Should you hire a van and move yourselves, or book a removals crew? Set your time, helpers and items below for a straight verdict, then compare the two options properly, cost heading by cost heading, with our published London prices on the professional side so the comparison is real.
Decision inputs
Estimated fit
DIY is possible with care, but fragile or awkward items add handling risk, a professional team adds safety and speed for those pieces.
Whichever way you go, check:
Hire-company prices change daily, so the DIY column lists what to check rather than a made-up figure. The professional column uses our published London card, so you can put real numbers on that side and honest headings on the other.
| Factor | DIY | Professional (Vano Removals) |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | You hire, collect, insure and return the van yourself. Check the hire day rate, the deposit, the excess, mileage or fuel charges, and whether the van is big enough in one trip, a second day of hire doubles most of the bill. | The Luton van and tail lift are part of the service, sized to your inventory in the written quote. One load for most homes; if a second trip is needed, it is planned and priced before the day. |
| Driving | A Luton up to 3.5 tonnes can be driven on a standard car licence, but it is taller, wider and heavier than a car, and London adds width restrictions, bus lanes and red routes. Any damage is your excess to pay. | An experienced driver who knows London loading rules handles the route, the parking position and the vehicle. You never touch the wheel. |
| Lifting and carrying | You and your helpers carry everything, including the items nobody wants: the wardrobe, the sofa, the washing machine, down every flight. Injuries and damaged doorframes are the common DIY costs nobody budgets for. | A two-man crew at £85 per hour, or three men at £100 per hour, with the carrying, the stairs (£5 per floor where the carry is by stairs) and the placement at the destination included. |
| Packing and materials | Boxes, wrap and tape bought at retail, plus the evenings to pack, roughly 2½ hours per room done carefully. Under-packed fragile items are where DIY moves most often lose money. | Packing can be booked as part of the move, with materials at published prices: boxes £5, wrap £15, tape £10 per roll. Or pack yourselves and let the crew handle loading and transport only. |
| Time and risk | The whole day is yours to lose: a late key handover, a van that is too small, or a helper who drops out lands on you, usually against a tenancy or completion deadline. | The day is planned around your deadline, with the scope confirmed in writing: no deposit, free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and overruns charged at the same hourly rate you booked at. |
Professional side: a two-man crew at £85 per hour for a four-hour move is £340, plus £10 if two floors are carried by stairs, van, tail lift, carrying and placement included, no deposit, and any overrun at the same £85 rate. DIY side: price the van hire for the day, the fuel, the materials, and the suspensions, then add a full day of your own and your helpers’ time, and the risk that the wardrobe does not survive the stairs. Whichever total is lower, you now know what the difference buys.
Yes: a Luton van up to 3.5 tonnes is within a standard category B car licence. The catch is not the licence, it is the driving: the height catches car-park barriers and low bridges, the width catches narrow streets, and hire companies charge the excess for any scrape. Price that risk honestly into the DIY side.
Add the hire day rate, deposit and likely excess exposure, fuel and any mileage charge, Congestion Charge or ULEZ where the route applies, packing materials at retail prices, parking suspensions at both addresses, food and favours for helpers, and a second hire day if the first overruns. The gap between DIY and a professional crew is usually smaller than the hire headline suggests, the worked example below shows the professional side exactly.
On small, simple moves: a studio or a few items, ground-floor access at both ends, plenty of time, strong helpers, and nothing fragile or irreplaceable. That is exactly what the checker above tests, if it says DIY looks manageable for your inputs, believe it.
Yes, and many people do: pack and move the light things yourselves, and book a crew for the heavy, fragile or awkward items, or book driver help at £70 per hour, where one professional mover and the van work alongside your own hands. Send the split you have in mind with your enquiry and the written quote will price it.
Leaning professional? Send both postcodes and your inventory through the quote form or email info@vanoremovals.co.uk, or run the numbers first in the instant quote calculator.
Customer Reviews
Real, unedited reviews from customers we’ve moved across London.
“Best house removal company around. The team at Vano Removals was punctual, hard-working, and handled our furniture with great care. If you need reliable, stress-free local movers or packing services, I highly recommend them.”
Muhammad Saad
Google review · October 2026
These are unedited reviews from our Google Business Profile. Moved with us recently? Your honest review helps other Londoners choose with confidence.
