Guide
How long does a man and van move take?
A studio takes 2 to 4 hours by man and van, a 1 to 2 bed flat 4 to 6 hours and a 2 to 3 bed home 6 to 8 hours, on Fantastic Services' September 2026 guide. Loading and unloading take most of that time, and the driving between addresses is charged at the same hourly rate.
How long does a move take by home size?
Fantastic Services gives 2 to 4 hours for a studio, 4 to 6 hours for a 1 to 2 bed flat and 6 to 8 hours for a 2 to 3 bed home by man and van (September 2026). Its removals guide gives 3 to 5 hours with two movers for a studio or 1 bed, 5 to 7 hours with two or three movers for a 2 bed, and most of a day with three movers for a 3 bed.
Konnect You (formerly Compare My Move) says moving house takes between one and two days on average (September 2026), a figure that covers full removals as well as smaller moves. For a man and van, which mostly does flats and small houses, a single day is normal.
How long does loading and unloading take?
Loading a studio or 1 bed flat takes up to an hour, a 2 bed one to two hours and a larger home two hours or more, on Compare the Man and Van's guide. It puts unloading at about the same time as loading.
For full house removals, MyJobQuote gives two to four hours of loading for smaller homes and six to eight hours for larger ones, with two to six hours to unload (September 2026). The figures differ because a removal crew also wraps furniture, takes beds apart and fills a bigger vehicle.
How is the driving time counted?
Driving between the two addresses is paid time at the hourly rate, and some firms also charge for the run to your first address. Compare the Man and Van's worked example for a 2 bed flat moving 15 miles is about five hours: two hours to load, half an hour to drive, two hours to unload and half an hour spare.
Fantastic Services says a cross-city or intercity run adds driving time you pay for, and that a per-mile charge can apply beyond a set radius. On a long-distance move the driver also has to follow GB domestic drivers' hours, which GOV.UK caps at 10 hours of driving a day for vans under 3.5 tonnes.
What speeds up a move?
Being fully packed before the van arrives makes the biggest difference. Boxes that are taped, labelled and stacked near the door load faster than drawers and loose items, and beds and tables taken apart the night before save the crew time.
Parking close to the door matters too. Compare the Man and Van suggests allowing 30 to 60 extra minutes for stairs or a long carry, so a suspended bay outside or a booked lift at a block of flats cuts the hours. A third person on a big job can finish sooner and cost less overall than two people working longer.
How is an hourly price worked out?
An hourly price is the number of people and the van size priced per hour, multiplied by the time from arrival to the last item off, with a minimum charge, usually two hours. Time after the minimum is billed by the hour or half hour, depending on the firm (Compare the Man and Van FAQ).
As an example, the five-hour 2 bed move above at Fantastic Services' £50 to £80 an hour for two people comes to £250 to £400 outside London. Road charges, parking and materials are then added if the quote does not include them. Ask whether the clock starts at the firm's yard or your door, and whether it rounds up to the next half hour.
Common questions
How long does it take to move a 1 bed flat?
About 4 to 6 hours by man and van for a 1 to 2 bed flat, on Fantastic Services' September 2026 guide. Loading alone takes up to an hour for a 1 bed (Compare the Man and Van).
How long does it take to load a van?
Up to an hour for a studio or 1 bed, one to two hours for a 2 bed and two hours or more for a larger home, according to Compare the Man and Van.
Do man and van firms charge for driving time?
Yes. Driving between addresses is paid time, and some firms add a per-mile charge beyond a set radius.
How long does a 3 bed house move take?
Most of a day with a three-person removal crew, on Fantastic Services' guide, and sometimes two days if packing is included.