About the figures in this guide. Where a price is labelled as MoveMate's, it comes from our own rate card. Everything else describes the UK market in general, from published industry sources. Nothing here is a quote. For a price for your job, ask us.
The short answer
For a few boxes and one or two items, a small or short-wheelbase van is enough. For a studio or a one-bedroom flat, a medium or long-wheelbase van is usually right. For two bedrooms or more, a Luton van is the van most people picture, and a house of three bedrooms or more often needs more than one load or a full removal.
These are rules of thumb, not a quote. How much furniture you own matters more than the number of bedrooms, so describe what is moving and we will say which van we would send.
How big is a Luton van?
Our Luton van has 4 × 2 × 2m, which is about 16 cubic metres of load space, and takes up to 8 pallets. A tail lift is available for heavy items such as a washing machine or a wardrobe.
The load space is generous but the weight limit is not unlimited: a full load of books, tools or stone can reach the weight limit before the van looks full, so tell us about anything dense.
The vans we use, side by side
Load space and weight for each: Small Van (1 × 1.2 × 1m, up to 400kg); SWB Van (2 × 1.2 × 1.2m, up to 800kg); MWB Van (3 × 1.2 × 1.7m, up to 1,300kg); LWB Van (3.6 × 1.2 × 1.8m, up to 1,100kg); XLWB Van (4 × 1.2 × 1.7m, up to 1,100kg); Luton Van (4 × 2 × 2m, up to 800kg). The first figure is length, width and height of the load area.
In cubic metres that is roughly 1.2 for the Small Van, 2.9 for the SWB Van, 6.1 for the MWB Van, 7.8 for the LWB Van, 8.2 for the XLWB Van, 16 for the Luton Van. The Luton van holds about twice what the next largest holds, because it is taller and wider as well as longer.
How many bedrooms does each van cover?
As a rough guide: a few boxes, a bike or a single piece of furniture go in a small or short-wheelbase van. A studio, a room in a shared house or a one-bedroom flat with little furniture suits a medium or long-wheelbase van. A one- or two-bedroom home with a sofa, a bed and a wardrobe is a Luton van.
Three bedrooms and above is usually more than one Luton van load, once you count the beds, wardrobes, sofas, white goods and boxes. At that size it is quicker and often cheaper in the end to book a full house removal, which we price after a free survey.
A lot of boxes go further than a lot of furniture, because boxes stack to the roof and furniture does not. If you have packed well, you may fit in a smaller van than the number of rooms suggests.
Bigger is not always better
A Luton van is about 2 metres wide and 2 metres high. Some streets, low bridges and car parks will not take it, and some driveways are too tight to turn it. On a narrow street the crew may have to park further away, and that costs time.
A smaller van that makes two trips can beat one big van on a tight street. If the access at either end is difficult, tell us the street and we will choose the van to suit it, not just the load.
What about the weight?
Each van has a maximum load, shown in the list above. A washing machine, a fridge freezer and a solid wooden wardrobe can add up quickly, and boxed books are heavier than they look.
If the load is heavy rather than bulky, the weight limit can decide the van, not the space. Say so when you ask, and we will allow for it.
Pallets and deliveries
For a delivery rather than a move, the number of pallets decides the van. The short-wheelbase van takes up to two, the medium and long-wheelbase vans take up to three, the extra-long takes up to four and the Luton van takes up to eight. The quote form on this page picks the van from the pallet count.
For loads bigger than that, call us and we will talk it through.
Pricing by van size
A bigger van costs more per mile. Our rates for pre-booked work, before VAT: Car: £45 minimum (£54 inc VAT), or £1 a mile (£1.20 inc VAT); Small Van: £45 minimum (£54 inc VAT), or £1 a mile (£1.20 inc VAT); SWB Van: £55 minimum (£66 inc VAT), or £1 a mile (£1.20 inc VAT); MWB Van: £65 minimum (£78 inc VAT), or £1.50 a mile (£1.80 inc VAT); LWB Van: £65 minimum (£78 inc VAT), or £1.50 a mile (£1.80 inc VAT); XLWB Van: £75 minimum (£90 inc VAT), or £1.80 a mile (£2.16 inc VAT); Luton Van: £95 minimum (£114 inc VAT), or £2 a mile (£2.40 inc VAT). The price is the minimum or the miles, whichever is higher.
For example, a 30-mile run is £65 + VAT = £78 inc VAT in a medium-wheelbase van and £95 + VAT = £114 inc VAT in a Luton van, pre-booked. Man and van moves are a fixed price once we know the job, so the van size is part of what we agree with you before anything is booked.
Last reviewed 19 October 2026.