Book a van that's too small and you'll be making two trips across London. Book one that's too big and you've paid for empty space you never used. Here's how to work out which vehicle your move actually needs, whether you're leaving a studio in Shoreditch or a four-bed house in Bromley.
Why van size matters
Van size decides more than you'd think. It sets the price, the crew you'll need, and whether your move finishes by lunchtime or drags into the evening.
Get it wrong in one direction and the crew has to leave belongings behind for a second trip, which can add two hours or more once London traffic gets involved. Go too far the other way and you've hired a 7.5-tonne lorry to shift a one-bed flat.
We've completed over 20,000 moves, and the van question comes up on nearly every quote call. So here's the honest answer, size by size.
The three vans that handle most London moves
Nearly every move in the capital uses one of three vehicles. Each suits a different size of home, and the jump between them is bigger than most people realise.
Medium van
A medium wheelbase van, the classic Transit type, carries roughly 40 standard boxes or the contents of a studio flat. It suits single-item jobs, student moves and small clearances. Two people can load one in under an hour.
Luton van
The Luton is the workhorse of London removals. Its box body holds around 600 to 800 cubic feet, enough for a typical one or two-bed flat in a single trip, and the tail lift makes light work of sofas, fridges and washing machines.
7.5-tonne lorry
Three and four-bed houses need proper space. A 7.5-tonne lorry takes roughly the contents of a three-bed home in one load, so you're not watching the same van come back three times on completion day.
How to estimate what you own
You don't need a tape measure for this. Count your furnished rooms and allow roughly 150 to 200 cubic feet per room, then add extra for a loft, garden or shed.
A three-seater sofa takes about 50 cubic feet on its own, and a standard packing box around 3, so the numbers climb faster than most people expect. Still unsure? Send us a video walkthrough instead, because we offer a free video survey on larger moves. And if boxing everything up feels like a job too far, our packing and unpacking service handles the boxes, wrapping and labelling for you.
Match the crew to the van
A bigger van needs more hands. Two movers and a Luton handle most flat moves comfortably. Add stairs with no lift, a piano, or a full house and you'll want a three-person crew, which often works out cheaper overall because the loading time drops sharply.
Our man and van teams suit smaller jobs, while full house removals come with bigger crews, free wrapping, floor coverings, and furniture dismantled and reassembled at the other end. Every crew is DBS-checked and uniformed, whatever the size of the job.
London streets change the sums
London rarely hands you a loading bay. Permit-only parking, red routes and narrow Victorian terraces all affect which vehicle makes sense, and the biggest van is not always the right one.
On some streets a 7.5-tonne lorry simply can't get close, so two Luton loads parked outside your door beat one big vehicle parked 200 metres away. That carrying distance matters. Every extra metre adds time, and time is what you're paying for.
We sort the parking suspensions and the congestion charge ourselves rather than adding them to your bill, and for flat removals with awkward access we plan the route from your front door to the van before move day.
What if it doesn't all fit?
It happens more often than you'd think. Lofts and garages are the usual culprits, because nobody remembers them until the van is nearly full.
If the load runs over, you have three options: a second trip (fine when you're moving locally), a larger vehicle booked in advance, or moving the overflow into secure storage until you have space for it. A fixed-price quote protects you here. The price we agree is the price you pay, so an honest survey up front beats a nasty surprise on the day.
Frequently asked questions
What size van do I need for a one-bed flat?
A Luton van in most cases. One trip usually covers a typical one-bed flat, including white goods, as long as the loft and cupboards aren't hiding extra volume. A medium van can work for lightly furnished flats.
Can a Luton van move a three-bed house?
Not in one trip, usually. A three-bed home tends to need a 7.5-tonne lorry or two Luton loads. We'll recommend whichever option works out cheaper for your distance when we quote.
Is it cheaper to book a small van and do two trips?
Sometimes, but rarely in London. Traffic between trips eats the saving, and you pay for the crew's time throughout. Two trips can make sense for short local moves. Beyond a few miles, one bigger vehicle usually wins.
Do lofts and gardens really change the van size?
Yes, more than anything else. A full loft can add 100 to 200 cubic feet, which is a quarter of a Luton. Mention them when you ask for a quote and the price won't move on the day.
Picking the right van isn't guesswork when someone's done it 20,000 times. Tell us what you're moving and we'll match the vehicle and crew to the job, with a fixed price and no hidden fees. It takes a minute to ask, and the quote is free.