Make sense of your moving budget
How much does a move cost? Price factors and worked examples
A realistic moving budget starts with a list: what needs to go from which property to where, and who will do each job? Only then can you assess a quote properly. This guide explains which details affect the price, what to check in each cost item and what a transparent calculation can look like.
Define the work before comparing prices
Two homes with the same floor area can involve very different moves. One might contain a few lightweight pieces of furniture on the ground floor. The other might have books, a large wardrobe, a basement storage area and four flights of stairs with no suitable lift.
Plan two separate totals: the price of the moving service you hire and the other expenses involved in changing homes. Boxes, a temporary overlap in rent or care arrangements you organise yourself can affect your budget without being part of the moving partner's quote. Next to each item, write down who will pay for it and whether you already have a specific price.
Six details that determine the work involved
- Volume and special items: list furniture, boxes, basement contents and bulky pieces. Photos with measurements are more useful than “a typical one-bedroom flat”. Note any special requirements for heavy or delicate items.
- Access at both addresses: specify floors, lift dimensions, narrow stairs and the distance between the building entrance and a possible loading space. Having a lift does little to help if the sofa will not fit inside.
- Distance and journeys: include the collection and delivery addresses, any stops along the way and a possible second trip. Check whether the team's travel to the first address and return journey are charged separately.
- Your own work and hired services: who will pack, carry and dismantle furniture? “Transport” alone does not tell you whether carrying items out of the old home and into the rooms of the new one is included.
- Date and time window: state your preferred day and any alternatives. Ask for a clear explanation of any date-related or waiting-time charges, and whether choosing another date would change the price.
- Materials and arrangements: make clear who is responsible for boxes, protective materials, carrying aids and any temporary no-parking zone that may be needed.
What your quote should make clear
Use this checklist while reading a quote. “Included” is only helpful when it is clear what the word refers to.
For prices quoted to consumers, the total price is what matters. It includes any applicable VAT and other price components. If the price is broken down, the total must be highlighted. Compare final amounts, and do not automatically add VAT on top of every quote.
| Item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Items to be moved | Which furniture, boxes and storage areas are covered? |
| Team and time | How many people will be working? Is the rate per person or for the whole team? |
| Vehicle and distance | Are the vehicle, fuel, travel to the first address, return journey and agreed mileage included? |
| Carrying distances and floors | Has access at both addresses been taken into account? |
| Packing and materials | Who packs? Are material quantities, delivery and any possible return arrangements clear? |
| Furniture work | Which pieces will be dismantled and reassembled? What is explicitly excluded? |
| Arrangements and additional work | Who arranges a loading space? How are waiting time and changes handled? |
| Payment and total | What is the final amount, when is it due and which company will receive payment? |
Fixed price, hourly billing or an estimate?
With a fixed price, the key question is which services have been agreed. Hourly billing needs a clear record of time as well as a rate: when does billable time start and end, how are breaks handled, and is there a minimum chargeable duration?
An estimated duration is not a fixed final total. If you receive a cost estimate, explicitly ask whether it is binding. Agree changes to the scope and their price in writing before the work takes place. Germany's consumer advice centres recommend recording all agreed parts of the service in writing.
Example A: You pack, with no furniture assembly
All quantities and euro amounts below are illustrative assumptions. They are not actual quotes, rates, average prices or market forecasts from Umzughilfen or any partner. All amounts are assumed to be final amounts, including any applicable VAT. No tax is added afterwards.
This example assumes packed boxes, prepared furniture and easily accessible loading spaces. There are two people in the team. The five hours cover the agreed carrying, loading and unloading, and travel between the homes. Travel to the first address and the team's return journey are accounted for only in the vehicle item.
The hourly rate for the team is applied once; it is not multiplied again by two people. With all other assumptions unchanged, two additional billable team hours would add €220, bringing the total to €970. This illustrates why duration matters; it does not mean that these extra charges would be permitted under any particular contract.
| Assumed item | Illustrative calculation | Final amount |
|---|---|---|
| Whole team | 5 hours × €110 per team hour | €550 |
| Vehicle and agreed journeys | assumed flat amount | €140 |
| Agreed packing materials | assumed flat amount | €60 |
| Assumed total | €550 + €140 + €60 | €750 |
Example B: More carrying work and separately agreed furniture assembly
All quantities and euro amounts below are illustrative assumptions. They are not actual quotes, rates, average prices or market forecasts from Umzughilfen or any partner. All amounts are assumed to be final amounts, including any applicable VAT. No tax is added afterwards.
This example assumes a three-person team and seven hours for transport and carrying. Two specifically listed pieces of furniture are also dismantled and reassembled for a separate flat assembly charge. This assembly time is not also included in the seven team hours.
The amounts show only how the items add up. Example B is not a price benchmark for a particular size of home. The assumed loading-space item does not indicate actual municipal fees either.
| Assumed item | Illustrative calculation | Final amount |
|---|---|---|
| Whole team | 7 hours × €150 per team hour | €1,050 |
| Vehicle and agreed journeys | assumed flat amount | €220 |
| Agreed packing materials | assumed flat amount | €120 |
| Agreed furniture assembly | assumed flat amount | €180 |
| Arranging a loading space | assumed total including agreed fees | €90 |
| Assumed total | €1,050 + €220 + €120 + €180 + €90 | €1,660 |
Compare quotes for the same work
Send every company you approach the same inventory, addresses and division of tasks. Mark each item in every quote as included, excluded or still unclear. Ask for unresolved items to be clarified in writing before calculating a potential saving.
A lower total tells you little if that option still requires you to dismantle furniture, buy boxes or organise extra journeys yourself. Add the specific expenses you would incur. With hourly quotes, also compare team size and estimated duration; a low hourly rate alone does not determine the total price.
Moving yourself: costs that are easy to overlook
The vehicle hire price may be supplemented by fuel, extra mileage, agreed insurance packages and a longer rental period. Read the collection and return conditions before using the daily rate in your budget. A refundable deposit initially ties up money; it is not a final moving expense.
Also account for packing materials, suitable moving equipment, food and drinks, and any care arrangements you need. Allow time for collection, return and multiple journeys too. Keep money you actually spend separate from any value you choose to place on your own free time.
Prepare an enquiry that gives the right information
If something is still unknown, say so. An estimated box count labelled as an estimate is more useful than a seemingly exact number that turns out to be far off.
- Note both addresses, floors, carrying distances and lift dimensions.
- Make a furniture and box inventory, with photos of difficult access points.
- Clearly distinguish the work you will do yourself from the services you want the partner to provide.
- State your preferred date, alternatives and any necessary stops along the way.
- Ask for clear billing terms, a list of included services and the corresponding final amount.
Frequently asked questions
Can I calculate moving costs from floor area alone?
Floor area provides a starting point, but it does not describe your actual belongings, access or the work involved. For a useful quote, you need at least an inventory and details of both addresses.
Can I book a move at the example prices on this page?
No. These are invented figures used solely to explain the calculation. The independent partner carrying out the move will provide a specific quote based on the move you actually describe.
Who do I book and pay for the move?
The independent partner provides the quote, enters into the contract for the work, carries out the agreed services and issues the invoice. You pay that partner. You will receive their name and address before making a binding booking.
Sources and further reading
The German-language sources were checked on 21 September 2026. They explain total-price information and how to review moving quotes. The worked examples in this guide were created independently for illustration and do not come from these sources.