How Long Does a House Move Really Take? A Newcastle Removalist's Honest Answer
“So… how long is this going to take?”
It’s the first question nearly everyone asks when booking a removalist, and for good reason.
You’ve got work to get back to, keys to hand over, cleaners coming at 3pm, and possibly a
very impatient real estate agent waiting at the other end.
The truth is, every move is different. But after years of moving homes across Newcastle and
the Hunter region, we can
What to Expect: Real Timeframes for Real Moves
These estimates are for typical local moves with a two-person crew, covering everything
from loading at your old place to unloading at your new one. We’re assuming you’ve got
reasonable access and most of your stuff is already packed.
1-bedroom home or apartment: 3–5 hours
2-bedroom home: 4–6 hours
3-bedroom home: 4–7 hours
4-bedroom home: 6–10 hours
Notice those ranges? They’re not vague guesswork. A move lands at the shorter end when
everything’s properly prepared and access is straightforward. It pushes toward the longer
end when there are stairs, tight spaces, or last-minute packing happening.
Larger homes or jobs with particularly heavy furniture might benefit from a bigger crew,
which can trim the timeline significantly.
Why Two "Identical" Homes Can Be Completely Different Jobs
Here’s something that surprises people: two three-bedroom houses can take wildly different
amounts of time to move.
House A might have the truck parked right at the front door, everything’s boxed and ready,
and you know exactly where each item goes in the new place. That’s a four-hour job.
House B might have stairs, street parking 50 metres away, half-full cupboards that need
emptying, and you’re still deciding what furniture goes where as we’re carrying it. That’s
pushing seven hours.
Same number of bedrooms. Completely different moving experiences.
The difference is rarely about how much stuff you have. It’s almost always about access and
preparation.
The Three Things That Slow Every Move Down
After doing this for years, we’ve noticed the same issues pop up again and again:
1. Tricky Access
When the truck can’t get close to the door, every single item has to be carried further. Add in
stairs, narrow hallways, or tight corners, and you’re multiplying that effort across dozens of
trips. Those extra metres and steps add up fast.
2. Unpacked Items
Removalists can move what’s ready. When we arrive to find clothes still in drawers, dishes in
cupboards, or loose items scattered around, the job grinds to a halt. We can help with some
last-minute packing, but it eats into moving time and costs you more.
3. On-the-Spot Decision Making
“Does this go or stay?” “Where should this go in the new place?” “Wait, let me think about
that…” These little pauses happen constantly when you’re not organised, and they stack up
quickly across a whole house.
What Makes a Move Run Like Clockwork?
The moves that finish faster and feel easier all share the same characteristics:
● Everything’s packed and sealed before we arrive
● Boxes are labelled by room
● You’ve already decided what’s going and what’s staying
● You know where things should go at the new place
● Large appliances are disconnected and ready
● There’s clear access for the truck
When these things are sorted, we can work continuously without stopping every five
minutes. That’s what keeps a move efficient and affordable.
How to Actually Prepare (Not Just "Be Ready")
If you want your move to stay at the shorter end of the estimate:
Before moving day: Pack everything into sealed boxes and label them by destination room.
Disconnect your washing machine and dryer. Empty your fridge and defrost your freezer.
Disassemble any furniture that needs it.
For truck access: If you’re on a busy street, consider reserving parking for moving day. In
apartments, book the lift in advance and make sure building management knows you’re
moving.
At the new place: Do a quick walk-through and decide which bedroom is which, where the
couch goes, which boxes go in which room. Making these decisions beforehand instead of
during the move saves serious time.
Planning Your Day Without Losing Your Mind
Look, we get it. You want to schedule everything perfectly – cleaners at 2pm, key handover
at 4pm, drinks with the neighbours at 6pm. But moving day rarely goes exactly to plan, and
that’s okay.
A bit of unexpected traffic, trickier access than expected, or one particularly stubborn piece
of furniture can shift things by an hour. That’s not a disaster, it’s just reality.
Use these timeframes as a guide, but give yourself some breathing room. Schedule your
cleaner for “late afternoon” instead of “3pm sharp.” Tell the real estate agent you’ll have keys
back “by end of day” instead of “4pm on the dot.”
A well-organised move isn’t just faster. It’s calmer, safer, and way less stressful for everyone
involved – including you.
Moving in Newcastle or the Hunter region? Give us a call to discuss your specific
situation. We’ll give you an honest timeframe based on your actual circumstances, not just a
generic quote.