Elephant and Castle to Balham prices
Everything below includes VAT, the crew, the van, the wrapping, the fuel and the Congestion Charge. Where you land in each band is set by the floor and the parking at both ends.
| What you are moving | Price |
|---|---|
| Single item or a few boxesOne or two crew, one run | £100 to £240 |
| Studio flatOne van, one run | £370 to £670 |
| One bedroom flatTwo crew, four to five hours | £350 to £650 |
| Two bedroom flatA Luton, or a transit and two runs | £740 to £1,510 |
| Three bedroom houseA full day, three or four crew | £1,140 to £2,160 |
Why people make this move
- The Elephant regeneration flats are small for the money, and Balham offers a Victorian conversion with proper rooms at a similar rent
- The Northern line runs it in twelve minutes, so people move out without touching their commute
- Couples leaving a one bedroom tower flat for a two bedroom garden conversion, which is the most common version of this move
Loading and unloading
Loading in Elephant and Castle
Elephant and Castle is mostly straightforward and occasionally strict. The new blocks around the shopping centre site and along Walworth Road have lifts, concierges and in several cases a proper loading bay, usually needing a booking a day or two ahead. The older estates off the Walworth Road and around Kennington Park have parking but a carry across a courtyard, and lifts that stop short of the top floors. The roundabout system itself is no place to load. Southwark or Lambeth runs the parking depending on the street, so we ask for the address rather than assuming.
More on Elephant and Castle access →Unloading in Balham
Balham is Wandsworth, and it is Victorian terraces almost throughout. The streets off Balham High Road and the Hyde Farm estate roads towards Tooting Bec have front gardens, tiled paths and a few external steps, then a staircase that turns at a half landing and will not pass a double wardrobe assembled. Resident bays are common and a suspension is worth having on the busier roads. Balham High Road itself has a bus lane and heavy traffic and is a poor loading position. Bedford Hill and the roads around the station fill with parked cars from early evening, which is the main argument for a morning slot.
The journey
Kennington Park Road into Clapham Road and then Balham High Road, which is the A24 the whole way and about four and a half miles. It is a reliable route and a slow one in the peak, with the worst of it around Clapham Common and Clapham South.
Nothing clever avoids it. The parallel roads through Stockwell and Brixton are longer and no faster. We take the A24 and we start early where the buildings allow.
The half landing, which is most of the price
Balham Victorian conversions share a floor plan and share a problem. The staircase turns tightly between the ground and first floor, and a double wardrobe, a king bed frame and many three seat sofas will not go round it in one piece.
We take those apart in the room and rebuild them upstairs as part of the job. The exception is flat pack that has already been built and moved once, since the fixings do not always survive a second dismantling, and we will say so before we start rather than after.
What four and a half miles adds
Roughly thirty pounds on a one bedroom against a Zone 1 to Zone 1 move of the same size, and a little more where two runs are needed, since each round trip is most of an hour.
The tower to terrace combination matters more. Coming out of a lift at the Elephant end and going up a turning Victorian staircase at the Balham end is a two crew job at minimum and a three crew job for anything with wardrobes in it.
What makes this move go well
- Book the loading bay or goods lift at the Elephant end as soon as you have a date
- Take a morning slot, since the streets around Balham station fill with parked cars from early evening
- Empty the wardrobes into bags, because on these staircases they are coming apart anyway
- Measure the sofa against the half landing before moving day rather than on it
Elephant and Castle to Balham: common questions
How much is a man and van from Elephant and Castle to Balham?
A one bedroom flat is £470 to £920, a two bedroom £740 to £1,510 and a three bedroom house £1,140 to £2,160, including VAT. The four and a half mile drive adds around thirty pounds over a Zone 1 to Zone 1 move; the Victorian staircase at the Balham end adds considerably more.
Will my wardrobe fit up a Balham staircase?
A single, usually. A double, rarely, because the half landing turn on these terraces is tighter than anything built later. We dismantle and rebuild it as part of the job. Tell us at the quote stage and we bring the right crew rather than discovering it at the bottom of the stairs.
Do I need a suspension in Balham?
On the busier roads and near the station, often. On the quieter Hyde Farm streets, less so, since resident bays are usually available. Wandsworth charges £45 to £120 a day and wants several working days notice. We apply and pass the cost through at what they charged.
How long does the move take?
Five to six hours for a one bedroom, a full day for a two or three bedroom. The A24 is reliable outside the peak and slow in it, so a morning start is worth taking.
Is the Congestion Charge included?
Yes, where it applies. Elephant and Castle sits on the edge of the zone and the £18 daily charge is inside the quoted figure rather than added afterwards.
