When a van pays off
Deciding whether a van pays off instead of a removal company comes down to three things: how much stuff you have, how many people you have and how much time you have. Price comes only fourth, because it depends on exactly these. Go through both situations honestly, not according to what you would like.
You have helpers
Two or three people are the minimum for a DIY move to make sense. A driver alone can carry boxes, but not a washing machine up to the fourth floor without a lift. If you have a group you can call together for a Saturday, a van is the obvious choice.
You are moving a smaller flat or just part of your belongings
A studio, a student hall room or office furniture can be handled in one or two trips. For a volume like this, the cost of a service is out of proportion to the work it would do. You can calculate the volume and compare it with the dimensions in our fleet.
You need flexibility with time
Your own van means you set the date and the pace yourself. You can spread the loading out into the evening, pick-up is possible non-stop and nobody is waiting for you with the meter running. You unlock the vehicle with your phone via the web app, and the keys are in the glovebox on the passenger side.
It involves repeated trips
A renovation, refitting a workshop or regular deliveries are not one-off jobs. Ordering a service again every time is expensive and inflexible. Driving yourself gives you more control, especially when you are driving for work. For business trips, take a look at the PROFI programme.
You can get to both addresses by vehicle
Access to the building determines how much work a DIY move will be. If you can stop ten metres from the door, carrying is quick. If the entrance is behind a barrier and the nearest spot is two streets away, the time and the number of trips with boxes grow. Look at both addresses in advance on a street-view map.
You are carrying fragile or personal items
Driving yourself means you have your things under control the whole time. With an aquarium, musical instruments, paintings or documents, you will appreciate deciding yourself how they are packed and where they go in the van. Nobody is in a hurry and nothing is reloaded on the way.
You want to move in stages
Not every move can be done in one day. If you have the keys to both flats over the weekend, you can move things gradually and clean between trips. Loading in smaller batches is physically easier than one marathon from morning till evening.
When it makes sense to call a service instead
Heavy and bulky items
A piano, a safe, a large fridge or a marble slab are not jobs for amateurs. Professionals have back straps, sack trucks and, above all, experience in how to turn such an item on a staircase. The risk of injury and damage here is higher than the saving.
A high floor without a lift
The number of stairs matters more than the number of boxes. A fourth floor without a lift at both ends turns a pleasant Saturday into a marathon. Consider a combination: a service for the heavy items, your own van for the rest.
You have nobody to help
On your own, you can only load up to a certain weight. If you are counting on the driver helping you, think again. The rental company doesn't offer vans with a driver; you drive and load the van yourself.
You have a short, strictly fixed window
Handing over the old flat at noon and getting the new keys only in the afternoon is a scenario where an amateur pace isn't enough. A well-practised team will do in two hours what takes you a whole day. If you face penalties for a late handover or a night without a bed, it is a case for a service.
How to compare them fairly
Add up your own time too
Add the hours you will spend moving to the rental price. If you are taking time off work for it, it is not free. On the other hand, a weekend afternoon with friends has a different value from a working day.
Check what is included in the price
With a rental, watch out for kilometres, deposit and fuel. With us, no deposit is paid, mileage within the Czech Republic is unlimited and a valid motorway vignette is included in the price. You pick up the vehicle with a full tank and return it full to the same place.
Don't forget the small expenses
Both options come with items that people forget about. With a DIY move it is diesel, boxes, straps, blankets and food for the helpers. With a service it is surcharges for floors, carrying over longer distances or dismantling furniture. Compare only the final amounts, not the base rate.
Decide well in advance
Both options fill up on popular dates. The end of the month and the last weekends are booked up at both removal firms and rental companies. If you secure your date in time, you can choose the van size and the time of day. You can cancel a booking free of charge up to 72 hours before the start of the rental, so booking early carries no risk.
Consider a combination of both
The cheapest option is often a hybrid. You take boxes, clothes and small furniture yourself and hire help for the two or three heaviest items. You will find other customers' experiences in the reviews.
