What changes when a move gets big
Most removals advice assumes a two- or three-bedroom house and a single day. Once a property is substantially larger than that, the job stops being a bigger version of the same thing and becomes a different exercise, with different failure points.
The threshold is not really the number of bedrooms. It is when any of these apply:
- The contents will not fit in one vehicle load
- The move will take more than one day
- Items need specialist handling rather than careful handling
- The two ends do not line up, so things must be stored in between
- The building itself imposes restrictions, as a listed or period property does
Barnet has plenty of properties in that bracket, particularly around Totteridge, Hadley Wood and Mill Hill, and so does most of outer London. Here is what actually changes.
The survey stops being optional
For a large property, a proper survey is the difference between a plan and a guess.
A surveyor should walk every room, the loft, the garage, the outbuildings, the cellar and the garden. Volume is measured in cubic feet, and the estimate determines the number of vehicles, the crew size and the number of days. Underestimating by even ten per cent on a large job means a vehicle returning the following morning, which is expensive and often impossible if completion has already happened.
Access is assessed at both ends and is frequently the binding constraint. A long gravel driveway that a lorry cannot turn on, a lane too narrow for anything above a Luton, a gated development, a weight limit on a bridge or a private road: any of these means a shuttle vehicle running back and forth to a lorry parked elsewhere, which changes the timings and the price.
Multiple days, and the order they happen in
A large move is normally sequenced rather than done in one push. A typical shape:
- Pre-pack days. The kitchen, china, glass, books, artwork and anything fragile, packed by the crew over one or more days before the move itself.
- Dismantling. Beds, wardrobes, large tables, garden furniture, gym equipment.
- Loading day or days. Sometimes split by floor or by zone.
- Delivery and placement, room by room against a plan.
- Reassembly, which is a day in itself on a large property.
The single most useful thing you can do is produce a floor plan of the destination with every room named and a matching label on every box and item. On a small move that saves an hour; on a large one it saves most of a day and prevents furniture being carried twice.
Storage as a staging area, not a last resort
On big moves storage is usually part of the plan rather than a contingency.
Reasons it earns its place: the new property is not finished, the two dates do not align, some furniture has no home in the new layout, or you simply want to move in stages rather than face every box at once.
The practical version is container storage loaded at the property and held until called for, or Barnet storage specifically if you are local. Containers can be delivered back in tranches, which means the new house fills up at a manageable rate instead of arriving in one overwhelming day.
Keep the inventory. On a move spanning several vehicles, days and a storage period, the inventory is the only thing that tells you whether everything arrived.
Specialist items need naming in advance
Every large property has things a standard crew is not equipped for. Flag these at survey stage, in writing:
- Pianos, particularly uprights on stairs and grands that must be partly dismantled
- Safes, which frequently need specialist lifting equipment
- Artwork and antiques, which need bespoke crating rather than blankets
- Chandeliers and large mirrors
- Pool and snooker tables, which come apart and reassemble as a trade skill
- Wine collections, which need temperature stability and cannot sit in a hot van
- Garden statuary, hot tubs and outdoor equipment
- Collections, from stamps to comics, where condition is the value. Our guide to packing comics covers the principles that apply to most paper collections
Insurance is where large moves go wrong
This deserves its own conversation before anything is booked.
Standard Goods in Transit cover has limits, both overall and per item, and commonly excludes items packed by the customer. High-value individual pieces usually need to be declared and specifically covered, and a policy that is perfectly adequate for a normal household move may not be for a house containing art, jewellery or antiques.
Three things to do:
- Get valuations for significant items and photograph everything before it moves
- Declare high-value pieces and get the cover confirmed in writing, with the limits stated
- Carry the irreplaceable yourself, or arrange specialist transport for it separately
Period and listed buildings
If either property is listed or in a conservation area, there are constraints an ordinary move does not encounter. Doorways and staircases were not built for modern furniture, floors may be fragile, and you cannot simply remove a section of banister or take a window out without permission for alterations to a listed structure.
Protection matters more here too. Floor coverings on every route, corner and doorframe protection, and a crew briefed on which surfaces cannot be touched. It is worth walking the route with the foreman before anything moves.
One point of contact, always
The thing that separates a well-run large move from a chaotic one is not the number of people, it is whether somebody is coordinating them.
Insist on a named contact who is responsible for the whole job: the survey, the schedule, the crews, the storage, and any subcontracted specialists such as piano movers. Multiple companies operating independently on the same house is how items go missing and blame gets distributed.
Ask directly who that person is, and how to reach them on the day.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to move a large house? Usually two to four days including packing, sometimes longer. Pre-packing takes one or two days, loading one or two, and reassembly a further day. The survey should tell you the schedule before you book.
How many vans does a large house move need? It depends on volume rather than bedrooms, but anything above a four-bedroom property with full outbuildings will typically need more than one vehicle load, or one vehicle making multiple journeys across more than one day.
Are valuable items covered by removals insurance? Only to the limits of the policy, and high-value pieces normally need to be declared and specifically covered. Items packed by the customer are frequently excluded entirely. Get valuations and confirm cover in writing before the move.
Can a removal company move a piano or a safe? Many can, with the right equipment, and some subcontract to specialists. Either is fine, so long as one company remains responsible for coordinating the job. Mention such items at survey stage rather than on the day.
Do I need storage for a large move? Often, yes. Storage lets you move in stages, absorb a gap between dates, and hold furniture that has no immediate place in the new property. On big moves it is usually part of the plan rather than a fallback.
What if the property is listed? Expect restrictions. Structural alterations to help furniture through need consent, staircases and doorways may be genuinely tight, and protection of floors and joinery matters. Walk the route with the crew before anything is lifted.
How we can help
RMV Storage & Removals has handled large and complex moves across London and the Home Counties for over fifteen years, with house and office removals, Barnet removals and the surrounding areas, packing services and materials, handyman work for dismantling and reassembly, and container storage delivered to your door, across every area we cover.
For choosing a firm and the local practicalities, see our guide to removals in Barnet, and for the timeline the moving house checklist. For anything larger or unusual, get in touch and describe the property — we will tell you honestly what it needs.
Written by Riki Migliori, Director at RMV Storage & Removals. Originally published October 2015. Fully reviewed and updated summer 2026.