GigaCosts · London
What a London removal actually costs in 2026
Van, crew and hours set most of the price. Mileage and stairs add the rest. Everything else is included or avoidable.
By Sameer Ahmad BasraPublished · Updated · 8 min read
The short answer
- £55 an hour for a small van and driver, £75 with a 2-person crew, £130 for a Luton with a 3-person crew.
- 2-hour minimum on the small vans (from £110), 3 hours on the Luton (£390), then 30-minute steps.
- Mileage one way and stairs are charged. Fuel, ULEZ, insurance, blankets and straps are included, with no weekend, evening or bank holiday premium.
Most removal quotes are built the same way: a van, a crew and an estimate of hours. Understand those three and you can tell in a minute whether a quote is fair, and whether the cheaper one really is cheaper.
The rate card
These are our published rates for every London borough and every UK move, the same on a Saturday as a Tuesday. Mileage is charged one way, collection to delivery, at the van's per-mile rate.
| Van & crew | Per hour | Minimum booking | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Transit, driver only | £55 | £110 (2 hrs) | £1.20/mile |
| Small Transit, 2-person crew | £75 | £150 (2 hrs) | £1.20/mile |
| Luton Box Van, 3-person crew | £130 | £390 (3 hrs) | £1.80/mile |
| Furniture hoisting | £150–£280 depending on floor and access | ||
You book whole hours. If the job runs over, extra time is charged in 30-minute steps at the same hourly rate, so a small-van job that runs 2 hours 30 minutes is not rounded up to 3 hours. Stairs are £10 per person on the crew, per flight, for each hour at that address; the ground floor is free and a working lift removes the charge. The full list, with packing and dismantling, is on our pricing page.
Typical costs by home size
Worked out from the rate card. They assume packing is done before the van arrives and leave out mileage and stairs.
| Move | Van & crew | Typical time | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single item across London | Small van, driver only | 2 hrs | £110 |
| Studio or single room | Small van, 2-person crew | 2–3 hrs | £150–£225 |
| 1-bed flat, same borough | Small van, 2-person crew | 3–4 hrs | £225–£300 |
| 2-bed flat across London | Luton, 3-person crew | 4–5 hrs | £520–£650 |
| 3-bed house across London | Luton, 3-person crew | 5–7 hrs | £650–£910 |
Four and five-bedroom houses usually need two Luton vans and a full day, so we price those per job.
Why a bigger crew is often cheaper
The instinct is to book the smallest crew. It usually costs more. A second-floor one-bedroom flat takes a 2-person crew about four hours; a 3-person crew finishes in about two and a half. At our small-van rates that is £300 against £237.50, and because stairs are charged per person per hour, the stair charge comes out about the same. You get your evening back.
Rule of thumb: stairs at either end, or more than about fifteen boxes, and the third mover pays for itself.
What adds an hour without anyone noticing
- Packing that isn't finished when the van arrives. By far the most common. (Here is when paying for packing is worth it.)
- Beds and wardrobes still assembled when dismantling wasn't booked.
- No parking near the door, so everything is carried 60 metres.
- A lift that needed booking with building management and wasn't.
Want your number instead of ours?
Give us both postcodes and the floors, or try the cost calculator. You'll have a price in two minutes.
Parking, ULEZ and the congestion charge
We absorb ULEZ. The congestion charge applies only if your move crosses the central zone on a weekday, and we tell you before you book if it does (more in our ULEZ and congestion charge guide). Parking suspensions are different: some boroughs want ten working days' notice and charge per bay per day. If your street is a controlled parking zone, tell us early and we'll arrange it. Our parking suspension guide covers what to check at both addresses.
Hourly or fixed?
Hourly is cheaper for most home moves because the average job finishes inside the estimate. Ask for a fixed price when you need certainty, such as a tight completion chain or an office move with a four-hour building window. A fixed figure is agreed before the day and holds as long as the load matches what you described.
What is never charged extra
- Blankets, straps, trolleys and floor protection.
- Evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
- ULEZ.
- £10,000 goods in transit insurance.
Mileage, stairs, dismantling, packing and boxes are priced separately, so you see what you pay for. Full details are on our pricing page, and the moving cost calculator turns them into a range for your move.
Common questions
With Giga Removals a small van and driver is £55 an hour and a small van with a 2-person crew £75 an hour, both with a 2-hour minimum (£110 and £150). A Luton with a 3-person crew is £130 an hour with a 3-hour minimum (£390). After the minimum the same hourly rate applies in 30-minute steps, plus mileage one way and any stairs. A typical one-bedroom flat costs £225–£300 and a three-bedroom house £650–£910 before mileage and stairs.
Yes. The minimum is 2 hours on the small vans and 3 hours on the Luton, which covers the van and the crew. After that you pay for the time used in 30-minute steps, at the same hourly rate.
No. The same rates apply seven days a week, 8am to 10pm, including bank holidays, and there is no ULEZ charge. Mileage and stairs are charged the same way on every day of the week.
Packing labour, boxes and materials, dismantling and reassembly, furniture hoisting, storage, and any parking suspension charged by the council. Each is quoted separately and agreed before the day.
After the job. You pay by bank transfer once the move is finished and you have confirmed it is complete. There is no deposit and we do not take cash.
About the author
UK Removals & Moving Planning Writer, Giga Removals
Sameer writes practical moving guides for customers moving across the UK and in London, with a focus on access planning, clear pricing, packing decisions and moving-day preparation.
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