The first question almost every caller asks is some version of “what’s this actually going to cost me.” Fair question, and the honest answer is that our rates haven’t changed in a while because we don’t pad the invoice at the end with surprise line items. Here’s the real breakdown.
Hourly Rates by Crew Size
Every local move runs on an hourly rate tied to how many movers show up. Bigger crew, more hands, faster move, but a higher hourly number. Here’s the current rate card:
| Crew Size | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| 2 movers | $145/hr |
| 3 movers | $185/hr |
| 4 movers | $225/hr |
| Each additional mover | +$50/hr |
The rate covers labor, the truck, blankets, dollies, and fuel for the move itself. It’s an all-in hourly number, not a base rate that gets padded with add-ons once the truck is loaded.
Matching Crew Size to Your Home
Jamal Whitfield, who’s handled our in-home estimates since 2018, sets crew size at the walkthrough based on what’s actually in the home and how it needs to move, not just square footage. As a rough guide: a studio or one-bedroom apartment usually runs with 2 movers, a two-bedroom apartment or a Cicero bungalow usually calls for 3, and a full house or a two-flat with two units’ worth of furniture usually needs 4 or more. Stairs, a narrow gangway, or a long carry from the truck to the door can bump that number up, and Jamal flags it at the walkthrough, not the morning of.
The $175 Deposit
Booking a date requires a $175 deposit. It isn’t a separate fee. It’s credited straight to your final invoice, so it comes off the total instead of getting added on top. If your move ends up costing $780 on the hourly rate, the deposit already covers $175 of that.
What’s Billed Separately, and What Isn’t
Past the hourly rate and the deposit, there are exactly four things that can show up as their own line item, and nothing else:
- Packing materials, if you don’t book our packing service and want us to supply boxes, tape, and paper
- The full-value protection upgrade, if you want a higher payout ceiling than the basic released-value protection that comes standard at no cost on every job
- Short-term storage beyond what was already quoted
- Tips, appreciated but never required and never added to your invoice automatically
That’s the whole list. There’s no truck fee, no fuel surcharge, no stair charge, no heavy-item charge tacked on separately. Those realities are already built into the crew size Jamal quotes at the walkthrough, which is exactly why that walkthrough matters more than a number over the phone.
A Real Example
A two-bedroom apartment move from Logan Square to Oak Park with 3 movers and one flight of stairs usually runs 4 to 5 hours door to door, call it $740 to $925 on the hourly rate before the deposit credit. A four-bedroom house move with 4 movers, packing not included, tends to run 6 to 8 hours. Every job shifts once stairs, distance to the truck, and how much is actually being packed enter the picture, which is why Michelle books a walkthrough with Jamal instead of quoting blind over the phone.
Get an Exact Number
Call Checkmate Movers at (312) 508-3947 and Michelle will get an estimator out to walk the place before your move date, not after you’ve already booked a truck you can’t change your mind about.