You’ve bought a sofa on Facebook Marketplace. Found a washing machine on Gumtree. Inherited a wardrobe from a relative. Now you need to get it from there to here—and your car definitely isn’t up to the job. Is it worth hiring professional help for just one item, or should you find another way?
The Real Cost of Moving a Single Item
Professional single-item transport typically costs £40-80 for local moves (under 10 miles), depending on the item’s size and access at both ends. For longer distances, expect £80-150 or more.
These prices might seem steep for one sofa or one fridge. But before dismissing professional help as too expensive, consider what the alternatives actually cost.
DIY Van Hire
Renting a van yourself for a day typically costs £50-100 for a medium van, plus fuel (£20-40 depending on distance), plus insurance excess (often £500-1,000 that you’re liable for if anything goes wrong), plus your time collecting and returning the van.
You’ll also need to do the loading and unloading yourself. A three-seater sofa or a fridge-freezer is a two-person job minimum—and potentially a back injury waiting to happen if you don’t know proper lifting techniques.
For a single local item, DIY van hire often works out similar in cost to professional transport, but with significantly more effort and risk.
Delivery from Retailers
If you’re buying new from a major retailer, delivery is often included or available at a fixed price (typically £30-60). But for second-hand purchases, marketplace finds, or items you already own that need relocating, retailer delivery isn’t an option.
Asking Friends
The classic approach: find someone with a van or estate car and offer them beer money. This can work, but consider that you’re asking for several hours of their time, they may not have the right vehicle or equipment, loading heavy items without proper technique risks injury, and if something gets damaged, the friendship gets awkward.
For genuinely small items, friends are fine. For heavy furniture or appliances, professional help is often worth the modest cost.
When Professional Help Makes Sense
Certain situations make hiring a furniture transport service the obvious choice.
Heavy Items
Washing machines, fridge-freezers, and American-style fridges are genuinely heavy—often 60-100kg or more. Sofas can weigh 50-80kg. Moving these items safely requires proper equipment (trolleys, straps, lifting technique) and ideally two people who know what they’re doing.
Professional movers do this daily. They have the equipment and experience to move heavy items without damaging them, your property, or themselves. For items over about 40kg, this expertise is worth paying for.
Awkward Access
Getting a sofa through a narrow doorway, up a tight staircase, or into a third-floor flat without a lift is a skill. Professional movers know how to angle furniture, which pieces can be partially dismantled, and when an item genuinely won’t fit (saving you the embarrassment of discovering this halfway up the stairs).
If either the collection or delivery address has challenging access—narrow hallways, multiple floors, no lift, tight corners—professional help pays for itself in reduced stress and damage risk.
Valuable Items
That vintage sideboard or antique mirror might be irreplaceable. Professional transport comes with insurance protection. If something gets damaged, you have recourse. If you damage something yourself or a friend drops it, you’re simply out of luck.
For items with significant monetary or sentimental value, the insurance alone justifies professional transport.
Distance
For local moves, DIY might be feasible. For anything over 20-30 miles, professional transport becomes increasingly attractive. You’re looking at significant driving time, fuel costs, and the hassle of returning a hire van to a different location (often not possible or expensive).
Marketplace Purchases
Buying furniture through Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, or eBay often means collecting from a stranger’s home. Having a professional service handle this adds a layer of legitimacy and practicality—they’ll manage the loading, check the item’s condition, and deliver it to you without you needing to coordinate schedules with the seller.
When DIY Makes More Sense
Professional transport isn’t always necessary. Consider handling it yourself when the item is light enough for one or two people to manage comfortably, you have access to a suitable vehicle (estate car, borrowed van), access is straightforward at both ends (ground floor, wide doorways), the distance is short (under 10 miles), the item isn’t particularly valuable, and you’re confident in your ability to secure it safely for transport.
A flatpack bookshelf, a small dining table, or a set of chairs probably don’t need professional transport. A leather corner sofa, a piano, or a cast-iron range cooker almost certainly do.
What Single-Item Transport Typically Includes
When you hire a man and van for a single item, you usually get the driver and van for the specified time, loading at the collection address, transport to the delivery address, unloading at the destination, and basic protection (blankets, straps) during transit.
Some services include carrying items up stairs; others charge extra per floor. Some will help position furniture in your room; others deliver to the doorstep only. Clarify what’s included when booking.
What’s typically not included: assembly or dismantling (though some services offer this for an additional fee), packing materials (if the item needs wrapping beyond blankets), and disposal of packaging or old items.
Getting the Best Value
Be Flexible on Timing
If you can accept delivery during a weekday or at a time that suits the driver’s existing route, you may get a better price. Some services offer discounted rates for flexible bookings.
Combine Items Where Possible
If you’re buying a sofa and a coffee table, or collecting items from two locations in the same area, doing it in one trip costs less than two separate bookings. The van’s already there—additional items often add minimal cost.
Provide Accurate Information
Accurate dimensions, weight estimates, and access details help services quote correctly. Underestimating leads to problems on collection day; overestimating means you might pay for capacity you don’t need.
Consider Shared Transport Services
Some platforms match your item with vans already travelling in your direction, filling empty space on existing routes. This can offer significant savings for non-urgent deliveries, though timing is less predictable.
Typical Single-Item Costs
For a local move (under 10 miles), expect roughly £40-60 for small furniture (armchairs, small tables, single mattresses), £50-80 for medium furniture (two-seater sofas, wardrobes, chest of drawers), £60-100 for large furniture (three-seater sofas, king beds, large appliances), and £80-150+ for very heavy or bulky items (American fridges, pianos, gym equipment).
Add £20-40 for every 10 miles of additional distance. Stairs without a lift typically add £10-20 per floor.
These are ballpark figures—actual costs depend on your specific situation. Getting a quote for your exact requirements takes minutes and removes the guesswork.
Special Considerations for Specific Items
Sofas
Sofas are bulky but relatively light. The main challenge is manoeuvring them through doorways and around corners. Corner sofas and L-shaped sofas are particularly awkward. Some sofas have removable legs or backs that make transport easier—check before collection.
Appliances
Washing machines need proper disconnection (and reconnection at the destination). Fridge-freezers should ideally stand upright during transport and need time to settle before switching on. Professional movers understand these requirements.
Beds
Most beds dismantle for transport. If you’re not confident dismantling and reassembling, ask whether the service offers this (usually for an additional fee). Mattresses are bulky but light and benefit from mattress bags to keep them clean.
Pianos and Heavy Instruments
Pianos require specialist movers with specific equipment and experience. Standard man and van services may decline piano moves or lack the appropriate insurance. If you’re moving a piano, find a specialist.
Glass and Mirrors
Large mirrors, glass table tops, and similar items need extra protection. Confirm the service can handle fragile items and has appropriate packing materials.
The Bottom Line
For a single large item, professional transport typically costs £40-100 for local moves. That’s roughly equivalent to DIY van hire once you factor in fuel, your time, and the physical effort—but without the heavy lifting, damage risk, or logistical hassle.
If the item is heavy, awkward, valuable, or needs to travel any significant distance, professional help is usually worth it. If it’s light, local, and you have willing helpers and a suitable vehicle, DIY can make sense.
The easiest way to decide is to get a quote for your specific item and route, then compare it honestly against the true cost of alternatives.
If you need to move a single item or a few pieces, you can get an instant quote to see exactly what it would cost for your situation.
