How much do professional packers cost in Virginia?

There is no standard price for professional packing in Virginia. Each company sets its own, usually as crew hours plus materials, and the total depends on how much you own, how much of it is fragile, whether the crew packs the whole house or only the kitchen, and whether you want unpacking at the other end. The reliable way to get a number is to give several companies the same inventory and compare written estimates that show packing labour and materials as separate lines.

Why there is no set price

For short moves, Virginia leaves pricing to the company. Under the Code, household goods carriers moving goods less than thirty-one road miles are exempt from the household goods article of the Code, except its section on claims.^[1] Longer moves inside the state are different: for deliveries over 30 miles, DMV says the carrier must charge the same rates as listed in the tariff it filed with DMV.^[2] Even then, every company files its own tariff, so prices still vary from one mover to the next.

Packing is also sold in different ways. Some movers pack as part of a full-service move, some packing companies only pack and unpack, and some crews will pack and load a truck you rent. Ask each one exactly what it is quoting.

What drives the cost

• How much you own. More rooms and fuller closets mean more crew hours and more boxes.
• How much is fragile. Kitchens, china cabinets, glassware, art and collections take the longest, because every piece is wrapped by hand. Books, linens and clothes go much faster.
• Full or partial pack. A full pack covers every room. A partial pack, often the kitchen and fragile items only, costs less because you do the quick rooms yourself.
• Materials. Boxes, paper, tape, bubble wrap and specialty cartons are usually billed on top of labour. Paper alone adds up in a full kitchen.
• Specialty boxes and crating. Dish packs, wardrobe boxes, TV boxes and mirror cartons cost more than standard boxes. Marble tops, large mirrors, glass tabletops and art may need a custom wooden crate, which is priced separately.
• Timing. A large home is often packed the day before the truck comes, which can mean an extra crew day. A rush job a day or two before closing usually costs more than one booked weeks ahead.
• Access. Stairs, a long walk from the parking spot and a slow elevator add time at both ends.
• Unpacking and cleanup. Unpacking, placing items on shelves and hauling away the empty boxes and paper are usually extra.
• Coverage. What the company pays if something its crew packed breaks, and what better coverage costs, is part of the real price.

How packing shows up on an estimate

On an interstate move the federal rules are specific. Federal moving rules list packing and unpacking as accessorial, or additional, services,^[5] and the mover must give you a written estimate of all charges, including transportation and accessorial and advanced charges.^[5] In most cases the estimate must be based on a physical survey of your belongings, on site or by video, unless you waive that in writing.^[5]

The type of estimate matters. A non-binding estimate is based on the estimated weight or volume and the accessorial services you request,^[6] so adding packing later raises the bill. If you add items or services to a binding estimate, you and the mover may keep the original estimate, write a new binding one, or convert it to a non-binding estimate.^[5] You and the mover can change an estimate only before your shipment is loaded,^[5] so decide what you want packed before moving day.

Coverage changes the price too. The minimum valuation level for Full Value Protection is $6.00 per pound times the weight of your shipment.^[5] Released value costs nothing extra but covers no more than 60 cents per pound, per article.^[5] For china and glassware, that gap is large.

When a Virginia household goods carrier gives a written estimate, the Code requires its form to show the carrier's name, address and phone number and a printed notice with words to the effect of "This estimate covers only the articles and services listed." and "Charges for additional services will be added to the transportation charges."^[3] An estimate may be made after a visual inspection of your goods or from information you give the carrier,^[3] so the more complete your inventory, the closer the price will be.

Be careful with insurance claims in advertising. A household goods carrier may not advertise that "all loads are insured" unless it has filed tariffs with DMV assuming complete liability and filed evidence of insurance covering every shipment to its full value.^[4] Ask what the company actually pays per item.

What to ask for in a written quote

• Packing labour, by the hour or as a flat price, and the crew size.
• Materials, with specialty boxes and crating listed separately.
• Whether packing happens on moving day or the day before.
• Unpacking, and whether the crew takes the empty boxes and paper away.
• Any minimum charge or travel fee.
• What the company pays if a box its crew packed arrives broken.

Before you book, check that a mover has the authority DMV requires; see whether movers need a license in Virginia. For the move itself, see how much local movers cost in Virginia, and for the trade-offs of paying for packing at all, see whether it is worth paying movers to pack.

Stop and call a pro if

• You have art, a marble top, a large mirror or a glass tabletop that may need a custom crate. Ask for a crating quote, not a guess.
• A company will only price packing over the phone with no inventory, or its number is far below the others. Ask what is missing.
• A packer asks for full payment up front with nothing in writing. Keep looking.
• You are packing yourself and run out of time; a partial pack booked early costs less than an emergency one.

Getting packing quotes on Loclis

On Loclis you describe the job once, businesses quote, and a business that needs to see your home first can offer an estimate visit. Browse more junk removal and moving answers, see packing and unpacking services, or describe what needs packing and get quotes.