Appliance Collection and Delivery

A washing machine, a fridge freezer or a cooker is one of the most common single items people need a van for, and one of the most commonly underestimated. Send VanHub UK the details and we will look for an independent van driver to collect and deliver it for you. Appliance work covers the home white goods that are too heavy and awkward for a car and need a bit of preparation before they travel.

It might be a fridge freezer bought from a seller across town, a washing machine going to a new flat, a cooker collected from a shop, or an old appliance moving out to make room for a replacement. These are domestic appliances rather than commercial kit, but they still carry real weight, hold water, and have rules about how they should be transported, which is why they are worth treating as their own kind of job.

What appliance collection covers

This service suits washing machines, tumble dryers, washer dryers, dishwashers, fridges, freezers, fridge freezers, ovens, cookers, range cookers and other large household appliances. It works for a single appliance or two or three together, whether collected from a home, a shop, a warehouse or a private seller, local or over a longer distance depending on which drivers are about.

The catch with appliances is that they are deceptively heavy and rarely a clean lift. A washing machine is dense, a American style fridge freezer is tall and unwieldy, and a range cooker is a serious two person item. Add stairs, a tight kitchen doorway or a flat with no lift and a simple sounding collection becomes a proper carrying job. The weight is concentrated and low, which makes these awkward to handle without the right setup.

Disconnecting, draining and getting it ready

The single thing that holds up appliance moves is kit that is not ready to go. Washing machines and dishwashers hold water, and one that has not been drained can leak in the van or weigh more than it should. Most washing machines also need the transit bolts refitting to stop the drum swinging and damaging itself on the road, and a driver will not always carry the right bolts for your model.

Fridges and freezers need switching off, defrosting and drying out in good time, ideally a day before, because a unit that is still wet or iced up is messier and heavier. They should also travel upright where possible, since laying a fridge or freezer down can disturb the compressor oil, and many makers ask you to stand it upright for several hours before switching it back on. Cookers, especially gas, need disconnecting safely first. Gas appliances should be disconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer before they move. Get all of this done before the collection date so the driver can load and go.

Lifting, access and the right van

Appliances are where lifting help earns its place. A washing machine down a flight of stairs is heavy work. A tall fridge freezer round a tight landing is worse. A range cooker out of a fitted kitchen is rarely sensible for one person at all. Many appliance jobs need two people from the start, and a sack barrow or appliance trolley makes a real difference on steps and long carries. Be honest about help at both ends, because someone who might be around is not the same as a confirmed second pair of hands.

Tell the driver the floor levels, stairs, lift access and parking at both addresses, and whether the appliance is free standing or built in. A built in or integrated appliance may need removing from the units before it can be collected, which is a job in itself. The right van matters too. A fridge freezer that has to stay upright needs a van it will stand up in, so height and loading space, not just floor area, decide whether the vehicle suits.

New appliance in, old appliance out

A lot of appliance jobs are really two at once. A new washing machine or fridge freezer is being delivered, and the old one needs taking away at the same time. Some drivers will handle both in one trip, which saves a second job, so mention it at the quote stage if you need the old unit removed as well as the new one delivered.

If the old appliance is being scrapped rather than rehomed, it counts as waste, and removing waste for payment needs the right registration. A driver taking your old machine to be disposed of should hold valid waste carrier registration, so check that if disposal is part of the job. If the old appliance is going to a new home or a second hand buyer instead, it is a straightforward collection and delivery like any other.

Price, insurance and responsibility

What an appliance collection costs usually comes down to the size and weight of the items, whether they are disconnected and ready, the distance, floor levels and access, parking, and whether the job needs one person or two. A ground floor washing machine swap with parking outside is a quick job. The same machine coming down from a third floor flat with no lift is a different price, even over no distance at all.

VanHub UK helps customers reach independent van drivers. The collection is carried out by the driver who takes the job, not by VanHub UK, and each driver sets their own prices, vehicle and services. Confirm insurance with the driver before booking, particularly for newer or higher value appliances, as Goods in Transit cover varies. If an appliance is already marked or damaged, note it and take photos, and make sure anything that needs disconnecting has been made safe by a suitable person first.

Requesting an appliance collection quote

To price an appliance move, a driver needs the collection and delivery postcodes, the appliances with rough sizes, whether each one is disconnected, drained and ready, the floor levels and access at both ends, parking notes, whether it is free standing or built in, and how much lifting help is available. Photos help, especially for tall or built in units.

The clearer the appliance and the access, the better we can match you with a driver who has the right van and the right help. Send the job details once and we will look for a suitable driver to price and handle it. Most appliance jobs that overrun do so because a machine was still plumbed in, still full of water, or harder to get out of the kitchen than it sounded on the phone, so the detail you give up front is what keeps it smooth.

This is one of our store collection services for appliances, alongside one item collection guide for appliances and furniture and sofa moving. For practical detail, see our heavy furniture guide.