Advanced Moving & Storage provides apartment movers in Chicago for studios, one and two bedroom units, high-rise towers and third-floor walk-ups. We size the job to the building, booking the freight elevator window and filing the certificate of insurance before move day. Our hourly rate covers the movers, the truck and the equipment, with the travel fee charged once per job. Get a free apartment moving quote and lock in your date.
Apartment moves are priced by the hour, and the building decides how many of those hours you use. We size the number of movers to the floor, the elevator and the carry rather than to the bedroom count, which is what keeps a small move from running long.
A studio normally goes out with two movers and a truck at $135 an hour on weekdays, and a one or two bedroom usually takes three movers at $185 an hour. The third mover pays for itself as soon as there are stairs or a shared elevator. Pads, dollies and straps come on the truck.
Downtown and lakefront buildings run on a booked freight elevator window, often two hours, and most want a certificate of insurance from the mover before they let us in. Send us your building management contact when you book and we file the certificate ahead of the date.
Chicago has a deep stock of three and four story walk-ups, especially on the North Side. Stairs are billed at $75 per flight, counted whether the movers are going up or down, so a garden unit and a third floor are charged the same way. Tell us the floor when you call so the job is staffed for it.
Lease dates rarely line up, so we pack the day before and hold the load in our warehouse when the new place is not ready. See packing services and storage for how each is priced, or local moving for a straight same-day move.
We charge $135 an hour for two movers and a truck on weekdays, and $185 an hour for three movers. A travel fee is added once per job, based on how many movers you book.
Weekend and peak-season dates cost a little more per hour.
| Movers and Truck | Weekday | Weekend | Peak Season | Travel Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 movers + 1 truck | $135/hr | $145/hr | $165/hr | $195 |
| 3 movers + 1 truck | $185/hr | $195/hr | $215/hr | $245 |
| 4 movers + 1 truck | $225/hr | $235/hr | $255/hr | $285 |
| Each additional mover | +$40/hr | +$40/hr | +$50/hr | N/A |
These are planning estimates at weekday rates, not a quote. They cover mover and truck time only, before the travel fee and any add-ons.
| Apartment Size | Movers | Typical Time | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 2 movers, 1 truck | 3-4 hrs | $405-$540 |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment | 3 movers, 1 truck | 3-5 hrs | $555-$925 |
| 2 Bedroom Apartment | 3 movers, 1 truck | 4-6 hrs | $740-$1,110 |
Stairs are $75 per flight. Carries longer than 75 feet add $75 for each extra 50 feet, which is what a building with no loading zone out front turns into. Disconnecting and reconnecting an appliance is $250 per appliance. End-of-month and summer dates run at the peak rate, so a midweek date outside that window is the cheapest booking you can make.
The elevator window sets the length of the move in most Chicago buildings, so reserve it first and then tell us the time. Where the window is short we add a mover rather than risk a second trip. Ask management whether the window can be extended if you are above a one bedroom.
Most elevator buildings want a certificate of insurance naming the management company or association before move day, and buildings do turn movers away without one. We issue it ahead of the date once you send the contact. Advanced Moving & Storage operates under U.S. DOT No. 872553 and IL MC1035.
If the building has no dock, reserve curb space so the carry stays short. Free courtesy signs, where your ward office offers them, go up 48 to 72 hours ahead but are not enforceable, while signs the city will tow against are applied for through the City of Chicago permit portal and posted by the Chicago Department of Transportation. Their permit office takes questions at 312-744-4652.
Absolutely incredible! The customer service was easy to work with and so kind (thank you Donna!) and the movers were skilled and fast. We had a 3 person crew and they were in and out and treated our belongings with care. I cannot recommend them enough!!
May Scanlon
Small apartments are the jobs most often under-booked. Two movers and a truck handle a studio comfortably, but a one-bedroom with a sofa bed, a desk and a full closet usually runs faster and cheaper with three. We confirm the count on the phone before the date so the hourly rate works in your favor rather than against it.
High-rise moves are won or lost on paperwork. The freight elevator has to be reserved, the certificate of insurance has to be on file, and the loading dock has to be free at the hour you booked. Give us your building contact when you book and we deal with management directly, so the first thing the movers do on the day is load rather than wait.
A walk-up changes the shape of the job more than the size of the apartment does. Stairs are charged per flight, long pieces have to be turned on tight landings, and banisters and door frames get padded before anything moves. We staff a high walk-up with an extra mover, which almost always costs less than the hours a short-handed job adds.
Advanced Moving & Storage serves the entire Chicago metro. Whether your move stays within one neighborhood or crosses county lines, we have the local knowledge to get you there.
Tell us the building, the floor and your elevator window, and we will send back a written estimate with the hourly rate and the travel fee on it.
(630) 790-2500
