The Real Cost of Moving House in the UK
Most "cost of moving house" figures online are estimates, ranges, or quotes that never reflect what people actually pay. This study is different: it is based on the real, completed-job pricing from an established UK removals company across more than 1,200 house moves between June 2024 and June 2026.
The headline finding: the average cost to move a 3-bedroom home around 100 miles is £969 - for the removal itself, before packing or extras. Prices scale predictably with the size of the home.
The average cost to move a 3-bedroom home (~100 miles) is £969 for the removal only. Add a full packing service and it rises to around £1,575.
Average Removal Cost by Home Size (UK, ~100-Mile Move)
| Home size | Typical volume | Average removal cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom | ~500 cu ft | £466 |
| 2-bedroom | ~800 cu ft | £552 |
| 3-bedroom | ~1,500 cu ft | £969 |
| 4-bedroom | ~1,850 cu ft | £1,350 |
Figures are averages of real completed moves of roughly 100 miles. They cover the standard removal service only - loading, transport and unloading. Packing and other services are charged separately (see below). For estimated prices across more property sizes and distances, see our UK removal costs by property size guide.
A detail worth noting: larger homes are cheaper to move per cubic foot. A 1-bed works out at around £0.93 per cu ft, while a 3-bed drops to about £0.65 - because the fixed costs of a move (crew turnout, vehicle, travel) are spread across more volume. Moving a bigger home costs more in total, but you get more for each pound.
What Pushes the Price Up: The Common Add-Ons
A removal quote rarely stops at the transport. These are the average prices for the extras people most often add, from the same dataset:
| Service | Average price |
|---|---|
| Full packing service (~100 boxes, typical 3-bed) | £575 |
| Dismantling & reassembling furniture | £30 |
| Disposal service (old furniture) | £133 |
| Packing materials (per item) | £4 |
| Waiting time | £35 |
Packing is charged by the size of the job - a few rooms costs far less, while a full 3-bed home (around 100 boxes) averages £575.
So a 3-bed move with a full pack and some furniture dismantling realistically lands around £1,575, not £969 - a big jump that is worth building into any moving budget. Our free moving cost calculator lets you add these extras to get a figure tailored to your move.
One unusual line in the data: a "late key waiver" charge averaging around £95, applied over 100 times - a reminder that delays on completion day (waiting for keys) cost real money on a move.
Practical Takeaways for Movers
- Budget by home size, then add extras. Use the table above as your baseline, then add a full pack (about £575 for a 3-bed) and any dismantling if you need it.
- Bigger isn't proportionally pricier. Cost per cubic foot falls as your home gets larger, so a 3- or 4-bed move is more efficient per item than a 1-bed.
- Completion-day delays cost money. Waiting for keys or access is chargeable - line up your timings to avoid waiting-time and late-key fees.
- Get the quote itemised. Ask removal firms to separate transport from packing and extras so you can compare like-for-like.
Removals are only one part of the bill. For the full picture - conveyancing, surveys and stamp duty - see our complete cost of moving house guide.
Methodology
These figures are drawn from the completed-job records of Holdem Removals, an established Northampton-based removals company, covering June 2024 to June 2026 (over 1,200 standard moves and 1,400+ service line items in total). Prices shown are averages for moves of approximately 100 miles, by home size. They reflect actual amounts charged, not estimates or advertised rates.
Because they come from a single company, they are best read as a real-world reference point rather than a national average - but they are grounded in real transactions rather than survey guesses.
Published by MovingCost.co.uk. Data: Holdem Removals Ltd.
For journalists: you are welcome to cite these figures with attribution to MovingCost.co.uk and a link to this page. For the underlying breakdown, a comment or an interview, get in touch via our contact page.