Terms of Service

The terms that apply when you book a move with Checkmate Movers.

This goes directly to Michelle, no forwarding, no queue — she or Desmond calls back the same day to get your Chicago move on the calendar and flag anything worth a closer look at the walkthrough.

ProMover AMSA Certified
BBB Accredited A+ Rating
US DOT FMCSA Registered
Fully Insured Cargo Protected
IAM Member Intl. Movers Assn.
IL ICC Licensed Illinois Commerce Comm.

Terms of Service

These terms apply to any move booked with Checkmate Movers, a licensed household goods mover operating out of Chicago, Illinois. By booking a walkthrough, estimate, or move date with us, you agree to the terms below.

Estimates and pricing

Phone estimates are preliminary. For anything past a small studio move, we provide a firm estimate only after an in-home walkthrough, where crew size, load order, and building access get worked out directly. Local moves are billed hourly at $145/hr (2 movers), $185/hr (3 movers), or $225/hr (4 movers), plus $50/hr for each additional mover. Long-distance moves are quoted in writing after the walkthrough.

Deposits and cancellations

A $175 deposit is required to hold your move date and is credited in full to your final invoice — it is never an additional charge. If you need to cancel or reschedule, contact the office as early as possible; deposits on moves cancelled with reasonable notice can typically be applied to a new date.

Coverage and liability

Basic released-value protection is included on every move at no additional cost. Full-value protection is available for anyone who wants more coverage than the basic level, and gets added at your in-home estimate. Any loss or damage claim should be reported to our office as soon as possible after your move so we can look into it properly.

Licensing

Checkmate Movers is licensed to operate as a household goods mover in Illinois through the Illinois Commerce Commission and holds US DOT and interstate MC authority for long-distance moves leaving the state.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time; the version posted here is the one currently in effect.

Eight Years Running Crews For A Franchise Taught Desmond What Planning Actually Prevents

One Rule Since Day One: Plan The Move Like A Chess Game, Not An Improv Show

“I spent eight years running crews for a big-box moving franchise, and jobs went sideways more than they should have — a couch carried up three flights twice because nobody had worked out the order first, a truck getting repacked on the sidewalk after it was already loaded wrong. I started keeping my own notes on load order and room sequencing, even on jobs that weren't mine, because watching it happen bothered me more than it should have. I started Checkmate Movers in 2013 on the idea that a move gets planned like a chess game — furniture placement, load order, and building access worked out before anyone touches a box, not improvised in the doorway.”
Desmond Hale
Owner · Checkmate Movers

Every Move Planned Before The First Box Does.

Furniture placement, load order, and building access get worked out at the walkthrough, before anyone touches a box on moving day. Desmond Hale started Checkmate Movers in 2013 after eight years running crews for a franchise that never planned a job in advance, and watched the same couch get carried up the same stairs twice because of it.

Get My Checkmate Movers Quote ☎ (312) 508-3947