What Is Actually Included in Full Service?
What Is Actually Included in Full Service?. Practical guidance from Safebound Moving & Storage.
Last Updated: August 2026
TL;DR: A full-service move covers pack labor, load, drive, unload, and basic take-apart of beds and tables. Boxes, tape, custom crates, appliance disconnect, a shuttle, and a full box open are billed on top. A price-locked written quote should list each line so the client can see what is in and what is extra.
A full-service move is a paid plan where a crew handles the pack, load, drive, and unload from start to finish. The crew brings boxes, tape, paper, and pads to the home on the pack day. They wrap each piece, load the truck, drive to the drop-off, and place each box in the right room. Basic take-apart of beds and dining tables is part of the plan. Extra work like custom crates or the disconnect of a big fridge is billed on top. A written quote lists each line item.
Safebound Moving and Storage is a licensed carrier based in West Palm Beach, Florida. The firm runs under USDOT 2900155, MC 975408, and FL IM2839. Since 2016, Safebound has closed 35,000+ moves with trained and background-checked crews for Florida and 50-state households. The firm holds a 4.9 stars rating across 2,401 reviews. A crew lead walks the home in person or by live video, then writes a price-locked quote that spells out each service and each material line. Clients who want a written scope can request a free quote for a full-service Florida or interstate move.
The five takeaways below map what is always in a full-service move, what is billed on top, and what the written quote should spell out on paper.
Key Takeaways
Always Included: Pack labor, load, drive, unload, and basic take-apart of beds and dining tables sit inside the base plan for a full-service move.
Almost Always Extra: Boxes, tape, wardrobe cartons, custom crates, and the disconnect of a fridge or washer are billed on top of the base plan.
Take-Apart Rule: Simple beds and tables are part of the plan. Custom wall units, cribs, gym stacks, and antique pieces are billed on top.
Written Quote: A price-locked written quote should spell out each labor line, each material line, and each add-on with a set dollar amount.
Contract List: A signed contract must list the inventory, the price, the pickup date, the drop-off window, USDOT, and any add-on service.
The five sections below step through what is in, what is billed on top, how take-apart works, how materials are priced, and what the contract should list.
What Is Always Included?
A full-service move always includes pack labor, load labor, the truck, fuel, drive time to the drop-off, and unload labor at the new address. The crew brings pads, dollies, and hand tools on the pack day. The base plan covers basic take-apart of beds and dining tables at the origin and put-back at the destination. Read Why Professional Movers Prevent Damage That Amateur Movers Can't for the pack and load steps that keep pieces safe on the road.
The base plan is set up for a hands-off day for the client. A crew lead walks the home first, marks a room-by-room inventory, and sets the tag order for the truck. The client points to the right rooms at the drop-off. Federal law also builds in $0.60 per pound per article as a base coverage tier at no cost. That flow keeps the move on the timeline set in the price-locked written estimate.
What Is Almost Always Extra?
Extras that fall out of the base plan include the boxes and tape used on the pack day, custom wood crates for a marble top, the disconnect of a fridge or a washer, a long carry to the truck, a shuttle for a tight street, and any storage past a move-out date. Read What Is White Glove Moving Service and Is It Worth the Cost? for the top-tier plan. That plan folds many of these add-ons into one price.
A full open of every box at the drop-off is a separate line item, too. So is the haul-away of used boxes and pack paper. A vault or a warehouse hold is billed by the week or the month. Ask the estimator to list each add-on with a set dollar amount. That way, no charge lands as a shock on the pickup day.
The chart below lines up the top line items in a full-service move against what sits in the base plan and what is billed on top.
| Service Element | In Base Plan | Billed on Top |
|---|---|---|
| Pack labor | Yes | No |
| Boxes, tape, paper | No | Yes |
| Load and unload | Yes | No |
| Basic take-apart (beds, tables) | Yes | No |
| Custom crate for art or marble | No | Yes |
| Fridge or washer disconnect | No | Yes |
| Full open of every box | No | Yes |
| Shuttle for a tight street | No | Yes |
A price-locked written quote should show each line above with a set dollar amount so both the base plan and the add-on total sit on paper before the pack day.
Is Disassembly Included or Billed?
Basic take-apart is included on a full-service move. Simple beds, dining tables, and screw-in frames are part of the base plan. The crew puts each piece back at the drop-off. Custom wall units, IKEA closets, cribs with special hardware, home gym stacks, and antique pieces are billed on top. These items need extra time, special tools, or a second crew member on site. Read Why Your Furniture Gets Damaged Without Professional Disassembly Service for what can go wrong when a piece is moved as-is.
A crew lead flags each special piece on the walk-through. The take-apart is then priced on the written quote. Ask the estimator to note who owns the put-back on the drop-off day - the crew, a third-party tech, or the client. That line stops the day-of surprise on a wall unit, a Peloton, or a crib in the new home.
Are Materials Included in Packing?
Materials are billed on top of the pack labor line on a full-service move. Boxes, tape, wardrobe cartons, dish packs, and pack paper are quoted by the count of units used at the origin. The pack labor sits inside the base plan. Each box and each roll of tape is a line item at a set price on the written quote. Read Why Professional Packers Save Thousands (And When You Actually Need Them) for the pro-pack payoff on fragile pieces like TVs, art, and marble tops.
Ask the estimator for a per-unit price on each material line before the pack day. That price should hold to the price-locked written quote. If the crew uses fewer boxes than the plan, the final invoice should drop to match the real count of units. That check keeps the paper trail clean from the walk-through to the drop-off.
What Should the Contract List Explicitly?
A full-service moving contract should list the full inventory, the pickup date, the drop-off window, the price-lock terms, and any storage-in-transit plan. Each service line should show a set dollar amount for pack, load, drive, unload, take-apart, and extras. Each material line should show a per-unit price with a count. USDOT and MC numbers should sit on the top page of the paper. Read Why Your Moving Quote Might Jump 110% (And How to Prevent It With a Binding Estimate) for the binding-quote form. That form locks the price at the walk-through.
The base coverage tier and any Full Value Protection option should sit on the paper, too. The bill of lading should match the walk-through inventory and the written quote. A signature at the pickup address should follow a room-by-room check that the paperwork lines up with what is on the truck.
Full-Service Move Checklist
Book a walk-through in the home or by live video. A room-by-room look at each piece sets the base pack and load plan on the written quote and stops a size shock on the pickup day.
Ask for a price-locked written quote that spells out each line. Every pack, load, drive, unload, take-apart, and material line should show a set dollar amount with USDOT and MC on the top page.
Flag every special piece to the estimator on the walk. Custom wall units, cribs, gym stacks, marble tops, antiques, and big TVs each need a note on the paper for a fair take-apart and pack price.
Ask the crew lead who owns the reassembly on the drop-off. Some pieces need a third-party tech, and that call should sit on the written quote well before the truck rolls to the new address.
Get a per-unit price on each material line. Boxes, tape, wardrobe cartons, and dish packs should each show a per-unit rate so the final invoice tracks the real count of units the crew used.
Ask about the base coverage tier and the Full Value Protection option. Both tiers should sit on the paper so the client picks a fit for the value of the load ahead of the pickup day.
Set the storage-in-transit plan if the drop-off date is not set. A vault or a warehouse hold is billed by the week or the month, and that rate should sit on the written quote from the start.
Check the bill of lading matches the inventory on the pickup day. A room-by-room walk with the crew lead lines up each piece on the paper with each piece on the truck.
Save the signed paper trail after the drop-off. The written quote, the bill of lading, the inventory, and any add-on order form all sit in one folder in case a claim comes later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Always Included in a Full-Service Move?
A full-service move always includes the pack labor, the load labor, the truck, fuel, drive time, and the unload labor at the drop-off. Basic take-apart of beds and dining tables is in the base plan. Federal base coverage of $0.60 per pound per article is built in at no extra cost.
What Is Almost Always Extra?
Extras include boxes and tape, custom crates for art or marble, the disconnect of a fridge or washer, a long carry, a shuttle for a tight street, and any storage past a move-out date. A full open of every box at the drop-off is a separate line item on the written quote.
Is Disassembly Included or Billed?
Basic take-apart of simple beds, dining tables, and screw-in bed frames is included at the origin, and the crew puts each piece back at the drop-off. Custom wall units, cribs, home gym stacks, and antique pieces are billed on top of the base plan for a full-service move.
Are Materials Included in Packing?
Boxes, tape, wardrobe cartons, dish packs, and pack paper are billed on top of the pack labor line. The pack labor sits inside the base plan. Each material line shows a per-unit price with a set count on the price-locked written quote before the pack day.
What Should the Contract List Explicitly?
A full-service moving contract should list the inventory, the pickup date, the drop-off window, the price-lock terms, each pack and load line, each material line, the USDOT and MC of the carrier, the coverage tier, and any storage-in-transit plan on paper.
How Is a Full-Service Move Quoted in Florida?
A full-service Florida local move is quoted by the hour with a base minimum of three labor hours and one travel hour on the written quote. A long-distance move is quoted by the cubic feet of the load, set in a price-locked written quote after a walk-through of the home.
Does Full Service Include the Opening of Every Box?
No. A full open of every box at the drop-off is a separate line item on a full-service plan. Most base plans place each box in the right room. A partial or full open can be added on the written quote at a per-hour or per-flat rate.
Does the Base Plan Cover a Piano, a Hot Tub, or a Pool Table?
No. Specialty pieces like a piano, a hot tub, or a slate pool table need a custom quote. The size, weight, and access at both ends set the price. A pro often brings extra crew or a lift gate for the load, and that cost sits on the paper.
Do I Have to Be in the Home on Pack Day?
Yes. A named adult must be in the home at the pack, the load, and the drop-off to sign the inventory, mark any code, and point out room order. A stand-in with written power of attorney can cover the day if the client is out of town.
Ready to Book a Full-Service Move?
Call Safebound at 561-510-7191 for a written estimate on a Florida or long-distance full-service move. A move lead can walk the home in person or by live video, spell out each pack, load, and take-apart line, and set the crew with a clear inventory template on the pickup day. Every free quote lists the base plan, each add-on with a set dollar amount, and the coverage tier in plain writing. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-9pm | Sat-Sun 10am-6pm.
People Also Read
Why Professional Movers Pack Better Than You (Full Service Packing Explained)
Why Movers Charge $100-$1,400 for box-opening Service (And When It's Worth It)
Sources & References
Safebound Moving & Storage is licensed, insured, and certified throughout Florida and the continental United States. USDOT 2900155 | MC 975408 | FL IM2839. BBB Accredited. Forbes Featured. Verify at fdacs.gov or safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.
About the Author
Leo Cavaretta | Moving Industry Specialist, Safebound Moving & Storage
Leo Cavaretta is a moving industry specialist at Safebound Moving & Storage, a licensed carrier based in West Palm Beach, Florida (USDOT 2900155). Leo specializes in interstate moving regulations, USDOT compliance, residential relocation, and moving cost transparency, helping customers navigate the full moving process, from written, price-locked estimates with transparent pricing and no hidden fees to long-distance logistics, with confidence. Since 2016, Safebound has completed more than 35,000 residential and commercial relocations across all 50 states. Safebound holds USDOT 2900155, MC 975408, and FL IM2839, and is BBB Accredited. Get a free quote or learn about Safebound Moving & Storage.
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