Moving Services in Virginia: What’s Included, What It Costs, and How We Handle the Details
A Virginia move is not just a distance calculation. It is a sequence of access decisions, toll corridors, building requirements, and seasonal risks that most cost estimates do not mention until the final bill. This page explains exactly what our service covers, what it excludes, and which Virginia-specific factors change the price before you book.
What Our Virginia Moving Service Includes and What It Does Not
The gap between a quoted price and a final invoice almost always comes from services that were never explicitly listed. Below is the full breakdown for our standard Virginia move.
1 Included: Truck, crew, and equipment
Standard move includes the truck, a trained crew, dollies, moving pads, shrink wrap, floor and doorway protection. Furniture is disassembled and reassembled where standard tools are sufficient.
2 Included: Loading, transport, and unloading
We load at origin, drive the route, and unload at destination. Placement in the new home is included for standard furniture items. This is the baseline service, not an add-on.
3 Not included: Packing materials and labor
Boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and packing labor are separate. Full packing adds 20–30% to the total. Partial packing (kitchen and fragile items) is a lower-cost option. If you pack yourself, we can supply materials.
4 Not included: Storage
If your new home is not ready on delivery day, storage is billed separately. We offer climate-controlled warehouse space with 24/7 security. Storage is not part of the base quote.
5 Not included: Shuttle truck and long carry
If a full-size truck cannot reach the door, a shuttle truck transfers items from a nearby staging point. Long carry (over 75 feet) adds labor time. Both are common in Northern Virginia and Richmond urban neighborhoods.
6 Not included: Elevator reservations, COI, and parking permits
Building-specific requirements are arranged by you or billed as a separate service. COI paperwork, freight elevator reservations, and city parking permits are not part of the moving quote.
How Much a Virginia Move Costs
Virginia moves are priced by weight and access, not by bedroom count. A lightly furnished two-bedroom apartment can weigh 3,500 lbs. The same apartment with a piano, gym equipment, and full bookshelves can exceed 7,500 lbs. At a typical line-haul rate for Virginia routes, that weight difference alone changes the price by $1,500–$2,000.
Use the calculator below to see a planning range based on your actual inputs. It returns a range, not a quote. A written estimate after a visual survey remains the only reliable number.
The estimate excludes tolls, parking permits, elevator COI fees, and move-in fees charged by buildings. If any of these apply, add them on top of the range above. The sections below explain each.
Moving Within Virginia: Routes, Traffic, and Timing
Most Virginia moving content focuses on moves into or out of the state. But a significant share of Virginia moves happens inside the state, and those routes have their own logistics.
| Route | Distance | Typical Drive Time | What Changes the Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria) to Richmond | 100–110 miles | 2–2.5 hours (I-95 S) | I-95 congestion, tolls on Express Lanes, parking access at both ends |
| Hampton Roads (Virginia Beach, Norfolk) to Charlottesville | 170–190 miles | 3–3.5 hours (I-64 W) | Tunnel tolls at Norfolk, bridge traffic, rural access at destination |
| Richmond to Roanoke | 180 miles | 3 hours (I-64 W) | Mountain route, limited truck stops, weather delays in winter |
| Northern Virginia to Hampton Roads | 180–200 miles | 3–4 hours (I-95 S / I-64 E) | I-95 bottleneck at Fredericksburg, tunnel tolls, summer beach traffic |
The difference between a 100-mile move and a 200-mile move inside Virginia is not just distance. It is the number of toll facilities, the likelihood of a shuttle truck, and the availability of parking at both ends. A Fairfax-to-Richmond move is often simpler than a Fairfax-to-Arlington move because Arlington’s building requirements add more friction than the highway miles.
Military Moves in Virginia: Bases, Programs, and Paperwork
Virginia has one of the highest concentrations of military installations in the country. Moves under military orders follow a different process than a standard residential move, and not all moving companies are set up to handle it.
DPS and GHC: What Changed
Military household goods shipments now go through the Defense Personal Property System (DPS) or the Global Household Goods Contract (GHC), depending on the branch and destination. For planning purposes, 4,000 pounds of household goods equals approximately one day of packing for DPS shipments. A 16,500-pound shipment can require up to five days of packing before the pickup date.
This matters because the pickup date is set by the system, not by the service member. If packing is not scheduled correctly, the pickup can be delayed, and storage at origin may be required at short notice.
Bases We Serve
Naval Station Norfolk
Largest naval base in the world. DPS shipments coordinated through the Personal Property Office. Summer PCS season runs May through August.
MCB Quantico
Marine Corps Base. GHC contract applies for many shipments. Peak moving season per MARADMIN runs 15 May through 31 August.
Joint Base Langley-Eustis
Hampton Roads area. Coordinates with both DPS and GHC depending on orders. Summer and end-of-month dates fill first.
Fort Belvoir
Northern Virginia. Proximity to DC adds traffic and access constraints. COI and elevator requirements common in nearby high-rises.
Storage During Your Virginia Move: Options and Pricing
Storage is the most common hidden cost in a Virginia move. It appears when the new home is not ready, when a closing date shifts, or when a military shipment is delayed. The type of storage you need depends on what you are storing and for how long.
| Storage Type | Typical Monthly Cost | Best For | What to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate-controlled, 10×10 | $90–$176 depending on region | Electronics, wood furniture, documents, anything sensitive to humidity | Confirm temperature range, not just “climate controlled” |
| Standard (non-climate), 10×10 | $60–$120 | Seasonal items, tools, outdoor furniture, short-term overflow | Virginia humidity can warp wood and rust metal in non-climate units |
| Warehouse storage (carrier-managed) | Quoted per shipment, not per unit | Military moves, long-distance shipments waiting for delivery window | Access may be limited; confirm whether you can retrieve items |
In Henrico County (Richmond area), a 10×10 climate-controlled unit averages $133 per month. In Glen Allen, the average is $90. In Mechanicsville, $64. In Chesapeake, climate-controlled storage averages $143. The difference between regions is driven by demand and facility age, not by unit quality.
For a Virginia move, climate-controlled storage is usually worth the premium from May through September. Summer humidity in central and eastern Virginia can damage wood furniture, warp books, and corrode electronics within a few weeks in a non-climate unit.
Hidden Fees in Virginia: Tolls, Parking, Elevators, and COI
These are the costs that appear after the move is booked. They are not part of any standard moving quote, and they vary by city and building. The list below covers the most common ones.
Tolls on Virginia routes
Dulles Toll Road: $2.50–$4.50. I-66 Express Lanes: $1.50–$20 (dynamic). I-95/495/395 Express Lanes: $0.50–$30+ (dynamic). Downtown/Midtown Tunnels (Norfolk): $2.27–$4.38. Tolls are usually included in a full-service quote but must be itemized and confirmed.
Parking permits
Alexandria: $40 for the first vehicle. Arlington: $40. Fairfax County: free. If the truck will park on a city street, a permit may be required. Apply at least 15 days before the move date.
Elevator reservation and COI
Most high-rises in Tysons, Arlington, and Richmond require a Certificate of Insurance naming the building as additionally insured, typically $1–2 million in liability. Elevator reservations may carry a separate fee. Budget $200–$500 for building-related costs.
Move-in fees
Luxury buildings in Northern Virginia and Richmond commonly charge $200–$500 in move-in fees or refundable deposits. These are charged by the building, not the mover. Confirm the amount before booking the truck.
When to Move in Virginia: Weather, Season, and Availability
Virginia has two seasonal windows that affect moving logistics: hurricane season on the coast and winter weather in the north and west. Both can change the schedule and the price.
Hurricane Season: June through November
Coastal Virginia, including Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore, is in the Atlantic hurricane zone. The official season runs June 1 through November 30. Peak risk is August through October. If you are moving to or from a coastal area during this window, build at least two or three flexible days into the schedule on either side of the load date.
The practical risk is not just the storm itself. It is the congestion that follows an evacuation order, the closure of bridges and tunnels, and the shortage of trucks when carriers reposition equipment away from the coast.
Winter Weather: December through March
Northern Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley get snow and ice. A snow emergency can invalidate a street parking permit, preventing the truck from parking at the door. In rural areas, driveway access can be blocked. Winter moves are cheaper because demand is lower, but the schedule needs more buffer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get a Quote for Your Virginia Move
The most accurate price comes from a visual survey of your home and a written inventory. If you prefer to start with a planning range, use the calculator above. If you are moving under military orders, have your orders and your Personal Property Office contact information ready — the process is different and the timeline is set by the system, not by the calendar.