Professionals · Removals

Removals: what a house move costs and how to book

Checked 21 Oct 2026typical costs from MortgageWise planning assumption.

A removals company moves what you own from one home to the next, and sometimes stores it in between. There is no licence or register for removals; the check is that it is a registered company (on the CRO's register) with insurance that covers your things in transit. This page says what a move costs, when to book, what to ask about insurance and storage, and how closing day works when two homes change hands at once.

Check before you hire: a removals should be on the register kept by the CRO. Companies Registration Office

What it usually costs

RemovalsA local move with a van and crew; more for a long distance, storage or packing.	€500 to €1,500 + VAT
Furniture, appliances and connectionsOptional; a new build often comes without flooring or appliances.	Often free; up to €10,000

Typical figures, checked 2026-10-21; never a quote. Get at least two written quotes.

What a removals company does

A removals company does as much or as little as you pay for:

Van and crew. They load, drive and unload. You pack.
Packing. They pack the night before or the morning of the move, with their own boxes and materials. Fragile items, pictures and lamps are usually packed by them even on a basic job.
Dismantling and assembly. Beds, wardrobes and the trampoline.
Storage. Your things go into a container in their warehouse until your new home is ready, by the week or the month.
Specialist items. A piano, a safe, a hot tub, each quoted separately.

A good firm sends someone to look at the home before quoting, or does a video survey, so the quote is for the right size of van and the right number of people. A firm that quotes by phone without asking what is in the attic will be wrong.

The other options are a van hire and friends (costs less, takes longer, and your back), or a man with a van for a small flat. For a family home with a mortgage closing the same day, most people use a firm.

When to book

Book as soon as the closing date is agreed, and expect it to move. Closing dates slip: the lender's money comes a day late, the seller's solicitor is missing a document, the chain above you is not ready. A good firm holds your date and moves it once without a charge; ask what their policy is.

If your closing is at the end of a month, a Friday, or in the summer, book earlier. Those are the busy days.

If you are selling and buying, the two closings may not be on the same day. A gap of a few days means storage, or a night or two with family and the van loaded. A gap of weeks means a short let and storage by the month. Plan for the gap before you book the van.

For a long-distance move, or one from abroad, allow weeks for the quote and the booking. Customs and shipping add time on a move from outside the EU.

What it costs

A local move of a three-bed house with a van and crew costs €500 to €1,500 plus VAT at 23%. The price goes up with:

the amount of stuff (a four-bed with an attic full is a second van)
the distance, and whether it is one day or two
packing by the firm
stairs, a lift, or a narrow lane with no parking
storage, by the week or the month, plus the moves in and out of the container
the day: Fridays and the end of the month cost more

On top of the move, budget for the things a new home needs: appliances, flooring on a new build, curtains, the first shop. Our costs config carries up to €10,000 for furniture and connections as a planning figure, and many people spend less. Put your own number into the cost of buying calculator.

Ask for a written quote that says what is included, what the hourly rate is if the day runs over, and what the cancellation and date-change terms are. The table below gives the typical range, not a quote.

How to choose

There is no licence for removals in Ireland, so the checks are yours:

a registered company with a real address, which you can check on the CRO's register
goods in transit insurance, and the amount it covers per item and per load; ask for the certificate
public liability insurance, for damage to either home
reviews from the last year, not a glossy site
a survey of your home before the quote
a written quote with the terms

Some firms are members of a trade association, with a code of practice and a complaints route. It is a plus, not a requirement.

On insurance: the firm's cover usually pays a fixed sum per item unless you declare valuables, and it may not cover boxes you packed yourself. Your home contents policy may cover the move; ring your insurer and ask. Pack the things you could not replace (documents, jewellery, the laptop) and carry them yourself.

Get three quotes. The spread between them is wide, and the dearest is not always the one with the fullest insurance.

Closing day

Closing day on a home with a mortgage is not a day with a fixed time. Your solicitor draws down the loan in the morning, the money reaches the seller's solicitor, and the agent releases the keys, usually in the afternoon. On a sale and purchase on the same day, your buyer's money has to arrive before yours can go out. Keys at 11am are rare; keys at 4pm are normal.

So:

load the van in the morning from the home you are leaving
have the removals firm wait, or go for lunch, until the keys are released
ask the firm what waiting time costs, and agree it beforehand
take meter readings in both homes, with photographs
leave the old home clean, with the keys and the alarm code for the agent
do not have anything delivered to the new home until you have the keys

If the closing falls through on the day, which is rare but happens, the van goes into storage overnight. Ask the firm what that costs before the day, so it is a plan and not a crisis.

Questions to ask

Will you survey the home before quoting, and is the quote in writing with everything included?
What insurance covers my things in transit, how much per item, and can I see the certificate?
What happens if the closing date moves, and what does a change or a cancellation cost?
What is the charge for waiting on closing day, and for an overnight in the van?
Do you pack, and what does it cost? Do you cover boxes I packed myself?
What does storage cost per week, and what does it cost to move things in and out?
Who will be on the crew, and are they your staff or subcontracted?

Warning signs

Quotes by phone without seeing or surveying the home
Cannot show a goods in transit insurance certificate
Asks for the full price in cash before the move
No registered company name or address
Will not put the date-change and waiting terms in writing

Questions people ask

How much do removals cost in Ireland?

A local move with a van and crew typically costs €500 to €1,500 plus VAT. Packing, storage, distance, stairs and a Friday or end-of-month date all add to it. Get three written quotes after a survey of your home.

When should I book the removals company?

As soon as the closing date is agreed, and earlier for an end-of-month, Friday or summer date. Closing dates slip, so ask what it costs to move the date before you book.

Are my things insured during the move?

Only if the firm has goods in transit insurance, and usually up to a fixed sum per item unless you declare valuables. Boxes you packed yourself may not be covered. Ask for the certificate, and check your own contents policy.

What if I cannot get the keys on closing day?

Keys are usually released in the afternoon once the money has landed, so agree waiting time with the firm in advance. If the closing falls through on the day, the van goes into storage overnight; ask what that costs beforehand.

Do I need storage if I am selling and buying?

Only if the two closings are on different days. A gap of days means storage or a loaded van overnight; a gap of weeks means storage by the month and somewhere to stay. Plan the gap before you book.