Moving cost calculator
Every cost of moving house in the UK in one budget — pre-filled with typical figures you can edit.
Used to estimate stamp duty, solicitor, survey and removal costs.
Total moving budget
£12,549
That is 3.6% of the purchase price, on top of your deposit. Excluding stamp duty, your moving costs come to £5,049.
Customise your costs
Edit any figure with a real quote to sharpen your budget.
Conveyancing, local authority, drainage and environmental searches, plus Land Registry fees.
Level 2 HomeBuyer report typically £400–£600; Level 3 building survey £800+.
Product/arrangement fee plus lender valuation.
Many brokers are free (paid by the lender); others charge a flat fee.
Two-person crew and van; more for long distance or packing service.
England & NI residential rates from April 2025, based on price and buyer type.
Buildings insurance must be in place from exchange; contents optional.
Only if your sale and purchase dates do not line up.
End-of-tenancy or pre-move-in deep clean.
Broadband install, mail redirection, council tax overlap, TV licence transfer.
Where the money goes
- Stamp duty (SDLT)£7,50060%
- Solicitor & searches£1,40011%
- Mortgage fees£1,0999%
- Removal costs£9508%
- Survey£4504%
- Broker fees£4003%
- Insurance£3203%
- Utility & setup£2502%
- Cleaning£1801%
Know the property before you spend a penny
Paste a listing URL and Muvemate runs a free triage — crime, flood, EPC, transport and price vs sold comps.
How much does it cost to move house in the UK?
Moving costs on a £350,000 home typically land around £12,549 once stamp duty, legal fees, a survey, mortgage fees and removals are included. Without stamp duty, most buyers spend roughly £2,500 to £4,500 on the move itself. The single biggest variable is stamp duty, which depends entirely on the purchase price and whether you are a first-time buyer or buying an additional property.
Typical UK moving costs explained
- Solicitor and searches — £1,200–£2,000 for conveyancing, local authority, drainage and environmental searches, plus Land Registry and ID checks. Leasehold adds £300–£500.
- Survey — around £400–£600 for a RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer report, £800–£1,500 for a Level 3 building survey on older or unusual property.
- Mortgage fees — arrangement or product fees are commonly £999, sometimes addable to the loan; valuation fees are often free.
- Broker fees — many brokers are paid by the lender, others charge £300–£600.
- Removals — £400–£900 for a two-bed, £900–£1,500 for a four-bed or a long-distance move. Packing service adds around £300.
- Stamp duty — nil up to £125,000 for movers, with first-time buyer relief up to £500,000 and a surcharge on additional properties.
- Insurance — buildings cover must be live from exchange, not completion; budget £250–£400 a year with contents.
- Storage — £100–£250 a month if your sale and purchase dates do not align.
- Cleaning — £150–£300 for an end-of-tenancy or pre-move-in deep clean.
- Utility and setup — broadband install, mail redirection, council tax overlap and small furnishings, commonly £200–£400.
How to cut your moving costs
Get three quotes for both conveyancing and removals — the spread is often 40% for identical work. Move mid-week and outside the end of the month when removal firms are busiest. Ask whether your lender's product fee can be added to the loan if cash is tight (it costs interest, but eases completion day). And check whether your broker is fee-free before paying one. If you are selling too, remember estate agent commission, usually 1%–1.5% plus VAT, sits on top of everything on this page.
Frequently asked questions
- When do I pay each moving cost?
- Survey and mortgage valuation are paid up front, searches early in conveyancing, removals shortly before or on moving day, and stamp duty plus the solicitor's balance on completion.
- Are moving costs included in my mortgage?
- No. Apart from a product fee that can sometimes be added to the loan, all of these are cash costs that sit on top of your deposit.
- What do I pay if the sale falls through?
- Survey, searches and valuation fees are usually non-refundable, so an abortive purchase typically costs £600–£1,500. Some solicitors offer no-completion-no-fee cover.
A short guide to moving costs
Moving costs land in three waves: upfront fees before exchange, completion-day costs, and settling-in costs in the first month.
- Upfront: survey, mortgage arrangement or booking fee, and searches — payable even if the purchase falls through.
- Completion: solicitor fees, stamp duty, removals and buildings insurance from the day of exchange.
- After the move: utility setup, council tax, cleaning, storage overlap and immediate repairs.
- Leasehold purchases add landlord and managing-agent pack fees, typically £200–£500.
- Set aside a 10% contingency — dates slipping is the single most common source of extra cost.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to move house in the UK?
- Excluding the deposit, most buyers spend between £3,000 and £8,000 once solicitor fees, survey, mortgage and broker fees, removals, insurance and utility setup are added — plus stamp duty where it applies.
- What are typical conveyancing fees?
- Expect £1,000–£2,000 including VAT and disbursements for a freehold purchase, and more for leasehold because of landlord and managing-agent fees.
- How much is a house survey?
- A Level 2 HomeBuyer report is usually £400–£900 and a Level 3 building survey £700–£1,500 depending on property size, age and location.
- How much do removals cost?
- A two-bedroom local move is typically £400–£800; a three or four-bedroom long-distance move with packing can reach £1,500–£2,500.
- Which moving costs can I avoid?
- Packing services, storage and professional cleaning are optional. Broker fees vary and many brokers are fee-free. Solicitor fees, survey and stamp duty are hard to avoid.