Now here's a question we are asked every time a customer rings us with their inquiry!

The simple answer is that no two jobs are the same, and deciding how long a house removal will take is near impossible.

There are all sorts of variables to take into consideration, such as the walking distance between the van and the property, if any furniture needs to be dismantled before removing, how many items you are moving and their sizes, how many floors the property has, how many steps leading up to the entrance and so on...

We do have some general guidelines and times that an average move will take, which may help you to judge how long your removal service will take and assist you with choosing you.

We use Extra Long Wheel Based Sprinters for all removal work. If we can park this van on a drive directly outside a standard house, we usually find the average time for a full van load is 1 hour. This provides that everything in the house is packed up properly, and we can move furniture out without too much fuss. The unloading at the other end is usually just under an hour, providing the conditions are similar to the property at the load end. This is because everything is usually just taken straight off the van, whereas the loading will take longer because items need to be secured, wrapped, and strapped to ensure they are protected during transit.

However, we have found that the unloading time can take considerably longer than it should if there isn't any organizational procedure set in place. If someone is at the other end to direct our removal chaps when they bring items in immediately, then the unloading runs nice and smooth. Sometimes we've had customers insist on opening every box we take to see what is inside and then take a moment or two to decide where it is going. Of course, we don't mind this. It's your job at the end of the day, but with a full house move, you can imagine just how much extra time this takes and, more importantly, how bigger your removal bill will become at the end of the work.

We've also encountered jobs where one person, say the husband, tells us to put a particular furniture or box in one place only for the next person. Usually, the wife contradicts this and has us move it to somewhere entirely different in the house! Again, we don't mind moving things as many times as you want us to, but if you have some system in order, boxes packed and labeled, and rooms in the new house labeled so we know whose room is who's, then the work will glide along a lot swifter and smoother!

There have been odd 1 or 2 jobs where a customer has wanted to complete their move within the hour! Impossible! Unless it's a student move or someone moving from 1 bedroom to somewhere else, then we 'may' possibly be able to make a move within the hour, but more often than not, a couple of hours is needed for a small move to be completed. We want to make sure your furniture is handled with care, moved from the property to the van without catching walls and other fixings so no damage is caused to the furniture or the surroundings, and secured properly in the van so that nothing is broken while en route to your new place. If someone is rushing our removal staff to try and complete a job too quickly, then be prepared to take responsibility for any damages caused by them being unable to complete their jobs safely.

So, with the above said, the average 3-bedroom house may be completed in 2 trips in the van, so depending on the distance between your properties, you could be looking at an average of 5 hours for your removal service. If you have any shed, garage, or garden furniture, another run is usually required, so another hour or two on top of this. But, if there are lots of steps, walking distance from van to door, and furniture that needs dismantling and putting back together again, then this time will increase.

I hope this helps you work out a rough idea of the time needed for your house move.