How much should you budget for a London move?
For a studio with few belongings, an indicative budget is £190–£315, with the service scope confirmed when you enquire. If you are packing your own belongings, guide prices for loading and delivery are approximately £593 for a one-bedroom move and £845 for a two-bedroom move. These one- and two-bedroom prices exclude packing, materials and parking.
Prefer help with packing? See the separate packing-inclusive guide below. Keeping the two service options separate makes it easier to choose the right level of help for your move.
These figures are approximate planning examples, not fixed quotations. Your belongings, access, move date and the work included will affect your individual quote. Parking is excluded from the loading-and-delivery and packing-inclusive examples; storage and specialist work should be quoted separately.
Small-move and loading-and-delivery guide prices
The lower-priced options below are a useful starting point for a smaller move. For the one- and two-bedroom examples, you arrange your own packing and materials.
| Property or load | Guide price | What the price covers |
|---|---|---|
| Studio with few belongings | £190–£315 | Small-load example. Confirm the furniture, boxes and service inclusions with the team. |
| One bedroom | Approx. £593 | Loading and delivery; excludes packing, materials and parking. |
| Two bedrooms | Approx. £845 | Loading and delivery; excludes packing, materials and parking. |
The one- and two-bedroom loading-and-delivery examples assume basement, ground-floor or first-floor access and a completion move. For a larger home with your own packing, ask for a loading-and-delivery quotation tailored to your belongings.
Removal prices with packing and materials included
If you would like the team to pack for you, the following guide prices include packing, materials, loading and delivery. These are total guide prices for that service, not additional packing charges to add to the prices above. Parking is excluded.
| Property size | Guide price | What the price covers |
|---|---|---|
| One bedroom | Approx. £865 | Packing, materials, loading and delivery; excludes parking. |
| Two bedrooms | Approx. £1,125 | Packing, materials, loading and delivery; excludes parking. |
| Three bedrooms | Approx. £1,358 | Packing, materials, loading and delivery; excludes parking. |
| Four bedrooms | Approx. £2,455 | Packing, materials, loading and delivery; excludes parking. |
| Five bedrooms | Approx. £3,772 | Packing, materials, loading and delivery; excludes parking. |
For example, the one-bedroom guide price is £593 without packing or £865 with packing and materials included. For two bedrooms, the equivalent guide prices are £845 and £1,125 respectively. Choose the service you need; do not add the two prices together.
The packing-inclusive examples assume a house over three floors and a completion move. Ask what fragile-item packing and furniture preparation are covered. Different access or timing requires an individual assessment.
Bedroom counts are only a rough guide to the load: a heavily furnished two-bedroom home can require more work than a lightly furnished three-bedroom property. The figures are rounded planning examples, not minimum or maximum charges.
A practical comparison
Imagine two households with similar furniture. One has a ground-floor entrance and a loading space close to the door. The other has stairs, a restricted loading window and a wardrobe that must be dismantled. Their bedroom counts match, but their labour requirements do not. This example illustrates why access matters when comparing quotations.
What changes the price of a removal?
The belongings being moved
A bedroom count is a starting point, not a complete inventory. Include lofts, sheds, garages and outdoor items when describing the job. Flag unusually heavy, fragile or awkward pieces so the quotation can account for them.
Packing and preparation
Ask whether the price covers transport only, a packing service, packing materials, or selected fragile items. Identify any furniture that needs dismantling and confirm who will reassemble it. Compare quotations on the same basis.
Access at both properties
Explain stairs, lift availability, loading restrictions and the distance between the vehicle and the door. Ask who will arrange any necessary parking permissions and how associated charges appear in the quote.
Distance and timing
Give the collection and delivery locations and your expected dates. If a completion date is uncertain, ask how date changes, waiting time or temporary storage would be handled and charged.
Storage between homes
Request a breakdown covering collection, storage, any handling charges and onward delivery. Make sure the quotation explains the storage period and what happens if you need longer.
How to compare removal quotes fairly
Put each quotation beside the same inventory and service checklist. Confirm the total payable; packing and materials; access assumptions; parking; dismantling and reassembly; storage; waiting time; and any excluded work.
If one quotation is noticeably lower, ask which assumptions differ. A useful comparison is the cost of the same job, not simply the lowest figure on the page.
Questions to ask before accepting a quote
- Is this a quotation for the surveyed scope or an estimate that may change?
- What work and materials are included?
- Which circumstances could lead to additional charges?
- How are changes to the move date handled?
- What are the arrangements if the keys are delayed?
- What protection and liability terms apply to my belongings?
Common questions about London removal costs
Is a small move always cheaper on an hourly rate?
Not necessarily. Compare the minimum booking period, the number of movers, travel charges and likely total time. An hourly rate without those details is difficult to compare with a quotation for the complete job.
Can you quote from the number of bedrooms alone?
A bedroom count can help with an initial estimate, but an inventory and access details make the scope much clearer. Tell the team about bulky furniture, fragile items and anything outside the main rooms.
Does the price include storage?
Do not assume so. Ask for storage to be itemised separately, including collection, the storage period and return delivery. A short gap between homes can become longer if completion dates change.
How can I reduce unnecessary moving costs?
Remove items you do not intend to keep before the inventory is prepared. Agree who is packing and dismantling furniture, check loading arrangements early, and tell the team if the inventory or access changes. If your dates are flexible, ask whether an alternative date changes the quote; do not assume a discount.
Request a quotation for your move
Tell Burke & Wills where you are moving from and to, your preferred dates, the belongings involved and any access restrictions. Ask for a written quotation with the service scope clearly set out.