# UK to Spain mover recommendations



## JamieJamie (Jan 24, 2018)

Hi folks! We are planning to relocate from Hertfordshire to Malaga in October (we both have UK and EU passports.. thanks Irish mum) and work online now. Been wanting to do it for 10 years. It is just my wife and me and we will go out in August for a month to find a long term rental and then be back to hopefully head back out in October for the move. We are currently renting a house in UK and we have not too many possessions these days, as we sold them the last time we moved abroad a few years ago. So no white goods etc. However, I am thinking of either hiring a removal van like the one pictured here or ideally find someone who will take the good to Spain and not charge us £5000!

I am sure there are some people out there who make a good living as a man in a van mover for a week's round trip to Spain. If I can't find someone to do it for less than a few grand I will do it myself. 

Thanks to anyone with any ideas!


----------



## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Movers International are very professional as is masterclass removals. Ive used both, internationally and domestically and found rates reasonable and service impeccable.


----------



## tarot650 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi,have a look on the Buy,Sell and Swap sites on Facebook.There is always somebody advertising.Just to say if you did use one of these make sure they have insurance in place.Sorry I can't help further.When we came here 25years ago we did it all ourselves.A lot different back them.Best of luck with your move.A greeting.


----------



## JamieJamie (Jan 24, 2018)

tarot650 said:


> Hi,have a look on the Buy,Sell and Swap sites on Facebook.There is always somebody advertising.Just to say if you did use one of these make sure they have insurance in place.Sorry I can't help further.When we came here 25years ago we did it all ourselves.A lot different back them.Best of luck with your move.A greeting.


Many thanks!


----------



## JamieJamie (Jan 24, 2018)

tarot650 said:


> Hi,have a look on the Buy,Sell and Swap sites on Facebook.There is always somebody advertising.Just to say if you did use one of these make sure they have insurance in place.Sorry I can't help further.When we came here 25years ago we did it all ourselves.A lot different back them.Best of luck with your move.A greeting.


Many thanks for coming back.


----------



## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

JamieJamie said:


> Hi folks! We are planning to relocate from Hertfordshire to Malaga in October (we both have UK and EU passports.. thanks Irish mum) and work online now. Been wanting to do it for 10 years. It is just my wife and me and we will go out in August for a month to find a long term rental and then be back to hopefully head back out in October for the move. We are currently renting a house in UK and we have not too many possessions these days, as we sold them the last time we moved abroad a few years ago. So no white goods etc. However, I am thinking of either hiring a removal van like the one pictured here or ideally find someone who will take the good to Spain and not charge us £5000!
> 
> I am sure there are some people out there who make a good living as a man in a van mover for a week's round trip to Spain. If I can't find someone to do it for less than a few grand I will do it myself.
> 
> ...


We drove ourselves over last August and with the cost of the van (smaller than the one you have pictured), the ferry, fuel etc. I reckon it cost us about £2000 

When DIY'ing it you have to factor certain things.
You can't load a truck as well as a professional, nor as fast.
You can't unload either. You also cannot claim for breakages as the insurance is only for the van and you (the self drive places don't tell you this though)
You will be driving (in most cases) something much larger than you are used to (roundabouts are fun in a large van, as are sharp corners if you have little experience)
Factor in parking at both locations, I had to leave the van parked in a local supermarket car park overnight as it could not be parked outside the flat (I got permission). We now live in a village and while there is parking, it was not close to the front door (in the end I used a trolley and put everything in the underground car park and then spent a week or so moving stuff up six flights of stairs.

We stuck all our stuff in temporary storage in the UK as we moved out of rented accommodation and sofa surfed for three weeks.
It took me and my son a complete day to load the van and me and the wife took two days to unload it upon arrival.
So we picked up on day one, loaded day one and two, ferry day three, arrive and drive day four into day five, unload day five and six, drop off van day seven.

Fun it wasn't, an adventure maybe, but one I would not do again in a hurry (we drove from the ferry all the way to the flat in one go 860km in about 9.5hours) And I was used to driving around 1500 miles a week for my job in the UK so it didn't bother me

Oh and we filled the van to the gunnels (old sailing term there) and we had NO white goods or furniture as such just a couple of coffee type tables, my art desk. Otherwise just personal items, clothes, my HiFi stuff and record collection, the house plants.


We used Jhire who are based between Southampton and Salisbury (you can pickup or they can deliver) 
www.j-hire.co.uk
They don't have the van size you want but a super cube 17 cubic metres (load weight 1350kg) is £170 a day (basic price)
Be aware of the weight limit 1350kg sounds like a lot but its not (and it includes you as well) 

The other firm we looked at was way2gohire but they didn't have a van on the days we wanted.
They have a Luton box (the one you pictured) it €950 for 5 days minimum 

Good luck on your adventure, let us know how you get on.


----------



## JamieJamie (Jan 24, 2018)

Barriej said:


> We drove ourselves over last August and with the cost of the van (smaller than the one you have pictured), the ferry, fuel etc. I reckon it cost us about £2000
> 
> When DIY'ing it you have to factor certain things.
> You can't load a truck as well as a professional, nor as fast.
> ...


Thanks very much for taking the time to compile all of that useful information. Food for thought that is! Just a thought, did you travel from Southampton on the overnight ferry to northern Spain or go from Calais down through France?


----------



## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

JamieJamie said:


> Thanks very much for taking the time to compile all of that useful information. Food for thought that is! Just a thought, did you travel from Southampton on the overnight ferry to northern Spain or go from Calais down through France?


We were originally booked Portsmouth to Santander which got cancelled. I rebooked Portsmouth to Bilbao and then Brittany Ferries moved us to Santander and gave me money for the extra fuel (were originally booked for mid June but got here late August due to covid

Your drive would take you through Madrid if landing in Spain, if it were me I would miss the city out if you can.


----------



## JamieJamie (Jan 24, 2018)

Barriej said:


> We were originally booked Portsmouth to Santander which got cancelled. I rebooked Portsmouth to Bilbao and then Brittany Ferries moved us to Santander and gave me money for the extra fuel (were originally booked for mid June but got here late August due to covid
> 
> Your drive would take you through Madrid if landing in Spain, if it were me I would miss the city out if you can.


Super many thanks. I can see that going via Seville only takes 20 minutes more and avoids Madrid completely. I am going to look at all options this week. Many thanks! Jamie


----------

