270 Miles Down I-95, Then I-85
Two hundred seventy miles: I-95 South out of the District through Fredericksburg and Richmond, then I-85 South from Petersburg into Durham. In a loaded truck that's a solid day of driving. Government workers, nonprofit staff, defense contractors, and federal employees make this move constantly, and we've been on the receiving end of it since 1976.
Loading Out of the DC Area
The DC end has its own logistics. Arlington high-rises usually have loading docks and freight elevators, but you need to reserve your slot well ahead of time. Georgetown rowhouses mean narrow streets, tight doorways, and street parking that requires a permit from DDOT. Bethesda and Silver Spring condos vary building to building. Some have dedicated moving elevators. Others make you share with residents during off-peak hours only.
We deal with all of it. COI paperwork, elevator scheduling, parking coordination. You give us your address, and we'll sort out the building requirements before move day.
Government Town to Research Town
Most people we move on this route are trading one credential economy for another. Research Triangle Park sits between Durham and Raleigh with over 300 companies in biotech, tech, and research, and Duke University and Duke Health are the county's largest employers. The work is comparable. The commute and the mortgage aren't.
A two-bedroom in Arlington that runs $2,500 a month goes for $1,300 in Durham. If you're coming off Capitol Hill or out of Dupont and you want to keep the rowhouse feel, Trinity Park and Watts-Hillandale have the older homes and the walkable blocks. Downtown Durham is the closest thing to Navy Yard, converted warehouse lofts and restaurants within a few minutes' walk. If you've been out in Bethesda or Alexandria and you want more yard for the money, Hope Valley and Southpoint are where most families end up.
The pace is the part people mention. Less hustle, more community. The farmers market is one of the best in the state, and you're 2.5 hours from the mountains and 2.5 hours from the beach in opposite directions.
Booking a DC-Area Pickup
Call (919) 682-2300 or request a quote through this page. We'll do a virtual survey of your place, look at what you're moving and what your building allows, and give you a firm price. No ranges. Transit on this route is one day, and you get an exact delivery date before you sign anything.
On move day our crew arrives with packing materials, furniture pads, and the right truck for your building's dock. Everything gets loaded into a sealed container that doesn't open again until we're inside your new Durham home.
The Durham end is home court. We know the loading dock at Brightleaf has a weight limit, that the turns on Watts Street are tight for a 26-footer, and which downtown buildings want elevator reservations a week out. That's 49 years of working the same city.
Moving from Durham to DC instead? See our Durham to Washington DC page.
