Some of the main questions about moving that local movers answer for their customers are about price. How much do movers cost? How can I save money on my move? And in a big, apartment-rich city like Chicago, many people want to know how much it’ll cost to move a one-bedroom apartment.
The reality is that there isn’t a universal answer to this question. The cost of your move depends on a variety of factors, including how much stuff you need moved, how far your new home is from your old one, and whether you need additional services like packing or storage. In fact, the type of move you need is one of the biggest driving factors in your overall moving cost.
Types of moves for one-bedroom apartments
There are several different types of moves, which is why the best moving companies in Chicago offer a variety of services. Your moving situation is as unique as you are, and it’s important to know your options. The better educated you are about the overall moving process, the more prepared you’ll be come move day. And when you’re prepared, you’ll have a much smoother, stress-free, and cost effective moving experience!
Don’t be afraid to call your local moving service and ask them what your options are. They should help you decide between a full move or loading or unloading service, and whether you need packing or storage service. Here’s a rundown of each type of moving service to help you decide what’s best for you.
Full move
Perhaps the most common type of move is the full move. In this situation, your moving company arrives at your home, wraps your furniture, and loads your belongings into their moving truck. They then transport your items to your new home, where they unload the truck and place your furniture and boxes in the appropriate rooms. Your move crew can even reassemble some of the furniture that had to be taken apart when it was packed inside the moving truck.
Some people require a full move but are staying in the same building. For example, maybe you’ve found an apartment in the same gorgeous Chicago sky rise that you’ve lived in for years, but you need professional movers to bring your home’s inventory to your new unit. These are called intra-building moves, and are very common! These tend to cost a little less than a full move, since your movers won’t have to drive their moving truck from your old home to your new one.
Loading or unloading only
Not all moving companies travel across hundreds of miles. So if you’re moving across state lines, it’s possible that your favorite local mover won’t be able to travel far enough to handle your entire move. However, there’s a good chance that they can provide loading or unloading service to help you get on the road—or welcome you to your new town!
If you’re moving to the Chicagoland Area from out of state, you can find a local mover to unload your rental truck or storage container at your new home. They’ll carry your belongings into your new one-bedroom apartment, unwrap your furniture, and haul away the disposable moving supplies.
And if you’re moving far away from Chicago, you can easily find a local moving company that will load your moving truck or storage container so you can get on the road. Your belongings will be carefully wrapped and packed so you can rest assured that everything will arrive to your new town intact.
Packing service
In addition to hiring movers to handle the heavy lifting, you might want a hand packing up your home. Fortunately, most professional moving services also offer packing service to help you best prepare for your move day.
You control how much the crew packs up at your home. For example, maybe you want help wrapping and boxing your kitchenware, but you prefer to pack your bedroom on your own. That’s completely fine! Your moving company will likely charge based on the quantity of boxes they pack and how many materials they use. So if you need help packing on a budget, you can let the crew know what to take care of and what to leave to you.
Storage service
It’s pretty common for moving customers to need to store their materials before they can move into their new place. Fortunately, many local movers offer affordable storage service in addition to moving and packing!
Maybe the landlord or building management company is delayed in preparing your new one-bedroom apartment for you to move in—or maybe you’re subletting your current apartment while you travel abroad for a while. Whatever your timeframe or need, some local movers in Chicago offer overnight storage and long term storage solutions. Just let them know your situation so they can help you prepare and give you a good price for your move and storage service!
Average price for moving a one-bedroom apartment
Now that you know about the moving services available to you, it’s time to find a professional moving company to help with your one-bedroom apartment move.
Be sure to research a variety of local movers and obtain at least three estimates before you book your move. Finding the right mover for the best price will take some time, but it’ll be worth it in the long run when you’ve had a smooth and wallet-friendly move!
How do local movers charge for their services?
Once you receive the estimates from your local movers, it’s time to dig into the details. The estimate will show you your crew size (i.e., 2-man, 3-man, 4-man, etc.) and the estimated hours they expect your move to take. The bigger the crew, the higher the hourly rate.
The estimate should also include moving materials like blankets, shrink wrap, and tape. Some local Chicago movers charge for each material used for your move, and others have a flat fee based on your residence’s size. If you’re trying to keep your costs low, find a moving company that charges a flat fee. That way, you won’t have to pick and choose which of your belongings are protected and which aren’t!
Finally, your estimate will include travel time. This is based on the distance from the moving company’s headquarters to the home you’re moving out of, and the distance from your new home back to their headquarters. The travel fee applies regardless of whether the move crew brings a moving truck or a smaller utility vehicle, as they would for loading or unloading only.
Keep in mind that each move is unique, and each local mover will charge a little differently. Here are a few average prices of moving a one-bedroom apartment in Chicago that you can compare your estimates to:
| Loading Only | Unloading Only | Full Move | Packing |
| $500 | $500 | $650 | $575 |
If these averages are higher than you anticipated, don’t worry! There are ways that you can reduce the cost of your move.
Tips to reduce the cost of your move
If you’re moving on a tight budget, there are a few ways you can cut your costs. Here are a few tips to saving money on your move:
- Donate or sell the items that you don’t want or need. Moving companies charge by the hour, so the less furniture and boxes they move, the less your move will cost!
- Look for free moving boxes in your area. Or better yet, rent some plastic moving bins for an ecofriendly—and wallet friendly—move.
- If you have a vehicle, move some small items in your personal car. If you rely on Chicago’s awesome public transportation system instead of owning your own car, ask your family, friends, or neighbors if they’ll help you bring some small items in their car.
In addition to the cost of your actual move, there are a few more expenses that you might want to consider. For example, tipping movers is customary, so if possible, try to have a little extra set aside to reward your move crew for a job well done. And if you have particularly delicate or expensive possessions that need to be moved, you can invest in moving insurance.
Insurance options for your local move
Although damage or loss is never anticipated, there is an inherent vice when items are packed and moved—even by the best movers in Chicago. That’s why moving insurance exists!
Purchasing moving insurance is not mandatory. However, if you have items of extraordinary value, you might want to protect your belongings by arranging coverage through your renter’s insurance company. You can also contact your moving company regarding their coverage options. In general, moving companies offer two different types of liability coverage:
- Carrier Liability. Every licensed mover in Illinois must provide this option at no additional charge to their customers. Carrier Liability means that if your mover damages something, they have to compensate you for $0.30 per pound for the item.
- Valuation. You can purchase valuation at a rate of $100 per $10,000 of coverage. If your entire shipment is lost or damaged, the mover will compensate you for the total value. Additionally, instead of paying $0.30 per pound as with Carrier Liability, the moving company will seek professional repair. If repair is not possible, the mover may compensate you for the item’s total value, less depreciation.
Not all moving companies offer valuation coverage. The best local movers in Chicago offer this option as a customer service gesture to help their clients. In fact, valuation is one of the elements that you might want to look out for when you hire a local moving company.
What to look out for when hiring a local moving company
When you hire a moving company to handle your one-bedroom apartment move, you want to make sure that they are reliable and professional. They should have a helpful, informative website and a lot of positive online reviews. Their Customer Service Team should be upbeat and responsive to your questions. And, of course, they should be licensed and insured!
Moving can be a stressful and expensive experience. Before you book your move, make sure that your moving company helps you feel calm and confident about your move. The better their customer service is leading up to your move, the more likely it is that you’ll get a team of experienced, professional movers on your move day.
Should you move your one-bedroom apartment yourself?
Handling your move on your own is always an option—especially if you have strong friends who are happy to be paid in pizza and beer!
There are, of course many benefits of hiring movers for your one-bedroom apartment. And saving yourself from backbreaking manual labor is only one of them!
Benefits of hiring movers for your one-bedroom apartment
Sometimes it’s a pretty clear choice whether to hire movers or move a one-bedroom apartment on your own. However, if you’re on the fence, it might be helpful to consider the benefits of hiring a professional moving service.
One major benefit of hiring expert movers is the peace of mind you’ll have because you won’t need to put yourself through manual labor. Moving is extremely labor intensive—and if you don’t know the proper way to carry heavy objects, it could even be dangerous.
Another benefit of hiring professional local movers is that you’ll avoid damaging your items. In the off chance that something is damaged during a professional move, you’ll be able to place a damage claim with your local mover instead of just absorbing the repair or replacement cost entirely on your own. However, if you do choose to move without hiring professional help, make sure you read up on some tips on making your DIY move successful!
How to move a one-bedroom apartment by yourself
If you don’t have the budget to hire a moving company for your one-bedroom apartment, you can certainly move yourself. Here are a few tips to help you have a successful DIY move:
- Get all the packing and moving materials you need. You might want to stock up on items like newsprint to pack your breakables and rent some sturdy plastic moving boxes to save hassle and waste on your move day.
- Reserve your elevators. Many buildings require you to use a freight elevator to perform your move. Since large apartment buildings have a lot of tenants, you’ll need to reserve your time with the building management company so that no one else can use the elevator while you’re moving.
- Rent your moving truck. Keep in mind that large trucks might require a special driver’s license, so make sure you know that you’re legally allowed to drive it. Also, some roads in Chicagoland—such as Lake Shore Drive—do not allow trucks at all. Read up on the rules of the road before you sign any rental agreement.
- Secure parking permits for the moving truck. Street parking can be a struggle in the city. In order to block off enough room for your moving truck, contact your alderperson’s office or the City of Chicago for information on how to obtain parking permits so you have reserved parking.
Once those tasks are taken care of, it’s time to start calling your friends and family for help! Moving is really hard work, so make sure that you ask strong, fit people to help you. And don’t forget to treat them well with some food, drinks, and maybe even a little cash for their troubles!
Need to move a one-bedroom apartment? Let the best movers in Chicago help!
You should be excited about moving to a new apartment. Instead of stressing about renting a truck, finding packing supplies, and begging your friends and family to help, just call Move-tastic!
Our moving, packing, and storage services are designed to fit your unique needs and exceed your expectations. Visit our website to request a free estimate today!