Gateshead is built on a slope, and that shapes most moves here. The ground rises hard from the river through Bensham and Windmill Hills and keeps rising towards Low Fell and Wrekenton, so a street that looks ordinary on a map can have a steep run between the tailgate and the front door.

Where the van stops is often decided by where it can safely load, not by where the house is. So that is the first thing to work out.

Start with where the van can stop

On a steep street, a heavy item coming down a slope needs a flat, safe stopping place at the bottom of it more than it needs a short walk. That can make the carry longer, and the carry is part of the job.

Our answer: we plan the loading point first and the route second. You can help with two things:

Send a photo taken from the far side of the road, with the exact address. It tells us more than a description does.
Measure the carry. Twenty metres instead of five, walked once for every item in the house, is a longer job — and it belongs in your quote from the start.

Bensham, Windmill Hills and the climbs towards Low Fell and Wrekenton are the streets we ask about most often.

Decide whether you need a parking suspension

Suitable parking at both addresses is the customer's responsibility, and that includes a bay suspension where the van cannot otherwise stand close to the property. Gateshead Council's parking suspensions page sets out the terms, and they are worth reading before you fix a date:

The cost. There is an administration fee, plus a daily charge for each bay. Check the current figures with the council before you budget for one.
The notice. Applications have to reach the council well ahead of the day. Ask how far ahead, then count back from your date.
The end date. Ask what happens if you finish early before you pay.

That is real money, and it will not suit every move. On a quiet street with room outside the door, you are unlikely to need one. It earns its fee where the only alternative is a long carry down a bank, or where the van has nowhere legal to stand at all.

Contact the council's Parking Services with the street and the date, and ask what a removal van needs there. Our parking and access guide covers the rest of the jobs around a move.

Moving a Tyneside flat

Bensham and Felling have plenty of Tyneside flats, and an upstairs flat is a different job from the downstairs one next door. The stair is narrow and often turns at the top — so measure the big pieces before the day, and tell us which floor you are on and whether the back lane is any use. Our Tyneside flat guide goes through it properly.

Moving in or out of a riverside apartment

Buildings near the Baltic and the Glasshouse work more like a booking than a house move. Ask the managing agent three things as soon as you have a date:

When the goods lift can be booked, and for how long.
Where the van can stand, and whether there is a loading bay.
What paperwork they want from the removal firm, and how far in advance.

We carry £5 million public liability and £20,000 goods in transit cover per claim, and we will provide evidence of either on request. Send the request over early so it does not hold up your slot.

Low Fell, Whickham and the rest of the borough

The inter-war semis across Low Fell and the newer estates around Dunston and Blaydon are simpler to reach. In a bigger house, the thing to watch is volume — the loft, the garage and the shed are what people leave out of the count. Our Gateshead removals page covers the area in more detail.

If you are moving an office or a unit on Team Valley, confirm your access times with the site first. Our weekend office move checklist is the place to start.

What to book, in order

The date. Two weeks is our preferred minimum, and further out is better for a Saturday.
The council, if you need a suspension. Ask how much notice it needs as soon as the date is firm.
The lift and loading bay, for a flat with a managing agent.
Packing, if you want it done for you. We pack the day before.
A clearance, if you are leaving things behind. It is priced from photos, so send them early.

What it costs

A typical local move with us is £190 for a one-bed, £270 for a two-bed, £350 for a three-bed and £430 for a four-bed. Stairs, distance and a fuller load add to that, so two homes of the same size, one on a bank in Bensham and one on a flat road in Dunston, may not cost the same. Our North East cost guide goes through what moves the price. Our guide to the two ways of paying explains which one suits what.

We price two ways. With one price for the job, the day is yours and there is no waiting charge, so late keys do not cost you more. By the hour is often cheaper for smaller moves, with a two-hour minimum, and waiting after the first 30 minutes is charged at £21 plus VAT per half hour. Changes are free with at least 48 hours' notice.

The catch

A steep street can mean a longer carry however well it is planned. And a suspension needs notice, so a move arranged at short notice may not be able to rely on one. We would rather price both of those in at the start than talk to you about them on the day.

When you know your street and your date, tell us what you are moving and we will price it.