Which Van to Choose for Your Move

We have 5 van sizes, but which one is best for your move?

We offer a van-size for every size of home or office move or for moving single items or several items of furniture or anything else from one place to another.

Get the best Value for you Money – Choose the Right Van Size

The first thing to be aware of is that it is better value for money to book one van load in a larger van than two van loads in a smaller van. You also don’t want to choose a van that is much bigger than what you require, as this will also cost you more than was necessary. So it is best to choose the right van-size that will fit everything that you have in one load, if possible. What you really want is the van that has sufficient space and a bit of room to spare, just in case you have more stuff in the end than you thought you had when you made the booking. This article is about helping you understand roughly what will fit in each size of van, based on some typical examples of the contents of the average people’s moves.

General Advice on which van suits different home sizes

Please note this is just a general guideline. Different people have different amounts of belongings, so please check the van capacities to see which van suits your requirements best.

1-bedroom flat or apartment move with only boxes & bags and a few items of small furniture – the Small Van (S) would suit most people.

1-bedroom flat or apartment move with a one or two pieces of large furniture, and boxes & bags – the Large Van (L) would be required.

2-bedroom house or apartment move with only boxes & bags – the Large Van (L) or Extra-Large Van (XL) would suit most people.

2-bedroom house or apartment move with furniture, boxes & bags – the Extra-Large Van (XL) may suffice in some cases, but the Luton Van (XXL) would often be required.

3-bedroom house or apartment move with furniture, boxes and bags – the Luton Van (XXL) would be sufficient in many cases, but in other cases the Maximover Van (3XL) would be required.

4-5 bedroom house or apartment move with only boxes and bags – the Maximover Van (3XL) would be required in most cases.
 

Examples of What Will Fit in Each Van-Size

Below is some examples of what would fit in each size of van. These are a rough guide. We would always make sure to recommend a van size that is definitely big enough to fit everything that you have listed, with some space to spare in case you have slightly more than you initially realised. If you book a certain van-size and then later realise you have significantly more than you originally listed, you should let us know in advance. We can usually upgrade you to a larger sized van and update your quote.

Loads with Only Boxes

If you only have boxes, and not much else, for example, here is how many would fit in each van size. Lets assume the boxes are average medium-sized moving boxes, e.g. 50 x 40 x 30cm approx:

Small Van (S): 10 – 15 boxes

Large Van (L): 16 – 25 boxes

Extra-Large Van (XL): 26 – 35 boxes

Luton Van (XXL): 35 – 50 boxes

Maximover Van (3XL): 50 – 100 boxes
 

Typical Loads for House & Apartment Moves with Various Items

If you have a mixture of furniture, large appliances, boxes, bags and some small items, here are some examples of what would comfortably fit in each van size. Again, let’s assume average medium-sized moving boxes, e.g. 50 x 40 x 30cm approx:

Small Van (S): Desk & office chair, approx 8 boxes, 2 large suitcases, 3 bags of clothes and some small items

Large Van (L): Kingsize bed base & mattress, 3-seater sofa, approx 15 boxes, 4 large suitcases, 6 bags of clothes and some small items

Extra-Large Van (XL): Superking bed base & mattress, 3-seater sofa & 2 armchairs, kitchen table (disassembled) & 4 chairs, approx 20 boxes, 4 large suitcases, 10 bags of clothes and some small items

Luton Van (XXL): Superking bed base & mattress, 2 single bed bases & mattresses, L-shaped sofa & 2 armchairs, kitchen table (disassembled) & 6 chairs, approx 30 boxes, 6 large suitcases, 15 bags of clothes and some small items

Maximover Van (3XL): Superking bed base & mattress, double bed base & mattress, 2 single bed bases & mattresses, L-shaped sofa, 3-seater sofa, 2-seater sofa & 2 armchairs, kitchen table (disassembled) & 6 chairs, approx 40 boxes, 8 large suitcases, 25 bags of clothes and some small items
 

Various other Types of Loads

If you are looking to book a service to move just one item of furniture or a set of items, it may interest you to know which size of van is required for some typical items that we are regularly asked to move. Please note, this is not to say that the vans would necessarily be completely full when loaded with the items listed in each of these cases, but moreso to show which size van-size is the minimum size required to fit items with these dimensions.

Small Van (S): one 3-seater & one 2-seater sofa

Small Van (S): one 3-seater & 2 armchairs

Small Van (S): one 3 to 4-seater L-shaped sofa

Small Van (S): 2 single bed bases & 2 single mattresses

Small Van (S): 1 double bed mattress & 1 dismantled bedframe

Small Van (S): 1 kitchen table and 4 chairs

Large Van (L): one 3-seater sofa, one 2-seater sofa & 1 armchair

Large Van (L): one 5 to 6-seater corner sofa

Large Van (L): 1 double bed mattress & 1 divan double bed base or disassembled bedframe

Large Van (L): 1 kingsize bed mattress & 1 divan kingsize bed base or disassembled bedframe

Large Van (L): 1 dining table and 6 to 8 chairs

Extra-Large Van (XL): 1 superking bed mattress & 1 divan superking bed base or disassembled bedframe
 

Rates for Dublin Home & Office Moves

These are our rates for rates for moves within most of Dublin. These rates apply to all of South Dublin City, South & West County Dublin, North Dublin City, and in North County Dublin as far north as Swords, Kinsealy, Malahide and Portmarnock. We do cover locations outside this, but additional fees apply. Find more info about other rates, including rates for Far North Dublin and rates for Long-Distance moves from Dublin to the rest of Ireland and Northern Ireland:

Service-LevelSmall VanLarge VanXL VanXXL Van3XL Van
One-Man Service€65€90€115€155*€330*
Extra Time on 1st Load €6.25 per 15 minutes €10 per 15 minutes €10 per 15 minutes €10 per 15 minutes €10 per 15 minutes
Additional Van Loads€35 per hour€40 per hour€45 per hour€55 per hour€90 per hour
2-Man Service€95€130€165€220€450
Extra Time on 1st Load€10 per 15 minutes€15 per 15 minutes€15 per 15 minutes€15 per 15 minutes€15 per 15 minutes
Additional Van Loads€50 per hour€60 per hour€70 per hour€85 per hour€130 per hour
3-Man Servicen/an/an/a€285€570
Extra Time on 1st Loadn/an/an/a€20 per 15 minutes€20 per 15 minutes
Additional Van Loadsn/an/an/a€115 per hour€170 per hour
Time Limits on 1st Van Load (i.e. Loading, Transport & Unloading)1 hour 45 minutes2 hours2 hours 15 minutes2 hours 30 minutes3 hours
Other Potential Additional Charges:
Apartments above Ground Floor, with No Elevator,
or Upstairs Flats, Bedsits & Studios within Houses
€5 per floor€10 per floor€15 per floor€20 per floor€40 per floor
3-Storey Houses€5 extra€10 extra€15 extra€20 extra€40 extra
Crossing from Northside to Southside Dublin or Vice-Versa€5 extra per crossing€5 extra per crossing€5 extra per crossing€5 extra per crossing€5 extra per crossing
Disassembly / Reassembly of Furniture€10 per 15 minutes€15 per 15 minutes€15 per 15 minutes€15 per 15 minutes€15 per 15 minutes
Please Note:
- *The XXL and 3XL Vans usually operate as a 2-man service for moves within The Greater Dublin Area, but if you particularly want a 1-man service, we can check availability.
- Time Limits apply to one van load. A second van load is always chargeable.
- Rates apply to moves from one collection location to one delivery location. If there are extra locations, there will be an extra charge.
Please request a quote and we will provide a quote based on the information you provide.

*Max Time Limit for 1st Van Load

There is a max time limit allowable at the basic rate for the first van load in each case. That time limit is relative to how long it usually takes to fill that van under average circumstances. So for the larger vans, there is a higher time limit. The max time limit is plenty of time to complete one van load for most average moves*

Going Over-Time on the 1st Van Load

As mentioned, the time limits for the 1st van load are long enough for most moves, but things that can add time are if you need a lot of items dismantled and reassembled. Also, all other things being equal, it takes a lot longer to move from an 2-bedroom apartment to another 2-bedroom apartment compare to moving from a 2-bedroom house to a another 2-house, where in both cases the same amount of furniture and boxes and bags are to be moved. This is especially relavant to apartments where the van can’t be parked near the entrance, where the aparment is several floors up, where large furniture cannot fit in the lift and has to be carried down several staircases, and apartement blocks with no lifts.

Request a Quote:

Get a Quote for All Van Sizes

 

Rates for Moving Single Items or Sets of Items

These rates for moving an appliance or a single item of furniture or a set of items within most of Dublin. This includes all of South Dublin City, South & West County Dublin, North Dublin City, and in North County Dublin as far north as Swords, Kinsealy, Malahide and Portmarnock. We do cover locations outside this, but additional fees apply.

ItemOne ManTwo Men
Chest of Drawers€55€80
Computer Desk & Chair€55€80
Bureau€55€80
Dressing Table€55€80
Undercounter Fridge€55€80
Standard Fridge (mid-height)€55€80
Standard Chest Freezer€55€80
Standard Fridge-Freezer€55€80
Washing Machine€55€80
Tumble Dryer€55€80
Washer-Dryer€55€80
Dishwasher€55€80
Electric Cooker€55€80
Small Bookshelf€55€80
Large Bookshelf€60€85
One-Door Wardrobe€55€80
Two-Door Wardrobe€65€90
Welsh Dresser€65€90
Large Sideboard / Wall Cabinet€65€90
Please request a quote and we will provide a quote based on the information you provide.

Request a Quote:

Get a Quote for All Van Sizes

 

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