How Long Does a House Move Take in Melbourne? Timings by Home Size

When you are moving house, one question usually comes up pretty quickly: how long is this going to take?

It is hard to give one exact answer. A small home with not much furniture can be done in a few hours. A family home with lots of boxes, furniture and appliances may take most of the day.

There are also little things that can slow a move down. Maybe the truck cannot park near the front door. Maybe there are stairs. Maybe you are moving out of an apartment and need to wait for the lift.

Moving from a 1-bedroom home

A one-bedroom home is small and takes less time if you have a few furniture pieces.

You could be looking at around 2 to 4 hours for the actual moving work. That includes taking your things out, putting them on the truck and unloading them at the other end.

Of course, your move might take longer. When the house removalists Melbourne team arrives, they can start moving without waiting for you to pack things and finish up.

What about a 2-bedroom home?

With two bedrooms, there is usually more to move. You may have two beds and wardrobes, along with a sofa, dining table, appliances, boxes and all the smaller things around the house.

For this type of move, 3 to 6 hours is a reasonable amount of time to keep in mind.

But think about your own home rather than only looking at the number of bedrooms. A two-bedroom house with a clear driveway can be quite simple to move. A two-bedroom apartment with stairs, a small lift and limited parking is a different job altogether.

Moving a 3-bedroom house

A three-bedroom house is where the move can start taking up most of your day.

You may need around 5 to 8 hours, depending on what you have in the house and how easy it is to get everything out.

There is usually quite a bit more than just bedroom furniture. You could have a large sofa, dining table, TV unit, kitchen appliances, children's toys, study furniture, boxes of clothes and things sitting in the garage.

If you have some large pieces of furniture, tell your house removalists Melbourne team before moving day. It is much easier for them to prepare when they know what needs to be moved.

How long does a 4-bedroom move take?

For a four-bedroom house, it is worth keeping most of the day free.

The move may take 7 to 10 hours or even more, especially if the house is full of furniture and boxes. Also know that the bedrooms are not the only rooms that are being moved. You also have a dining room, living room and other areas of the house as well.

There are few more things that can make the move slow that are your stairs or even if the truck isnt getting the parking space near the house.

Why can a small move sometimes take so long?

The move and its timing cannot always depend on the number of bedrooms. There are so many things that need to be considered before moving like the number of stairs, the parking permissions, and access to the lifts and other permissions.

Now compare that with a small house where the truck can park in the driveway and the front door is only a few steps away.

The second move could be much quicker, even if both homes have a similar amount of furniture.

This is why your house removalists Melbourne team will usually need more information than just the number of bedrooms.

Stairs can slow things down

The one thing that we forget while moving and that the time could also depend on is stairs; they need to be planned in advance. Even carrying small boxes or larger furniture through the stairs is difficult and time-consuming.

If you have stairs at your new home and your old home, tell the movers before moving so they can plan the move and the timings accordingly.

Parking is another thing to check

Where the moving truck can park can make a bigger difference than you may expect. If the truck is right outside the front door, the movers can carry things straight out and into the truck.

What if you are moving from an apartment?

Apartment moves can need a little more planning.

You may need to book the lift, check the building's moving rules or arrange a place for the truck to stop. Some buildings also have set times when residents are allowed to move large items.

It is worth checking these things before the movers arrive.

Finding out on moving day that the lift cannot be used can hold everything up.

Does packing everything beforehand help?

It definitely helps.

You do not want to be putting the last few things into boxes while the movers are already carrying furniture out of the house.

Try to have most of your packing finished before they arrive. Close the boxes, label them and leave a clear path around the house.

Keep the things you need that day separate. Your phone charger, keys, wallet, documents, basic clothes and toiletries should not end up at the bottom of a moving box.

A small overnight bag can also save you from opening ten different boxes when you get to the new house.

Rough moving times by home size

If you just want a quick idea, you can use these numbers:

These are rough estimates, not fixed times. Your furniture, number of boxes, access, stairs, parking and travel distance can all change the amount of time needed.

Tell your movers what they are actually moving

When booking house removalists Melbourne, do not only say, “I have a three-bedroom house.”

Tell them a little more. If you have large items like piano, large and heavy wardrobes let them know about it. Telling them even a few extra details can help the movers understand what the job will look like.

Take Some Extra Time

Moving can’t always go how you planned it. It can take longer. Maybe a cupboard takes longer to get through the door. Maybe the truck has to park further away. Maybe traffic is heavier than usual.

That does not mean something has gone wrong. These things can simply happen during a house move.

Instead of trying to plan every minute, leave some spare time.

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