Piano, Safe, Embassy & Specialty Moving
Specialty work in DC is a meaningful slice of what we do. Embassy Row on Massachusetts Ave, Hill rowhouse parlors with century-old uprights, Bethesda basements with 800-lb gun safes — these are not the jobs you point a general crew at. Andre Whitlock runs our specialty board, and every piano, safe or crate gets walked before I write the number.
Why specialty pieces have their own crew
- The pieces are unforgiving. A baby grand has a center of gravity that punishes shortcuts; a marble dining top cracks on a flex.
- The houses are unforgiving. Capitol Hill rowhouse staircases turn at the landing — uprights have to come through that turn without scarring the plaster.
- The paperwork is unforgiving. Embassy households document chain-of-custody. We sign for it.
DC specialty & piano pricing
| Specialty piece | Crew | Typical flat rate |
|---|---|---|
| Upright piano, one floor, no stairs | 3 movers ($219/hr) | $489 – $635 |
| Upright, rowhouse stairs (Capitol Hill) | 3 movers | $685 – $885 |
| Baby grand, legs off, hoist or wide entry | 4 movers | $985 – $1,485 |
| Gun safe, 600-1,000 lb, basement-out | 3-4 movers | $685 – $1,140 |
| Embassy custom crate (per piece) | Specialty crew | $285 – $785 |
Specialty pieces fit naturally into a whole-home residential move or sit on their own as a stand-alone piano or safe job. If the piece is heading out of state, we put it on the same truck as the rest of your long-distance shipment and the same Mercy crew unloads it at destination. Licensed and insured, DC moving license plus US DOT and MC authority on file.
What rides in your DC flat rate
- Andre's specialty crew on every job — piano, safe, marble or embassy crate
- Piano board, four-wheel skid, stair-climbing dolly and shrink-wrap on every instrument
- Custom crating for embassy china, art, marble tops and oversize mirrors
- Gun-safe handling with proper-rated dollies and securement on the truck
- Marble-stoop and rowhouse stair plan walked before quoting — no day-of surprises
- Released-value $0.60 / lb included; full-value coverage on the instrument optional
What will it run?
Two of our movers and a truck at $169/hr, or lock one flat written DC number up front
Blankets, dollies, shrink-wrap and basic COI prep all ride in the rate; step up to a three-mover crew with truck at $219/hr.
Get my exact DC price
