It is unsurprising that with the high costs of removal companies that many are deciding to follow the 'Do It Yourself' route with the acquisition of van hire services. For those who do not have a considerable amount of furniture and other possessions the self move can be a far more affordable option when moving house. That said, for those with expansive mansions filled with a large amount of expensive furniture pieces, hiring the professionals may be more advisable.



Predominantly people hire a van and choose to self hire because it is a cheaper alternative to employing removal services. The DIY move however is not easy, a great deal of effort is needed to safely load a van and then unload at the other end. Of vital importance is to find friends that will be able to help you, carrying out the task on your own is practically impossible. The process may be stressful but it is important to remember the ultimate objective, at every stage while you are loading and unloading the van, remember that the result will be living a new home and enjoying a new stage in your life.

On the day there are certain factors that should be considered; at the van hire company, try to hire a van that will be big enough to accommodate all of your possessions in one or two trips; only one if you have a considerable journey to make to your new home. Making many trips may be easier but those moving into your old home will be moving as well and hence they will want you gone at a reasonable time so they can move their possessions in. Additionally, as completion rarely happens first thing in the morning you may not be able to unload the van until the afternoon, meaning that no matter how early you start, you may be moving into the night. Hence using a large enough van will reduce stress on your part.

The van hire costs are not the only monetary considerations to make however, try to factor in all of the costs at the outset. Boxes and tape will cost money, as will other packing materials, so factor this in. As well as the hire costs, fuel must be considered as in most cases you will have to return the van with a full tank at the end of the rental period. Equally important however is to remember that while your friends and family may be willing to help for free, the least you can do at the end of a hard day is to provide a couple of beers and a take away to thank them for their efforts. If all of these costs add up to more than the price of a removal service, use the professionals.

There are a large number of different vans available for hire on the market today. As previously stated you need to make sure that it is large enough. Transit vans are usually the cheapest but due to sloping sides the interior space is rarely large enough to accommodate all possessions. A larger van is the Luton; this has a square complexion and is a good balance between ease of driving and size. The largest vans available for hire are the 7.5 tonne trucks, most people with a normal driving licence will be able to drive these although they can be difficult to handle. The latter two varieties are normally available with a tail lift; this inclusion can be highly advisable in a self move as it will save a great deal of effort during the loading/unloading process.

As a money saving option the self move is a viable alternative to professional removal services. It will be a hard day's work however so if are not willing to put the effort in, hire the professionals. Choose the correct size van and your DIY move should be as easy and stress free as possible.