How High Can Movers Hoist Furniture?

Last updated: October 2026

Most residential hoists go up to fifth or sixth floors with standard rigging. Higher than that, or anything well over a couple hundred pounds, brings crane support into the conversation, quoted job by job.

For most Chicago homes, that covers it. Easily. Vintage three-flats, courtyard walk-ups, and greystones are rarely taller than a standard hoist can reach. The question usually isn't how high. It's how heavy, and whether the window or balcony is big enough.

Standard rigging

Standard rigging handles the everyday hoists. A sofa up to a third-floor walk-up. A sectional over a balcony. A dresser through a second-floor window. The piece gets padded and strapped, and the crew controls the lift from the ground to the window. Read is hoisting safe for the furniture.

When a crane comes in

Two things bring a crane into the picture.

Height. Above the fifth or sixth floor, standard rigging stops being the right tool.

Weight. Anything well over a couple hundred pounds may need crane support at any height.

Crane jobs are quoted job by job, because every building and every piece is different. Some locations require a permit for crane work. If yours does, the customer arranges it, since we don't handle permits. We provide the management whatever they ask from us. Hot tubs that can't fit through the backyard gate are a good example. Read do you move swim spas.

What affects the plan

The opening. The window or balcony has to be big enough for the piece.

The ground. There has to be room below to work. Gangways, fences, trees, and parked cars all matter.

What's overhead. Power lines and tree branches change the approach.

The piece. Its size, its weight, and whether it can be tilted.

High-rises

Most high-rise moves don't need a hoist at all, because the elevator does the work, and a building with a good freight elevator can take surprisingly large pieces straight up to the thirtieth floor without anyone going near a window. The trouble comes when a piece is too big for the elevator. If that happens, tell us early so we can talk through the options before moving day. For high-rise moves in general, read white glove moves in luxury high-rises.

Height in a Chicago context

Think about the buildings where hoisting comes up most. A three-flat is three stories. A courtyard walk-up is usually three or four. A greystone is often two or three. Every one of those sits well inside what standard rigging can reach, which is why, for most Chicago hoists, height is the easy part and the real conversation is about the size of the window and the space on the ground below it.

Before we hoist

We always check whether the piece comes apart first. Assembly and disassembly are always included in our hourly rate. If a piece truly won't work, we tell you before move day, not after.

What we need from you

The floor. And whether the hoist is in or out.

Photos. Of the piece, the window or balcony, and the ground below.

Measurements. Of the piece and the opening.

Pricing

Every hoist is different, so we estimate after we know the item, the height, and the access. Read how much does hoisting cost.

Hoisting heights are covered on our hoisting and crane service page, one of our moving services.

Call (773) 275-4100 or email info@wcmoving.com, and tell us which floor.