What this planner works out
This planner totals the costs of moving home — stamp duty, legal fees, survey, removals, mortgage and broker fees, a repairs buffer and the incidentals — and expresses the total as a share of the purchase price.
These costs are paid from savings on or around completion, not borrowed. That is why they matter: every pound spent here is a pound not available for the deposit.
Moving cost estimate
Before you build the estimate
- Get the stamp duty figure right first, using the Stamp Duty Planning Calculator or the official calculator for the relevant nation. It is usually the largest single item.
- Ask conveyancers for a full quote including disbursements — searches, Land Registry fees and bank transfer charges — rather than the headline fee.
- Choose the survey level deliberately. A basic valuation is for the lender's benefit, not yours; a fuller survey costs more and is where unwelcome discoveries surface before you are committed.
- Keep the repairs buffer generous. Almost every move produces an immediate cost that nobody planned for.
If you are selling as well as buying, add estate agent fees — commonly 1% to 2% plus VAT — and a second set of legal fees. This planner covers the purchase side, so a simultaneous sale can add several thousand pounds on top of the total shown.
How this calculator works
A straightforward total, with one useful ratio:
Total = stamp duty + legal + survey + removals + mortgage fees + repairs buffer + other
Share of purchase price = total ÷ purchase price × 100The percentage is the more transferable figure. It lets you sanity-check a budget against a different property price, and it is the number worth remembering: moving typically costs a few per cent of the purchase price before you have bought a single item of furniture.
Worked example: a £300,000 purchase
Using the default figures — £2,500 stamp duty, £1,600 legal, £600 survey, £1,200 removals, £999 of mortgage and broker fees, a £2,000 repairs buffer and £300 of incidentals:
- Total moving costs: £9,199
- Share of the purchase price: 3.07%
That £9,199 comes out of the same savings as the deposit. On a £300,000 purchase with £40,000 saved, the usable deposit is closer to £30,800 — which is 10.3% rather than 13.3%, and may well change which loan-to-value band the mortgage falls into. Working the costs out before making an offer is what prevents that discovery arriving late.
Common mistakes
- Budgeting the deposit and the costs from the same pot without separating them.
- Accepting a conveyancing quote without disbursements. Searches and Land Registry fees are often quoted separately.
- Skipping a proper survey to save a few hundred pounds. It is the cheapest opportunity to find an expensive problem.
- Forgetting estate agent fees when selling. Frequently the largest cost of the whole move.
- Setting the repairs buffer at zero. Something always needs doing in the first month.
Frequently asked questions
What survey should I choose?
A mortgage valuation is not a survey and is carried out for the lender. A Level 2 homebuyer report suits most modern properties in reasonable condition. A Level 3 building survey is appropriate for older properties, anything unusual, or where you already suspect problems. The extra few hundred pounds is small against the cost of discovering the issue afterwards.
How much should I allow for solicitors?
Quotes vary considerably, and the headline fee is rarely the total. Ask for a written quote that includes VAT and all disbursements, and check whether it covers the mortgage work and any leasehold complications, which usually attract a supplement.
Do I need to pay anything before completion?
Yes. Surveys, searches and often part of the legal fee are payable up front, and the mortgage arrangement fee may be either paid at the outset or added to the loan. Only stamp duty and the balance of the legal costs wait until completion.
What costs come after moving in?
Council tax from the day you move, utilities and broadband setup, buildings insurance from exchange rather than completion, and whatever you find once the furniture is out of the way. The repairs buffer in this planner exists for that period specifically.
Is what I enter here stored?
No. Every figure is processed in your browser and nothing is transmitted or retained as a record.
Related tools
References
- GOV.UK — stamp duty, Land Registry fees and the legal steps in buying a home
- MoneyHelper — a full breakdown of the costs of buying and moving home
Sources are checked at publication and can change — how I choose and check references.