The size of the truck you'll need when moving house depends on several factors, including the amount of furniture and belongings you have, how far you're moving, and whether you’ll be able to make multiple trips. 

I’ve moved a fair few times in my life and have used both a moving truck and our own ute (and multiple trips) and let me tell you - the moving truck was by far the smartest choice for us! Driving back and forth with ute-loads of stuff was hectic, stressful and annoying! 

But what size truck do you need when moving house? Here’s a general guide based on the size of your home and the volume of items you're moving:

Small Vans (HiAce) 

• 5-11 cubic metres
• Ideal for local moves and making plenty of back and forths

3-Tonne Trucks

• 10-15 cubic metres
• These are also more suitable for local moves or for small apartment moves

4.5-Tonne Trucks

• 20-25 cubic metres 
• Ideal for medium sized moves (two-bedrooms) 

6 to 8-Tonne Trucks

• 25-30 cubic metres
• Suitable for three or four-bedroom houses

8- to 10-Tonne Trucks

• 35-50 cubic metres
• Ideal for four to five bedroom homes

10- to 12-Tonne Trucks:

• 45-60 cubic metres. 
• These jumbo machines are the big weights of the transport industry and often used for multiple smaller loads or for large house moves and industrial moves. 

Moving Truck Vs Self-Pack Container or Self-Pack Pod 

Hiring a truck or a removalist with a truck is only one option you have. There’s actually a few much more affordable ways to move (and not just begging your mates to do 800 loads back and forth).

One option you have is a self-pack move. We also call these container transport moves or You Pack Removals.  Shipping container transport can actually be cheaper than hiring a moving truck and comes with plenty of advantages including flexibility and of course, price. 

A 20 ft container can hold around 33 cubic metres, so this is equivalent to an 8 tonne truck. 

How many cubic metres in a 40ft container?

A 40 ft container can hold around 67 cubic metres which is a pretty decent amount. If you do have a lot of stuff to move, the 40ft container is often your best choice, whether moving industrial goods or furniture.

Backload Removals

Another option you have when deciding on the right size truck when moving house is to look into backload removals. This system allows you to only book the amount of space you need on a truck that’s already travelling to and from your destination. If you are moving up or down the coast of Queensland, this is a really smart and common thing to do. 

So, for example, you may have 15 cubic metres of stuff to move but you can put your belongings on a 12 tonne truck. You are only paying for the space you use but you are also sharing the space with other movers (kind of like a ride share service but for your belongings). 

At Best Rated Transport, we can provide you with free quotes for both moving and removalists trucks as well as shipping container transport and backload removals. Give us a call or start your quote to find the best rate on your furniture or freight transport needs.