, estate agent fees, and the removals themselves.
But the removals part, the bit we actually do, is usually the smallest line item on that list. Below you will find the full cost breakdown, starting with what most people came here to find.
On this page
Removal costs by property size
These are London House Removals prices for moves within the M25. Every quote is based on a proper survey of your home, not a phone estimate.
The UK averages come from Compare My Move analysis of 8,598 verified moves and Zoopla’s 2025 removal cost data. Our prices sit at the competitive end of the London market. You get the same full insurance (up to £25,000 as standard, upgradeable to £50,000), a 5.0-star rating, and a fixed-price quote after a proper survey, not a corporate premium.
For properties above 5 bedrooms, the variation is too wide for a table. We survey the property and give you an exact figure. Get Your Free Quote.
What else changes the removal price
The ranges above assume a standard local move within London. Several things can push the price up or down.
Access. A ground-floor house with a driveway is straightforward. A fourth-floor flat with no lift and on-street parking adds time, and time is what you are paying for. If the crew has to carry everything down four flights of stairs and park 50 metres from the door, the job takes longer. That costs more.
Distance. Local London moves are priced as a job. Longer moves (outside the M25, or cross-country) incur mileage charges, typically 50p to £1 per additional mile on top of the base quote.
Day of the week. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are the cheapest days to move. Fridays and weekends cost more because demand is higher. If your dates are flexible, midweek saves money.
Time of year. February, April, and May tend to be the cheapest months. August is the most expensive. School holidays and warm weather drive demand up. If you can move in winter, you will get a better rate.
Packing. If we pack for you, that is an additional charge on top of the removal price. If you pack yourself, the removal price stands alone. We cover packing costs in detail in our packing service guide.
Dismantling. Basic bed and wardrobe dismantling is included. Complex items like wardrobes with integrated lighting, bespoke shelving, or specialist fittings need extra time and are factored into the quote during the survey.
Specialist items. Pianos, antiques, large artwork, and heavy or awkward items are not a problem, but they need to be assessed during the survey so the crew arrives with the right equipment. This may adjust the price.
The full cost of moving house
Removals are one piece of the puzzle. If you are buying and selling, here is what the full bill looks like. These figures are based on 2026 UK data from HomeOwners Alliance and Reallymoving.
Buying costs
Stamp duty is the big one. For a property at the UK average price of £292,000, a standard buyer pays roughly £4,600 in stamp duty. First-time buyers pay nothing on properties up to £300,000. Additional properties (buy-to-let, second homes) attract a 3% surcharge on top of the standard rate.
Selling costs
On a £292,000 property, estate agent fees at 1.42% (the 2026 UK average including VAT) come to roughly £4,150. Online agents charge a flat fee, often around £999, which can save over £2,000 but means less hands-on support.
General moving costs
This is where our costs come in. A 1-bed flat move with London House Removals starts at £200 (inc VAT). If you need storage between properties, our container storage is £30/week (inc VAT) with the first week free when you book a removal.
How to keep your moving costs down
Moving is expensive. Here are the ways to spend less that actually work.
Move midweek, mid-month, off-peak. Tuesday to Thursday. Avoid the first and last week of the month (completion clusters). February and March are quiet. The savings are real, sometimes 15-20% compared to a Friday in August.
Declutter before you quote. The less you have, the less you pay to move it. Go through every room before the survey. Sell, donate, or bin what you do not need. This has a double benefit: lower removal cost and potentially lower storage cost if there is a gap between properties.
Pack yourself if your budget is tight. Professional packing is worth every penny if you can afford it, but it adds to the bill. Our room-by-room packing guide walks you through every room if you want to do it yourself.
Get three quotes and compare them properly. Not just the price. Check what is included. Does the quote cover insurance? Dismantling? Packing materials? Overtime? Our removal quotes guide has a full checklist of questions to ask before you commit.
Book early. The best dates fill up first. Book at least 2-4 weeks in advance if you can. Last-minute bookings sometimes cost more because the company has to juggle schedules.
Use your removal company’s storage. If there is a gap between your old and new property, storage is usually cheaper through your removal company than finding a self-storage unit independently. Our container storage at £30/week (inc VAT) is less than most Big Yellow or Safestore units for equivalent space.
Hidden costs people forget about
These are the costs that catch people out. Not because anyone is hiding them, but because they are easy to overlook when you are focused on the big numbers.
Parking. In London, you may need a parking suspension outside both properties. Councils charge £20-£50 per bay. Apply at least two weeks in advance. We can help you with the application.
Cleaning. If you are selling, buyers expect the property clean. If you are renting, your deposit depends on it. End-of-tenancy cleaning costs £150-£350 depending on size.
Utility connections. Broadband installation, energy meter readings, water rate changes. Not huge individually, but they add up. Budget £100-£200 for connection fees and deposits.
Mail redirection. Royal Mail charges from £39.50 for three months. It is worth doing, because missed post causes problems you do not need during a move.
Overtime on moving day. Some companies charge overtime if the job runs over the estimated time. Ask about this before you book. We build an overtime buffer into the initial estimate so you are not surprised on the day.
Insurance upgrades. Standard goods-in-transit insurance covers up to a certain amount per item. If you have high-value possessions (artwork, jewellery, specialist equipment), you may need to upgrade. Our standard cover is £25,000 and can be increased to £50,000.
How much does it cost to move house in London specifically?
London moves cost more than the rest of the UK. The reasons are straightforward: parking is harder, traffic is slower, property sizes vary wildly (a ‘2-bed flat’ in Zone 1 might be half the size of one in Zone 4), and labour rates are higher.
Based on our pricing data from thousands of London moves:
The main variable in London is access. A 2-bed house in Walthamstow with a driveway and ground-floor access takes less time than a 2-bed flat on the third floor in Islington with no lift. The survey accounts for this.
If you need storage between properties, container storage from £30/week (inc VAT) gives you a sealed 250-cubic-foot container at our Rainham facility. First week is free with any removal booking. No minimum period.
How to get an accurate quote
Online calculators give you a number. It is rarely the number you end up paying. The only reliable way to know what your move will cost is a proper survey.
We offer three options:
- Phone survey for 1-bedroom flats. Quick, accurate for smaller properties.
- Video survey for most moves. Free, takes about 20 minutes. One of our team walks you through your home on a video call, room by room.
- In-person survey for larger or complex properties. We come to you.
Quotes are returned within 12-36 hours and valid for 30 days. There is no obligation.
Get Your Free Quote or call us on 0207 118 7778.
London House Removals Ltd. 313B Hoe Street, London, E17 9BG. 0207 118 7778. info@londonhouseremovals.com. Fully insured. 5.0-star rated.