How Much Does It Cost to Move a House in Chicago?

How Much Does It Cost to Move a House in Chicago?

Last updated: October 2026

Every job we do starts at $405. That's our 2-hour minimum, and it applies to a single couch the same way it applies to a five-bedroom colonial.

A whole house almost never fits in two hours, though. Depending on what's inside, house moves tend to cost $1,200 and up. Where yours lands comes down to a handful of things, and most of them you can see by walking through your own rooms.

At Windy City Movers, house moves are part of our everyday moving services. Here's what goes into the price of one.

What's inside matters most

Inventory drives everything. Two houses with the same bedroom count can be hours apart if one has a finished basement full of furniture and a garage nobody has cleared out in years. When you call for an estimate, think about the rooms people forget. The basement. The attic. The garage. The shed out back.

The more we know about what's going, the closer the estimate is to the final number.

The crew you need

House moves are hourly, and crew size sets the hourly rate. More movers cost more per hour. They also finish faster.

For a full house, we usually send three or more movers. For three-bedroom and four-plus-bedroom houses, it's usually four or more. A big house with a small crew is a long, expensive day. The right crew size is part of what we work out with you up front.

Time on the road

In the Chicago area, moving companies charge at least one hour for travel. If the drive takes longer, travel is billed at an hour and a half, two hours, or more. A move from Lincoln Square to Glenview is a different drive than a move across the street, and the estimate reflects that from the start.

Access at both ends

Houses skip some of the headaches apartments have, but not all of them. Stairs to the second floor and down to the basement take time. So does a long walk from the front door to the truck when there's no driveway. In the city, some blocks need a parking permit to hold space for the truck. None of these are separate fees. They show up as time on the clock.

Packing

If your house is packed and ready when the crew arrives, you're paying for loading, the drive, and unloading. If you want us to pack, packing labor and packing materials are charged separately. Our full packing service covers the whole house. Not sure which way to go? Our post on whether to hire professional packers or pack yourself walks through it.

Specialty pieces

Some furniture brings its own plan. A piano or a safe needs different equipment and more care than a dresser, and that shows up in the estimate.

What's already included

Taking apart beds and dining tables and putting them back together is always included in the hourly rate. Moving blankets are free during the move. Mattress bags are included, and TV boxes are free to use on moving day.

How long it takes

Most local house moves finish in a single day. Large homes, or moves going a long distance, may need two. If yours is one of those, we'll plan it that way from the start instead of surprising you at four in the afternoon.

What doesn't change

The calendar. Our pricing stays the same all year, so a house move in July costs what it costs in February. There's no deposit to book, and estimates are free.

For the bigger picture on Chicago moving costs, see how much a move in Chicago costs. For the house side of things, our house moving service page has this question with a short answer.

Ready to find out where your house lands? Call (773) 275-4100, email info@wcmoving.com, or request a free estimate.