Moving House Cost Calculator

Moving House Costs Guide

What should I know about Stamp Duty Land Tax?

SDLT is payable on property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. Standard rates (2026/27): 0% up to £250,000. 5% on £250,001-£925,000. 10% on £925,001-£1,500,000. 12% above £1,500,000. First-time buyers: 0% up to £425,000 (on total purchase price up to £625,000). Additional dwellings (second homes, buy-to-let): standard rates plus 3% surcharge on each band. SDLT must be paid within 14 days of completion. Higher rates apply to non-UK residents (2% surcharge) and companies purchasing above £500,000, adding a further surcharge on top of the standard residential rates.

What's the key thing to understand about Conveyancing and Legal Fees?

Conveyancing is the legal transfer of property ownership. Costs: buyer's solicitor £1,000-2,000 (plus disbursements — Land Registry fee, searches). Seller's solicitor £800-1,500. Searches (local authority, drainage, environmental): £250-400 for the buyer. Land Registry registration fee: £20-910 depending on property price. Electronic transfer fee (CHAPS payment): £25-40. Use a conveyancing comparison site but do not choose solely on price — slow or poor conveyancing can cost far more in delays, stress, and even a collapsed chain than the saving on fees was ever worth.

What should I know about Survey Types and Costs?

Three main survey types: Mortgage Valuation: approximately £150-1,500 — done for the lender's benefit, not yours. It does not reveal defects. RICS Home Survey Level 2 (formerly HomeBuyer Report): £400-900 — identifies significant defects and urgent repairs but does not look under floorboards or behind walls. RICS Home Survey Level 3 (formerly Full Building Survey): £600-1,500 — detailed assessment of structure and all accessible elements. Recommended for older properties, unusual construction, or where you're planning significant renovation work and need to understand the structure before committing. A Level 3 survey gives cost estimates for any defects found, which is invaluable for renegotiating the purchase price if serious problems turn up.

What do I need to know about Removal Company Costs?

Removal company costs depend primarily on volume of belongings and distance. Average UK move costs: small 1-2 bed flat, local: £400-800. Medium 3-bed house, local: £800-1,500. Large 4-bed house, local: £1,500-3,000. Long-distance (100+ miles): add 30-50%. Timing: Monday to Wednesday moves are cheapest; Friday is most expensive (everyone wants Friday). Summer and school holiday weekends are more expensive. Always get 3 quotes — prices vary by 30-40%. Packing service adds £200-600 but significantly reduces the stress and time of a move — most companies offer full-pack, part-pack (fragile items only), or self-pack options. Get quotes in writing with a clear inventory, check reviews and BAR (British Association of Removers) membership, and book 4-6 weeks ahead for weekend and month-end slots, which fill up fastest.

What's the key thing to understand about the Full Range of Moving Costs Beyond Removals?

The cost of a house move extends well beyond the removal firm's quote, and underestimating the full range of associated costs is one of the most common moving-day budgeting mistakes. On the buying side, costs can include a mortgage arrangement or product fee, a property survey (ranging from a basic valuation survey to a more thorough building survey, with cost rising alongside the level of detail), conveyancing legal fees, and stamp duty or land transaction tax, which in some markets represents one of the single largest costs of moving and is calculated on a sliding scale based on purchase price (with potential reliefs or surcharges depending on circumstances, such as first-time buyer relief or a surcharge for additional properties, that are worth checking carefully against current rules). On the selling side, estate agent fees (whether a percentage-based fee or a fixed fee, depending on the agent model chosen) and the seller's own conveyancing legal fees apply. Beyond the property transaction itself, removal costs vary significantly based on distance, the volume of belongings, and whether packing services are included, while often-overlooked extras include temporary storage if there's a gap between moving out and moving in, cleaning costs for the old property, redirecting post, and the cost of updating address details across insurance, utilities, and other accounts — none individually huge, but collectively adding a meaningful amount to a move's true total cost.

What should I know about Timing a Move to Reduce Costs?

Moving costs can vary significantly depending on timing, and some strategic flexibility around dates can meaningfully reduce the total cost of a move. Removal firms, like many service businesses with variable demand, tend to charge more during their busiest periods — commonly weekends, the end of the month (a popular completion date for many buyers and sellers, creating a spike in demand for removal services on those specific days), and school holiday periods for families relocating around a new school year — so booking a weekday move, or specifically avoiding the last few days of the month if genuinely flexible on the exact date, can reduce removal costs noticeably compared with peak-demand dates. Booking a removal firm well in advance of the actual move, rather than waiting until a completion date is confirmed, generally secures better rates and wider availability, since last-minute bookings both limit choice to whichever firm happens to have capacity and often come at a premium price reflecting the short notice. It's also worth getting several removal quotes rather than accepting the first one, since prices can vary considerably between firms for an identical job, and checking exactly what's included in a quote (packing materials, dismantling and reassembling furniture, insurance cover for belongings in transit) avoids being surprised by additional charges on moving day itself that weren't clearly itemised in the original quote.

What do I need to know about Typical Cost Ranges for Each Part of a Move?

Moving costs come from several largely independent categories, each with its own typical range — because they don't all move together, it's worth budgeting for each one separately rather than assuming one lump 'moving cost' figure.

These ranges are illustrative starting points rather than quotes — actual costs depend heavily on property size, distance moved, regional pricing, and which professionals are involved, so always get several like-for-like quotes before budgeting a final figure.

What do I need to know about a Worked Example — Total Moving Cost Estimate?

Worked example: estimating the non-removal, non-SDLT costs of moving into a typical 3-bedroom semi-detached house, using midpoint figures from the typical ranges above. Removal company (midpoint of £600-£1,500): £1,050 Conveyancing/legal fees (midpoint of £900-£1,800): £1,350 Homebuyer survey (midpoint of £400-£700): £550 Local authority searches (midpoint of £250-£450): £350 EPC (midpoint of £60-£120): £90 Running total: £1,050 + £1,350 + £550 + £350 + £90 = £3,390 That figure excludes Stamp Duty Land Tax and any estate agent fees on the selling side, both of which can dwarf the costs above for higher-value properties. It's also worth remembering that this estimate assumes everything goes smoothly on the first attempt — a failed survey that triggers a second valuation, a delayed completion, or a chain collapse can each add hundreds of pounds, which is why many moving guides recommend budgeting a contingency of around 10-15% above the headline estimate. Removal costs scale with two factors more than any other: the volume of belongings and the distance travelled, since fuel, crew time and whether an overnight stay is needed all track distance directly. A local move under 10 miles with a 2-person crew for a half day typically sits at the low end of the range above, while the same house moving 200+ miles, requiring a full day plus overnight accommodation for the crew, can push costs toward the top of the range or beyond it — which is why 'average removal cost' figures quoted in generic guides are only a rough starting point until you specify both the distance and the volume being moved. Packing materials are another easily underestimated line item: boxes, tape, bubble wrap and a wardrobe box or two for a typical 3-bedroom house move can add £50-£150 if bought new, though many removal companies include basic materials in their quote or will collect and reuse boxes from a previous customer at little or no extra cost, so it's worth asking specifically what's included before assuming the headline removal quote covers everything needed to actually pack up the house.