Moving house isn't just physically demanding. It's emotionally exhausting, logistically complex, and surprisingly easy to misjudge.
Most people make the decision on cost alone. They look at moving company quotes, see £1,500-£3,000, and think: "I can do this myself with a hired van and some friends." Sometimes they're right. Often, they're not. The difference between these two outcomes rarely comes down to how strong you are.
Before you decide anything, answer this honestly: how much is your time actually worth?
If you earn £30 an hour, spending 16 hours moving yourself costs £480 in lost wages alone. Add in the stress, the physical toll, the potential for injury, and the hidden costs of inefficiency. Suddenly, a £2,000 professional move doesn't look so expensive.
But here's the thing. Not every move justifies that cost. The key is understanding which category your move falls into.
Some situations make professional movers an absolute no-brainer. You're not even weighing options here. You're simply booking them.
You have a long-distance move
Anything over 100 miles fundamentally changes the equation. You're not hiring a van and doing this with mates anymore. You need:
A Manchester-to-London move spanning 200 miles isn't about heroic DIY effort. It's about practical necessity. Professional movers know how to protect your furniture during an eight-hour journey. Your mates might not.
The cost? £2,500-£4,500 depending on volume. Yes, that's significant. But hiring a van yourself, fuel costs, overnight accommodation if you're doing this alone, and the damage risk make the maths look different.
You're moving with young children or pets
Moving with a toddler is chaos. Moving with a toddler and a cat is a nightmare scenario.
Professional movers mean you can actually supervise your children. They're not running between rooms while you're carrying a wardrobe down the stairs. You're not stressed about your cat escaping during the move, because professionals have systems for this.
Think practically. What's the cost of your child injuring themselves during a DIY move? What's the value of your peace of mind knowing your pet is secure? Professional movers handle these situations routinely. Your mates have never moved house with a three-year-old before.
You own valuable or fragile items
Artwork. Pianos. Antique furniture. Grandfather clocks.
These aren't items you risk moving yourself. Professional movers offer:
If you own a £4,000 painting and a professional move from an expert such as Surrey Removals - https://surrey-removals.com costs £2,500, the maths become obvious. You're not paying to move the painting. You're paying to insure it against damage. That's protection, not just a service.
You have mobility issues or health concerns
This should never be a question. If you can't comfortably lift heavy items, don't try.
Back problems, recent surgery, arthritis, pregnancy—these are all reasons to hire professionals. The risk of injuring yourself during a move that leaves you immobilised for weeks isn't worth saving £1,500.
Your health is worth more than the cost of moving.
You're moving to a property with access challenges
Is your new house up three flights of stairs? On a hill with no parking nearby? In a listed building with narrow doorways?
Professional movers have:
A terraced Victorian property in Norwich often requires specialist handling. Narrow staircases. Tight corners. Original features that damage easily. Professional movers know this landscape.
This is where honesty matters. Most people overestimate their ability to move themselves successfully.
You're moving locally with minimal possessions
A studio flat move within the same city. Everything fits in a van you can hire for £40-£80 for a weekend.
This scenario requires:
That's specific. Notice how restrictive these conditions are? This works for a single person moving across Norwich to a ground-floor flat. It doesn't work for the couple with a three-bedroom house full of books, a sofa, and a dining table that needs careful manoeuvring.
You're downsizing significantly
Sometimes you're not moving more, you're moving less.
A person leaving a four-bedroom house for a one-bedroom flat in a retirement community might genuinely have fewer items to transport. Three boxes of possessions might fit in your car over multiple trips. Sorting, discarding, and then transporting the remainder yourself becomes genuinely manageable.
But here's where people deceive themselves. They plan to move "most things" themselves and "hire professionals for the big items." This hybrid approach usually creates more stress, not less.
You're moving with family help and actual equipment
Not "my mate with a van." Actual equipment.
A family helping because they're invested—not because they're sacrificing their weekend—makes a genuine difference. If you have access to proper equipment beyond a hired van, and multiple capable people, the DIY option improves significantly.
Even then, be realistic. A garden shed's worth of possessions plus furniture? That's still probably better handled professionally. But a genuine downsizing move with five people genuinely committed and proper equipment? That might work.
This is where DIY moving goes wrong for most people.
Damage
Scratched walls cost £150-£300 to repair. Damaged doorframes cost £200-£500. A sofa corner damaged during moving costs £400-£800 to reupholster.
Professional movers carry insurance. You'll be paying out of pocket.
Lost time
A house move that takes professionals 6-8 hours might take you 14-16 hours over two weekends. That's two entire weekends gone. What's that worth to you?
Vehicle hire costs
A van hire for a weekend costs £80-£150. But driving it costs fuel money. Damage waiver insurance (which you absolutely need) adds another £30-£50. If you need the van for two days, you're looking at £200+ minimum.
Injury or strain
Someone throws their back out during the move. Suddenly you're looking at physiotherapy costs, potentially time off work, and the move still isn't done. You've still hired professionals anyway, but now you're paying for both options.
Breakages and replacements
Moving yourself means more risk. That requires honesty about replacement costs if something breaks. Your grandmother's china set. Electronics. A bookshelf that takes a hit and won't close properly anymore.
Ask yourself these questions in order:
Is this a long-distance move? If yes, hire professionals.
Do I have young children, pets, or health limitations? If yes, hire professionals.
Do I own valuable or fragile items? If yes, hire professionals.
Is my new property difficult to access? If yes, hire professionals.
If you've answered "no" to all of those, ask this one:
Do I genuinely have five capable people who've committed to helping, proper equipment, and fewer than a dozen rooms to move?
Only if that's a real "yes" consider DIY.
Most people moving house should hire professionals. That's not what the industry wants you to think. But it's the truth.
You're not being weak by hiring professional movers. You're being intelligent about the risks, the costs, and the impact on your life.
A well-chosen removal company handles your possessions carefully. They do the heavy work. They navigate tight spaces. They handle the logistics so you don't have to.
Your mates want to help, but they're not experienced at this. Your back has limits you might not have discovered until it's too late. Your time is valuable, and moving day is genuinely stressful enough without adding physical exhaustion.
The decision isn't really about cost. It's about risk management. It's about protecting your possessions, your health, and your sanity during one of life's more disruptive events.
Calculate the true cost of a DIY move—including your time, potential damage, and the cost of hiring professionals anyway if something goes wrong. Compare that to a professional quote.
More often than not, that professional quote isn't an expense.
It's a sensible investment in having your move go smoothly.
