Hove to Hove, One Staircase at a Time
Wolves Removals, a family-run removals firm based in Ashington, West Sussex, moved a client from one Hove address to another on 9 October 2026.
The client packed their own boxes; our crew dealt with a lot of stairs, dismantled and rebuilt the furniture that needed it, and assembled a new IKEA wardrobe before they left.
A move from one Hove address to another sounds like the easy kind. The client had packed their own boxes. The hard parts of this job were the parking and the stairs. We sent two vans for 1,320 cubic feet.
Why a Short Move Can Still Be Hard Work
The staircase in our photograph is in a period mansion block: several flights of red patterned carpet, with a wooden handrail and iron balusters.
Whatever cannot go in a lift goes up or down a staircase like this by hand, and the crew walk it again for the next load.
That is why, on a removals job in Hove, the first things we ask about are floors, stairs and lifts at both addresses. The answers decide how many people we send, how long the day needs to be and which furniture has to come apart first.
On a flat move, most of the day's work is on the stairs.
These are the things worth telling your removal company about a flat before they quote:
- Which floor you are on, at both addresses.
- Whether there is a lift, and whether it is big enough for furniture.
- How many flights of stairs there are, and whether they turn tightly.
- Where a van can stop, and how far that is from the front door.
- Which large pieces came into the flat in parts.
- Any new furniture arriving that you would like assembled.
Parking: Suspended Bays for the Vans
Parking around the new address was extremely difficult, so ahead of the move we arranged suspended parking bays through Brighton & Hove City Council. That gave the crew space to stop close to the entrance and unload, which matters when there are stairs still to come.
The council calls this a parking suspension. Its page on applying for a parking suspension covers removals, and asks for seven full working days' notice on a standard application. In October 2026 it lists an administration fee of £38, or £19 for a resident or business with a Brighton & Hove address, and a charge of £51 a day for one 5.5 metre bay on a removals suspension.
Much of Hove is a controlled parking zone, so tell us about parking as soon as you have a moving date and we will help arrange the suspension.
Taking Furniture Apart So It Survives the Stairs
A wardrobe or a bed frame that went into a flat in pieces generally has to come out in pieces too, and forcing it round a turn is how furniture, banisters and walls get damaged.
So the crew dismantled what needed it at the old address and rebuilt it at the new one. We only take apart what the route demands, because flat-pack furniture goes back together a little looser each time. Our guide on how to move a wardrobe explains how to tell which pieces can travel whole and which cannot.
The Client Packed, the Crew Did the Rest
Our client packed their own boxes, which is a common way to split a move. That left the crew the furniture, the stairs and the loading.
If you are packing for a move with a lot of stairs, these help most:
- Use smaller boxes for heavy things such as books, so that every box is a comfortable one-person carry.
- Fill every box to the top and tape the base well, so that the boxes stack safely in the van.
- Write the room it is going to on the side of the box, not just the lid.
- Keep landings and hallways clear, so the crew have somewhere to turn and rest a load.
Our box shop has the right sizes if you need them. And if you would rather not pack at all, a full packing service hands that job to us as well.
One More Job: Building a New IKEA Wardrobe
The client also had a new IKEA wardrobe, and the crew assembled it the same day. That spared the client a stack of flat boxes and an Allen key at the end of moving day.
Flat-pack furniture is best assembled in the room where it will stand, because a tall wardrobe built in one room will not always turn through a doorway into the next.
If you have new furniture arriving around the time of your move, tell us when you ask for a quote. We can assemble new flat-pack furniture on the day, as long as it is agreed in advance and we allow the time.
What It Cost
Wolves Removals quoted £1,450 plus VAT for this move, which is £1,740 including VAT.
The quote was for a professional removals service for a 1,320 cubic foot household, packed by its owner, with the crew dismantling the furniture that needed it for transport. Wolves Removals
It is one job's figure and not a price list. No two moves are the same: volume, distance, access, the level of packing and any unpacking all change the price, and on this job access was the hard part. Our pricing page explains how we work out a figure.
Well Done to the Crew
Plenty of stairs, furniture taken apart and rebuilt, and a new wardrobe assembled as well. The crew did a fantastic job, and our client was very happy.
Thank you to our client for trusting us with the move, and every happiness in the new home.
Planning a Move in Hove?
Whether you are moving across town or out of the county, the survey is free and the written quote is fixed. Tell us about the stairs, the lift and the furniture, and we will tell you honestly how we would run it. You can ask for a free quote.
The Wolves Removals Team
Family-run removals · Ashington, West Sussex
We have moved families and businesses across West and East Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Kent since 2016, from our Ashington base. We are fully insured, Checkatrade-verified and a LAPADA Approved Service Provider for antiques and fine art. More about us, or read our reviews.
Hove to Hove, One Staircase at a Time — FAQs
Stairs can make a removal more expensive, because stairs add time and a removal is priced on the crew, the vehicles and the time the job needs. A top-floor flat with no usable lift takes longer than a ground-floor one with the same contents. That is why Wolves Removals asks about floors, stairs and lifts at both addresses before quoting, so the stairs are priced in at the quote rather than added on the day. A 1,320 cubic foot move within Hove on 9 October 2026, with a lot of stairs, was quoted at £1,450 plus VAT, £1,740 including VAT. That is one job's figure, not a price list: volume, distance, access, the level of packing and any unpacking all change the price. Our pricing page explains how we work out a figure.
Yes. Tell us at the quote stage which pieces need to come apart, and the crew will dismantle them and rebuild them in your new home as part of a house removal. On a move within Hove on 9 October 2026 the furniture was dismantled at the old address and rebuilt at the new one.
Yes, if it is arranged in advance. Wolves Removals can assemble new flat-pack furniture on a moving day when it is agreed at the quote stage. On a move within Hove on 9 October 2026 the crew assembled a new IKEA wardrobe for the client the same day. Tell us what is arriving when you ask for your quote, so that we allow the time for it.
Yes. It is a common way to split a move. You pack the boxes; we dismantle the furniture, carry, load, transport and rebuild. If you would like help with only part of the packing, such as the china and glassware, that can be arranged too, and a full packing service is there if you would rather hand over the whole job.
Tell your removal company which floor you are on and whether there is a lift, at both addresses. Use smaller boxes for heavy items, keep landings and hallways clear, and let your neighbours or the managing agent know the date, so they know the stairs will be busy. Ask about parking too, because much of Hove is a controlled parking zone and a van needs somewhere legal to load. Anything large that came into the flat in pieces will probably need to leave in pieces, so mention those items when you ask for a quote.
Yes. Brighton & Hove City Council runs a parking suspension service that covers removals, and asks for seven full working days' notice on a standard application. Wolves Removals helps arrange it on Hove moves. On a move within Hove on 9 October 2026, where parking was difficult, we arranged suspended bays through the council so the vans could stop close to the entrance to unload. The council's page on applying for a parking suspension has the current notice period and fees.
Yes. Wolves Removals is based in Ashington, West Sussex, and we cover both Hove and Brighton regularly. You can read more on our Hove removals and Brighton removals pages.
