For a home with two or more bedrooms, paying a removal company is usually worth it. For a studio or one bedroom flat on a short local move, doing it yourself is usually cheaper.
In our worked example below, a DIY move of a 3 bed Aylesbury home costs about £300 to £440 in van hire, fuel, excess cover and boxes, before any lost pay. A professional move of the same home is about £800 to £1,400. Before you decide, add up the costs a van quote leaves out: fuel, the insurance excess, packing materials, extra trips and days off work.
The gap buys trained lifters, insurance on your belongings and a one day move instead of a weekend. Nationally, the average removal for a 30 mile move costs £624 (Reallymoving data via Which?, October 2026). That is the removal service alone, not the full cost of moving home.
We move homes across Buckinghamshire every week, and we also tell people when they do not need us. This guide shows the numbers on both sides so you can decide for yourself.
Should you hire a removal company? Quick decision guide
Find your situation in the left column.
| Your move | Doing it yourself | Paying a company |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1 bed flat, ground floor, under 10 miles | Usually the cheaper choice | Worth it only if you have heavy items or no helpers |
| 2 bed home, local | Possible, but often 2 van loads and a full day | Usually worth it |
| 3 bed or larger | Hard: several van loads, many helpers, 2 days | Worth it for most people |
| Upper floor flat with no lift | Slow and risky on the stairs | Worth it |
| Piano, range cooker, American fridge freezer, glass furniture | Risk of injury and damage | Worth it |
| Over 50 miles | Long drive in a big van, possibly 2 return trips | Worth it |
| Completion day with keys arriving late | Van hire clock keeps running | Worth it if the firm does not charge for waiting |
| Very tight budget and plenty of free time | The cheapest cash option | Consider a part service instead |
If most of your answers land in the right column, a company is likely the better value once you count the full cost of doing it yourself.
Not sure which side you are on? Tell us your home size and both postcodes and we will tell you honestly whether you need a full crew, a smaller service or no help at all. Get a free quote or call 0800 246 1969.
The real cost of a DIY move
A DIY move is never free. Most people only count the van. Here is everything else that goes on the bill.
1. The van. A Luton van with a tail lift is the usual choice for a house move. Recent quotes from UK tradespeople put it at roughly £80 to £150 a day, with local firms often cheaper than the national brands. Weekend and bank holiday rates are higher. A Luton usually holds about one to two bedrooms of furniture, so a 3 bed home often means two or three loads.
2. Your licence. If you passed your test on or after 1 January 1997, a standard licence lets you drive vehicles up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass. Most Luton vans are built to that limit, which is also why they fill up quickly. Check the van’s maximum authorised mass on the hire agreement and your own licence entitlement before you book. Many hire firms set their own minimum age and years held for larger vans, so check before you book.
3. Insurance and the excess. The hire price includes basic cover, but you pay the excess if the van is damaged. Low bridges, tight car parks and reversing on narrow estate roads are the usual causes. Ask for the excess figure in writing and decide whether to buy excess cover.
4. Your belongings are not insured in the van. Most home contents policies do not cover items in a hired van unless you add cover. If a wardrobe falls in transit, you pay.
5. Fuel and mileage. Large vans use far more fuel than a car, and some hires add a mileage charge. Every extra trip adds to both.
6. Equipment. Boxes, tape, bubble wrap, furniture blankets, straps and a sack truck or dolly. See how many moving boxes you need before you buy.
7. Your helpers. Friends usually want food and drink, and fuel money if they drive. Many people also buy a thank you gift or a night out.
8. Time off work. There is no legal right to paid leave for moving day. A DIY move of a family home often takes two days, so that can mean two days of holiday or lost pay if you are self employed.
9. Tip runs. In Aylesbury you need a free vehicle waste permit from Buckinghamshire Council to take a van or pickup to a household recycling centre. Without it, staff can turn you away and you may lose an afternoon.
Our guide to the hidden costs of moving house covers the bills that sit outside the move itself.
What a removal company costs, and what you get for it
The national average for a 30 mile move is £624, and first time buyers pay £374 on average, according to the Reallymoving figures reported by Which?. That average fell 12% in the past year as the housing market slowed. For local price ranges by home size, see our guide to removal costs or get an estimate from our removal cost calculator.
Here is what that money pays for, compared with a DIY move:
| What you need | DIY move | Removal company |
|---|---|---|
| Van | You hire, drive and return it | Included, sized to your home |
| Lifters | Friends and family | Two to four trained movers |
| Protection | Your own blankets, if any | Furniture blankets, mattress covers, floor and door protection |
| Insurance on your goods | Usually none unless you add it | Usually goods in transit and public liability cover; limits vary by firm |
| Taking furniture apart | You, with the instructions you can find | Usually offered; free on Shiftify bookings |
| Number of trips | Often two or three for a family home | Usually one |
| Time | Often a full weekend | Usually one day for a local move |
| If keys are late | The hire clock keeps running | Depends on the firm; on Shiftify bookings we keep your things in the van until keys arrive, with no waiting charge (ask us for the terms on your booking) |
Look for BAR membership. Members of the British Association of Removers follow a code approved by Trading Standards. They are inspected before joining and audited every year. They must protect your goods against loss or damage, and offer independent dispute resolution if something goes wrong. Cover still differs from firm to firm, so ask any company, member or not, what it covers, the limit per item and what is excluded. Our guide on how to choose a removal company lists the other checks worth making.
Worked example: a 3 bed Aylesbury move done both ways
A family is moving a 3 bed semi from Fairford Leys to Kingsbrook, about 4 miles across town. They have the usual furniture: three beds, two wardrobes, a sofa, a dining table, a fridge freezer and a washing machine. These are illustrative estimates with every assumption shown, not a quote.
Our assumptions
- Three Luton van loads, so about 24 miles of driving, plus 16 miles to collect and return the van: 40 miles in total.
- A loaded Luton van returning 20 to 25 miles per gallon. That is well below the 39.2 mpg combined figure on a Ford Transit Luton spec sheet, because a full van in town traffic uses more.
- Diesel at 199p a litre, the UK average reported by RAC Fuel Watch on 28 September 2026.
- Excess cover bought at £10.99 a day, the starting price one UK provider lists.
- A 30 box moving kit for a 2 to 3 bed home at £82.39 before VAT (about £99 with VAT) from a UK packaging supplier.
- Lost pay worked out from the UK median full time wage of £811.20 a week in April 2026 (ONS), which is about £162 a day.
| Cost | DIY move | Removal company |
|---|---|---|
| Van | £160 to £300 (2 days at £80 to £150) | Included |
| Fuel, 40 miles | £14 to £18 | Included |
| Van excess cover, 2 days | £22 | Not needed |
| Boxes, tape, bubble wrap | £99 | Boxes may be extra; ask |
| Crew | Friends, unpaid | 2 to 4 trained movers, included |
| Insurance on belongings | Usually none | Included; Shiftify includes £50,000 goods in transit cover |
| Dismantling and rebuilding | You | Included with Shiftify |
| Cash total | £295 to £439 | £800 to £1,400 (Shiftify’s typical local 3 bed range) |
| Lost pay, 2 days (only if you lose pay) | About £324 | Usually 1 day off, about £162 |
Not counted on the DIY side: food and drink for your helpers, a second day of your weekend, any damage to the van, walls or furniture, and the risk of injury.
What the numbers say. On cash alone, the company costs roughly £360 to £1,100 more for this family, or about £730 at the middle of both ranges. If both adults would lose pay for a two day DIY move, but only one day with a crew, the gap narrows by about £160 per adult. For many families the deciding factors are the weekend, the risk to backs and furniture, and insurance on everything they own. For a couple in a one bed town centre flat with a friend who has a van, DIY is clearly cheaper.
Want a real number for your move? We will price it on your home size, distance and access, with no obligation. Get your free quote.
What a 3 bed move with Shiftify looks like
The worked example shows the money. This is what the day itself involves when you book us for a local family move like Fairford Leys to Kingsbrook.
- A free survey, then one fixed price. We look at your home by phone, video or a visit, check access at both addresses and agree a fixed price in writing before moving day.
- The right van and crew. The survey tells us how much you have, so we send a vehicle and team sized to do the job in one trip where possible. Every crew member is trained and DBS checked.
- Protection before anything moves. Furniture is wrapped in blankets, mattresses go in covers, and floors and door frames are protected at both homes.
- Furniture taken apart and rebuilt. Beds, wardrobes and flat pack units are dismantled and rebuilt at the new house at no extra cost.
- Insured from door to door. Every move includes £50,000 goods in transit cover and public liability insurance.
- Late keys handled. If keys are released in the afternoon, your belongings stay safe in our van until you can get in, with no waiting charge.
- Everything in the right room. Boxes and furniture are placed where you want them, so you are not dragging things upstairs that evening.
For a quote based on your own home, use our quote form or call 0800 246 1969.
The risks people forget with a DIY move
The price difference is easy to see. These costs only show up on the day.
- Back and hand injuries. Lifting a fridge freezer or a solid oak wardrobe down a staircase is the job removal crews train for. A pulled back can mean days off work, which costs more than the removal would have.
- Damage to the house. Scraped walls, chipped door frames and torn carpets at either end are common on DIY moves. If you rent, the landlord can take repairs out of your deposit.
- The van is too small. People often book one Luton for a 3 bed home. A second or third trip adds hours and fuel, and can push you past the hire return time.
- Things that cannot travel safely without the right kit. Pianos, safes, glass tables and large TVs need the right straps, blankets and number of people. Some items should not go in the van at all; see what removal companies will not move.
- Furniture that will not go back together. Beds and flat pack wardrobes often lose a bolt or a cam lock in the move. Bag and label fixings as you go, or use our furniture assembly service.
- Completion day timing. Keys are often released in the afternoon. If you have loaded the van in the morning, you sit and wait while the hire clock runs, then unload in the dark. Our guide to storage during a delayed completion explains the options if the chain slips.
- Helpers who drop out. One cancelled friend can turn a long day into an impossible one. Have a backup plan.
If you do go DIY, our room by room packing guide and moving day survival guide will help the day run safely.
Moving in Aylesbury and the Vale: local things that change the answer
Where you live in and around Aylesbury makes a real difference to whether a DIY move is practical.
Town centre flats. Around Market Square, Kingsbury and the streets near Aylesbury station, parking is tight and bays are often pay and display or taxi only. A big hired van with nowhere to stop means a long carry with every box. A removal crew plans parking and access before the day.
Newer estates. Kingsbrook, Berryfields, Buckingham Park and Fairford Leys have narrow roads, tight turning heads and allocated parking. Reversing a Luton van you have never driven between parked cars is where many hire excess claims start.
Older terraces. Streets in Southcourt and Queens Park often have parked cars on both sides and steep, narrow staircases inside. That is slow work for an untrained team.
Villages. Moves out to Wendover, Haddenham, Princes Risborough or Waddesdon often involve country lanes and gravel drives. Moves from London to Aylesbury add the A41 or M25 and possibly two return trips in a hired van.
The tip run. The Aylesbury recycling centre at Rabans Close is closed for maintenance until December, so Aston Clinton is the nearest site. If you use a van, apply for the free vehicle waste permit first.
We cover all of these areas from our base on Gatehouse Way. See our house removals service, or our removals from London if you are moving out of the capital.
The middle options: you do not have to choose all or nothing
Many people save money by mixing the two.
- Pack yourself, pay for the move. Packing is the most time consuming part, and the part most people can do well. Do it over a few evenings, then let a crew carry and drive. This is the most popular way to cut the bill.
- Pay for the big items only. Move boxes and small things yourself in a car, and book a crew for the beds, wardrobes, sofa and white goods.
- Man and van for small moves. For a studio or a few items, a man and van service is usually cheaper than a full crew. Our guide to man and van vs a removal company shows where each one fits.
- Pay for packing only. If you are short on time but have help for the lifting, book a packing service and do the move yourself.
- Short term storage. If your dates do not line up, a company can store your things between homes. See our secure storage service.
If you hire a company, how to get the most for your money
- Get three written quotes after a survey. A video or home survey means the price reflects your real belongings and access. Our guide to getting an accurate removal quote shows what each quote should include.
- Ask for a fixed price. An hourly rate can grow on the day. A fixed price in writing does not.
- Ask about waiting time. Find out what happens if keys are late. Some firms charge by the hour for the crew to wait.
- Move midweek and away from month end. Fridays and the end of the summer holidays are the busiest times, so they usually cost more. See the best time to move house.
- Declutter first. Less to move can mean a smaller van, fewer crew and a lower price.
- Ask about discounts. Which? reports that some firms offer lower prices to pensioners, students, key workers and the armed forces.
- Check the insurance limit. Ask how much the firm covers per item, and tell them about anything valuable.
- Book early. Popular dates go first, especially summer weekends.
If you want to thank the crew, our guide on tipping removal men explains what is normal.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth paying for a removal company?
For most homes with two or more bedrooms, yes. In our 3 bed Aylesbury example, DIY costs about £295 to £439 in cash and a company about £800 to £1,400, but the company adds trained movers, insurance and a one day move. For a studio or one bed flat, DIY is usually cheaper.
Is it cheaper to hire a van and move yourself?
In cash, yes, once you add van hire, fuel, excess cover and boxes. The saving shrinks if you lose pay for extra days off, need several trips, or damage the van, your furniture or the house.
Why are removals so expensive?
A quote covers a crew of two to four people for a full day, a large van, fuel, insurance, protective materials and often dismantling furniture. Stairs, long carries and busy dates add time.
Can you haggle with removal companies?
You can ask. Moving midweek, packing yourself, decluttering and comparing like for like written quotes are the most reliable ways to bring the price down.
Does my home insurance cover my things in a hired van?
Often not. Many contents policies do not cover belongings in transit in a hired van unless you add cover, so check your policy before moving day.
Get an honest quote from a local team
We are an Aylesbury removals company at The Gate House, Gatehouse Way, HP19 8DB. If your move is small enough to do yourself, we will tell you. If it is not, we will give you one fixed price after a free survey.
What happens next: send your home size, both postcodes and your date through our quote form, or call 0800 246 1969 between 7am and 9pm, seven days a week. We usually call back within the hour, check access by phone or video, and send a written price. See our house removals service for what is included.
