Man with a Van or a Moving Company – Which Should You Choose?

A man with a van is a vehicle with a driver, hired by the hour. A moving company is a crew, materials, a contract and insurance. Both will get furniture from point A to point B, but that's where the similarity ends — which is why a man with a van in Wrocław can be a great choice for a single wardrobe, and a poor one for a whole flat.

Below is an honest comparison: when a man with a van is enough, when it ends up costing more than a moving company, and what you don't see in the hourly rate.

• You're moving single items: a sofa bought online, a fridge, a few boxes.
• You have someone to help carry, or the items are on the ground floor.
• The route is short, within the city, with no lift and no narrow staircase.
• You don't need packing, furniture disassembly or staircase protection.
• The value of the items is low enough that a scratch wouldn't bother you.

In that setup, you pay for an hour of the vehicle's work, and that's the cheapest option on the market. It makes sense, and we ourselves point people that way when they call asking about moving a single item.

Because it's time that counts, not volume

A man with a van bills by the hour. In a three-room flat on the third floor with no lift, the hours add up fast: carrying things down the stairs without a trolley and straps takes twice as long as with a crew that does this every day. The bill for a "cheap hour" can end up higher than a company's quote.

Because the driver isn't obliged to carry

In many offers, the driver drives and helps, but isn't responsible for carrying things in and out. If you don't have two strong people to help, the move grinds to a halt at the first wardrobe.

Because there are no materials

Blankets, straps, film and boxes aren't an extra — without them, furniture travels loose and bangs against itself on every turn. Buying materials yourself also costs money.

Because liability is different

With an occasional transport, claiming for damage is hard. A moving company holds carrier's liability insurance, and for more valuable items, cargo insurance calculated from the value stated in the inventory.

1. How many cubic metres do you have? Up to about 5 m³, a man with a van usually wins. Above 15 m³, it almost always loses to a moving company.
2. Who's going to carry? If the answer is "me and a friend", work out how many hours that will take you compared with the three hours a crew needs.
3. What happens if something breaks? If the answer is "that would be a problem", you need a contract and a policy, not an hourly rate.

• A crew that knows how to take a door off its hinges and move a washing machine without spilling water.
• Blankets, straps, film, stair trolleys and staircase protection.
• Disassembly and reassembly of furniture, connecting the washing machine at the new place.
• A contract with a date and a price, plus an invoice.
• Carrier's liability insurance, and cargo insurance based on value on request.
• The option to store part of your things in a warehouse when the new flat isn't ready yet.

Will a moving company move a single wardrobe?

Yes, but for a single item we'll honestly tell you a man with a van will be cheaper. It's worth booking us when the wardrobe is heavy, on a high floor, or valuable.

Can I hire just the crew, without a vehicle?

Yes. It happens with moves within a single building, or when the client already has transport arranged. Then you pay for the people's work and the materials.

Will I get an invoice with a man with a van?

It depends on the carrier — some operate without invoices. If the move has to be a business expense, check before booking.

What about fragile items?

Glass, a TV, paintings and computer equipment need packing, not just transport. A man with a van won't help here — what matters is what the items are packed in.