FAQs

Section 1. Sales

How long will my move take? We never know exactly how long a move will take; that’s why we always charge for the amount of time worked. Every single move is different! The time to complete a 1-bedroom apartment with an exactly identical furniture list can vary drastically based on what floor the apartment is on, the level of thoroughness of the customer’s packing, the size of elevators, the ability to reserve an elevator so other tenants aren’t using it, and the distance to the truck from the front door. Because of these variables we provide an estimate based on an AVERAGE of similar moves. There is a 50% chance your move will cost less than the average, and a 50% chance it will cost more than the average. Regardless, you can rest assured that we will only charge for the time worked, no more and no less! Rest assured that our crews will always move with a mission-oriented purpose. It’s fair for you and us. Click here to request a quote for your move
Why is Two Marines Moving better than other moving companies? You have to be able to trust the people you invite to work in your home. We take great pride in hiring from amongst those that have served our country. Our troops know the meaning of mission accomplishment, integrity, and the value of hard work. Our company policies promote the assurance that your job will be completed right and without damages. We even provide incentives to every mover at Two Marines Moving. When they go 15 consecutive moves without a damage, they receive a bonus. If they damage an item, they start back over at zero. From the people we hire to our policies, we make every attempt to make your moving mission a smooth experience.
How much will my move cost? The primary factor influencing the price of your move is the amount of hours our crew works on your site. We charge in 10-minute increments until the job is complete and only have a two-hour minimum. There is also a Truck & Equipment Fee & Fuel Fee. A moving consultant will be happy to provide you with more information. Please fill out our estimate request form to receive a quote. Click here to request a quote for your move
What is a Truck & Equipment Fee? It covers the cost of one truck for one day of use. It’s not just the truck! We also bring out a GPS, furniture dollies, shrink wrap, tape, and blankets to protect and efficiently move your items.
Would it be less expensive to get my own truck for a local move? The answer is usually NO. Once you add in all of the cost associated with a truck rental, it saves you money and time to use one of our trucks.
Are you really Marines? Don’t hold it against us that we hire Vets from all the branches! Two Marines Moving is marine-owned and -operated. We hire motivated active-duty, reservists, national guardsmen, and some civilians to ensure your move is a smooth one. Our customers choose Two Marines Moving over the competition because of the quality of our workforce. Rather than having movers with a possible criminal record, you get ethical & hard-working vets. Approximately 50% of our staff are Marines, 25% are Army, 10% are ROTC students, 5% are Navy, 5% are Air-Force, and 5% are civilian.
Does Two Marines Moving charge a booking fee? Yes, Two Marines Moving charges a $200 deposit for local moves. The $200 will be deducted from your move upon the completion of your job. There is no penalty to reschedule for another date/time provided this is done 2 weeks prior to the scheduled move. The deposit is non-refundable if you decide to completely cancel. Note: During busy periods our schedule can fill up weeks in advance and we ask that you give us as much notice as possible when requesting to shift a scheduled move.
Do you provide in-home estimates? We provide in-home estimates for certain moves. An estimator will visit your residence or office to answer your questions and take notes on the specifics of your mission if you have a 3,500 sq. ft (a 4BR House) or larger dwelling. It isn’t economically feasible with our pricing to send an estimator on every job, nor is it a requirement for a smooth move. Our pricing, whether an estimator visits your residence or not, is based on an hourly rate. We only charge for the time worked, no more and no less! It’s fair to you and fair to us.

Section 2: Storage

What is the size of each storage vault? Our vaults measure 7’x5x7′.5″ or approximately 275 cubic feet. Each vault is designed to hold 1 to 1.5 rooms’ worth of furniture (40-50 medium boxes).

How many storage vaults do I need? We recommend 1 storage vault for every 1 to 1.5 rooms.

Containers	Holds About	Cubic Feet
1-2	Dorm room to small studio	275-550
2-3	1 Bedroom APT	550-825
3-4	2 Bedroom APT	825-1,100
4-5	3 Bedroom Townhouse	1,100-1,375
5-7	3 Bedroom Single Family House	1,375-1,925

What does it cost? Each container is only $59 per month. When loading your furniture items into storage we will also wrap your items in a high quality double stitched moving blanket for protection. The blankets are only $1.25. (We usually estimate each container needing 10-12 blankets) – Your labor costs to load/unload the units will be determined by the amount of time it takes to safely move and secure your belongings. Fill out our request-a-quote form online or give us a call today!
Are my items safe? Yes. Your items are being protected by U.S. Marines in our warehouse. Only our employees have access to our secure warehouse, as we don’t sublease or commingle your items with those from other companies’ operations.
What are the insurance options? Per federal regulations we offer BASIC (free) valuation and Full valuation. Basic valuation only covers your items at $0.60 per pound while Full valuation provides coverage up to $6.00 per pound. The cost for full valuation is $9.00 per month per storage vault. Full valuation must be purchased on moving day and for each subsequent month of storage to remain in effect. The two different types of valuation provide very different levels of compensation on the small chance that an item is missing or damaged. Most companies have a 20% claims rate while we maintain a 3% rate. We still highly recommend full valuation coverage to the majority of our clients.
What if I need access to my belongings? You can access your belongings at any time. We’d prefer a-24 hour notice, but you can stop by at any time during normal business hours. We’ll take you inside our warehouse, pull your storage vaults, and you can get whatever items you need.
Can Two Marines Moving drop off the storage vaults and leave them at my residence/ business? No. At this time we only provide the storage service in connection with our full service labor and moving services.
How do I pay for my storage? An automatic and recurring charge will be made on any major credit card once a month.
Can you pro-rate the charges? No, we do not pro-rate storage. You’re billed once a month on the anniversary date of your move until your items are removed from storage.
Can I bring my items to your warehouse for storage? Yes. We’ll use the same process as an ordinary move. Please coordinate with one of our moving consultants by giving us a call or filling out our Request-A-Quote.
Can I keep the storage vaults at my location or do I have to store them in TMM’s warehouse? At this time all storage vaults must be stored at our warehouse.
Are there any items I can’t put into storage? No flammable or combustible items can be placed into storage.
I do not know how many storage vaults I need. Will you provide an estimate? Our moving consultants will be happy to provide you with guidance on the number of storage vaults you need. You can relax knowing that we’ll bring out an extra storage vault. If you don’t need it…..you don’t pay for it. Click here to request a quote for your move and storage.

Section 3. Questions on move day

What size truck do you use on a move? We have a variety of trucks available from 17′ trucks to 26′ trucks. Below is truck size breakdown for a typical local move. If you have an unusually high amount of volume for a residence of your size, please let us know so we can adjust accordingly.

Residence Size Truck Size

Studio 20′ Truck

1BR APT 20′ Truck

2BR APT/ Townhouse 20′ Truck

3BR House 30′ Truck

4BR House (2) 30′ Trucks
What if a second trip is needed? No problem. Of course, we charge for the time it takes to make the round trip. We can often only fit 20′ or smaller trucks in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, Arlington, and Washington D.C……..so sometimes a second trip is necessary. An 18 wheeler is the next step in size above a 30′ truck. It substantially raises the price for your move b/c of the cost of the truck and increased driver training requirements. Therefore, we opt to make a second trip with a 30′ truck or use a second truck on your move.
What if traffic delays my move? We can’t control the traffic. Trust us, we wish we could. We’ll complete your mission, charging you the same hourly rate until the job is completed.
How much should I tip my movers? Tips are very much appreciated for exceptional service. A typical crew is tipped an average of $20-$50 per move. Some of our most generous tippers really make a Marine’s day by tipping even more in appreciation for their hard work/military service.

Residence Size	Truck Size
Studio	20′ Truck
1BR APT	20′ Truck
2BR APT/ Townhouse	20′ Truck
3BR House	30′ Truck
4BR House	(2) 30′ Trucks

Section 4: Tips for a smooth move

HAVE EVERYTHING PACKED BEFORE OUR ARRIVAL. If you aren’t fully packed BEFORE our arrival then your move will cost significantly more than you originally expected. Of course, we’re still going to get the job done, but expect a lengthier move than originally anticipated.
Alert us to any changes ASAP! If your closing date, storage size, location, or phone number changes then we need to be informed quickly. Our schedule often fills up weeks in advance. We need your quick cooperation to ensure we find you another slot.
Purchase an appropriate level of valuation. We have one of the lowest claims rates in the industry. However, accidents still happen! We do nearly 100 moves a week. While completing 97 moves damage free, there are usually still 3 moves that result in some type of damage. As a general rule of thumb we don’t recommend that a student with passed-down furniture just starting out purchase additional valuation. We do recommend that a client in a $3,000,000 house fully furnished at Restoration Hardware purchase the highest level of valuation. For the majority of our clients that fall somewhere in between, it’s your judgement call. Our moving consultants will be glad to assist you in answering any questions pertaining to valuation and protection.
Be present to answer questions. Sometimes a family member or representative is present on move day in lieu of our client. We can certainly accommodate this, but it greatly complicates things when the “go to” person isn’t there to sign documents, identify fragile items, and direct the placement of furniture.
Check the house before the moving truck leaves. Before the truck leaves ensure no items were left behind.
Check the back of the moving truck before it leaves the house. Upon the completion of your move, do one last check with the crew chief to ensure all items were removed from the truck.
Clearly label all boxes. Make the top and sides so we can quickly identify the appropriate location during at your unload site.
Don’t use boxes without tops. No tops make it impossible to stack properly in the truck.

Section 5: Damage Claims

Where do I file a claim? Please click here to fill out our damage claim form.
How long does it take until my damage claim is resolved? It typically takes between 5-30 days to resolve your damage claim. It depends on the level of damage, the type of damage, your cooperation, your availability, and the repair technician’s schedule. Your patience is especially appreciated if a third party vendor must be brought in to assist with any repairs.
Why don’t you cover press-board furniture? Press-board furniture is not built to last. There’s a reason it NEVER turns into a family heirloom. Press-board is simply saw dust glued together. It’s meant to serve its defined purpose for a relatively short period of time. It can be weakened over the course of several re-locations, and it’s just waiting to fall apart no matter who moves it next. Of course, we will still wrap press board items and handle them with care, but we don’t cover any damages that result to these items.
Why don’t you cover items that are moved from or into a storage unit? Basically, we don’t know what happened to the items after we left the job site. Two Marines Moving no longer has access or control over the items. Therefore, we can’t cover items once they leave our care and possession.
Who handles the damage claims? We have a claims specialist on hand who will be available to handle any damage claims. He has full authority to ensure that all of your issues are addressed. He can be reached at Claim@twomarinesmoving.com
Why is the level of valuation I selected on move day so important? It defines your level of compensation for any damages that occurred during your move. Nobody can predict when a damage will occur beforehand; that’s why you should have the ability to purchase a higher level of valuation and protection. Some people would prefer to take a higher risk in the likelihood that no damage occurs, and that’s fine. Some people purchase increased valuation with no damages resulting, and that’s fine. Either way, it’s like choosing your deductible for your car insurance; you don’t get to choose a better premium AFTER the accident.
What are the advantages of Two Marines Moving valuation? A lot of moving companies hide behind $500 or $1,000 deductibles. We have a $0 deductible! We are upfront with everything and will honor our commitments. We have a very low damage claims rate compared to our peers, but accidents still happen. We encourage our customers to purchase additional valuation to ensure their items are fully covered.
Why do I need to take pictures? It saves you the most valuable thing of all: time! We can determine if it’s press-board, repairable, or we just need to compensate via some sort of monetary value.
Why do you base compensation on the weight of the item? It is federal law! The Department of Transportation requires all moving companies to compensate losses based the weight of the item. ALL moving companies that fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration offer the Federally required free coverage of $0.60 per pound and offer increased coverage for additional compensation.

Section 6: Employment

What is the address for the interview? 6021 Farrington Ave. Alexandria, VA 22304.
What is the appropriate attire for an interview?We recommend business casual at a minimum (For example: shirt with collar and khaki pants). However, we always consider it a positive when a candidate shows up wearing business professional attire.
What should I bring to my interview?A copy of your resume, DD-214 (if you have one), and two forms of identification (i.e., driver’s license, birth certificate, or social security card).
What positions are available?We have entry-level mover positions available in the full-time, part-time, transitional, and weekend only categories.
Where do I apply?You can either fill out our application online or send your resume to christy@twomarinesmoving.com
Do you only hire military?Yes, you must have a military affiliation. We hire from the Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. We also hire law enforcement, ROTC students, and prospective entrants to the military. As a prospective entrant to the military you must have talked with a recruiter from one of the branches and be waiting for a ship date for basic training/boot camp.