How much do removals cost in London, and is it going to wreck my wallet?
Let’s get the scary bit out of the way first — yes, moving in London can be pricey, but no, it doesn’t have to be. A standard three-bedroom house move within Greater London, without packing service or materials, is going to cost around £1,000, give or take. Add full packing services, boxes, a bit of bubble wrap, and you’re looking closer to £2,000–£3,000 for a 3-bed house.
The big things that swing your quote? Volume, access, and timing. Stairs? More time. No parking? Oof, more hassle. Book last minute? Yep, probably more expensive. But here’s the real tip: get a time-based quote with a buffer, and choose a removals company that’s flexible with dates (like Rad, obviously).
Oh, and always ask whether disassembly, reassembly, and VAT are included. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably involves your washing machine being left plugged in.
When should you book house removals in London, and how tight is it, really?
If you ask the internet, it’ll say 4–6 weeks before move day. That’s cute. In real life, Londoners are booking a week ahead, sometimes less. We’re not saying you should, but you’re probably going to.
Here’s how to play it safe:
- Book early if you’re in a chain — completion dates move like goalposts in a Sunday league match
- Hold your slot with a refundable deposit (Rad does this, no pressure)
- Don’t wait for exchange — if you’re even thinking about moving, start getting quotes now
And yes, you can change your moving date — just make sure your movers don’t penalise you for it. (Again: hi, we’re Rad, and we don’t.)
Where do I even start with moving house? (Without losing my mind)
If you’re staring at your house wondering how all this stuff even got in here, you’re not alone. Start simple:
- Declutter like you’re being filmed for a Netflix special — charity, sell, bin, repeat
- Book a London clearance team if you’ve got furniture that’s not coming and new owners don’t want (we do that too, by the way)
- Start boxing the non-essentials — books, random tech cables, Halloween wigs, etc.
Packing is emotional. You’ll find old letters, broken remotes, and probably some mystery IKEA parts. Give yourself time, and label everything like your future self is a confused goldfish.
Pro tip: start early, pack often, and never trust a single flimsy bin bag with your favourite hoodie.
How long does the move actually take on the day? (Is it really one day?)
Yes. In the UK, if you’re in a chain, it’s a one-day Olympic sprint. The old house is no longer yours by midday, so you’re expected to be out around 1pm — keys handed over, driveway empty, maybe a tearful wave to the window.
Then it’s off to your new place, where you should get access by early afternoon. Cue round two: unloading, reassembly, box juggling, and realising you packed your kettle in the worst possible box.
The whole dance usually starts around 8am, and wraps by 4 or 5pm. But as always, traffic, lifts, tight stairs, and “oh we forgot the loft” can stretch things out. That’s why a solid removals team is worth its weight in packing tape.
What’s the best order to move house without creating utter chaos?
Think of your move like a game of Tetris, but with fewer straight lines and more emotional breakdowns. The trick is to layer your move, not just chuck everything in at random.
Start with:
- Boxed items first, especially the heavy ones (books, records, bricks you’ve been meaning to use in the garden)
- Then furniture — sofas, tables, TVs, the stuff with weird legs
- Top it all off with beds and wardrobes, ideally last out, first in at the new place
The idea is to front-load the van, keep it balanced, and unload in reverse order — so your essentials come out first and your vintage foot spa isn’t blocking the hallway for six hours.
And if you’ve booked Rad? We’ve done this dance a thousand times. We’ll load, stack, and secure everything so well it could survive a bumpy ride across Mordor.
How much should I actually budget for a house removal in London?
Ah yes, the golden question: “How much is this gonna cost me?”
Here’s the honest answer: it depends. (You knew that was coming.)
But to paint a rough picture:
- Moving from a one-bed? Around £300–£600, depending on stairs, parking, and your tea-making skills.
- Family home with 3–4 bedrooms? Budget somewhere between £1,200–£2,500, especially if you’re adding packing, storage, or you have That Sofa That Doesn’t Fit Anywhere.
The good news? Rad offers both fixed and time-based quotes, and we’re brutally honest about what you actually need: no nonsense, no fluff, just solid advice and a team that shows up on time with a plan.
Want to do it on the cheap? Pack yourself, skip storage, move mid-week. But if you value your spine and your sanity, bring in the pros.
What’s involved in a professional house moving service in London?
Picture this: a team of seasoned pros rolls up in a branded van, sleeves rolled, floor protectors on, tea politely declined (for now). That’s the start of a proper house moving service.
With Rad Removals, it usually includes:
- Packing (full or partial, depending on your level of trust and chaos)
- Dismantling furniture that won’t fit through doorways like it did in 2009
- Carefully loading and securing everything in the van like it’s going to outer space
- Driving through London traffic without losing their cool (superpower unlocked)
- Unloading and reassembling everything in the new place — beds, wardrobes, good vibes
You’re not just paying for strong arms and a van — you’re buying clarity, calm and an actual plan, especially in London, where your parking bay disappears like a mirage and the lift breaks down 30 minutes in.
Do removal companies actually disassemble and reassemble furniture?
Short answer? Yes — at least, the good ones do.
Beds, wardrobes, bookcases that used to live a simpler life in flat-pack form — all of these need to be taken apart, moved carefully, then rebuilt without losing any screws (or tempers).
Rad handles all that as standard. No “premium upgrade” nonsense. We bring tools, patience, and a knack for making IKEA stuff behave. We’ll even rebuild your bed in the new house, so you’re not lying on a mattress on the floor, eating takeaway at 11pm like it’s uni all over again.
Bonus: We also label and wrap pieces so everything ends up in the right room, facing the right way, and without mysterious new scratches.
9. How far in advance should you book your London house move?
In an ideal world? 4–6 weeks in advance. In the real world? We’re seeing folks book removals with just a week to spare — sometimes less.
London’s housing market is a strange beast, where exchange dates move like goalposts in the wind. That’s why Rad offers refundable holding deposits and flexible rescheduling (as long as you give us a bit of notice and don’t ghost us).
Our advice: lock it in early, even if your completion date’s still floating. The earlier we’re on the radar, the more options you have — and the less chance you’re scrambling on WhatsApp looking for “man with van pls asap 🙏” at midnight.
What do movers pack first when you hire professionals?
Good question — and it’s not “the kettle,” even though that’s sacred.
At Rad, we usually send a team of 3–4 packers, and we pack everything at once, room by room, in a glorious ballet of bubble wrap and teamwork. No faffing around with boxes here and there.
What goes in first?
- Books, off-season clothes, attic finds — basically anything you won’t cry over if it disappears for a few days.
- The kitchen usually goes last, because nobody wants to live without toast and caffeine the day before the move.
- Essentials — toothbrush, charger, pet food — are packed into a clearly marked “OPEN FIRST” box. We’ve even had customers request we write “BOX OF SANITY” on it. Happy to oblige.
Pro tip: Don’t touch anything the night before pack day. Just chill. We got you.
Do movers disassemble and reassemble furniture?
Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yes, and we’re rather good at it.
At Rad, we include disassembly and reassembly as standard in all full house removals. Beds, wardrobes, desks, IKEA mysteries that only exist with 14 hex bolts and hope — we’ve got the tools and the team. What we take apart, we put back together. Properly.
It’s not just about brute force. We take care to avoid scratching floors, stripping screws, or losing that one oddly shaped washer that holds everything together. No “one leg shorter than the other” vibes here.
And no, we won’t leave you sleeping on a pile of flattened cardboard boxes. We rebuild your bed, mattress on, pillows fluffed (okay, maybe not fluffed, but you get the idea).
Should you empty drawers before movers arrive?
We always say: If it jiggles, it travels better empty.
Drawers are deceptive. You think you’re saving time by leaving socks or papers inside, but most movers (Rad included) remove drawers to carry the unit safely. Which means your neatly folded clothes might end up doing a dramatic swan dive onto the pavement. Nobody wants that.
Also, weight. A fully loaded chest of drawers can weigh as much as a small planet. It’s better to empty them into a box or, if you’re short on time, at least remove heavy or fragile stuff.
Clothes in wardrobes? We bring wardrobe boxes. Hanging rails inside, quick to load, no creases. You’re welcome.
How long does it take to pack a 3-bedroom house?
For a team of pros like Rad? Roughly 6 hours, maybe a bit more if there are secret stashes of board games, vinyl records, or a surprisingly large number of porcelain figurines.
We usually send three trained packers, each moving with the speed of caffeine-fuelled octopuses. Everything’s wrapped, boxed, and labelled by late afternoon. It’s not a race, but we do take pride in being both fast and careful. Your wine glasses won’t clink, your books won’t bend, and your childhood Lego will survive untouched (if you haven’t stepped on it already).
DIY? It will take a few days to a week. It’s not impossible, but do stock up on tape, patience, and takeaway menus.
How long does it take to pack a house?
Depends on the house. A studio flat? Half a day. A five-bedroom mansion with an attic full of forgotten hobbies? Two days and a support group.
At Rad, we aim to pack one day before the move — all in, all done. Why? Because packing on moving day is chaos. You’ll lose your kettle, your toothbrush, and probably your mind.
Our advice? Let us pack. It’s cleaner, faster, and far less likely to end with your cat hiding inside a taped-up box labelled “Winter Jumpers.”
What is the best order to pack up a house?
Start with the stuff you won’t cry over if it disappears for a few weeks. That means:
- Books, board games, spare towels
- Guest room stuff no one’s used since 2018
- Seasonal clothes (we’re looking at you, ski gear in July)
Then tackle living rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Leave the kitchen until last because the moment you pack your kettle, you’ll crave tea like never before.
At Rad, we’ve got a system. You don’t need to think about it, just nod and let the team do their packing Tetris.
Do you need to break down furniture for movers?
Nope, not if you’re with a proper house removals company like Rad. Beds, wardrobes, dining tables — we’ll disassemble them before the move and reassemble them after, no stress, no splinters, no swearing at Allen keys.
This isn’t IKEA speedrun content — we just know what we’re doing, and we bring all the tools. You don’t even need to find that one missing screw. We’ve got spares. Always.
What do movers load first?
Professional house movers — like the team at Rad — work to a well-rehearsed order that makes the most of the van space and keeps your stuff safe. Generally, we’ll start with boxes. They’re square, easy to stack, and form a solid foundation. Then come the bulky items — sofas, mirrors, TV units, framed art — and after that, we play a sort of reverse-Tetris with more boxes, loose bits, and finally, the beds and mattresses. Why last? Because they often come apart, they’re bulky, and frankly, nobody wants their mattress crushed by a bookshelf.
Am I supposed to help my movers?
Short answer? No. Long answer? Please don’t. We’ve got it covered. You hired professional movers for a reason — to not sprain your back wrestling with a fridge or end up stuck in a stairwell holding a wardrobe like it’s the third act of a heist film. The best way to help is by staying available for questions, keeping pets and kids safe, and making a nice cup of tea (you’d be surprised how much a cuppa can boost morale). Trust us, we’ve got this.
What is the best order to pack up a house?
There’s no perfect order, but there is a sensible one. Start with the stuff you don’t use every day: books, out-of-season clothes, knick-knacks, that slow cooker you swore you’d use more. Then move on to less essential kitchenware, guest bedroom bits, and decorative items. Keep your kettle, toaster, toothbrush, and loo roll handy for last-minute packing. Labelling boxes meticulously will save your sanity later – trust us, it’s worth it!
Do you need to break down furniture for movers?
Technically, you don’t, we do. At Rad Removals, disassembly is part of the service. Beds, wardrobes, and bookcases often need to be dismantled to fit through doorways or into a van. And if something came out of your old place in one piece, that doesn’t mean it’ll fit into the new one the same way. We come ready with the tools, straps, and know-how to disassemble and rebuild them in your new home, set up and ready to go.