How many days of leave do I need for a move?

With a moving company, one day of leave for moving day itself is usually enough. With friends, a second day for packing and collecting the van is often added. In Berlin you do not need a day off for re-registering if you do it online with BundID and the online ID function.

Can I deduct moving costs from tax as a working person?

If the move is job-related – for example a new employer or a daily commute that is at least one hour shorter – the costs count as income-related expenses (Werbungskosten): moving company, estate agent for a rented flat, double rent. For a private move, 20% of the labour costs are deductible under § 35a EStG. Keep the invoices.

Is a weekend move possible for working people?

Yes, Saturdays can be booked with us – practical for working people who have no time during the week. Enquire early, because friends and hire vans are also in demand on Saturdays. That way the entire private move can be organised without extra leave. As a rule, we do not move on Sundays.

How do I find time to pack alongside my job?

Plan the packing in small daily stages instead of a single weekend. Start with rarely used items and leave everyday items until last. Alternatively, our moving company offers a professional packing service that saves working people valuable time and nerves, especially with an extensive private move .

Do I have to re-register immediately despite a full-time job?

Not immediately, but promptly: the registration deadline is two weeks after moving in (§ 17 BMG), regardless of how busy you are at work; if you miss it, you face a fine of up to €1,000 (§ 54 BMG). In Berlin, registration is possible online with BundID and the online ID function, or another person can do it with a written authorisation at the registration office (Bürgeramt).

Is a moving company financially worthwhile for working people?

That depends on what time and risk are worth to you. Weigh the hire van, fuel, materials, catering and possible extra days of leave against a fixed-price quote. Then there is liability: with a moving company the HGB applies, while with friends the risk of damage often stays with you. For many working people, the moving company is the calmer choice overall.

How do I organise a no-parking zone with little time?

In Berlin you apply for the no-parking zone (Halteverbotszone) at the road traffic authority of the district office, ideally two to four weeks ahead; the signs must be in place at least 72 hours before the move. When moving with friends you do this yourself; with us you can book it as part of the order. More in the article Applying for a no-parking zone .

Can I work from home during the move?

In principle this is possible, but it should be well planned, as moving day usually offers little peace for focused work. Talk to your employer early about a day off or reduced working hours. With a professional moving company behind you, the organisational effort for you stays minimal, so that at least short work breaks are realistic.

How do I save time on a long-distance move for a new job?

When you change jobs to another city, friends rarely come along. A provider of long-distance moves handles transport and, on request, interim storage from a single source, so that you can concentrate on the new job. A fixed price after a survey ensures clear costs for the entire route.

What does a complete service cost for working people on average?

The costs depend on the size of the flat, the distance and the scope of services; we deliberately do not give an average figure because the differences are large. Our price table above gives you a guide; it becomes binding with the fixed price after the survey. You can get a no-obligation quote on 01625978461.

How do I avoid stress when time for the move is short?

Decide early who will carry, and delegate the tasks that cost you the most time – to friends or to a moving company . A realistic checklist with fixed dates creates structure. With a fixed price after a survey and liability under the HGB, the move stays plannable even when time is short.

PART 6 · COSTS AND BENEFITS

Moving company or friends? An honest calculation for working people

Q: How do I best plan a move alongside a full-time job?

Start planning your move six to eight weeks in advance and decide early whether friends or a moving company will do the carrying – helpers and companies alike are booked up quickly on Saturdays. Get a quote from a moving company so that you have real figures. That way there is time alongside your job for dealing with the authorities and the handover of the flat.

A weekend with helpers and a hire van, or a moving company? What working people should weigh up in terms of time, money, leave and risk.

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HONESTLY CALCULATED

Guide for working people · Part 6

Carry it yourself or have it carried – a calculation of time, money and risk

Friends or professionals

Unsere Firma Moving with friends or with a moving company: hire van, helpers, days of leave, liability and tax compared directly.

A move with friends looks cheap: hire a van, order pizza, done. For working people the calculation often looks different – helpers are only free at the weekend, packing and dismantling cost evenings, and a second day of leave is quickly added. A fixed price from Beste Umzug Unternehmen after a survey shows you in advance what the alternative costs. You can read what a private move includes there.

A second point is the risk: if the wardrobe falls down the stairs while friends are carrying it, it is often unclear who pays. As a moving company, we are liable under the German Commercial Code (HGB) for damage to your belongings – by law up to €620 per cubic metre, with additional insurance on request. Then there is your back, your time and your nerves. Both belong in the calculation when you move alongside a full-time job.

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FOR WORKING PEOPLE

PERSONAL ADVICE

Compare with a real fixed price

After a survey, without hidden costs

For your calculation you need a real figure: after the survey you receive a free fixed-price quote that you can compare with a hire van, fuel and food for your helpers. A short call on 01625978461 is enough to arrange a survey appointment.

Offers available individually, depending on effort, scheduling and the scope of services required.

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WHAT PROFESSIONALS DO DIFFERENTLY

What you do not have to carry yourself with us

Lorry, tools, liability

The difference from a weekend with helpers is not just a matter of muscle. We bring straps, blankets, tools and a suitable lorry, plan for tight spots in the stairwell in advance and are liable under the HGB if something is damaged. We give you the fixed price after the survey; Saturdays can be booked. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and operate nationwide – destinations with their own page can be found under locations.

Packing service

When moving with friends, packing takes up the most evenings – if we pack, we are also liable for the packing.

The right vehicle

No hire van stress: we come with the right lorry and a driver – you do not have to steer a van through city traffic.

Assembly service

We dismantle and reassemble wardrobes and beds with the right tools – without hunting for the instructions and without any screws left over.

Liability under the HGB

If something breaks, we are liable under the HGB up to €620 per cubic metre of belongings – with friends this question is often left open and puts a strain on the friendship.

THE CALCULATION

Six items for your comparison

If you compare a move with friends and a moving company, you should not just count the hire van. These six items belong in the calculation – with honest figures for time and leave.

Hire van and fuel

Van, mileage, fuel and refuelling before returning it – with a class B driving licence you may drive vehicles up to 3.5 t permissible total weight.

Helpers and catering

Four to six helpers for a Saturday, plus food and drink – and the promise to help the others with their next move, too.

Days of leave

If you pack, dismantle and drive yourself, you often need an extra day of leave – count this day honestly, even if it does not appear on an invoice.

Materials

Boxes, tape, blankets, straps and a sack truck are needed in both cases – with a moving company, some of this is often already included in the quote.

Damage and liability

With professionals, the company is liable under the HGB; with friends it depends on private liability insurance and goodwill – a risk that belongs in the comparison.

Tax

For the moving company you can deduct 20% of the labour costs under § 35a EStG, with an invoice and bank transfer; cash for friends does not count as proof.

THE MIDDLE WAY

Part load – between friends and a complete move

Save on small loads

If you only have a few household goods, you do not have to choose between a weekend with helpers and a complete move: with a part load, your belongings travel in the cargo space of a removal van along with other orders. You pack yourself, we transport – that lowers the costs significantly.

Open cargo space of a red lorry with wrapped furniture, panels and boxes

TOPICS AT A GLANCE

What
belongs in the cost-benefit calculation

So that you can relax

In the sixth part of our series Moving for working people, we compare moving with friends and moving with a moving company: hire van, helpers, days of leave, liability and tax. For a long-distance move for a new job, the calculation is usually clearer, because helpers rarely come along. Destinations with their own page can be found via our locations page. That way you decide with real figures instead of gut feeling.

When friends are enough

For a small student move within the same neighbourhood, friends are often enough; for a private move with a family or your parents' senior move, professional help is more likely to pay off.

When professionals pay off

Heavy wardrobes, high floors without a lift, valuable furniture: this is where a packing service, furniture transport and small transport save time and risk.

The mixed options

Between friends and a full package lie the part load, the furniture taxi and partial services; for an office move, company move and public authority move, downtime is what counts.

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Two movers in dungarees carry moving boxes through a bright flat

FAQ

Frequently asked questions: friends or a moving company?

Answers on costs, days of leave, tax, re-registration, parking restrictions and liability compared.

Start planning your move six to eight weeks in advance and decide early whether friends or a moving company will do the carrying – helpers and companies alike are booked up quickly on Saturdays. Get a quote from a moving company so that you have real figures. That way there is time alongside your job for dealing with the authorities and the handover of the flat.

Days of leave and weekends: what friends really cost

A move with friends costs less money but more time. Helpers usually only have time on Saturday; packing, dismantling and collecting the van come before that – often on an extra day of leave. Be honest: how many evenings and days of leave do you need yourself, and what is a day off worth to you?

With a moving company, your personal time commitment usually shrinks to one day. If you schedule the move on a Friday, you have the weekend for setting up. You then have two weeks to re-register (§ 17 BMG) – regardless of who did the carrying.

Hire van, liability, tax: the comparison in figures

With a class B driving licence you may drive vans up to 3.5 t permissible total weight; for a larger flat, more than one trip is often needed. If friends cause damage, no insurance automatically steps in. A moving company, on the other hand, is liable under the HGB up to €620 per cubic metre of belongings (§ 451e HGB). How a fixed price and an hourly rate differ is explained in the article Fixed price or hourly rate.

For tax purposes: for a moving company, you can deduct 20% of the labour costs for a private move under § 35a EStG – with an invoice and bank transfer. At Beste Umzug Unternehmen you receive the fixed-price quote in writing after the survey.

Prices at a glance – moving service

1-room: possible from just €359
2-room: prices start at €605
3-room: bookable from €899
4-room: from €1,329
House/villa: always an individual quote
Long-distance move: price per kilometre from €4.25

For details we recommend a free survey on site.

Price factors for your comparison

Moving volume
Kilometres (from €4.25/km)
Floor and lift situation
No-parking zone if needed
Optional: furniture assembly, part load

Services that helpers can rarely provide

House clearance	Fast clearance of households and offices.	House clearance
Move with assembly	Complete service including furniture assembly.	Move with assembly
Part load	Low-cost transport in a shared consignment.	Part load
Furniture transport	Safe transport of individual pieces of furniture.	Furniture transport
Company move	Professional moves for businesses of any size.	Company move
Private move	Your move to private living space, planned stress-free.	Private move

From Berlin nationwide – when friends do not come along

On long routes, helpers rarely come along. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and carry out nationwide long-distance moves. More under long-distance moves; destinations with their own page in the locations overview.

Guides & Tips

Beste Umzug Redaktion

September 18, 2026

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