On the surface, hiring a Luton van at £120 for the day beats any removals quote you'll ever see. The reality involves fuel, insurance, packing kit, breakages, six knackered friends, three days of your annual leave, and one seized-up back. Here's the real number.
The DIY cost — 2-bed flat, 15 miles
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Luton van hire (Enterprise / Hertz, weekend) | £140 |
| Fuel (60 miles round-trip, 2 trips) | £55 |
| Van insurance excess waiver | £25 |
| Packing kit (30 boxes, tape, wrap) | £85 |
| Blanket / trolley hire | £30 |
| Pizza & drinks for helpers | £60 |
| Two days annual leave (at avg UK salary) | £240 |
| DIY total (best case) | £635 |
The professional cost — same move
A fully-insured, uniformed Apex house removal for the same 2-bed flat, 15 miles, with a two-man crew, dismantling, wardrobe cartons and mattress covers included, typically comes in at £395–£495. See our 2-bed removal cost guide for detail.
What the DIY route hides
- Breakages. The average uninsured DIY move loses about £180 of items to damage.
- Injury risk. Back injuries account for 34% of self-move A&E visits.
- No goods-in-transit cover. Anything damaged in your van comes out of your pocket.
- Time to complete. DIY 2-bed moves typically take 12–14 hours. Pro crews do the same in 4–5.
When DIY genuinely wins
- Studio flats with no white goods, no furniture, moving under 5 miles
- Moves where you have 3+ physically fit friends who owe you a huge favour
- Moves with a flexible date, no lift access issues, no delicate items
Where the professional route wins
Everything above a 1-bed flat. Every move over 20 miles. Every move with a piano, an American fridge, a home office, or a family under 10. See our full cost guide.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
- Is it cheaper to move house yourself or hire a removal company?
- For a studio or a very small 1-bed flat under 5 miles, DIY is genuinely cheaper. For anything above 1-bed or beyond 20 miles, professional removals are usually cheaper once you factor van hire, fuel, kit, insurance excess, breakages and lost annual leave.
- How much does a DIY house move actually cost in the UK?
- A realistic DIY 2-bed move costs £600–£800 once you count van hire (£140), fuel (£55), packing kit (£85), insurance excess (£25), food for helpers, and 1–2 days of annual leave. A fixed-price professional quote for the same job is usually £395–£495.
- What's the risk of moving yourself?
- Three real risks: back injury (accounts for a third of self-move A&E visits), uninsured breakages (average £180 per DIY move), and the day running to 12+ hours instead of 4–5. None of these is worth saving £100.
Planning a move? Get a fixed price today.
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