The builders are starting on Monday. They need the living room cleared, the kitchen gutted, and the spare bedroom emptied so they can knock through a wall. You have four days to move a house's worth of furniture somewhere it will not get covered in brick dust, plaster, and regret.
Every year, approximately 1.5 million UK homeowners renovate, extend, or convert part of their home. Nearly all of them face the same problem: where does the furniture go while the builders are in? The answer, for most, is a self-storage unit at £150–£280 a month. That is an extra £450–£1,680 on top of an already eye-watering renovation budget.
It does not have to cost that much. Here are the alternatives.
How long do UK renovations actually take?
This matters because it determines how many months of storage you are paying for. Builders' estimates are optimistic. Here are the realistic timelines:
Kitchen renovation: Quoted 2–3 weeks, realistic 4–6 weeks. You need the kitchen cleared for the entire duration — no cooking at home. Storage: 1–2 months.
Bathroom renovation: Quoted 1–2 weeks, realistic 2–4 weeks. Usually does not require full-house clearance — just the bathroom contents and landing furniture. Storage: 1 month (if any).
Rear/side extension: Quoted 10–12 weeks, realistic 3–5 months. Major disruption. At least one room fully cleared, often two. Storage: 3–5 months.
Loft conversion: Quoted 6–8 weeks, realistic 8–12 weeks. Top-floor bedrooms need clearing. Dust travels everywhere. Storage: 2–3 months.
Full house renovation: 4–9 months. You are probably not living there. Storage: 4–9 months. At this point, the storage bill is a line item in the renovation budget, so get it right.
Your storage options during renovation
Self-storage (Big Yellow, Safestore, Access): £100–£280/month for a room-sized unit. 24/7 access, climate control. The premium option. Makes sense only if you are storing high-value antiques or electronics that need climate control, or if you expect to access items frequently during the renovation.
Packhood peer-to-peer: £50–£120/month for a local host's garage, spare room, or lock-up. Month-to-month, no minimum stay. Perfect for renovation storage because (a) it is cheaper (you are already haemorrhaging money on the renovation), (b) it is local (you can grab items back if you realise you need the camping stove for cooking during the kitchen reno), and (c) it is flexible (renovations always overrun). Search your area.
Portable pods (SMARTBOX, PODS UK): £150–£300/month. A container delivered to your driveway. You pack it, they store it. Convenient but requires driveway space (which may be occupied by a skip). Not always available at short notice.
The "shove it in one room" method: Free, but risky. You push everything into the room furthest from the work and cover it with dust sheets. Builders track dust everywhere, and one accidental elbow destroys your TV. Only viable for minor cosmetic work (painting, flooring).
What to move out and what to leave
Always move out: Soft furnishings (sofas, mattresses, curtains — they absorb dust and smell of plaster for months). Clothing in open wardrobes. Electronics (dust kills fans and vents). Artwork and mirrors (vibration from drilling can crack frames and glass).
Can usually stay: Heavy furniture in rooms not being worked on (cover with plastic sheets — proper ones, not bin bags). Built-in wardrobes with doors (the doors keep dust out). White goods in the kitchen during a bathroom reno (and vice versa).
Ask the builder: Whether they are doing dust containment (zip walls, extraction fans). If they are, you can leave more in situ. If they are not (most budget builders do not), move everything out of the zone plus the two adjacent rooms.
How to save money on renovation storage
Phase the work: Instead of clearing the entire house, renovate room by room. Move furniture from room A to room B, renovate room A, move everything back, then tackle room B. Slower, but you may avoid storage entirely.
Declutter first: A renovation is the perfect excuse. If you have not used it in two years, donate it before paying to store it. See our decluttering guide.
Share with a neighbour: If you and a neighbour are both doing work, share a larger Packhood space and split the cost. Two families in one double garage is cheaper than two separate units.
Book before the builders start: Packhood hosts in popular areas fill up. Book 2–3 weeks before works begin so you have the best choice and price.
FAQ: renovation storage
Can builders use Packhood for their own tools and materials? Yes. Tradespeople regularly book Packhood garages near job sites for tool and material storage during multi-week projects. Cheaper and closer than driving back to the yard every evening.
What if the renovation takes longer than expected? Packhood is month-to-month. Message your host to extend. No penalty, no admin fee. You pay for the months you use, nothing more.
Should I insure my items? Yes. The Packhood Host Guarantee covers €300 per booking. For a house's worth of furniture, check your home contents insurance — most policies cover items in temporary storage for up to 90 days. Beyond that, notify your insurer to extend.
How do I protect items from dust before storing? Wrap everything in plastic sheeting or furniture covers. Tape the seams. Even if items are going straight from your house to a clean garage, dust on the surface will transfer to the storage space. Five minutes of wrapping saves hours of cleaning later.