Long Distance Moving
Out-of-state and up-the-coast moves from North County, priced in writing after we see the house.
Long Distance
Escondido antique and art moving
Antique and Fine Art Movers in Escondido, CA
Escondido Signature Moving is the crew of antique movers Escondido families call for the pieces that can't be replaced: a glass-front china cabinet, a marble-top dresser, the painting that's hung in three houses. We pad, wrap or build a custom wood crate for each one, and photograph it before it leaves the room.
Old Wood, Old Glass and Thin Veneer
Antiques break in their own ways, so each one gets its own plan
Contact UsA hundred-year-old dresser isn't built like a new one. The glue is hide glue, the veneer lifts if you grab it by the edge, and the casters were never meant to roll across a driveway. So our crew lifts from the frame, not the top, and pulls drawers and marble before the piece moves an inch. Mirrors and glass doors come off and travel separately. Every time we move a piece like that, it gets photographed on all 4 sides first, so there's a record of how it looked before we touched it.
Antique Furniture Movers and Fine Art Movers
The pieces people trust us with most
Heirloom Furniture
Hutches, secretaries, armoires and grandfather clocks. Pendulums and weights come out and ride in their own box.
Paintings and Framed Art
Glassine over the canvas, corner guards, then a picture box or a crate for anything large or valuable.
Mirrors, Glass and Marble
Marble tops ride on edge, never flat. Large mirrors go in a crate or a mirror carton.
Sculpture and Ceramics
Foam-lined crates with the piece blocked so it can't move inside the box.
Antique and Art Moving Prices
- Custom wood crate: $175 to $650 each
- Single antique, local move: $250 to $600
- Grandfather clock: $300 to $550
- Whole collection: quoted after a walk-through
Ask about full value protection for anything you'd hate to lose.
Every Antique Move Includes
- Photos of each piece on all sides at pickup
- Drawers, glass and marble removed and packed separately
- Moving blankets on wood, never plastic against a finish
- A crew lead who stays with the piece from room to truck
How Much Does Custom Crating Cost in Escondido?
Custom crating in Escondido costs about $175 to $650 per crate in 2026, depending on size. A crate for a 30 by 40 inch painting sits near the low end, while a crate for a marble-top table or a large mirror costs more. Moving a single antique across town runs $250 to $600.
When a Piece Needs a Crate
Most antique furniture rides fine padded and strapped. A custom wood crate is worth it for glass and stone, for art worth more than a few thousand dollars, and for anything on a long distance truck that will be loaded and unloaded more than once. We build crates in the warehouse to the measurements we take at the walk-through, usually 2 or 3 days ahead, so they arrive the morning of the move ready to close.
Why Plastic Wrap Never Touches a Finish
Stretch wrap traps heat and moisture against the wood. On an August afternoon in a truck inland, that can cloud a shellac finish or lift veneer. We pad first with moving blankets, then wrap over the blankets, never on the wood itself. Honestly, that one rule saves more antiques than anything else we do.
Coverage for Valuable Pieces
Basic coverage pays by the pound, which is close to nothing for a light painting worth thousands. Buy full value protection and list high-value items on the inventory sheet before the move. For a single piece worth more than $5,000, check your homeowner's policy for a rider too. Some of our customers in Rancho Bernardo and Fallbrook do both.
Need the rest of the house moved, or just the breakables packed? See our packing services.
Antique questions
Antique and Fine Art Moving FAQs
How do you move a grandfather clock?
We take out the pendulum and the weights first and pack them in their own labeled box. Then we tie off the chains or cables so they can't tangle, remove the hood if it lifts off, and wrap the case in moving blankets. The clock rides standing upright, strapped to the truck wall, never lying down.
Do you hang art at the new house?
We can hang mirrors and framed pieces on hooks you've already placed, and lean larger pieces safely against the right wall until you decide where they go. For heavy mirrors or art over a few thousand dollars, a professional picture hanger with the right anchors is worth hiring for the day after the move.
Can antiques go in storage?
Yes, padded and stored in our indoor warehouse. For long summer storage, fine antiques and oil paintings do better in a climate-controlled room, which we can arrange and quote separately. Inland Escondido heat and the dry Santa Ana winds in fall are both hard on old wood and glue.
What if an antique is damaged during the move?
Tell the crew lead right away and note it on the inventory sheet before they leave. With full value protection, we arrange a repair by a furniture restorer, replace the piece or pay its current value. The photos we take at pickup make the claim simple, because there's a clear record of how the piece looked.
Our reviews
What North County Customers Say
Our driveway in Hidden Meadows scares delivery drivers. Ray came out, looked at the hairpin and said they'd bring the small truck and shuttle. Four loads, zero scrapes, beds made that night.
Teresa M.4-bedroom house move · Hidden Meadows Moved my mom from the house she'd lived in for 40 years into a condo near Kit Carson Park. The crew labeled everything by her new floor plan and set up her bed and reading chair first. She was settled by dinner.
Daniel R.Downsizing move · Escondido We moved our dental office over a weekend. Every crate was numbered to the new floor plan and the exam chairs were where we wanted them Monday at 8. Price was what they wrote down.
Dr. Priya S.Office move · San Marcos
Explore Our Other Moving Services
Moving and Storage
Vault storage in our indoor warehouse for the weeks or months between one house and the next.
StoragePacking Services
Full, partial or fragile-only packing, plus custom crates for glass, marble and art.
PackingApartment Moving
Studios, condos and townhomes, gated complexes and student moves, on a truck sized for the parking lot.
ApartmentsCommercial Moving
Offices, medical and dental suites, shops and warehouses moved after hours, so Monday opens on time.
CommercialPiano Moving
Uprights, spinets, baby grands and grands, moved on a padded piano board by a crew of three or four.
PianosGet a price in writing
Tell Us Where You're Going. We'll Read the Driveway.
Leave your name, number and a line about the move. We call back the same day to set up a walk-through, in person or on video, and send a written not-to-exceed price within 24 hours.
- Written price within 24 hours
- Our own movers, no day labor
- Vault storage if the dates don't line up