Franklin's Moving Services in Baltimore: Local and Long-Distance Moves with Hourly Rates

Franklin's Moving Services is a Baltimore-based moving company that handles both local relocations within the city and surrounding counties and long-distance moves up the East Coast. The operation runs as a crew-based service where customers pay hourly labor rates rather than flat fees, which means costs scale directly to job complexity and distance.

What Franklin's Moving Services Actually Is

Franklin's operates as a full-service moving company licensed and insured in Maryland. Unlike larger national chains that often subcontract local work, Franklin's maintains its own crews and trucks for Baltimore moves, giving customers direct contact with the people handling their belongings. The company accepts jobs ranging from studio apartments to multi-bedroom homes and handles both residential and small commercial moves. They do not offer storage facilities on-site; storage arrangements must be made separately if needed between move-out and move-in dates.

Services and Pricing

Franklin's charges by the hour for labor. Current rates run approximately $85 to $110 per hour depending on crew size, with most local moves using a two-person or three-person team. A basic two-person crew costs around $85 per hour; a three-person crew runs roughly $110 per hour. These rates apply to the crew only and do not include truck rental fees, which are billed separately based on vehicle size. A call for a binding estimate is necessary to lock in rates, as pricing can shift seasonally.

The company offers several service tiers. Basic moving includes loading, transport, and unloading at the destination. For an additional fee, Franklin's provides packing supplies (boxes, tape, bubble wrap) and full packing and unpacking service. They also offer unpacking only, which costs less and suits customers who packed themselves. Specialty services including piano moving, safe or vault transport, and furniture disassembly/reassembly are available at higher rates tied to the specific job.

A deposit is required to book a move. The company typically holds 20 percent of the estimated job cost as a deposit, with the balance due upon completion. This deposit is non-refundable if the customer cancels within 48 hours of the scheduled move date.

How Franklin's Compares to Other Baltimore Movers

Baltimore has several large national franchises (United, Mayflower) and a handful of smaller local operations. National chains often use independent contractors for local moves, which can mean inconsistent service quality and delayed accountability if something goes wrong. Rates at national franchises are sometimes lower on paper, but they often add hourly minimums, fuel surcharges, and other line-item fees that push the final cost higher than the original quote.

Compared to All My Sons Moving (another local Baltimore operator), Franklin's has lower base hourly rates but does not offer in-house storage, which All My Sons does. All My Sons charges roughly $105 to $125 per hour for a comparable crew and includes storage access at their facility in Canton. If you need temporary storage, All My Sons may be worth the extra hourly cost. If you have flexible timing and can move directly from old to new home, Franklin's delivers better value.

For long-distance moves, Franklin's subcontracts to affiliated carriers on routes outside Maryland and nearby states. This arrangement is cheaper than booking a national van line directly but can mean less control over pickup and delivery schedules. If you are moving across the country and need guaranteed dates, a national carrier like United or Mayflower may be more reliable, though you will pay a premium.

Who Franklin's Suits and Who It Does Not

Franklin's works well for Baltimore residents making local moves within the city or to nearby counties (Anne Arundel, Howard, Baltimore County) who have some scheduling flexibility and want transparent hourly pricing. The crew-based model also suits customers with tricky logistics: narrow staircases, rooftop access, multiple floors, or items requiring careful handling.

Franklin's is less ideal if you need guaranteed move dates, prefer a fixed price with no surprises, or require storage longer than a few days. The hourly model also penalizes inefficiency; if loading takes longer than expected, your bill grows. Customers moving to distant states should get a separate quote from a traditional long-distance carrier rather than rely on Franklin's subcontract arrangement.

What the First Visit Involves

Contact Franklin's by phone or email to request a free in-home estimate. A representative will visit your home, walk through rooms, assess furniture and special items, and ask about your move date and destination. The estimate typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. You will receive a written quote within one business day. If you accept, you sign a standard moving agreement and submit your deposit to secure the date.

On moving day, arrive before the crew, make sure the building superintendent or landlord knows about access requirements, and have a final walkthrough plan ready. The crew will protect floors and doorways with paper or cardboard and load items into their truck. You remain free to supervise or let them work unsupervised. Once unloading is complete, you sign off on the invoice and pay the remainder on the spot by card or check.

Hours, Parking, and Logistics

Franklin's operates Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday moves are available by special request with a surcharge. The company dispatches from a location in Southeast Baltimore; crews travel directly to customer homes, so there is no customer office to visit. Parking for the moving truck is the customer's responsibility. Baltimore row houses and apartment buildings with limited curb space can complicate logistics; mention parking constraints when you call for an estimate, as the crew may need to double-park or use a loading zone, adding time and cost.

Franklin's Moving Services handles the straightforward local move efficiently and at fair rates for the Baltimore market, making it a solid alternative to national franchises when you control your timing and have basic moving needs.