Packers and Movers Dublin: Is a Full Pack Worth It?

Packing up a three-bedroom semi in Glasnevin ahead of a Friday move date is a two-week project if you’re doing it yourself — sourcing boxes, buying tape, working out what needs wrapping, and hoping you’ve left enough in the kitchen to manage the last few nights. A full packers and movers service in Dublin collapses all of that into a single day, and it costs less than most people expect.

What Does a Packers and Movers Service Include?

A full packing and moving service means the crew arrives the day before your move, packs every room, and returns the following morning to load and transport. It covers everything: kitchenware, books, clothes, linen, electronics, ornaments, and fragile items. Wardrobe cartons go up so hanging clothes move without folding. Mirrors and framed artwork get corner protection and mirror packs. All materials are supplied by us — boxes, tissue paper, bubble wrap, double-walled dishpacks, tape, and labels.

On move day, the van is loaded from a pre-packed house rather than a half-sorted one. Furniture is blanketed before it goes in. At the destination, boxes are delivered to the correct rooms and furniture is placed where you want it. Unpacking is available if you want it, though most customers prefer to unpack themselves at their own pace.

A move-only service — where you pack and we load, transport, and unload — is the standard arrangement. Packers and movers is the premium tier. Both are available; it comes down to which one suits your situation.

How Much Do Packers and Movers Cost in Dublin?

A full packing and moving service for a three-bedroom Dublin house typically costs €900–€1,400. A move-only service for the same house runs €600–€900. The difference — roughly €300–€500 — covers the packing materials, the extra crew time for a full day of packing, and the additional vehicle journey if packing takes place the day before the move.

A two-bedroom flat in Rathmines, move-only, might come in at €450–€650. Add professional packing and you’re looking at €700–€950. A four-bedroom house in Clontarf with a full garage to clear and significant furniture would sit at the upper end of the three-bed range or above.

What affects the price most: the number of rooms, whether there are fragile collections or IT equipment, the access at both properties, and whether storage is needed between collection and delivery. Get in touch with our team through the contact form or call us on +353 85 194 9801 for a fixed price before anything is booked.

The Real Time Cost of Packing Yourself

Self-packing a three-bedroom Dublin house takes 25–40 hours. Most people don’t believe this figure until they’re three days out from moving day with half the house still in place.

That estimate accounts for sourcing and breaking down boxes, buying tape and bubble wrap, wrapping fragile items one by one, clearing the attic or hot press, packing the kitchen (consistently the most time-consuming room), and labelling boxes clearly enough to be useful at the other end. It does not account for indecision, breaks, or the inevitable “where did we put the extra tape” interruptions.

For two people both working full-time, those hours have to come from evenings and weekends over two or three weeks. Box costs add up too. A three-bedroom house needs 40–60 boxes. Bought new from a hardware shop or removal supplier, that’s €80–€130 before you’ve wrapped a single cup.

Professional packers complete the same work in a single day. Two experienced people can clear a three-bedroom house in seven to eight hours. The disruption is contained to one day, not spread across a fortnight.

When a Full Packers and Movers Service Makes Sense

For most families moving a three- or four-bedroom house, the numbers tend to favour professional packing. Three situations where it reliably makes sense:

You’re moving with children at home. Packing with young children underfoot is slow and exhausting. A professional crew works systematically — rooms get cleared and done, not picked at between school runs and bedtimes.

You have fragile or valuable items. China collections, artwork, good glassware, a wine collection, musical instruments — these need proper wrapping and specific materials. Our team deals with this routinely. Improvised packing with old newspaper and clothing is adequate for most things; it is not adequate for Waterford crystal or a framed original print.

You’re managing other move logistics simultaneously. Notifying An Post of your address change, coordinating the ESB and gas transfer, dealing with the solicitor on closing day, and arranging broadband at the new address takes more time than most people plan for. Adding 30-plus hours of packing on top of that is a lot to manage.

The case for packing yourself is strongest when you’re moving a small apartment, have limited possessions, and have at least three weeks of lead time. A one-bedroom flat with no fragile collections and plenty of runway is a reasonable self-pack job.

What Happens on Packing Day

For a standard three-bedroom house, packing day typically runs like this. Two packers arrive in the morning with a full kit: flat-pack boxes in multiple sizes, tissue paper, bubble wrap, corner protectors, mirror packs, wardrobe cartons, tape, and labels. We start with the rooms you use least — spare bedrooms, attic, garden shed — and work towards the rooms you’re still living in.

The kitchen is the most involved room on most moves. Fragile items are wrapped individually, glasses go in tissue and double-packed, crockery is packed on its edge in dishpacks rather than stacked flat. Saucepans and non-fragile kitchen items go into standard boxes. Nothing goes in loose.

All boxes are labelled by room and by general contents, so unloading at the other end is efficient. You won’t be standing in your new kitchen three days later trying to locate the kettle.

Furniture is blanket-wrapped before it moves. Period properties in Dublin 4 and Dublin 6 regularly require doors off hinges and careful manoeuvring on staircases — the crew handles that as part of the job, not as a complication.

Packing, Insurance, and Your Contents

When J Hanway Removals & Storage packs and moves your belongings, our goods-in-transit insurance applies to the full load. If you self-pack and something is damaged in transit, claims become more complicated — insurers will question the packing quality. When our crew has handled the packing, that question does not arise.

For genuinely high-value items — antiques, artwork, a significant wine collection — speak to us before booking. We have been doing this since 1982 and some jobs warrant a specific approach rather than a standard packing service. A short conversation before the move is worth more than discovering a problem on the day.

For our house removals service, packing can be added to any booking. If you only need the packing and unpacking labour — you’re handling your own transport — our packing and unpacking service is available as a standalone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do packers and movers cost in Dublin?

A full packing and moving service for a three-bedroom Dublin house typically costs €900–€1,400, compared to €600–€900 for a move-only service. The uplift covers materials, crew time for packing the day before the move, and unpacking on arrival if requested.

What does a full packing service include?

A full packing service covers every room — clothes, kitchenware, books, electronics, and fragile items — using the correct materials for each. The crew arrives with boxes, tissue paper, bubble wrap, wardrobe cartons, and tape. Furniture is blanketed and wrapped before loading. You do not need to supply anything.

Is it worth hiring packers when moving house?

For most families moving a three- or four-bedroom house, yes. Self-packing a typical family home takes 25–40 hours spread over evenings and weekends. Professional packers complete the same work in a single day. The time saving alone usually justifies the cost, particularly when both adults are working full-time.

Ready to Move?

If you’re weighing up a packers and movers service in Dublin, or you’d like a fixed price before deciding, get in touch. We give clear quotes with no hidden extras for stairs, parking restrictions, or travel time. Call +353 85 194 9801 or fill in the contact form and we’ll come back to you the same working day.