The Short Answer
On our estimates, a man and van costs about £35 to £65 an hour with one person, £50 to £80 with two and £65 to £95 with three. A half-day with two people comes to roughly £200 to £320.
I'd use one for a flat, a student move or a few big items. For a family house, I'd pay for a removals firm with packing and insurance.
Man and van rates
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| One person and a van, per hour | £35 to £65 |
| Two people and a van, per hour | £50 to £80 |
| Three people and a van, per hour | £65 to £95 |
| Job | Two people, at our hourly estimate |
|---|---|
| 2 hours (a few items, local) | £100 to £160 |
| 4 hours (a flat, local) | £200 to £320 |
| 8 hours (a long day or a longer trip) | £400 to £640 |
One, two or three movers?
Match the crew to the job:
- One mover: furniture collections, small flats, student moves, storage unit runs and garden waste. Cheapest if you can help load.
- Two movers: one or two-bedroom moves, heavy furniture, appliances and white goods, and jobs with stairs.
- Three movers: bigger loads, awkward access, several flights of stairs, or when you want it done fast.
An extra pair of hands can finish the job sooner, which can balance out the higher hourly rate. Most charge by the hour, though some offer a fixed price for a straightforward job.
What the quote should say
A man and van quote should set out the labour and how many movers, the van size, any mileage or fuel charge, waiting time charges, disposal fees if you're getting rid of anything, and whether VAT is included. Short local jobs cost less; multiple trips, long distances and bulky items cost more.
What can be extra
The add-ons to check before you book:
- A minimum number of hours, which some providers set.
- Congestion and high-traffic charges.
- Out-of-hours rates, outside normal working hours.
- Packing help and packing materials.
- Insurance for your belongings in transit.
- Storage, if things need keeping for a while.
The cheapest services can lack experience or reliability, which can mean delays or damage. I'd ask what insurance covers your things on the van, and get the price in writing.
Man and van or a removals company?
For comparison, the HomeOwners Alliance put the average removals-company price for a one-bed house within 25km at £330 when we checked in October 2026. Four hours of two people and a van, at our hourly estimate, comes in below that if you've packed yourself.
To my mind a removals firm earns its fee with a whole house, a long distance, packing, valuable or fragile things, and a firm that belongs to a trade association with a dispute service. See house removals for prices and how to choose.
Keeping the hours down
You're paying by the hour, so I'd have everything boxed, labelled and by the door before they arrive, beds dismantled, and parking sorted at both ends. Measure big furniture against doorways and stairs first. For a single heavy item such as a piano, use a specialist: see piano removals. Clearing rubbish rather than moving it? See rubbish removal.
Get man and van quotes
Man and van is priced by the hour and how many people you need.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a man and van cost?
On our estimates, £35 to £65 an hour for one person and a van, £50 to £80 with two.
How much is 2 men and a van?
About £50 to £80 an hour on our estimates, or roughly £200 to £320 for four hours.
Is a man and van cheaper than a removals company?
For a small move where you've packed yourself, it can be. For a whole house, packing, long distances or valuable items, I'd use a removals firm.
Does a man and van include insurance?
Not always. Ask what covers your belongings in transit: insurance can be an extra.
How we priced thisView sources (1)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- IndustryHow much do removals cost? (updated 14 October 2026), HomeOwners Alliance. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
