When one van is enough.
A man with a van is one driver, one vehicle and a real load limit. For plenty of Sydney jobs that is exactly right. Here is how to tell those jobs from the rest.
- One driver, or a driver plus an offsider
- Utes, 1 to 3 tonne vans, 4 tonne pantech
- Single items up to 3m long and 150kg
Where one person stops
One pair of hands
A solo driver can slide, tilt and trolley a surprising amount. What nobody can do alone is take an end each on turning stairs.
The van sets the ceiling
Space usually runs out before strength does. A van swallows a room of boxes and still refuses a tall wardrobe standing upright.
Doorways decide the rest
Width, turns and flights stop more jobs than weight does. Measure the narrowest point before you pick a vehicle.
Working out what you need
Three questions settle it. How much are you shifting, how awkward is the worst piece, and what stands between it and the kerb.
Answer those and the vehicle picks itself. Most people guess from the room count instead of the load, which is how a job ends up needing two trips. Once the answers are clear, our small moves and delivery service is where you book it.
What fits in a ute
One or two pieces on a short run. A mattress, a bookshelf, a washing machine. The tray sits open, so weather counts against it.
What fits in a van
A studio, a single bedroom, or a share-house move. Enclosed, strapped and dry. A small move runs from 1 to 10 items, and a 1 to 3 tonne van covers most of that.
When you need a pantech
Bulk, height or weight. The 4 tonne pantech carries a tail-lift, the difference between rolling a fridge on and hauling it up. Past 150kg or 3m, nothing in the fleet helps.
| Vehicle | The load it suits |
|---|---|
| Ute | One or two pieces, open tray, short dry runs. |
| 1 to 3 tonne van | A room of furniture and boxes, enclosed and strapped. |
| 4 tonne pantech | Tall or bulky loads, and heavy pieces onto a tail-lift. |
| Trigger | Why one is not enough |
|---|---|
| Two flights or more | Stairs need a hauler at each end of the piece. |
| Awkward before heavy | Long, tall or floppy pieces need steering, not muscle. |
| Narrow doors and turns | The piece gets tilted through, which takes two. |
| A timed dock or lift | Two people finish inside the window you booked. |
| A long carry to the kerb | Every trip is walked twice when nobody minds the van. |
What moves the price
The load first, then the crew it demands, then the run across the city. Residential work covers south Sydney, the Inner West, the airport precinct, Bondi and the Eastern Suburbs, plus St George and Bayside.
| Area | Suburbs covered |
|---|---|
| Inner city and south Sydney | Sydney CBD, Surry Hills, Redfern, Darlinghurst. |
| Airport precinct | Alexandria, Mascot, Rosebery, Zetland. |
| Inner West | Marrickville, Newtown, Leichhardt, Ashfield, Burwood, Concord. |
| Bondi and Eastern Suburbs | Bondi, Randwick, Coogee, Maroubra, Matraville. |
| St George and Bayside | Rockdale, Kogarah, Hurstville, Brighton-Le-Sands. |
Tell us these three
- The longest and heaviest piece on the list
- Flights, lift access or a long walk to the kerb
- Both addresses, so the run is priced properly
Cheaper if you can: put everything into one booking rather than two runs, and clear the path first.
Photos help: one of the biggest piece and one of the stairwell settle whether a second hauler is needed. See how much removalists cost.
To book: quote online at picup.com.au/bookings, or call 1300 174 287 if the choice is unclear.
Vehicles, limits and crews
Vehicle sizes and item limits are per booking. Support runs seven days, 8am to 5pm.
Man with a van FAQs
What does a man with a van include?
One driver and one vehicle, either a ute or a cargo van. An offsider comes when the load or the access asks for it. You book the vehicle and the hands together, sized to your list.
Can one person shift a lounge alone?
Along the flat, usually yes. Up a turning stairwell, no. A three seater wants a hauler at each end the moment stairs or a tight corner appear.
Ute or van for one mattress?
A ute is fine on a short, dry run. A van is the better call for rain, a motorway leg, or a mattress you want kept clean.
When is a van not enough?
When the load stops fitting or the piece stops lifting. Tall and bulky goes onto the 4 tonne pantech. A whole house needs a dedicated truck and two to three haulers.
Which areas can a van reach?
South Sydney, the Inner West, the airport precinct, Bondi and the Eastern Suburbs, plus St George and Bayside. We do not move pianos, pool tables or safes, and we offer no packing or storage.
Price it before you book.
Type the pieces, the stairs and both addresses. The vehicle and the price come back in about a minute.