Full Service Moving Companies serving Maryland · D.C. · Virginia · West Virginia
Full Service Moving Companies in the DMV: What Sets Blue Crab Apart
Full service moving companies promise the same packing, loading, transport, and unloading. The difference is whether one licensed crew runs the whole job or it gets handed off to a sub. We are licensed (USDOT 4539918, MC 1801440) and the crew at pickup is the crew at unload.
At a glance
- Licensed and insured: USDOT 4539918, MC 1801440
- End-to-end: packing, loading, transport, unloading
- Same licensed crew start to finish
- Pro-grade materials included (boxes, paper, blankets, dollies)
- Binding written quote before move day
Full-Service Moving Rates
Starting from. Off-peak weekdays.
from
$100/hr
2 Movers + Truck
from
$140/hr
3 Movers + Truck
from
$180/hr
4 Movers + Truck
1st Month Free*
*ask if you qualify
from
$49/mo
Storage
Weekends, end-of-month, summer, and holidays run higher. Real quote always wins.
What sets full service moving companies apart
One crew, not a sub-contracted chain
Most full service moving companies broker the job out. A salesperson quotes, a third-party crew packs, a driver you have never met loads, and a different crew at the destination unloads. We staff our own crews on payroll. The same lead who walks your home before quote day runs the loading crew on move morning.
Pro packing materials, not Walmart boxes
Full service includes packing supplies most movers up-charge for: dish packs, wardrobe boxes, picture cartons, mattress bags, and crystal-grade paper. Wrapping a Federal Hill rowhouse kitchen or boxing the antiques out of a Georgetown brownstone (narrow staircases, plaster walls, no elevator) needs the right cartons and the right hands. We bring them on the truck. You do not pay extra for a sealed roll of stretch wrap you will never use again.
Binding quote before move day
Full service is the easiest service to overcharge on because the job is the largest. Our binding quote locks the total before the truck rolls. No 'we ran into more weight than expected at the door' surprises at unload.
Insurance and federal authority
USDOT 4539918, MC 1801440 (verifiable on FMCSA SAFER) for interstate authority. Maryland Public Service Commission household-goods authority for intrastate moves in MD, plus Virginia DMV household-goods carrier registration for VA, and D.C. mover registration on the D.C. side. Active general liability, workers' comp, and cargo coverage on every full service move. Released-value protection is included at no charge; full-value protection is available based on declared inventory value.
How a full service move with us actually goes
- Step 1
Walkthrough and Binding Quote
In person or by video. We measure stairs, gauge truck access on your DMV block, log specialty items (pianos, gun safes, art), and confirm packing scope. You get a binding written quote within 24 hours, with packing materials and labor priced separately so you can see what each piece costs.
- Step 2
Confirmation, COI, and Permits
We lock the date, issue any Certificate of Insurance your building requires (Bethesda high-rises, downtown D.C. condos, Arlington towers), and pull the BCDOT, DDOT, or city permit if your front door needs curb-side truck access.
- Step 3
Packing Day
One or two days before the move depending on home size. We bring dish packs, wardrobe boxes, picture cartons, custom crates for art and stone, and tape every label to the room it belongs in. You can decide which rooms we pack and which you handle.
- Step 4
Move Day
Same crew lead and crew that did the walkthrough. We blanket-wrap every piece of furniture, dolly through hallways without scuffing walls, balance the load over the truck axles, and document the inventory on the bill of lading before we pull away.
- Step 5
Unload and Walk-Through
We coordinate the destination permit or COI, unload, place furniture per your direction, and walk the inventory list with you. Damage claims (rare) get resolved against your valuation coverage with photos and the signed BOL.
What does a full service move cost?
Full service combines labor, materials, and transport into one binding quote. Local moves are hourly with a written cap; longer moves are flat-rate. The ranges below are typical 2026 prices in the DMV.
Starting at
$480
*Local moves: 2-mover crew with truck, 3-hour minimum on the clock.
* Eligibility and conditions
- •Off-season rate. May 1 to September 30 and end-of-month dates run higher.
- •Available Monday through Thursday. Weekend and Friday rates run higher.
- •Excludes the last week of every month and federal holidays.
- •Subject to crew and truck availability on the date you request.
- •Travel time, packing materials, stairs, long carries, and specialty items are billed separately.
- •Final binding price is set after a free walkthrough and supersedes any starting-at quote.
Studio / 1-bedroom apartment
$1,200-$2,500
Includes 2-person packing crew, 3-person load crew, and pro-grade materials. Local DMV moves with elevator access are at the low end; walk-ups and rowhouses push higher.
2-bedroom home or apartment
$2,000-$4,500
Two-day full service with packing on day one and loading on day two. Materials and labor included.
3-bedroom home
$3,500-$7,500
Standard DMV full service home move. 4-5 person crew, two-day schedule, full packing of kitchen, glassware, art, and electronics.
4-bedroom+ home
$6,000-$12,000+
Larger inventories with specialty items (pianos, art, antiques, full home offices). Custom crating quoted separately.
What affects your final price
- Local full service moves are hourly with a written not-to-exceed cap.
- Materials (boxes, tape, paper, blankets, shrink wrap) are included in the binding quote.
- Stairs, walk-up apartments, and long carries from the truck add labor time at both ends.
- Specialty items (pianos, safes, fine art, antiques) are quoted separately and may require custom crating.
- Peak season (May to September) and end-of-month dates run 10-20% higher.
Meet the crew on your out of the state move
Out of the state moves mean trusting a small team with your entire household for a week or more. Here is who shows up.
Igor Stevanovic
Co-Owner
Twelve years walking DMV homes before move day. Igor co-founded Blue Crab Moving in Gaithersburg, MD, and still runs binding-quote walkthroughs himself on out of the state jobs. Native Serbian speaker, fluent English.
Milan Jovanovic
Co-Owner
Long-haul driver and crew lead on most of our out of the state jobs. Milan co-founded Blue Crab Moving and still loads, drives, and unloads the same shipment from the DMV pickup to your front door, so the same hands that wrap your furniture set it down at the destination.
DMV Cities We Serve for Full Service Moving (MD, D.C., VA, WV)
We serve every city below. Each city page covers the local permits, neighborhoods, and quirks our crews handle on every full service pickup.
Full Service from Gaithersburg
Maryland
Full Service from Germantown
Maryland
Full Service from Baltimore
Maryland
Full Service from Annapolis
Maryland
Full Service from Bethesda
Maryland
Full Service from Silver Spring
Maryland
Full Service from Rockville
Maryland
Full Service from Columbia
Maryland
Full Service from Frederick
Maryland
Full Service from Potomac
Maryland
Full Service from Chevy Chase
Maryland
Full Service from North Bethesda
Maryland
Why hire Blue Crab for full service moving?
- Owner-led with 12+ years of full service moves across the DMV (Bethesda, Arlington, Federal Hill, Old Town, suburban Maryland, and beyond)
- Licensed and insured: USDOT 4539918, MC 1801440 (verifiable on FMCSA SAFER)
- Same crew start to finish, no broker hand-off to a sub-contractor
- Pro-grade packing materials included, not up-charged
- Binding written quote with a not-to-exceed cap
- Permits and Certificates of Insurance for DMV high-rises and rowhouses handled before move day
Full service moving FAQ
Straight answers to the questions we hear most.
Yes. We issue Certificates of Insurance to building management for Bethesda high-rises, downtown D.C. condos, and Arlington towers, and we pull DDOT, BCDOT, or Alexandria curb permits when the truck needs the loading zone. We start that paperwork the day you confirm the booking so nothing slows down move morning.
Milan or another payroll crew lead loads the truck in MD, drives it to Martinsburg, Charles Town, Harpers Ferry, or Shepherdstown, and unloads the same day or next morning. Same crew, same truck, no broker hand-off. We confirm delivery windows in writing on the binding quote.
Most 2 to 3 bedroom DMV rowhouses and condos pack in a single day with a 2 to 3 person crew. Larger 4 bedroom homes in Bethesda, Potomac, or McLean usually run a two-day schedule with packing on day one and loading on day two.
Packing materials (dish packs, wardrobe boxes, picture cartons, paper, tape, shrink wrap, including the extra mattress bags humid Chesapeake summers demand), packing labor (we pack the rooms you tell us to), furniture protection (blankets and shrink wrap), loading, transport, unloading, and basic furniture placement at the destination. Specialty items like pianos and crating for art are quoted on top of the base.
Full service includes the packing materials and labor in the quote. Labor-only is a crew you hire to load a truck or POD you rented yourself. Hourly local moves can be either, depending on whether you booked packing. The advantage of full service is one binding number and one crew for the whole job.
No. Our crews are on payroll and the same lead runs your move from walkthrough to unload. Many large full service moving companies broker out the actual crews; we do not. If a sub is ever needed (rare, only on cross-country dedicated-truck moves for delivery partners), we tell you up front and you sign off.
Usually no. Studios and 1-bedrooms often work better as hourly local moves with optional partial packing. Full service starts paying off at the 2-bedroom level where the time savings on packing day are significant. We will tell you which model fits your move on the quote call.
Yes. Many customers pack their own clothes, books, and decor, then hire us to pack the kitchen, glassware, fragile art, and electronics. We adjust the quote based on which rooms we touch.
Yes. USDOT 4539918 and MC 1801440 with active general liability, workers' comp, and cargo coverage. Verifiable on the FMCSA SAFER lookup. Released-value protection is included on every move; full-value protection is available based on your declared inventory.
Full service runs 20-40% higher than a basic hourly move in the DMV because materials and packing labor are included. The trade-off is fewer surprises and less of your own time. For a 3-bedroom DMV home, the typical delta is roughly $1,000-$2,000 vs an unpacked hourly move where you packed everything yourself.
For end-of-month dates in May to September, book 4-6 weeks ahead. For mid-month or off-season, 2-3 weeks is usually fine. Last-minute bookings are sometimes possible at a 15-25% rush premium.
Related Services
Pair this with another service and save a trip. One crew, one quote.
Moving
Local and out of the state moves across Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia. Licensed, insured, and upfront on price.
Packing Help
Professional packing with pro-grade materials delivered to your door. Dish packs, wardrobe boxes, and paper you cannot buy at the hardware store.
Out of State
Same crew loads and unloads. No relay, no reweigh.
Related reading from the Crab Shack
Tactical how-tos from an owner with 12+ years of moving DMV families. The same playbooks our crews run.
Crab Shack
Pack Like You've Done This Before
A field guide to packing your home like a professional. Photo tricks, supply list, and strategic packing order.
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How Many Boxes Do You Actually Need?
The pro formula for buying the right number of boxes, tape, and packing paper. Includes a calculator.
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The Binding Estimate Myth (And What Actually Matters)
Everyone says binding estimates protect you. Here's why they mostly don't, and what actually does.
Read playbookReady for your full service moving companies quote?
Tell us about your move. We'll come back with a binding written quote within 24 hours.
Or reach out directly
Long distance? We move anywhere in the US.
Truck, Pod, or furniture handling. We do it all and then some.
What our customers say
Real words from customers we've moved across the DMV and beyond.
“I had an excellent experience with Blue Crab Moving. The team was punctual very professional, and handled all of my belongings with great care. They worked efficiently, communicated clearly throughout the process, and made my move stress-free. The pricing was fair with no surprises, and everything arrived safely and in perfect condition. I highly recommend Blue Crab Moving to anyone looking for reliable and trustworthy movers.”
“Great company , highly professional , helpful and friendly . I definitely recommend them and I would use them again.”
“I cannot recommend the Blue Crab team more highly. They are meticulous, creative and very focused on customer service. I had a partial-house, 3,000 pound move that included unloading half of the furniture to a condominium and half to storage unit, boht of which were 800 miles from pick-up. The Blue Crab team worked with me on the delivery date, and listened to and addressed my worries about certain fragile pieces of furniture. They also had continuity of the three-person team, making sure one person was at both ends of the move. Furniture was well labeled and wrapped, and the team was skilled at dis- and re-assembly. It was such a pleasant experience that I almost forgot I was in the middle of move! I cannot recommend them more highly (I have moved cross country 2x with national moving companies and had countless other smaller moves over 40 years and Blue Crab is the best team I have ever had).”