Fixed, transparent prices
The quote you agree is the price you pay — no hidden fees added on the day.
Packing & storage
Moving Crate Hire in London
Plastic moving crates delivered to your door before the move and collected from your new home once you’ve unpacked. No boxes to build, no tape, no cardboard to recycle — just stack, pack and go.
32
Boroughs covered
Fixed
Quotes before move day
Insured
Goods + liability
Plastic crate hire for London moves
Moving crate hire is the simple alternative to building, taping and recycling dozens of cardboard boxes. Phi Movers delivers sturdy plastic moving crates to your door before the move, you pack at your own pace, and we collect the empty crates once you’ve unpacked at the other end.
Crates stack neatly, don’t collapse when they’re full of books, and keep their shape in a van or a lift. Most have lids that close without tape, so you can pack, close and stack in seconds — and unpack straight onto the shelves in your new home.
Crate hire suits flat and house moves, office moves and renovations across London. Hire crates on their own and pack yourself, or pair them with our full packing service or packing materials (bubble wrap, paper and wardrobe boxes) and we’ll put together exactly what your move needs.
Why rent moving crates instead of buying boxes?
Cardboard boxes are fine for a few things, but a full house move uses a lot of them — and they sag when they’re full of books, crush when stacked in a van and go soggy in the rain. Plastic moving crates keep their shape, stack neatly and close with a lid, so they’re quicker to pack, safer to carry and easier to load.
When you rent moving boxes as crates, there’s nothing to buy, build or flatten afterwards. We collect the empties from your new address, so you’re not left with a hallway full of cardboard.
- Rigid sides that don’t collapse under heavy loads
- Lids that close without tape
- Stack safely in the van, in lifts and on trolleys
- Reusable — less packing waste after the move
- Delivered before the move and collected afterwards
How many moving crates do you need?
Every home is different, so treat these figures as a rough guide only. A minimal flat needs fewer; a home full of books, records or kitchenware needs more. Tell us your home size and how full it is and we’ll suggest a number when we quote.
- Guide only — kitchen: around 10–15 crates
- Guide only — each bedroom: around 8–12 crates
- Guide only — living room with books: around 8–12 crates
- Guide only — bathroom: around 3–6 crates
- Guide only — studio or one-bed flat: around 25–40 crates in total
- Guide only — three-bed house: around 70–100 crates in total
Packing tips for plastic crates
Put heavy items like books, tins and tools in the bottom of a crate and lighter things on top, and don’t fill a crate so heavy that one person can’t lift it comfortably. Wrap glass, china and anything fragile in paper or bubble wrap first — crates protect against crushing, not knocks inside the crate.
Label each crate with its room on the lid and the side so the crew can place it straight into the right room. Keep the lid closing flat: an overfilled crate won’t stack safely. If you’d rather not pack at all, add our full packing service, or add packing materials such as paper, bubble wrap and wardrobe boxes to the crate delivery.
Crate rental for house moves, offices and renovations
Crate hire works for flat and house moves, office moves where each desk is packed into its own labelled crates, and renovations where belongings need boxing up for a few weeks. The hire period is agreed when you book — enough time to pack before the move and unpack after it — and can be extended if you need longer.
You can hire crates on their own and move however suits you, or book them with a Phi Movers removal so the same team delivers the crates, moves you and collects the empties.
Related services: Full packing service, Packing materials.
Helpful guides
What’s included as standard
We believe the price you’re quoted should be the price you pay. That’s why every moving crate hire booking comes with the essentials built in — no surprise charges bolted on when the crew arrives.
- Clean plastic moving crates, delivered to your door
- Collection of the empty crates from your new address
- Flexible hire period agreed when you book
- Advice on how many crates you need for your home
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- Option to add packing paper, bubble wrap and wardrobe boxes
- Option to add our packing team to pack and unpack for you
Who this service is for
Not sure whether this is the right option? It’s a great fit for a wide range of moves, including:
- Flat and house moves where you’d rather not deal with cardboard
- Office moves that need stackable, closable crates per desk
- Renovations where belongings need boxing up for a few weeks
- Heavy items like books, records, files and kitchenware
- Anyone who wants less packing waste after the move
Before you book
- Count the rooms and any fragile or high-value items
- Say how many boxes you already have
- Pick a packing day before moving day
How it works, step by step
We’ve refined our process across London moves every week to keep everything simple and predictable. Here’s exactly what happens from your first enquiry through to completion.
Tell us your home size
Let us know how many bedrooms you have, roughly how much you own (minimal, average or full) and your move date. We’ll suggest how many crates you need and when to have them delivered — usually a few days before the move.
We deliver the crates
Crates arrive clean and ready to use, so you can start packing straight away. If you’ve added packing materials, they come in the same delivery.
Pack and label
Pack heavy things like books in the bottom of crates and lighter items on top, close the lids and label each crate with its room. Don’t overfill — the lid should close flat so crates stack safely.
Move day
Full crates stack securely in the van and on trolleys, so loading is quicker and safer. If we’re doing your move, the crew places each crate in the right room at your new home.
Unpack and we collect
Unpack at your own pace within the agreed hire period, stack the empty crates and let us know when they’re ready. We collect them from your new address.
How much does it cost?
Moving Crate Hire is priced per job: we agree a fixed quote on the call, based on what is moving, access and distance. You know the total before we arrive.
The first 10 journey miles are included, then £1.50 a mile. See our pricing page for the full rate card and calculator.
| Job | Price |
|---|---|
| Small van and driver | £50/hr |
| Transit van and driver | £55/hr |
| Luton van and driver | £65/hr |
| Each extra helper | +£20/hr |
| 2-hour minimum | From £100 |
| Journey miles | First 10 free, then £1.50/mi |
Quotes are free. A deposit is only taken once we confirm your date, and it comes off the final balance.
A fixed quote in about one working hour. Larger jobs can book a free home survey.
What affects the price
A few practical factors move the final number up or down. Knowing them in advance helps you plan and, in many cases, keep costs lower:
- How many crates you need
- How long you need them for
- Delivery and collection addresses and distance between them
- Whether you add packing materials such as paper, bubble wrap or wardrobe boxes
- Whether you add packing, unpacking or a full removal
Key takeaways
- Moving Crate Hire is quoted as a fixed price, agreed before the day.
- Loading, unloading and the first 10 journey miles are included.
- Fully insured, across all 32 London boroughs.
- A fixed quote in about one working hour.
Covering all 32 London boroughs
Wherever you’re moving in London, pick your borough for a dedicated moving crate hire page — or browse the full areas hub.
- Barking & Dagenham
- Barnet
- Bexley
- Brent
- Bromley
- Camden
- City of London
- Croydon
- Ealing
- Enfield
- Greenwich
- Hackney
- Hammersmith & Fulham
- Haringey
- Harrow
- Havering
- Hillingdon
- Hounslow
- Islington
- Kensington & Chelsea
- Kingston upon Thames
- Lambeth
- Lewisham
- Merton
- Newham
- Redbridge
- Richmond upon Thames
- Southwark
- Sutton
- Tower Hamlets
- Waltham Forest
- Wandsworth
- Westminster
- East London
- Central London
- South London
- West London
- North London
- South East London
- Stratford
- Leyton
- Leamington Spa
- Warwick
Our drivers know which streets are too narrow for a Luton, where the low bridges and red routes sit, and how Congestion Charge and ULEZ affect your route — so the move stays on schedule.
Why choose Phi Movers
Genuine London specialists
London is where we work every day, so we know the boroughs, permits and shortcuts.
Fully insured
Goods-in-transit and public liability cover come as standard on every job.
Loading help included
Our crews do the heavy lifting with you, never charged as an extra.
Flexible scheduling
Evenings, weekends and same-day slots to fit around your life.
Experienced local crews
Uniformed movers who turn up on time with the right kit for London access.
What customers say
★★★★★
The crew arrived on time, wrapped everything with care and had us fully moved in before lunch. Fixed price with no surprises — the most stress-free move we've ever had.
★★★★★
Booked a last-minute man & van and they still turned up early. Polite, quick and genuinely careful with every single box. Couldn't recommend them more.
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FAQs
Answers about moving crate hire: pricing, booking, access and what is included.
Yes. We deliver crates to addresses across all 32 London boroughs and collect them from your new address after you’ve unpacked. Tell us both postcodes when you ask for a quote.
Related services
View allReady to book your moving crate hire?
A fixed quote in about one working hour. No obligation, no hidden fees, all 32 London boroughs.