How our pricing works
A removals or freight price is not a mystery. It is volume, access, distance, time and labour, added up and written down. This page explains each part, what makes quotes vary, and what to check in any quote before you accept it.
What goes into a removals price
Five things decide almost every removals quote. Everything else is detail.
- Volumecubic feet
The total space your belongings take up decides the vehicle and, with access, the crew. A Luton and a 7.5-tonne truck are different costs to run, and a two-person crew and a four-person crew are different costs to pay. Our estimator turns a list of items into this number so we start from something real.
- Accessfloors, lifts, carry, parking
Every flight of stairs, every metre between the door and the vehicle, and every hour a van has to wait for a bay is time. Two identical flats, one on the ground floor with a drive and one on the third floor with no lift, are not the same job.
- Distancemiles and hours
Local moves are mostly loading and unloading time. Longer moves add fuel, driving hours, sometimes tolls or an overnight. We show these as their own lines so the difference between a local and a long-distance quote is visible.
- Labourcrew size and time
How many people for how long. This follows from volume and access, plus anything that adds handling: dismantling, packing, fragile items, appliances.
- Timingdate and hours
Fridays and month-ends are the busiest days in the trade. Weekend, evening and fixed-slot work costs more to provide. If your date is flexible, say so; it is often the easiest saving.
What goes into a freight price
Freight is simpler to describe and just as easy to get wrong.
- Vehicle classsmall van to 7.5t
The dimensions and weight of the consignment decide the smallest vehicle that can carry it safely. A bigger vehicle costs more per mile, so accurate dimensions matter.
- Distance and routemileage, tolls, crossings
Dedicated and same-day work is priced principally on the miles driven and the hours involved.
- Dedicated or plannedthe biggest lever
A vehicle sent only for your consignment on your date costs more than a slot on a route we are already running. Where both are possible we quote both.
- Handlingforklift, tail lift, hand-ball
Who loads and unloads, with what, and how long it takes. A tail-lift vehicle and a pallet truck are quoted for where the delivery point has no forklift.
- Service leveltimed, out of hours, tracked
Booked slots, night or weekend work and regular updates are priced for what they cost to provide.
Why two quotes for the same move can differ
If you gather several quotes for a move you will usually find they differ, sometimes by a lot. That is not always because one company is dearer than another. It is often because they have quoted different jobs.
One quote may assume you are packing everything; another may include packing the kitchen. One may allow an hour of waiting at the new property; another may charge from the first minute. One may send three people and a Luton; another two people and a long-wheelbase van that will need a second trip. One may include dismantling the wardrobe; another may find out about it on the day.
The lowest number is only the best price if it describes the same job, includes the same things and will not change when the crew arrives. So we write our quotes to be compared: the vehicle, the crew, the time allowances, the extras and the rates for anything beyond them are all on the page.
If a quote from someone else is lower than ours, we are happy to tell you what we think the difference is. Sometimes it is a genuine saving and we will say so.
What to check any quote includes
Ours or anyone else's. If any of these is missing, ask before you accept.
- The vehicle class and number of crew
- The date and the arrival window
- Which addresses and which floors it covers
- Whether packing, materials and dismantling are included
- The waiting time allowance and the rate beyond it
- What happens if the date changes or the job is cancelled
- The level of cover for goods in transit and what it excludes
- Payment terms and when payment is due
- Anything specifically excluded
How our quotes are set out
Every quote follows the same structure so it can be read in a minute and compared with any other.
Quote structure
| Reference | UFPR-YYMMDD-XXXX |
| Job | Service, from and to, date and arrival window |
| Vehicle and crew | Class of vehicle, number of people |
| Included | Loading, protection, transport, unloading, placement |
| Extras | Packing, materials, dismantling, crates, timed slots, each as its own line |
| Allowances | Waiting and loading time included, and the rate beyond |
| Cover | Goods in transit and liability that apply to this job |
| Terms | Validity, payment, changes and cancellation |
| Total | One figure, with VAT shown as it applies |
The reference number at the top is the one you were given when you enquired. Quote it in any message and we know the job immediately.
The extras section is where most quotes hide things. Ours lists every optional line separately so you can take one out and see the total change, rather than guessing what a bundled figure contains.
Allowances are the part people skip and then regret. If your completion is delayed by two hours, this is the line that tells you what it will cost, before it happens.
Cover states the level that applies to your job. If you have items of unusual value, tell us before you accept so we can confirm they are covered or advise you to arrange your own cover.
No figure before we understand the job. No surprises after.
We commit to
- A written quote for every job
- Every extra as its own line
- Waiting and change rates stated in advance
- Telling you if another option would cost you less
We do not
- Give figures before we know the job
- Add charges on the day that were not on the quote
- Send a vehicle we know is too small
- Treat an enquiry as a booking
Questions about pricing
Why will you not give me a price over the phone straight away?
Because a figure given before the job is understood is a guess, and a guess that turns out low becomes an argument on moving day. We will give you a price as soon as we have the information that decides it, which for small jobs can be the same conversation.
Is the quote fixed?
The quote is for the job as described. If the job on the day matches the description, the price stands. If it does not match (more items, different access, a date change), the difference is shown line by line rather than absorbed into a round number.
Do you charge by the hour or by the job?
Local removals and man and van work are usually priced on time with a stated allowance. Longer-distance work and freight are priced on the job: vehicle, mileage and hours together. Either way the basis is written on the quote.
What could add to the price on the day?
Only things that were not in the description and that change the work: waiting beyond the stated allowance, items not listed, access that differs from what we were told, or extras you ask for on the day. Each has a rate stated in advance.
Do you need a deposit?
Payment terms are set out in the quote so you can see them before accepting. Nothing is due until you have a quote in front of you.
Get a quote that can be compared.
The detailed brief on our quote page asks the questions above so the quote comes back complete first time.