HOW TO HIRE · REMOVALS & STORAGE · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire an international removal firm in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
An international removals in Ireland costs €1,500–€10,000 per move, typically around €4,000. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring an international removal firm in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers international removal firm work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — storage Solutions — temporary storage solutions are often available for those who need to store their belongings before or after the move.
- How does volume of items change the price?A larger group needs more hands on the day. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does packing requirements change the price?Providers price it in because it cannot be worked around. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does level of service chosen change the price?What is included in the package changes the total. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Transportation Options — international removals provide various transportation options, including air freight for quicker delivery or sea freight for larger shipments — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a international removal firm job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO LICENCE APPLIES TO REMOVALS FIRMS. The protection is the insurance, and the word to listen for is GOODS IN TRANSIT — public liability does not pay for your own property being damaged in their van. Trade membership of the Irish Association of Movers is voluntary and brings a complaints route.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
GOODS IN TRANSIT cover and its limit per item and in total — a €10,000 total on a four-bedroom move is not cover, it is a gesture; Whether the limit falls for items you pack yourself, which it usually does; A written inventory before loading, signed by both of you; How a claim is made and within what deadline — often days, not weeks; Whether the crew on the day are employees or casual labour; For storage, who insures the goods while stored and against what.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect goods in transit and public liability, with the limits named. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers international removal firm work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — storage Solutions — temporary storage solutions are often available for those who need to store their belongings before or after the move.
A good answer: A larger group needs more hands on the day. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Providers price it in because it cannot be worked around. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: What is included in the package changes the total. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Transportation Options — international removals provide various transportation options, including air freight for quicker delivery or sea freight for larger shipments — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a international removal firm job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect goods in transit and public liability, with the limits named — customs Clearance Assistance — navigating customs regulations is a crucial part of international moves.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the international removal firm starts, and an itemised invoice after — unpacking Services — assistance with unpacking and setting up your items in your new location.
Getting the quote right
- Volume of items — a larger group needs more hands on the day.
- Packing requirements — providers price it in because it cannot be worked around.
- Level of service chosen — what is included in the package changes the total.
- Weight of your belongings — it is where estimates most often turn out to be wrong.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: volume of items — a larger group needs more hands on the day
- They will not talk about it: packing requirements — providers price it in because it cannot be worked around
- They will not talk about it: level of service chosen — what is included in the package changes the total
- A price for the international removal firm before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the international removal firm has begun
What an international removal firm costs: €1,500–€10,000 per move
The figures are for the job, per move, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Packing services and Customs clearance assistance each carry their own band. International Removals price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
International removal firms near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstVolume of items — a larger group needs more hands on the day — that is what the international removal firm is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being donePacking requirements — providers price it in because it cannot be worked around — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfLevel of service chosen — what is included in the package changes the total — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherWeight of your belongings — it is where estimates most often turn out to be wrong — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the international removal firm is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, distance to your new location — where you are decides which providers can reach you at all.
- Customs Clearance Assistance
- Navigating customs regulations is a crucial part of international moves.
- Transportation Options
- International removals provide various transportation options, including air freight for quicker delivery or sea freight for larger shipments.
- Storage Solutions
- Temporary storage solutions are often available for those who need to store their belongings before or after the move.
- Transport Logistics
- Coordination of shipping methods, including air, sea, or land transport for your items.
- Unpacking Services
- Assistance with unpacking and setting up your items in your new location.
- Call-out
- A fixed charge for turning up, separate from the work itself. On a short international removal firm job it is often most of the bill, so ask whether the first hour is inside it.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring an international removal firm: questions people ask
The cost of international removals is influenced by factors such as distance, volume of items, packing requirements, and the level of service chosen. Additional costs may arise from customs fees and insurance.
The duration of an international move can vary significantly based on the destination and shipping method. Generally, sea freight can take several weeks, while air freight may take just a few days.
Same-day international removals are rare due to the complexities involved in logistics and customs. However, some companies may offer expedited services for urgent situations, though at a higher cost.
Yes, many international removal companies offer package deals that include packing, storage, and unpacking services. Booking multiple services together can often lead to discounts.
Items such as hazardous materials, perishable goods, and certain valuables may be excluded from international removals. It's essential to check with your removal company for their specific policies.
NO LICENCE APPLIES TO REMOVALS FIRMS. The protection is the insurance, and the word to listen for is GOODS IN TRANSIT — public liability does not pay for your own property being damaged in their van. Trade membership of the Irish Association of Movers is voluntary and brings a complaints route.
MORE GUIDES