If you’re planning a house move in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire or anywhere across the East Midlands, one of the biggest decisions you’ll face is whether to move yourself or hire a professional removals company.
At first glance, a DIY move can seem like the cheaper option. Hiring a van and asking friends or family to help may appear to save money, especially when there are already so many costs involved in buying and selling a property.
However, moving house is about much more than transporting belongings from one address to another. Time, stress, physical effort and the risk of delays can all have a significant impact on moving day.
At City Removals East Midlands, we’ve helped hundreds of families move home throughout Nottingham and the surrounding areas. One thing we’ve learned is that moving house often takes much longer than people expect.
Why Moving Yourself Often Takes Longer Than Expected
One of the biggest differences between a DIY move and hiring a professional removals company is efficiency.
Professional movers relocate homes every day. We know how to load a removals van safely, protect furniture, maximise space and keep the move progressing throughout the day.
When moving yourself, even seemingly simple tasks can take much longer than anticipated:
- Carrying furniture in and out of the property
- Dismantling and reassembling beds and wardrobes
- Loading and unloading the van
- Protecting fragile items
- Organising belongings at both properties
What many homeowners expect to take a few hours can easily become an all-day job.
Multiple Trips Can Cause Unexpected Problems
One of the most common issues we see with DIY house moves is the number of journeys required.
Professional removals companies are trained to load vehicles efficiently and safely, often fitting significantly more into a single load than most people realise.
When moving yourself, it is easy to underestimate how much space your belongings will take up. Furniture, appliances and boxes quickly fill the vehicle, leaving many people needing to return for a second or even third load.
Every additional trip means:
- More time spent moving
- More fuel used
- More physical effort
- Increased stress
- A greater risk of delays
While this may not seem like a major issue initially, it can quickly become one when moving an entire household.
Property Chains Leave Little Room for Delays
Timing becomes particularly important if you are buying and selling property as part of a chain.
In most cases, sellers are expected to have completely vacated their property by around midday so that the new owners can move in once the keys have been released.
Unfortunately, many homeowners only realise how much work is involved when moving day arrives.
One situation we occasionally encounter is arriving at our customer’s new home only to find that the previous owners are still moving out.
In many cases, they have underestimated how long it would take to pack, load and transport their belongings themselves. What was expected to be a straightforward move has turned into multiple trips, delays and added stress.
When a property has not been fully vacated, it can delay access for the new owners and create frustration throughout the chain.
Moving day is already stressful enough without arriving at your new home and discovering you cannot start unloading because the previous occupants are still trying to finish their move.
This highlights how one delayed move can affect multiple households.
Professional removals companies help reduce this risk by ensuring properties are emptied efficiently and on time, helping the entire moving process run more smoothly for everyone involved.
The Physical Side of Moving House
Many people focus on the potential savings of moving themselves but underestimate how physically demanding moving day can be.
By the time the final load has been completed, there is often still plenty left to do:
- Collecting keys
- Unloading the van
- Reassembling furniture
- Unpacking essential items
- Cleaning
- Organising rooms
After hours of lifting, carrying and driving, most people arrive at their new home exhausted.
For many families, having the energy to start settling into their new property is worth far more than they initially expected.
Don’t Underestimate the Stress
Moving house is often described as one of life’s most stressful events.
There are already enough things to think about, including:
- Solicitors
- Estate agents
- Mortgage lenders
- Completion dates
- Utility providers
- Address changes
Adding the responsibility of loading a van, coordinating helpers and making multiple journeys can increase that stress significantly.
Hiring a professional removals company doesn’t remove every challenge, but it does allow you to hand over one of the biggest parts of the process to experienced movers.
That peace of mind is one of the most common reasons homeowners choose professional house removals.
Is Hiring a Removals Company Worth It?
For very small moves involving a few boxes or pieces of furniture, moving yourself can be a practical and cost-effective option.
However, for larger house moves, family homes, long-distance relocations or properties involved in a chain, professional removals services can save considerable time, effort and stress.
Many people initially focus on the cost of hiring a removals company. However, once they consider the number of trips required, the physical work involved and the pressure of moving day, they often realise the value extends far beyond simply transporting belongings.
Final Thoughts
While moving yourself may seem like the cheaper option initially, it is important to consider the bigger picture.
Time, physical effort, stress, multiple trips and the risk of delays can quickly outweigh the initial savings.
For many homeowners, the real value of a professional removals company is not simply transporting belongings from one property to another. It is knowing that moving day is being handled efficiently, allowing them to focus on their family, their new home and the next chapter ahead.
If you are planning a house move in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire or anywhere across the East Midlands, City Removals East Midlands would be happy to provide advice and a free, no-obligation quotation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to move house yourself?
Moving yourself can appear cheaper initially. However, additional fuel costs, multiple trips, time, physical effort and stress can often reduce the savings people expect.
Why hire a professional removals company?
Professional movers can often complete a move more efficiently, reduce the risk of delays and remove much of the physical work and stress associated with moving house.
What are the benefits of hiring a removals company?
The main benefits include saving time, reducing stress, avoiding multiple trips, protecting furniture and ensuring your move progresses as efficiently as possible.
How many trips will I need when moving house myself?
This depends on the size of your property and vehicle. Many DIY movers underestimate how much space their belongings require and end up making additional journeys.
Can a removals company help with packing?
Yes. Many removals companies, including City Removals East Midlands, offer professional packing services to help protect belongings and save time during a move.
